CHURCH of England parishes in Maldon will have a new bishop following the an announcement that the Right Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani will be the next Bishop of Chelmsford, succeeding the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, who became Archbishop of York earlier this year.

Bishop Guli is currently Bishop of Loughborough in the Diocese of Leicester, a post she has occupied since late 2017.

Bishop Guli said: "It is a great privilege to be appointed as the next Bishop of Chelmsford. I know there are many challenges ahead both in the church and wider society, not least as a result of the pandemic.

"However, I am hopeful about the future. As Christian communities, I believe our task is to be faithful; to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to continue serving the world; to work well together and in partnership with others. In doing this, we'll discover the extent of God's love.

"I want to thank my friends and colleagues in Leicester Diocese where I have been very happy. I will be sad to say goodbye, but at the same time I am very excited about this next chapter in my ministry."

Bishop Guli will be introduced to the diocese through a series of videos, online meetings and online worship.

Bishop Guli said: "This has been the first selection process for a diocesan bishop that has taken place entirely on Zoom and I will continue to be using Zoom today as I am introduced to people across the diocese. However, I'm very much looking forward to visiting Essex and East London in the New Year, to meeting people face to face and discussing how we build on the outstanding work that our churches have done to support their communities during the pandemic."

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury said: "I am delighted that Bishop Guli will be the new Bishop of Chelmsford. Her love for the local church, combined with her international experience and commitment to justice, will be a gift to this diverse and exciting diocese. Bishop Guli and her family will be in all our prayers as they prepare for this new chapter. It will be a privilege to serve alongside her in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ."

Archbishop Cottrell said: "It is with great joy that I welcome the appointment of Guli Francis-Dehqani as the next Bishop of Chelmsford. Guli will bring to the exciting diversity of the Chelmsford diocese her breadth of vision, her international experience, her love of the gospel, her pastoral heart, and her passion for justice. East London and Essex have an exciting new bishop."