Andrew Rumsey announced as Bishop of St Albans

The Right Reverend Dr Andrew Paul Rumsey has been appointed as the next Bishop of St Albans.

The nomination, approved by King Charles III, was announced by 10 Downing Street earlier.

Currently the Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury, he takes over from the Right Reverend Dr Alan Smith following his retirement in May.

Rumsey said he was born, baptised and grew up in the Diocese of St Albans, where his father served as a parish priest, and it was "a profound joy to return home".

The 58-year-old said he was "thrilled" to be joining a "fine team" and humbled to follow "good and godly predecessors".

In a prerecorded message released at the moment of the announcement, Rumsey reflected on the significance of returning to the place that formed him.

He also spoke of the inspiration he drew from St Alban, a Roman soldier who was Britain's first convert to Christianity, whose story he described as a reminder that faith can meet us unexpectedly, and that "it doesn't matter where you're from".

Rumsey studied at the University of Reading and King's College London before training for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge.

Ordained a deacon in 1997 and priest in 1998, he has served in a range of parish contexts, including at Gipsy Hill in the Diocese of Southwark.

He has served as Bishop of Ramsbury since 2019 and is also the Church of England's national lead bishop for church buildings.

The priest will move to the Diocese of St Albans with his wife, Rebecca, and their family later this year.

"Please know that I will be praying for you," he said, "and I ask you to pray for me and our family as we prepare for all that lies ahead."

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