CHURCH of England worshippers are among those who will help to choose the new Bishop of Portsmouth.

The process of choosing a successor to the Rt Rev Kenneth Stevenson – who will retire in September after 14 years in the job – has already begun. The group that will guide Portsmouth’s Anglican diocese through the process, called the ‘vacancy-in-see’ committee, started meeting in March, the month after Bishop Kenneth announced he would step down.

And the people responsible for advising the prime minister and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York will both visit the diocese next week (June 17-19) to hear from worshippers and representatives of the local community.

Prime minister’s appointments secretary Paul Britton and archbishops’ appointments secretary Caroline Boddington will be in Portsmouth’s Anglican diocese from June 17-19. Their visit will include a trip to the Isle of Wight, public meetings in Ryde and in Portsmouth Cathedral, and formal consultations with specific people. Their visit is designed to help both archbishops and the prime minister to know what kind of bishop local people are looking for.

The public meetings will be at Portsmouth’s Anglican Cathedral in High Street, Portsmouth, from 7.30pm on June 18, and at St John’s church hall, High Park Road, Ryde, at 12.45pm on June 19.

The diocese’s vacancy-in-see committee is chaired by the Ven Peter Hancock, Archdeacon of the Meon. It includes the three archdeacons, the dean, the diocese’s six representatives on the Church of England’s General Synod, and other elected clergy and worshippers. They are putting together a profile of Portsmouth’s Anglican diocese and the qualities they hope to see in the new bishop.

Six members of that vacancy-in-see committee will then work alongside the Crown Nominations Commission, which includes the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Ultimately, the commission will submit two names to the prime minister, who will then ask the Queen to approve one of them.

It is expected that the appointment of a new Bishop of Portsmouth will be announced by the end of 2009 and the new bishop will be enthroned by next summer.

The Ven Peter Hancock said:  “As we continue to give thanks for the continuing ministry of Bishop Kenneth among us, we must, as a diocese, look forward.

“The process of choosing a bishop takes longer than it did when Bishop Kenneth was chosen in 1995, because there is more consultation. But we are grateful that there is a greater opportunity for people to say what they think we need in a new bishop. Our committee hopes that members of the diocese will feel free to write to me or any of the committee members with any comments about the needs of our diocese. Anyone is also invited to the public meetings we’re holding.”

Anyone who can’t make either of the public meetings, but would like to comment, is encouraged to contact the Ven Peter Hancock on 01329-280101 or on admeon(at)portsmouth.anglican.org.

Bishop Kenneth will step down in September and move to Chichester with his wife Sarah. Two farewell services are already planned – at 3pm on September 6 in Newport Minster, and at 3pm on September 12 in Portsmouth Cathedral.