Revd Dr Richard Briggs has been announced as the full-time Prior of the Community of St Cuthbert from the 1st July 2021.
Richard became our first Prior of the Community in September 2020, and until now has been in the post alongside his work teaching the Old Testament at Cranmer Hall in Durham. From this summer he will focus fully on his role as Prior in a post that will be fully funded by the Diocese through its strategic support of St Nic’s as a resource church.
The Prior is based at St Nic’s Church, in Durham City marketplace, and leads the work of the Community of St Cuthbert across the whole of Durham Diocese.
Richard comments: “I am excited to be able to devote myself fully to the wonderful and important work of the Community of St Cuthbert – resourcing all God’s people in their discipleship and growth in the Christian life. The Community is designed to encourage and support anyone who wants to take Christian discipleship seriously, right where they are. We recognise all the different ways God calls people to live: in our paid and unpaid work; our homes and local areas; our families and households; and in everything we do (with all our heart and soul and strength). It will be my privilege to serve all those on this journey in my role as Prior.”
The Revd Arun Arora said: “Since his licensing as Prior in September of last year Richard has contributed to the life of St Nics through his preaching, leading of services and provision of written material for our Spiritual Support Groups. I am delighted that from 1st July Richard will be taking up the role full time and contributing more fully to the life of the parish and the diocese in his vital work of enabling, encouraging and emboldening God’s people from across the Diocese to place their walk with Christ at the centre of their lives. I am looking forward to Richard and Melody being a full part of our life together.”
Richard was ordained in 2014, served for 5 years in Durham in Gilesgate, Sherburn and Shadforth as Curate and then Associate Minister, and has been teaching Old Testament at Cranmer Hall in Durham since 2003. He joined St Nic’s to become the Prior of the CSC in Sept 2020. He is married to Melody, who teaches at the Lindisfarne College of Theology, and they have three adult children.
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