The Venerable Kelly Anne Betteridge has been ordained and consecrated as Bishop of Basingstoke in a special service at Southwark Cathedral, at which she made declarations to confirm her calling by God and her commitment to proclaim the Gospel and lead the church in ministry and prayer.
It was attended by the Bishop of Winchester and Bishop of Southampton along with representatives from the Diocese of Winchester, Winchester Cathedral and many of Kelly’s friends and family. See the wonderful photos here.
The service was led by the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally in her first service at Southwark since the announcement of her appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury. She thanked God for Kelly and for her willingness to respond to God’s call and for the support of her friends and family.
Bishop Kelly said, “It’s been beautiful, overwhelming, really emotional at times and it’s been such an honour to see so many people gathered, friends, family and people that I’ve not seen for years who’ve come here today to support me. That really is an honour and a privilege, so I feel properly welcomed and ready to begin this new ministry.”
Readings were given by people close to Bishop Kelly. The first lesson was read by 9-year-old Polina Johnson, Bishop Kelly’s goddaughter. Then, Bethuel and Elizabeth Cheruiyot from the Anglican Church in Kenya gave the second reading and Gospel. During their ministry in Coventry, Kelly established links with the Diocese of Kapsabet and have remained close friends with the community ever since.
Kelly has served as Archdeacon of Bodmin since 2021. Revd Canon Simon Cade, Diocesan Secretary in the Diocese of Truro preached the sermon, speaking about the need to travel lightly and to trust in the Lord’s strength alone.
Other representatives from the Diocese of Truro also travelled for the service including the Rt Revd David Williams, Bishop of Truro, who was previously the Bishop of Basingstoke. He said, “You’ve got a really godly, hardworking, gifted Bishop in Kelly and I think Basingstoke will take her to their heart and you’ll find in her someone who is unstinting in their love for God and love for the Church.
“I’ve only been in Truro for five months and am sad to lose a gifted Archdeacon, but that’s how the church works and that’s how God works. We’re called into new roles and we trust the Lord. It’s His Church, not ours. It’s His ministry, not ours. Basingstoke remains very much in Helen and my heart, and we’ve left a lot of ourselves behind. We pray daily for the people of God in that area.”
During the service the bishops laid hands on Kelly and prayers were said for her to be filled with grace and power, to be steadfast, wise and to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. She received a copy of the bible to remind her of her duty to proclaim the gospel and the pastoral staff symbolising her sharing of the ministry of the Good Shepherd.
Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen, said, “It’s a great privilege for the Bishop of Winchester to be, by tradition, one of the presiding bishops at these services but of course it means so much more when it’s a new bishop coming into our diocese and indeed someone I’ve known and worked with for a long time. I have a strong sense that she’s going to be a fantastic Bishop of Basingstoke.
“She brings a great deal of experience. She’s been an Archdeacon for a number of years. She brings a very grounded wisdom, a passion for the Church. She brings a really good sense of humour as well and she brings a great deal of love. I know that the clergy in her Archdeaconry in Cornwall have been so grateful to her for the love and the affection and the warmth that she’s shown them.”
Bishop Kelly was ordained in 2010 at Coventry Cathedral and served as a curate and vicar in the local area before moving to Cornwall. She will be the second suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Winchester alongside the Bishop of Southampton, Rhiannon King.
Bishop Rhiannon said, “It has been wonderful to be here to celebrate with Kelly. It’s a great moment for the Winchester Diocese. I think Kelly is hugely experienced, she’s clearly hugely loved in her previous diocese and she’s someone who’s going to really make things happen in our diocese. She’s got a real passion for inter-generational worship, and we’ve just heard a reading from her goddaughter and that was lovely because it’s putting that into practice. I think she’ll be fabulous and I’m so looking forward to working with her.
“It’s lovely to think that the northern part of the diocese will have all that extra energy and input now. She’s a very prayerful person, that’s always the thing that’s going to make the biggest difference.”
Bishop Kelly and her husband will move to the area in the coming weeks. She will begin her ministry in the diocese after a service of welcome on Saturday 15th November at St Mary’s Church in Andover.
Bishop Kelly added, “I think it’s natural to feel a little nervous. I was asked before the service whether I felt ready and I think in part, but not fully. I’m not sure that we’re ever ready completely for what we’re called to, but I’m certainly looking forward to getting stuck in.
“As I said on my announcement day, I really want to get out and meet people. I think one of the messages that I’ll take from today is about travelling light and being there to support those who are most in need of care, most in need of encouragement and most in need of knowing the love of God.”
As a token of gratitude, Bishop Kelly presented all those present with a bookmark with a handwritten note thanking everyone for their support.
The congregation was asked to pray for Bishop Kelly and encourage her in her ministry. She was clapped loudly and warmly as she made her way out of the Cathedral. It was a service of joy and celebration in which even Southwark Cathedral’s famous black cat Hodge wanted to play his part!
