THE next Bishop of Ely is to be the Rt Revd Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow since 2019, in Durham diocese, where she can also be currently the Acting Bishop, Downing Street announced on Tuesday.
She succeeds the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, who was translated to Lincoln in May 2023 (News, 26 May 2023). Since then, Ely has been served by its Acting Bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr Dagmar Winter.
In July 2024, it was announced that the Crown Nominations Commission had not been able reach a consensus over the subsequent Bishop of Ely, and that it was unlikely that the method would begin again before spring 2025 (News, 19 July 2024).
Bishop Clark was educated at Loughborough University before training for ordination at St John’s College, Nottingham. She has an MA from Keele University. She served her title at St James’s, Porchester, within the diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, and remained in parish ministry within the diocese until her present appointment. She was Rector of Carlton-in-Lindrick from 2002 to 2009, before becoming Team Rector of Clifton and Dean of Women’s Ministry. She was appointed Archdeacon of Nottingham in 2014.
She became Acting Bishop of Durham at the top of February 2024 on the retirement of the Rt Revd Paul Butler. The vacancy-in-see in Durham has been prolonged by an unidentified nominee’s withdrawal, announced last February (News, 21 February 2025).
Bishop Clark said on Tuesday that she felt “such a way of joy, vocation, and thankfulness to God about coming to the diocese of Ely”.
She continued: “When I got here to explore the diocese before my interview, I used to be captured by the sculpture of Mary the mother of Jesus within the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, arms raised in Magnificat, in praise of what God was doing.
“I’m filled with hope that, as we journey together into the long run, embracing our wealthy diversity of tradition, theology, and place, we’ll write together the subsequent chapter of the diocese of Ely in such a way that it’s shot through with that very same spirit of thanksgiving to God.”
Welcoming the announcement, Dr Winter said: “I’m excited by the leadership, energy and vision she’s going to bring and I’m very much looking forward to her joining us.”
Bishop Clark was resulting from meet staff and pupils from schools within the diocese on Tuesday, in addition to churches, businesses, and community groups, before evensong in Ely Cathedral. She is resulting from be installed within the early summer.
