Bishop Ian Paton has sent a message to the diocese as he begins his new role as Acting Bishop in Aberdeen & Orkney, after Bishop Dorsey McConnell stepped down for family reasons.
Dear friends in Christ,
This letter comes with my warmest greetings to every member of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney, as I take up the role of serving as your acting Bishop during Bishop Anne’s suspension.
It is a great honour to be appointed to serve you in this way, succeeding Bishop Dorsey McConnell on 1 August. He succeeded Bishop John Armes, of course, and so I am your third acting Bishop in two years.
This is a difficult time for the Diocese, and as a pastor I want to be as helpful as possible to you as you continue to live faithfully as congregations. Bishop Dorsey has been tireless in his ministry for you, and has worked full-time as acting Bishop. The fact that I am the diocesan Bishop of another Diocese (and for this month, still acting Bishop of yet another) means that I will not be able to do the same. Nevertheless, I want you to know that in prayer and service for you I will be as available as I possibly can.
Bishop Dorsey has been acting Bishop for the last year, and I know that many of you have expressed your thanks and appreciation to him as he returns to being Assistant Bishop, as appointed by Bishop Anne, and I am grateful for this. I am also very grateful for the hard-working Diocesan team in the Office who continue to help the Diocese with its day-to-day business. And I am grateful to you for the continuing life of your congregations, serving your communities in Christ’s name.
I am also grateful for those who are being Ordained this Autumn:
– Helen Randall, being ordained deacon by me, at St Mary’s pro-Cathedral on Saturday 21 September at 12pm.
– Godwin Chimara, being ordained priest by Bishop Dorsey at St James, Aberdeen, on Monday 30 September at 7pm.
– Ferdinand von Prondzynski, being ordained priest by me at St Andrew, Afford, on Thursday 3 October at 7pm.
Please pray for them as they prepare for Ordination. You are very welcome to come to the services if you can.
As I write, it is the Feast of the Transfiguration, when the disciples saw Jesus in a new light, the light of God. Prayer is where Christ shows us to each other and shows us the world and himself in that new light. St Peter writes in his Letter: “You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
I will be praying for you in that light, as I serve as acting Bishop, and ask that you pray for me, and for one another.
With warm regards,
The Right Revd Ian Paton
Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane and Acting Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney
Bishop Ian can be contacted via the Diocesan office on office@aberdeen.anglican.org or 01224 662247. The office hours are Monday to Thursday 9am-4:30pm and Friday 9am-3pm.