Dr John Sentamu has announced that he is to retire from his post as Archbishop of York.
He will leave on June 7 2020, Trinity Sunday, three days before his 71st birthday.
Dr Sentamu said:
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I have decided to announce my retirement now in order to provide the Church of England with the widest possible timeframe to pray, discern with wisdom and insight and put in place a timetable for my successor and to consider fully the work they will be called to do in service to the national church, the Northern Province and the Diocese of York.
I am deeply grateful to Her Majesty The Queen for graciously allowing me to continue as Archbishop of York until June 2020 in order to enable me to complete the work to which I have been called.
I am full of joy and expectation to see all that God is doing and will be doing in this diocese and in the Northern Province over the coming months.
Focus on key tasks
Dr Sentamu said he will focus his remaining time in post on a number of key areas in the Diocese of York and the Northern Province including the launch and embedding of the Diocesan evangelism and discipleship programme ‘Reach, Grow, Sustain.’
There will also be an opportunity to the Archbishop to continue leading the bishops’ missions in the Northern Province of the Church of England in Liverpool, Southwell & Nottingham and in York.
He will continue with the facilitation of conversations for the ‘One Yorkshire’ deal as it plans for a possible Mayoral election in 2020.
Dr Sentamu will also be involved in extending his Young Leaders Award Programme into the lives of schools in the Southern Province of the Church of England, following the success of the programme in working with 550 schools in the Northern Province.