Colin Fletcher (clergyman)
Encyclopedia
Colin Fletcher OBE (born 17 November 1950) is the current Bishop of Dorchester
in the Diocese of Oxford
.
and Trinity College, Oxford
. After studying at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
he was ordained in 1976. His ordained ministry began with a curacy
at Shipley
.
Fletcher was then a tutor
at Wycliffe Hall
and after that Vicar
of Holy Trinity in Margate
for eight years, before becoming chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury
— a post he held for seven years. During his time as chaplain, he was co-chair of the Lambeth Group
, which was set up to advise the British government on the "spiritual aspects of the millennium". He was awarded the OBE in the Millennium Honours List.
on his appointment as Bishop of Ely
. He was consecrated as a bishop in Westminster Abbey
by the Archbishop of Canterbury
, George Carey
, in October 2000. Following the retirement of the Bishop of Oxford
, the Rt Revd Richard Harries, Fletcher was Acting Bishop of Oxford until the appointment of the Rt Revd John Pritchard
.
A keen ornithologist, Fletcher is married with three children.
Bishop of Dorchester
Title held by various ecclesiastics including:*Bishop of Dorchester , suffragan bishop under the Church of England, 20th century onwards*Bishop of Dorchester , Saxon bishopric, merged into bishop of Lincoln c.1072...
in the Diocese of Oxford
Diocese of Oxford
-History:The Diocese of Oxford was created in 1541 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford...
.
Early life and ministry
Fletcher was educated at MarlboroughMarlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
. After studying at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the Banbury Road in central North Oxford, between Norham Gardens and Norham Road.-Overview:...
he was ordained in 1976. His ordained ministry began with a curacy
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Shipley
Shipley
Shipley may refer to:Places in England*Shipley, Derbyshire*Shipley, West Sussex*Shipley, West Yorkshire**Shipley People*Ann Shipley, Canadian politician*Burton Shipley, first Maryland Tarrapins men's basketball coach...
.
Fletcher was then a tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
at Wycliffe Hall
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the Banbury Road in central North Oxford, between Norham Gardens and Norham Road.-Overview:...
and after that Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Holy Trinity in Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
for eight years, before becoming chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
— a post he held for seven years. During his time as chaplain, he was co-chair of the Lambeth Group
Lambeth Group
The Lambeth Group is a stratigraphic group, a set of geological rock strata in the London and Hampshire Basins of southern England. It comprises a complex of vertically and laterally varying gravels, sands, silts and clays deposited between 56-55 million years before present during the Ypresian age...
, which was set up to advise the British government on the "spiritual aspects of the millennium". He was awarded the OBE in the Millennium Honours List.
Episcopal career
Fletcher was appointed to the episcopate in the Millennium Year, succeeding Anthony RussellAnthony Russell
Anthony John Russell was the previous Bishop of Ely in the Church of England.Russell was educated at Uppingham School, St Chad's College, Durham University and Trinity College Oxford, where he earned a DPhil degree...
on his appointment as Bishop of Ely
Bishop of Ely
The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
. He was consecrated as a bishop in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, George Carey
George Carey
George Leonard Carey, Baron Carey of Clifton PC, FKC is a former Archbishop of Canterbury, holding the office from 1991 to 2002. He was the first modern holder of the office not to have attended Oxford or Cambridge University...
, in October 2000. Following the retirement of the Bishop of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
, the Rt Revd Richard Harries, Fletcher was Acting Bishop of Oxford until the appointment of the Rt Revd John Pritchard
John Lawrence Pritchard
John Lawrence Pritchard is a Church of England bishop. He is the current Bishop of Oxford and is in the Open Evangelical tradition.-Life and ministry:...
.
A keen ornithologist, Fletcher is married with three children.
Styles
- Colin Fletcher Esq (1950–1976)
- The Revd Colin Fletcher (1976–1988)
- The Revd Canon Colin Fletcher (1988–2000)
- The Rt Revd Colin Fletcher (2000-present)