The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham

The Rt. Rev'd George Cassidy was enthroned as the 10th Bishop of Southwell at Southwell Minster on Saturday, September 11th 1999.

George Cassidy was born in Belfast and is married to Jane who is a trained nurse. They have two daughters, Sarah married to Pierre with two young sons, Felix and Elliot and Gael who lives in London and teaches Irish folk music.

After church posts in Bristol and London area, Bishop George served as the Archdeacon of London and Residentiary Canon at St. Paul's Cathedral for 12 years, before his move to Nottinghamshire.

Bishop George writes in the Winter 2007 of C The Magazine:

Stop going to church for a while.  How is that for an idea!  But please read on before I have all the clergy, readers and churchwardens angrily ringing me up!

Stop going to church for a while in your heart and mind and imagine this Christmas without a living faith in Jesus Christ.  Then imagine what it must be like to come to church for the first time, or after many years away.

It has been good to hear of the different ways churches have approached “Back to Church Sunday”.  It has been most encouraging to hear some of the stories of those who took up the challenge of inviting people to church, and the stories of those going back to church.  I do hope and pray that those who did venture back are still being welcomed, encouraged and spiritually fed in the faith.

It may be that you love Christmas in your church.  The special way the services unfold, your favourite carol, that Advent service or midnight Eucharist; perhaps the quietness of an 8.00 a.m. communion on Christmas morning, the children with their Chistingles or at their nativity play. But do step back for a moment and ask what is all this saying to those coming back to church? What does it say about Jesus? And what does it say about mission in the world today?

So ‘stop going to church’ for a few moments. Before you are totally immersed in cards, carols and Christmas cake stop going to church and imagine you are approaching Christmas for the first time; step back for a moment, step into Mary and Joseph’s shoes and gaze in love at Jesus, in awe and worship, and be ready to grow up with Jesus today.

And then enjoy your holiday, and the holy days of Christmastide.

+George Southwell and Nottingham

Bishop's New Year Message click here


Recent Communications from the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham

Statement Anglican Communion

Advent Letter from Archbishop Rowan to Primates of the Anglican Communion