New archbishop of Melbourne, Australia, installed on Nov. 30
[Anglican Diocese of Melbourne] The Diocese of Melbourne’s new archbishop was installed on Nov. 30, beginning a new season for the church and diocese.
Archbishop Ric Thorpe became Melbourne’s 14th leader on Advent Sunday, succeeding the Most Rev. Philip Freier, who retired in February after 18 years of service.
Elected as archbishop in May, Thorpe is regarded as one of the Anglican Church’s leading figures in church planting and revitalization.
He told the 1,400 people assembled at St. Paul’s Cathedral and the thousands more viewing the installation online that he was committed to being the witness to the Resurrection they’d wanted in their new archbishop.
“Let me state it plainly. I will proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, as long as God gives me breath,” Thorpe said in his homily.
“There is much work to do in every part of the diocese,” he continued. “We can do this work because we are empowered by Christ.”
The first English archbishop to be installed since the Most Rev. Frank Woods, who retired in 1977 and died in 1992, Thorpe summarized the priorities for the diocese: prayer, mission, church planting, developing leaders and schools.
Read the entire story about the installation service here.
