New director of education and discipleship
Bishop Tim has appointed Revd Simon Cade, at present Team Rector of Redruth, to be Director of Education and Director of Discipleship in the Diocese of Truro.
Commenting on the appointment, Simon Cade said: “I am honoured, excited and a little daunted to have been offered this opportunity. Honoured to serve alongside such fantastic educators and young people, excited to be alongside people across the diocese as they respond to God’s call to be disciples, and a little daunted because these are vital parts of our life together as a diocese.”
Explaining the new role, Simon said: “This new role brings together leadership of our work with schools, colleges and education alongside the exciting work already taking place with the ‘Discipleship’ strand of the diocesan strategy. I look forward to working closely with Archdeacon Audrey and the Dean of Truro, Roger Bush, and with the discipleship and schools teams at the new Church House.”
Asked about how his work as a parish priest is relevant, Simon remarked: “For me, the diocese has always existed first at local level – the diocese isn’t ‘someone in Truro’, it is us as we grow the Church and discover the Kingdom in our places.
“As rector of Redruth for nine years, and an incumbent in Basingstoke, I have always worked closely with the schools in my area. During my curacy, we had six church schools in our parish and I was chair of governors in one and chaplain to another. Here in Redruth there are community schools, so we work closely with them – I am chair of governors in the local comprehensive.
“The diocese already serves hundreds of community schools as governors, teachers, parents and staff. I want to bring that work to the forefront and to find out what we can do to support it.
“At the same time, our 44 church schools are facing huge change; real opportunities but also challenges. My appointment – along with an additional senior post to work closely with schools – brings extra capacity and will give all schools a strong advocate in our leadership.
“As a parish priest, discipleship is my bread and butter. I have enjoyed using the fabulous ‘Way of Life’ material; there is more available all the time and it can be used in all sorts of communities in different ways. I look forward to helping create a strategy for this ‘strand’ so that it increasingly becomes part of our ‘business as usual’, listening to parish leaders to make good quality resources available in every corner of the diocese.
“I am particularly excited by Archdeacon Audrey’s plans for Lent 2015 and what we will be offering every parishioner in every parish; although for this great endeavour to flourish, we need to be praying together – and there are some great things in store for us to make this happen.”
Simon takes up his new role in October, and the Bishop has asked him to appoint a senior colleague to work alongside him and the schools team, and to bring proposals forward as to how the Board of Education and the Formation and Discipleship group will work together.