'A lot of love for Dudley and Sandwell': The Bishop of Worcester speaks of his impending retirement
As he continues the preparations for his impending retirement, the Bishop of Worcester has spoken of his love for the region he has called home for many years.
The Rt. Rev. Bishop John Inge has been in his role since 2007 and will bide farewell to the Diocese of Worcester on October 9 and begin his retirement in Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire.
The 69-year-old said that he had very mixed emotions about his retirement, saying that it was the right time, but was also a great wrench to be leaving after 20 years as a Bishop.
He said: "I'm retiring due to anno domini as I shall be 70 in February and I'll have been a bishop for 20 years and Bishop of Worcester for nearly 17 and I think that's long enough, but there's also a convention that we retire as bishops in the Church of England at the age of 70.
"I thought I'd get ahead of the game as I'm actually 70 in February , but I thought it wouldn't be much fun moving in the middle of winter.
"I've got very mixed emotions as I've loved being here and it's the longest I have ever lived anywhere in my life, so I have a lot of love for Worcestershire and Dudley and it'll be a considerable wrench leaving.
"That said, I am looking forward to retirement and the freedom it will afford me, being able to do what I want, when I want, and not have the responsibility of 280 churches in the Diocese and everything that goes with that."
The Bishop said he knew that there would be a big change as a lot of people had always known him as the Bishop of Worcester, but said that whoever took over from him would bring a new set of ideas and bring in a new era.
He also spoke of the reception from the church community and congregations to his announcement of retirement, saying that it has been lovely to hear so many kind words.
He said: "They have all been lovely, although I don't think it was entirely unexpected because of the convention that we should retire by the time we're 70.
"I'm a pretty public figure, but sometimes when I'm about to retire, people do say to me how I'm far too young to be a bishop and I think, hang on, I'm just about to retire!
"But, yes, people have been very lovely and kind and supportive and I've been touched by everything that's been said to me."
The Bishop also modestly said that he would let other people say what his impact had been as Bishop of Worcester, but said he hoped he'd promoted inclusion and understanding.
He said: "I hope that I've promoted an inclusive sort of Christianity which embraces lots of different views and people, one that puts the command to love first and foremost.
"That, it seems to me, is what I'm called to do, to love God and love others, and that's what I've encouraged others to so, so if I've had a little bit of an impact in that sense, all for the better.
"In the Diocese of Worcester, our strap line is love, compassion, justice and freedom all derived from love, which is the first commandment."
He said that seeing people coming to faith, having a sudden awakening and finding meaning and hope and faith were things he loved to see and said he had experienced the same love from the Diocese after going through his own losses and challenges.
He said: "I hope that people will say I'm someone who cares, that loves people and has the welfare or others and the good of society at heart and that's the culture I've tried to create within the church and I hope that's some effect.
"I've also received lots of love and care myself as my first wife died 10 years ago after a year's battle with cancer, leaving me with a nine-year-old and a 13-year-old and that was a really hard time.
"However, I was conscious at the time, as I've always been, of the love and support and care of others and I feel I've received as much as I've given.
"The way God acts in the world is a very complex thing and people ask me whether what happened affected my faith, but I've always been a member of the S*** happens school of theology and while bad things happen to Christians, they happen to everyone else and I believe that God can bring good out of those things, like as had happened to me."
The Bishop said he hoped his successor would simply have the same love for God and deep love for people that he had and said he hoped that person would be the best person for the role with new ideas and fresh energy.
As for what's next, the Bishop said he was preparing to move home to Wiltshire with his wife HJ and was looking forward to more community work and being able to cycle more.
He said that he would miss being within the Diocese of Worcester, describing it as a warm and green land, and offered final thoughts to the Diocese and the people within it.
He said: "One of the things that really struck me about the Black Country when I first came here and didn't know it particularly well was how green it was and I know it's called the Black Country, but you really should call it the Green Country as you're within reach of the most fantastic countryside.
"My next message to the person taking on the role is to just love God and love other people and, to the people of the Diocese of Worcester, I would say to love God and love other people and seek to find hope and meaning in life and spread that among others."
