Colin Fletcher (bishop)

The Right Reverend Colin Fletcher OBE
Bishop of Dorchester
Diocese	Diocese of Oxford
In office	2000–present
Predecessor	Anthony Russell
Other posts	Chaplain to George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury (1993–2000) Acting Bishop of Oxford (2 June 2006–23 March 2007 & 31 October 2014–September 2016)
Orders
Ordination	1976
Consecration	October 2000
Personal details
Born	17 November 1950
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Spouse	Sarah[1]
Children	3 children
Alma mater	Trinity College, Oxford

Colin Fletcher, OBE (born 17 November 1950) is a British Anglican bishop. He is the current area Bishop of Dorchester in the Diocese of Oxford.^[2]

Early life and ministry

Fletcher was educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Oxford.^[3] After studying at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford he was ordained in 1976.^[4] His ordained ministry began with a curacy at Shipley.^[5]

Fletcher was then a tutor at Wycliffe Hall and after that Vicar of Holy Trinity in Margate^[6] for eight years, before becoming chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury — a post he held for seven years. During his time as chaplain, he was co-chair of the Lambeth Group, which was set up to advise the British government on the "spiritual aspects of the millennium".^[7]

Episcopal career

Fletcher was appointed to the episcopate in 2000, succeeding Anthony Russell on his appointment as Bishop of Ely. He was consecrated as a bishop in Westminster Abbey by George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, in October 2000. Following the retirement of Richard Harries as Bishop of Oxford, Fletcher was Acting Bishop of Oxford until the appointment of John Pritchard; in 2014 he became acting bishop again following Pritchard's retirement.^[8]

Awards

Fletcher was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the Millennium Honours List.

In 2008 he was awarded the Cross of St Augustine, the second highest international award for outstanding service to the Anglican Communion, by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.^[9]

Private life

A keen ornithologist,^[10] Fletcher is married with three children.

Styles

• The Reverend Colin Fletcher (1976–1988)
• The Reverend Canon Colin Fletcher (1988–2000)
• The Right Reverend Colin Fletcher (2000–present)

References

1. 10 Downing Street — Suffragan See of Dorchester (National Archives)
2. Anglican Communion
3. Who's Who2008: London, A & C Black ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
4. Crockford's Clerical Directory2008/2009 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 978-0-7151-1030-0
5. Church web-site (1)
6. Church web-site (2)
7. Biography of Bishop Colin from the Barnabas in Churches website
8. Diocese of Oxford – Bishop John lays down his staff (Accessed 1 November 2014)
9. See Lambeth citation list here.
10. Debrett's People of Today London, 2008 Debrett's, ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9