The Bishop of St Asaph has announced the appointment of the Very Reverend Christopher Nicholas Lynden Potter as the next Archdeacon of St Asaph. He will succeed the Venerable E. Bernard Thomas when he retires from full-time ministry at the end of August.
For the past decade Dean Potter has led the ministry and mission of the Cathedral Church in St Asaph. Mr Potter’s background in the Fine Arts, prior to Ordination, clearly has inspired his vision for the Cathedral during his tenure as Dean. Visitors to the Cathedral can witness the ways he has worked creatively to enhance the ambiance of the Mother Church of the diocese.
The Cathedral has been a base from where Chris Potter has been able to exercise his incisive and sensitive pastoral skills in many contexts, and his new appointment as Archdeacon will enable him to exercise this ministry, especially with the clergy under his care in the Archdeaconry of St Asaph.
Chris Potter will bring to his new role the experience of the valuable contribution he has made to many institutions across the diocese. These include the North Wales International Music Festival, and TCC: Together Creating Communities, an organisation assisting individuals and groups to develop their skills and confidence in shaping the life of their communities.
As Archdeacon, Christopher Potter will also serve as Rector of Caerwys and Bodfari.
Commenting on his appointment, the Bishop, the Right Reverend Dr Gregory K. Cameron says,
‘Chris has been a respected and successful dean for the last ten years. He will now bring his considerable talents to bear on the task of supporting and encouraging the clergy. I am delighted to welcome him to this new role as Archdeacon Bernard approaches his retirement.’
As the Very Revd. Chris Potter prepares to leave the Cathedral and assume the new title of ‘Venerable’ as Archdeacon of St Asaph, he makes the following statement:
‘There is always sadness when you leave somewhere that has been home for as long as my wife Jenny and I have been in St Asaph. Being Dean has been a rewarding as well as a humbling experience for me and it has been an enormous privilege to have served here with my colleagues, clergy and lay, who have been an ideal team. I shall miss them, and their ongoing support and encouragement over the years has been wonderful.
‘I have a hard act to follow: Archdeacon Bernard has been much loved and respected for his ministry and the breadth of his experience in the Church in Wales.’
Reflecting on his future role as Archdeacon he says,
‘The church is waking up to the fact that it needs to build in new structures of support so that we can encourage and equip each other to meet the challenges and opportunities of Christian witness and service. I think the role of archdeacon is a crucial link in the chain of support.’
