Rt Revd Frank White
Frank White served in the Diocese of Durham from 1980 until 2002. He was curate at St. Nicholas, Durham and then at St. Mary and St. Cuthbert Chester-le-Street, followed by a time as Chaplain of the Durham and Chester-le-Street Hospitals NHS Trust. He served as Vicar of Birtley and Area Dean of Chester-le-Street before becoming the first Archdeacon of Sunderland in 1997. He was called to be Bishop of Brixworth in Peterborough Diocese in 2002, and then as the last full-time Assistant Bishop in Newcastle Diocese, during which time he oversaw the re-establishment of the ancient See of Berwick which his successor occupied from Frank's retirement in 2016. After his wife Alison was called to be Bishop of Hull in 2015, he became an Honorary Assistant Bishop in York Diocese, spending 2020/2021 as Priest-in-Charge of Hull Minster. When Alison retired and they moved to Northumberland Frank was invited by the Bishop of Durham to be an Honorary Assistant Bishop back in his home diocese in 2024.
Rt Revd David Stancliffe, Assistant Bishop
David Stancliffe retired as Bishop of Salisbury in 2010 and is now an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Durham. This means he occasionally deputises for Bishop Paul or Bishop Sarah. He also assists in the parishes of Upper Weardale and undertakes some spiritual direction.
He is a Fellow of St Chad’s College, Durham, where he researches performance practice in Bach and acts as a mentor to some students; he is also Director of The Bishop’s Consort, a specialist early music group using period instruments, working with young singers. He is a Vice-President of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM).
He continues to be involved with the teaching and practice of good liturgy, and his books – God’s Pattern (SPCK), The Lion Companion to Church Architecture (Lion), The Pilgrim Prayerbook (Continuum) and The Gospels in Art, Music and Literature (SPCK – 3 Vols) – continue to be in print.
He is President of the Ecclesiological Society and is also an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Europe, where he has a passion for Italy.
Rt Revd John Pritchard, Assistant Bishop
John Pritchard retired in 2014 to Richmond, North Yorks, after being Bishop of Oxford, and is now an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Durham.
Previously he had been Bishop of Jarrow, Archdeacon of Canterbury, Warden of Cranmer Hall, vicar of a parish in Taunton, Diocesan Youth Chaplain in Bath and Wells, and a curate in the centre of Birmingham.
When Bishop of Oxford he was also Lead Bishop on Education, and chaired SPCK. He continues to speak, teach, write and lead retreats and pilgrimages in this country and abroad as long as the invitations keep coming!
He has a special interest in making the Christian faith accessible, interesting and credible in a sceptical culture, and in offering teaching and resources on contemporary spirituality. He has written over 20 books to meet those interests, including books of intercessions, the Life and Work of a Priest, and apologetics, discipleship, losing touch with God and, most recently (Jan 2022) Twenty Questions Jesus Asked. He remains fascinated by Jesus and the mystery of God. He reads a lot, walks, cooks and watches TV and live sport, as well as enjoying family, music and the arts.