The outgoing Bishop of Doncaster, the Rt Revd Sophie Jelley, has been sharing some of the highlights of her five years in post as she prepares to move to the Diocese of Coventry.
Bishop Sophie’s ‘Confirmation of Election’ took place on Friday 14th February, in the context of Evening Prayer at Lambeth Palace, led by Bishop Sarah Mullally who is Dean of the Southern Province. Though Bishop Sophie won’t move house until May, she will be working behind the scenes as Bishop of Coventry before taking up public duties following a service of Welcome and Installation at Coventry Cathedral on Saturday 7th June at 2pm.
A farewell service is taking place at Sheffield Cathedral on Saturday 1st March at 11.30am, where colleagues, friends and members of the public will get a chance to give thanks for Bishop Sophie’s time in the Diocese of Sheffield.
Bishop Sophie began her ministry in Sheffield in March 2020. She was among the first to be licensed ‘virtually’ due to the Covid Pandemic. Six months later, she was consecrated a bishop at York Minster under the strict regulations in place at that time on 21 September 2020 and with only a few guests present. She was similarly installed as the seventh Bishop of Doncaster in Sheffield Cathedral on 24 September 2020. Having served for five years here, she has now become the first female Bishop of Coventry and will be delighted to welcome many at her installation in June for a full celebration!
Bishop Sophie said:
“I have absolutely loved my time in the Diocese of Sheffield. It will be a big wrench to leave Sheffield, but I am confident that in accepting this new role, I am following God’s call.
“The tone of Bishop Pete’s invitation encouraged me to come for interview and it’s been wonderful to work in partnership with him and the Diocese. The themes around the Diocese, including ‘Lights for Christ’ and the mutuality of lay and ordained together, have been such a joy.
“My favourite day of the year has been the rehearsal day at the Cathedral before the ordination weekends, where we gather together with all of those who are to be ordained deacons and priests. It’s a culmination of the whole journey of discernment that people have been on for some time, and when you’ve been really involved in the detail of those journeys and lives it’s absolutely wonderful.
“The church needs to adopt a posture of service to the world, this really matters to me and it is important that this is offered in the right way…. the relationship between the church and particularly the Doncaster civic side has been a real blessing. The opportunity to bring different people from different sectors together is a particular joy that I’ve had here in Doncaster, which has been really fruitful.”
In addition to her role as Suffragan Bishop, she has also been part of the wider bishop’s staff team, the Sponsoring Bishop for all vocations and has chaired the Board of Education. Bishop Sophie is the national episcopal lead for Lay Ministries across the Church of England and a champion of the work to increase the numbers of children and young people, as well as leading the work to increase our Diversity and Participation among all sections of the community in the Diocese of Sheffield.
In October 2022 she ran the London Marathon, raising over £6,000 for the charity Mencap. It is believed she was the first female bishop to run the London Marathon, with the Mencap project ‘All Move’ being one of the beneficiaries of the fundraising efforts – a campaign to help children both with and without disabilities share activities together.
When asked what advice she would give to her successor, Bishop Sophie said:
“I would say the Diocese of Sheffield has been an absolutely brilliant place to work. If you want to work somewhere where you’re well supported, where you’re energised, challenged, and have opportunity – I’d say it’s right up there. There are some great things going on.
“It is the people here who I will miss the most and that sense of family, but it is my prayer and expectation that this doesn’t finish here. There will be a different family and more lovely people along the way. God calls us to love. I absolutely see the good news of Jesus being able to transform human lives, as brightly as I ever have done.”