The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, has announced the appointment of a new Archdeacon of Cheltenham, which is a senior member of clergy in the Diocese of Gloucester.
The Revd Canon Phil Andrew will work closely with the Bishop of Gloucester and her senior staff team in the leadership of the diocese. The role also involves supporting and working with all clergy and lay people in Cheltenham and the Cotswolds.
Phil will start his role in March 2017 and is looking forward to getting started, he said. “I am thrilled to be joining the Diocese of Gloucester. It’s an exciting time with the new vision LIFE starting to take shape. I am particularly looking forward to getting to know and working with the churches of Cheltenham archdeaconry, in all their diversity. I am passionate about ‘joining up’ life and faith and helping people from all backgrounds find that the Christian faith is as universally relevant in the 21st Century as it has ever been.”
Phil will come to us from Surrey, where he is currently the Vicar of Reigate Parish Church. He is married to Sue who is a GP and they have three adult sons, Tom, Dan and Josh.
Bishop Rachel is hugely excited about his appointment, she said. “I am delighted that Phil has accepted my invitation to be the next Archdeacon of Cheltenham. He will bring valuable gifts and experience to this role and a fresh perspective for how we share the transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ in our worshipping communities. I am greatly looking forward to working alongside him.”
Phil was born in Kenya, but returned to England to attend secondary school. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham University, which was followed by 16 years mainly working as a Chartered Engineer in the UK water industry, before he was ordained in 2002.
In his spare time Phil tells us. “I have the travel bug and enjoy travelling and exploring different cultures, especially when combined with walking and trekking. I enjoy a variety of sports, though increasingly from the armchair or terraces! I enjoy running on a regular basis and have recently taken up cycling.
“I am a (fair weather) supporter of Nottingham Forest and still remember their glory days when I was at University in Nottingham. I am a real ale fan and look forward to sampling Gloucestershire’s finest ales!”
Phil will be licensed and installed as Archdeacon at a service in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 11 March, to which everyone is invited.
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