The Venerable Sandra McCalla, the new Archdeacon of Rochester, and the Venerable Nick Cornell, the new Archdeacon of Tonbridge, were officially welcomed into their roles at a special service of Choral Evensong, in Rochester Cathedral on Sunday 23 February.
Family and friends, as well as members of the diocese and representatives from the wider Church and community, joined the service to wish them both well as they begin this next phase of their ministries.
During the service, Sandra and Nick took their oaths of declaration and allegiance, received their Archdeacon's copes, and were installed into their seats in the Cathedral Quire.
Watch: The service was livestreamed on the Diocese of Rochester's YouTube channel. Click here or watch below
Sandra joins the senior team from the Diocese of London, where she has been Chaplain to the Bishop of London.
As well as serving her title in the parish of Poplar and as incumbent in the parish of Heston, she has also been a Dean of Racial Justice and Chaplain and lecturer at St Mellitus theological college.
In addition, she brings with her a wealth of legal expertise as a former barrister in the city of London for many years.
Photo: The Venerable Sandra McCalla, Archdeacon of Rochester and the Venerable Nick Cornell, Archdeacon of Tonbridge, are installed into the seats in the Cathedral Quire by the Dean of Rochester
Nick grew up in the Diocese of Rochester and studied modern languages at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, before qualifying as a tax advisor for a large accountancy firm in London.
After serving his curacy in Chichester Diocese, he moved to Rochester in 2018 to become Rector at Christ Church, Southborough, where he has also served as Area Dean of Tunbridge Wells, and more recently as one of the Associate Archdeacons of Tonbridge.
During his sermon, Bishop Jonathan Gibbs, the Bishop of Rochester, said that Sandra and Nick were stepping into their roles at an exciting time for the Diocese, with the new diocesan vision and strategy having been unanimously endorsed at the December Diocesan Synod.
Read Bishop Jonathan's sermon in full
The vision commits the diocesan family to Seek first the kingdom of God, as we are called together by God to change, serve, and grow with compassion, courage, and creativity.
Within this overall vision, the key objectives are to grow missional churches, with missional leaders and missional disciples, that in turn are:
- Growing a safe and healthy culture for all
- Growing younger and more diverse
- Growing spiritually and numerically
- Impacting their communities
- Releasing financial resources for mission
- Planting and growing new missional churches
Photo: (L to R) Archdeacon Nick Cornell, Archdeacon Allie Kerr, Archdeacon Sandra McCalla
Bishop Jonathan said that Sandra and Nick would play a pivotal role, alongside Archdeacon Allie Kerr, the Archdeacon of Bromley and Bexley, in supporting and encouraging clergy and lay people in their archdeaconries, as well as working with colleagues in the Diocesan staff team, to help fulfil the objectives of the vision.
"This is about our culture, and that culture matters deeply, if we want to see God’s kingdom grow amongst us. And that is after all what God wants to do.
"He wants to grow his kingdom in us and amongst us and through us – and that brings us to our third and final theme – God’s promise – and the outcome he wants to bring about and that we long to see.
He added:
"So, let’s pray that we and all God’s children may yet live to see God’s promise fulfilled – the Church revived, our culture renewed, and faith and hope rekindled in the hearts of a whole new generation.
"Sandra and Nick, welcome to the adventure into which God is calling us."