A service of Thanksgiving for the life and ministry of the Rt Revd Colin Buchanan, Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Leeds, was held at Bradford Cathedral on Saturday, January 27.
The service was led by the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, who also read a message from the Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell.
The Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Toby Howarth, reflected on Bishop Colin’s ministry in Bradford, while the Dean of Windsor, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, spoke of Bishop Colin’s wider ministry to the church.
Family memories were shared by Bishop Colin’s daughters Stephanie and Judith, while friend Trevor Lloyd shared memories about Bishop Colin.
The sermon was preached by the Rt Revd David James, former Bishop of Bradford.
Bishop Colin, who lived in north Leeds, began his ministry in Cheadle, Manchester, but spent much of his ministry as first a member of staff and then principal of St John’s Theological College Nottingham.
He went on to become Bishop of Aston and later Bishop of Woolwich, retiring in 2004.
Bishop Colin was well known for his work on liturgy and published extensively on this subject and others.
He founded the Grove Booklet Series and owned the business until 1985.
He was a member of the General Synod's Liturgical Commission (1964-86) and was one of the architects of the Alternative Service Book.
He drafted the Church of England report on the Charismatic Movement (1981) and served on the Doctrine Commission (1986-91).
He was one of those responsible for the Report ‘We believe in the Holy Spirit’ (1991).
He was a passionate advocate of the disestablishment of the Church of England.
In 1994 he published his book Cut the Connection and sponsored a General Synod debate on the subject.