‘A remarkable gift to the church in Cornwall’ is how Sally Piper has been described as the diocese prepares to bid her farewell.

Sally, who has been employed by the Truro Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd for almost 14 years, will be retiring on December 6.

Bishop Hugh said: ‘Sally has been a remarkable gift to the church in Cornwall over many years. She has led complex projects, taught and trained hundreds of people, shared her faith in and beyond the church, introduced new and innovative ways of working, led her team with wisdom and been a bright light for Christ across the diocese. She will be hugely missed and will remain in our hearts and our prayers.’

When Sally joined the diocese, she brought a considerable wealth of experience and knowledge with her. Trained as an engineer, she worked for a multinational corporation before moving back to Cornwall, where she’d grown up. She took up the reins at Victim Support and became involved in the start-up of a string of much needed projects supporting the vulnerable around issues of bullying and abuse. She also trained to be a trainer for those supporting victims of the sorts of crimes nightmares are made of. When asked previously what she’d learned from all her experiences, Sally had said: “I’d like to think I’ve learnt how to hold a group of people, create safe places for people to open up and be vulnerable with each other, to support each other and be available when people are ready to talk. But really, I think I’ve learnt how to listen.”

Rebecca Evans, Ministry Development and Inclusion Officer, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Sally over the last 10 years.  She has very much become a friend and mentor as well as my line manager.  I will greatly miss her wisdom, gentle encouragement and calm persona.”

Throughout her years in the diocese Sally has given her time generously. In her local parishes she has held the role of Parish Safeguarding Officer, Local Worship Leader, Deanery Treasurer and Deanery Lay Chair. She is a Reader in Camborne, Tuckingmill and Penponds and Crowan and Treslothan. She is a Non-Residentiary Canon at Truro Cathedral, was a member on the recent Vacancy in See Committee working to select the next Bishop of Truro, attends the Bishop’s Diocesan Council and Diocesan Synod. She joined Church House in 2011 and has held a variety of roles. She was instrumental in the AMD (Accompanied Ministerial Development) training programme for clergy. As if all that wasn’t enough to fill the average person’s life, Sally also set up the Foundations in Christian Ministry, a course for lay people interested in developing their relationship with God and was involved in the set-up of Sens Kernewek, a course aimed at supporting people exploring a call to local church ministry.

‘Immeasurable impact’

Revd Jules Williams, Priest in Charge at St Blazey Benefice, said: “I don’t think anyone has been as instrumental in this diocese in developing and encouraging leaders – both lay and ordained. She has made an immeasurable impact on my own ministry and has been an incredibly faithful, wise and loving friend. Personally, I am thrilled that she’s retiring so that I can join her occasionally in her new ministry as chaplain to dog walkers and hedgerows. Professionally I will miss her priceless leadership in the life and faith of the diocese.”

Jeff Risbridger, Dean of Self-Supporting Clergy and Focal Priest for St Hilary Church, said: “Whilst Sally has a genuine and deep affection for the Church of England and the diocese, I have always appreciated the healthy scepticism and challenge that she offers when structures and systems appear to be getting in the way of effective ministry. Sally’s only aim throughout her time as Head of Ministry has been to enable church leaders and their communities to flourish, so that the message of the Gospel can be shared more effectively with all who live, work and visit this Diocese of Truro.  We all owe her a great debt of gratitude, and I personally will very much miss her wisdom, honesty and wicked, wicked sense of humour!”

‘A strong champion for those whose voices might not otherwise be heard’

Simon Cade, Diocesan Secretary, said: “The Church House team are going to miss Sally, she has been a wise colleague and a good friend.

“Sally has always been a strong champion for those whose voices might not otherwise be heard; with the education team she always helped us to focus on the needs of children, often cutting through complex governance issues with a timely reminder of why we were all there. With the ministry team Sally has been an outstanding leader; her support much valued by clergy certainly, but also by the many lay ministers whose work and service Sally has encouraged.

“We are grateful to Sally for all that she brings to the life of the diocese, and we pray every blessing on her for the next adventure in her journey of faith.”

Dom Whitting, Senior Chaplain at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, said: “I have had the privilege over several years, of working alongside Sally, firstly in her role as a churchwarden, then in her ministry as a Reader and most recently as Head of Ministry for the diocese. In all these Sally has shown her deep faith, a commitment to working alongside others, she is an enabler and encourager of all and has a great sense of fun. I, along with others, will be forever grateful for all she has given and shared.”

‘Sally listened’

Helen Baber, Pydar Rural Dean and priest at Lann Pydar Benefice, said: “I arrived in Truro Diocese, full of enthusiasm as a new vicar eight years ago. Sometimes it can be difficult when you are a member of clergy to get others to see that you have a ‘past life’. Sally listened, and she was interested in what I had done before. Because of Sally, I have been able to continue to be involved in training and development in the diocese, and because of Sally, I have built many relationships with colleagues across the diocese. She really has been a wonderful person to know. Happy Retirement.”

Sally would cringe, but she’s a Godsend; it’s not everyone who knows how to listen, not try to fix, but journey alongside to help us figure it out.

In announcing her departure, Sally said:

Dear friends,

It is with great sadness, and yet joy and hope, that I bid you farewell.

It has been the most amazing privilege and honour of my life to work with so many wonderful people across the Diocese of Truro.

I have learnt such a lot from you, and your faithfulness and love for our Lord are an inspiration to me.

I thank you for the love and support you have so generously given to me, and I ask you to forgive me where I have let you down.

I will miss you all so much, and yet, there is joy and hope as I set out on this next stage of my journey with God.

I don’t know what the future will hold, but I do know that I can trust the God who is faithful, full of mercy and abounding in steadfast love.

If I don’t get an opportunity to thank you and say goodbye in person, I hope that this letter expresses the fullness of my heart for you.

Please continue to pray for me, as I will for you.

May God bless you all.

With love,

Sally