Looking Back at Bishop David’s 25 Years of Episcopal Ministry

On Sunday, Bishop David marked 25 years since his consecration as a bishop. The celebration service at Manchester Cathedral included a sermon from The Rt Revd Jack Nicholls, who preached at Bishop David’s consecration at St Paul’s Cathedral in 2000. Read more.

Bishop David was ordained bishop on 30 November 2000 by The Rt Revd George Carey at St Paul’s Cathedral, becoming England’s youngest bishop at the time. His first years in the role were spent in the Diocese of Worcester, where he served faithfully and acted as diocesan bishop during the transition between the Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby and Rt Revd Dr John Inge in 2007.

A sabbatical in 2005 in the Diocese of Peru opened Bishop David’s eyes to the richness and challenges of the wider Anglican Communion. That same year, he was elected to General Synod, representing southern suffragans, and began a long association with the Pensions Board, later serving as chair of its Housing Committee and vice chair of the Board.

In 2013, Bishop David was appointed Bishop of Manchester, which saw him return to the diocese where he was born. His enthronement day started with a Eucharist in the church where he was baptised, surrounded by family memories.

His ministry in Manchester has been marked by a deep commitment to community engagement and active involvement in causes that matter to local people. In 2014, he joined the board of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, later becoming chair. Since joining the House of Lords in 2020, Bishop David has spoken on issues that affect communities in our diocese, raising matters at a national level, such as championing those affected by illegal cladding, seeking fairer support for care leavers, and urging the government to lift children out of poverty. This year he was made Convenor of the Lords Spiritual.

Bishop David has also led the way in caring for creation, making changes to reduce the carbon footprint of our diocese. In 2024, he took part in a delegation of Manchester faith and community leaders to Rome to visit Pope Francis to prayerfully commit to our net zero carbon targets.

His interest in the global church has continued throughout his ministry. A visit to  Lahore in 2015, just days after a devastating church bombing, was an experience he describes as one of the most moving moments of his ministry. In 2024, he became Chair of USPG, strengthening ties with the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Above all, during his twelve years’ service in the diocese, Bishop David has sought to make the love of Jesus Christ known to our communities. Alongside his wife, the Revd Sue Walker who ministers at St Margaret’s Prestwich, he undertakes visits around the diocese supporting and enriching the valued work of our parishes, schools and chaplaincies.

Under his leadership and alongside his Bishop’s Leadership Team, vocations have grown, and both ordained and lay ministries continue to flourish. Each year we are blessed with ordinations of priests and deacons from a wide range of backgrounds, new authorised lay ministers, readers and church officers who each contribute to the ongoing ministry of our parishes.

A mathematician as well as a theologian, Bishop David has served as Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners and chaired the Ethical Investment Advisory Committee, helping shape strategies that earned national and international recognition. His leadership ensured diocesan distributions grew well above inflation while increasing funds for local ministry.

In 2017, Bishop David supported the city of Manchester following the Arena attack, serving the city in its time of grief while focusing on “love, light and defiance.” His commitment to interfaith dialogue has ensured that faith communities in our region work together to support one another and collectively address the challenges they face. This was evident again this year following the attack on the Heaton Park Synagogue.

In 2017, Bishop David launched the diocesan vision of becoming “A Church for a Different World”, and our mission of becoming a worshipping, growing and transforming presence in every community. As a result, Manchester Diocese has lived out its mission goals of growing, nurturing and serving while seeing significant structural and mission developments under his leadership including the move to seven deaneries. Pioneering projects such as The Antioch Network Estates Ministry, Children’s Changing Places and new Resource Churches have further strengthened the work of our diocese.

On the day of his celebration service, Bishop David launched the strategy that will shape our future life as a diocese. Building on the great work that is already taking place in our parishes, chaplaincies and schools, and offering hope and support to all involved in the life of our diocese. Read more here.

Reflecting on this milestone, Bishop David said:

“I find it hard to believe that I have now completed 25 years as a bishop. It continues to be an extraordinary privilege to serve God and my fellow Christians in this ministry. I am enormously grateful for the friends and colleagues who have accompanied me down the years and made up for my many shortcomings.”