New Bishop of Tewkesbury appointed

Currently the Archdeacon of Sheffield, Ven Snow, a father of three, was revealed at a ceremony in Gloucester on Friday as the new Bishop of Tewkesbury.

Although called Bishop of Tewkesbury, his new role is effectively as deputy to the Bishop of Gloucester who leads the Diocese of Gloucester, which covers the whole of Gloucestershire as well as parts of neighbouring counties, including Thornbury and Chipping Sodbury in South Gloucestershire.

He will be consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Cathedral on September 25 and welcomed to his new diocese at a service in Gloucester Cathedral on October 12.

Introducing the Ven Snow to Gloucestershire diocesan workers and clergy at Parliament House in Gloucester the Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Rev Michael Perham, said: "He will, for a while, hold the title of being the youngest bishop in the Church of England."

Indonesian-born Ven Snow, who was ordained in 1995, has spent most of his working life as a priest in the Sheffield and Rotherham diocese apart from three years as a vicar and youth chaplain in West Africa.

He is married to Lynn, a paediatrician, and she and the couple's three children, Roxanna, 11, Fraser, 10 and Wesley, eight, all attended Friday's press conference to announce his appointment.

Bishop Michael thanked him and his family for keeping the appointment secret for the last six weeks.

"They have lived for six weeks with one of those awful secrets while the Church of England takes longer than anyone else to make an announcement," he said.

The Ven Snow said it was a privilege and honour to receive the appointment and he would now have to work fast to learn about Gloucestershire – an area he does not know well.

"I now want to learn about the people and places of this very historic diocese," he said. "I shall have to learn about the places and also about what it means to be a Bishop in the Church of England.

"I am coming here with 'L' plates, if you like."