Bishop of Dudley ready to start new role and meet community
The excitement levels are rising for the new Bishop of Dudley as he prepares to begin his new role.
Bishop Martin Gorick is making the final preparations before he begins his role as the sixth Bishop of Dudley within the Diocese of Worcester.
This includes attending a welcome service at Top Church in Dudley on Saturday and Evensong service at Worcester Cathedral on Sunday.
The new Bishop said he was very much looking forward to the services and to getting started in the role.
He said: "I've been told to expect a big welcome on Saturday at the service at Top Church and I'm really looking forward to it.
"It'll be wonderful to start meeting people from the churches in the area, as well as meet members of the community around Dudley."
Since officially being announced as Bishop in November at the Mayors Parlour in Dudley, Bishop Martin has spent time preparing himself for the new role.
He said: "I decided to have a period of space and reflection, so I've spent a month at home in Oxford praying and getting ready to move on."
Bishop Martin officially became a Bishop at a consecration service at Southwark Cathedral by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby at the end of January.
He has since spoken with bishops and members of the clergy in Dudley to learn more about the borough ahead of his official start.
He will also be setting up an office in the centre of town to ensure greater access for local people to speak to him and to aid partnerships with local groups.
He said: "I'm most looking forward to getting around and meeting people, not just in Dudley, but across the whole Diocese of Worcester.
"In this role, I will be spending a lot of time listening and learning about what challenges people face.
"I do hope in God's strength and help to be a good leader in the community and I am excited about the challenges ahead."
Bishop Martin and his wife are currently engaged in packing before they move to Dudley from Oxford, where he had worked as the Archdeacon of Oxford and Residentiary Canon at Christ Church College and Cathedral.
He acknowledges that he will be living out of a suitcase for a while, being in the region in heart and spirit and in person when he can.
Despite this, he is still ready to serve the people of Dudley and grow into the role.
He said: "Being a priest is very challenging, but to serve and be an ambassador for Christ is also a wonderful calling.
"I am still aiming to get started straight away and will be doing a few days in Leicester on induction before moving into my office in Dudley.
"The people of Dudley and the Diocese can expect a human being who loves God and people and wants to get to know them."
