The Vacancy in See Committee had their final meeting on Monday 15 January where they successfully voted six members onto the Crown Nominations Commission and signed off the diocesan Statement of Needs document.
The members elected to the Crown Nomination Commission are confirmed as:
- The Revd Jonathan Jee
- Sarah Mount
- Fr Simon Oakes
- Tim Pollard
- Alicia Sampson
- The Very Revd John Witcombe
Making up the rest of the voting members of Crown Nomination Commission are the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and six members of the General Synod (three clergy and three lay). The Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments and the Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary are non-voting members of the Commission.
The CNC is responsible for developing the role profile and person specification for the next bishop, as well as shortlisting and interviewing candidates. The CNC then recommend the name of their preferred candidates to the Prime Minister, who advises the King, who formally nominates the candidate to the vacant see. The Crown then grants to the College of Canons of Coventry Cathedral a licence to proceed to elect a new Bishop of Coventry and a letter missive naming the person to be elected.
Chair of the Vacancy in See Process, Phil Sewards says:
“My thanks to all the members of the Vacancy in See Committee for their invaluable contribution to this part of the process. I would like to ask everyone across the diocese to hold our representatives on the CNC in prayer as the next part of the process begins.”