Richard Jackson, the current Suffragan Bishop of Lewes in East Sussex, will be moving north in the New Year when he becomes the 106th Bishop of Hereford.
Hereford is an ancient seat, having had a bishop since the year 676. It is a largely rural diocese which, in addition to Hereford, incorporates the south of Shropshire and parts of Worcestershire. With Hereford sitting on the English-Welsh border, it also covers several parishes in Wales.
The rural setting is nothing new for Bishop Jackson, who studied agriculture and forestry at Christ Church, Oxford, before going on to complete a Master's degree in soil and water engineering at Cranfield and then working in agriculture as an agronomist, during which time he acted as an adviser to farmers.
Bishop Richard, who has been Bishop of Lewes since 2014, said he was "immensely humbled" by the appointment to a region where he enjoys a personal connection.
"This beautiful diocese is in my DNA," he said.
"I've traced my family tree and if I took a journey visiting churches from Leominster to the Welsh Border, I would be able to see the graves of my ancestors dating back to the 13th century."
Bishop Richard has a background in mission, having previously served as Mission & Renewal Adviser and Leader of the Church Growth Team for Chichester Diocese.
He said he was looking forward to sharing the faith with the people of Herefordshire.
"I am looking forward to talking to the people of our diocese about the good news of Jesus Christ. In uncertain times, what the Bible says and the example of Jesus's life are timeless, guiding us through our complex modern world," he said.
"I hope I can energise people to consider that the Christian life - with all its joy, peace and purpose - is for everyone, young and old. I would like to think that I could help, support and inspire people to follow Christ in their daily lives."
Bishop Richard, 58, is married to Deborah, and they have three children - Annabel, a psychiatric nurse, Sam, who works in marketing communications and Charlie, a jazz musician.
