Two deaneries have become one under a reorganisation of the Ripon Episcopal Area which came into effect on January 1st.
The Deanery of Bowland and Ewecross brings together seven parishes from the former Ewecross deanery with and thirteen Bowland parishes.
Canon Ian Greenhalgh has been appointed as Area Dean. He said, "When we became the Diocese of Leeds both deaneries lost parishes to Carlisle and Blackburn Dioceses. Over the past 3 years we have been working together as deanery synods and also chapter - this has worked really well and it made sense to become legally the new Deanery of Bowland and Ewecross-the most Westerly part of the Diocese - and in many ways the most beautiful!”
The five new Area Deans will be welcomed and licensed at a service at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday January 29th. They are the Reverend Michael Hepper, Area Dean of Wensley who will also be installed as an Honorary Canon at the same service; the Reverend Canon Ian Greenhalgh, Area Dean of Ewecross and Bowland; the Reverend John Smith, Area Dean of Harrogate; the Reverend Yvonne Callaghan, Area Dean of Richmond; and the Reverend Canon Barry Pyke, Area Dean of Ripon.
Deaneries play an important part in the organisation of the church. Defined as a group of neighbouring parishes forming an administrative area, each deanery is overseen by an Area Dean (ordained) and a Lay Chair (not ordained) and has clergy and elected lay representatives from the parishes on the Deanery Synod. The Deanery Chapter of clergy provides pastoral support and the sharing of ideas while the Deanery Synod is an important forum for exchanging views, electing representatives to the Diocesan Synod and also to the General Synod, the legislative body of the Church of England.