New Bishop of Chester greets flock in 'weird' Zoom call

The new bishop said he was sorry he could not meet his new flock personally

The new Bishop of Chester has been unveiled on Zoom in what was described by his wife as a "weird" announcement.

The Right Reverend Mark Tanner was introduced to his flock online due to lockdown restrictions.

The 49-year-old, who is currently Bishop of Berwick, made a series of appearances on social media to greet different sections of his new flock.

He succeeds the Rt Rev Dr Peter Forster who retired in September 2019 after serving the diocese for 22 years.

Bishop Tanner also delivered a message on YouTube from near his residence in Northumberland.

"This must be one of the weirdest announcement days," said his wife Lindsay.

Her husband replied: "Which is why we have got up at the crack of dawn in Northumberland and you can hear the birdsong, it is a new day that God has created."

The bishop made a series of appearances on different social media platforms

He added: "And that's the point. The Church might be in lockdown like the rest of the nation, and we might not be able to be with you in person like we would love to be, but God's work is not finished."

The bishop said that a recent survey showed one in four people had participated in an online church service since lockdown.

He said he was really looking forward to returning to the diocese where he was ordained in 1999 and where his two children were born.

The new bishop made a series of appearances on Zoom and Facebook Live to greet different sections of the diocese.

He was consecrated Bishop of Berwick in 2016.

The bishop is returning to the diocese where he was ordained.

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