The Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, will retire on July 3 - a month short of his 67th birthday. “Being the Bishop of Salisbury has been a privilege and a joy”, he said. “In present circumstances, the timing of my retirement has not been an easy decision to make, but it feels right to me and to those I have consulted. The impact of the pandemic is going to be felt for a long time. The Diocese is developing a Mission and Pastoral Plan and we have an agreed financial framework with which to face the future with confidence. We continue to be about Renewing Hope as we Pray, Serve and Grow.
A Salisbury Cathedral Chapter member is also an important part of the same service. The Bishop of Sherborne, the Right Reverend Karen Gorham, had been given the opportunity to prepare a service celebrating the journey of the wise men to Jesus in Bethlehem. This will be broadcast on the national BBC Local Radio Sunday Service tomorrow. In her service, the Bishop aims to reflect on being a seeker and a searcher and what that might mean in difficult times, including now during a third Covid-19 lockdown. Before recording the service in her home, the bishop said: Doing this remotely and making sure an advance recording is up-to-date has been challenging.
A HOMELESS charity based in Poole hopes to raise £25,000 from its 2020 Christmas Appeal. Routes to Roots need the money to buy a heating system for its new permanent centre for the town s vulnerably housed and rough sleepers. The former Baptist Church in Hill Street, Poole, bought by the charity in February before the coronavirus crisis struck in earnest, is undergoing extensive renovations. A team of dedicated Routes to Roots volunteers and trustees are calling on individuals and organisations to help them reach their target. The new building will provide a sanctuary for rough sleepers, providing warmth, food, shelter, and specialist support throughout the day, says the charity.