New Bishop of Chelmsford announced

18th December 2020

Downing Street has announced that the

Right Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani will be the next Bishop of Chelmsford.

Bishop Guli is currently Bishop of Loughborough in the Diocese of Leicester, a post she has occupied since late 2017. Speaking about her appointment, Bishop Guli said,                                                                                                                      ‘It is a great privilege to be appointed as the next Bishop of Chelmsford. I know there are many challenges ahead both in the church and wider society, not least as a result of the pandemic. However, I am hopeful about the future. As Christian communities, I believe our task is to be faithful; to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to continue serving the world; to work well together and in partnership with others. In doing this, we’ll discover the extent of God’s love.’

Bishop Guli is currently Vice-President of the Conference of European Churches, Vice Chair of the Board of the Church Army and a contributor to BBC Radio 4s Thought for the Day.

Born in Iran, Guli’s family left the country in the wake of the Iranian Revolution in 1980, when she was 13 years old, and to date she has been unable to return. She is married to Lee, also a priest and they have three children.

St Aidan’s is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford and looks forward to offering a warm welcome to Bishop Guli.