Archbishop of Canterbury visits Southwark to consecrate two bishops

The service attracted a full congregation for the consecration of Jonathan Clark, Rector of St Mary's Stoke Newington who is to be Bishop of Croydon, and Michael Ipgrave who is the new Bishop of Woolwich.

The Woolwich episcopal area – part of Southwark diocese – comprises the London boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark.

The principal consecrators were the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of London and Rochester. Also laying hands on the two candidates were 33 other bishops including Bishop of Southwark Christopher Chessun, his predecessor Tom Butler, former Dean of St Paul's Graeme Knowles, the Bishop of Yokohama and the Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway.

In his sermon, Dean of Southwark Andrew Nunn described the Croydon and Woolwich areas as "modern and demanding places of huge diversity, places where life is both privileged and comfortable, hard and demanding and where those living on opposite sides of the same street can be having a vastly different experience of life".

The congregation included several mayors led by Mayor of Southwark Lorraine Lauder. Also present was Her Majesty's Deputy Lieutenant for Southwark Jenny Bianco and Southwark Council leader Peter John.

Among the local clergy in the procession, with other faith representatives, were Ray Andrews (St George the Martyr), Sue Berry (Oratory of St Alphege), Neil McKinnon (St Matthew's-at-the-Elephant) and Tim Scott (Christ Church Southwark).

The Archbishop opened the service by announcing that Coptic Bishop Angaelos was unable to be present as he was still in Cairo following Tuesday's funeral of Pope Shenouda.

"They are asked to bear the same witness," said Rowan Williams who asked the congregation to pray for Egyptian Christians.