AN historic service has taken place at Peel Cathedral when three significant appointments were made at the same time, in the presence of the Lieutenant Governor and numerous senior politicians and government officials.
The service saw the Installation of The Very Reverend Nigel Godfrey as Dean of Peel, the Installation of The Venerable Andrew Brown as Archdeacon of Man and the Installation of Mr Colin Finney as a Lay Canon.
The installations took place in the presence of the Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood, the Speaker of the House of Keys Steve Rodan, the Clerk of Tynwald Roger Phillips and the Diocesan Law Officers. Also present was the Mayor and Mayoress of Douglas, the chairman of Peel Commissioners, visiting clergy and ecumenical guests.
In accordance with the Church Act 1895, the service began when the Bishop formally relinquished the office of Dean which he had held since his appointment in 2008. He then formally installed the new Dean, handed him the keys to the Cathedral and he was then led to his seat by the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter.
The Lieutenant Governor was then presented to the Archdeacon to the Bishop and the Dean then performed the first task of his new office and installed the new Archdeacon of Man, the Venerable Andrew Brown by leading him to his seat in the Cathedral.
Peel is designated as the Isle of Man’s only city and is therefore the only place in the Island where a cathedral can be officially recognised in a “cathedral city”.
Mr Colin Finney was then installed as Lay Canon of the Cathedral by the new Dean signified by the presentation of a badge of office and the Archdeacon presented him with a Bible.
The organist for the occasion was Gareth Moore, King William’s College, and direction given by Donald Roworth, the Cathedral Director of Music. Bishop Robert, Nigel, Andrew, Colin and their families thanked all those who had in any way made this celebration possible and thanked them for generously joining in the celebration today.
The office of Dean of Peel was linked with that of the Vicar of German for centuries. There were two churches, the 12th century Cathedral on Holm Patrick and St Peter’s in Peel. In the 18th century the final part of the roof of the old Cathedral collapsed and, for a while, St Peter?s seems to have been used for diocesan events.
After the late nineteenth century project to re-roof the old Cathedral failed through lack of sufficient finance, the Chapel of St Nicholas at Bishop?s Court was designated as the Pro-cathedral, with Canons’ stalls that are there to this day. In consequence the Bishop, as occupant of the house, became also the Dean.
At the same time a new church was built in Peel, St German?s, with the intention that it would become the Cathedral but, with the closure of St Peter’s, this became established as the Parish Church. Some argued for St George’s Douglas to become the Cathedral and further Canons’ stalls were added there, but a diocesan vote in 1980 decided the matter and St German?s took on its additional rôle as Cathedral of the Diocese of Sodor and Man.
However, the offices of Bishop and Dean were not separated in 1980 and it has taken until now to re-instate the distinct office of Dean of Peel.
The new Dean, the Very Reverend Nigel Godfrey, was appointed as vicar and sub-dean of St German?s Cathedral in 2007, having previously been principal of the ordination training course in the Diocese of Southwark, chair of the associated University of Wales (Bangor) Centre for Ministry Studies, and a chaplain at Southwark Cathedral.
His priestly ministry began in inner city Brixton where he lived in a “new monastic” community while running courses for the diocese training Spiritual Directors. He was also vicar of the near redundant Christ Church North Brixton. The 2000 seater domed basilica was adapted to meet changing needs and became home to five Christian churches with a staff of 50.
Before being ordained Nigel was a town planner with Nottingham County Council. He trained at Cuddesdon, Oxford with a placement year at the Taizé community, being ordained deacon in 1979.
The first task of the new Dean is to install the new Archdeacon of the Isle of Man as a member of the Cathedral Chapter. The Archdeacon was commissioned by the Bishop at the Ministry
Conference in September and has been sworn in to office; he was installed as Vicar of St George’s yesterday morning.
The new Archdeacon, the Venerable Andrew Brown, has been Canon Theologian at Derby Cathedral since 2003 when he took up the post of Continuing Ministerial Education Adviser in the Diocese. In this role he has helped people to develop their gifts and skills in mission and ministry and has been a theological resource for the Bishop of Derby and the Cathedral.
After reading Theology at St. Peter's College, Oxford and training for ordained ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, Andie was ordained in 1980. He spent three years as curate of St Peter?s Burnley, and a Chaplain to the Burnley Hospitals.
A further four years as Priest-in-Charge of St Francis, Brandlesholme followed. From 1986 and for ten years he was Vicar of St Peter?s, Ashton-under-Lyne, and from 1996 to 2003 he was Vicar of St Luke’s, Halliwell in the Diocese of Manchester.
The Cathedral Chapter of Saint German is a corporation consisting of the Dean, the Archdeacon and four Canons. The Bishop has formed a body known as the “Great Chapter”, consisting of members of the Cathedral Chapter together with a number of people chosen by the Bishop as Honorary or Lay Canons. Each Canon, Honorary Canon and Lay Canon accepts an area of responsibility for the Island-wide life and mission of the Cathedral. Honorary and Lay Canons are appointed for a period of five years.
The new Lay Canon, Mr Colin Finney, is Operations Manager (harbours and coastguard) for the Department of Infrastructure, and Warden of Readers for the Diocese.
St German’s Cathedral is also the Parish Church of the parish of German, which includes the town of Peel, and as such has a Vicar (who is ex officio Dean of the Cathedral), a Parochial Church Council (PCC) and Churchwardens, as any other parish church. In 2009 a Cathedral Consultative Council was formed as the principal means of liaison between the Cathedral Chapter and the PCC.
