Published on: 02/07/2026
Father Chris Bishop has been announced as the next Rector of Holy Trinity Jersey, a position he will take up this Autumn.
Chris has been Priest in Charge and Oversight Minister of the Benefice of Hatfield, St Lawrence since 2024, having previously served as Assistant Curate of St Peter’s Warmsworth. He was ordained as a deacon in 2021 and as a priest in 2022.
Chris has shared with us some reflections on his move, as well as a look back at some of the highlights of his time here in the Diocese of Sheffield:
‘I’m heading to Jersey to become Rector of Holy Trinity, one of the twelve Ancient Parishes on the island. Trinity is a church with a long story and strong community identity. The parish want to grow in their vision to share Christ’s love. Ministry in Jersey comes with some wonderfully quirky features! The island isn’t part of the United Kingdom, it has its own legal system, its own Canons, and parish governance that involves no PCCs at all…they simply don’t exist! The upkeep of the Church and Rectory is funded by the residents of the parish, which feels delightfully biblical “the people brought what was needed.”
‘It’s a place where mission, community life, and civic responsibility all sit together, and I’m genuinely excited to see how the gospel continues to grow in that unique soil.
‘I feel a real mix of anticipation and gratitude. Joy and I do feel called to this next chapter, but leaving Hatfield and the Diocese of Sheffield is emotional. The people here have shaped us, encouraged us, and laughed with us, often loudly! I’m also bracing myself for Jersey’s famous speed limits. The top speed is 40mph, and many roads are 15mph, which means I’ll be travelling everywhere at the pace of a slow procession. It might be spiritually good for me, even if I never get anywhere quickly again!
‘There have been so many moments of grace, growth, and gospel joy here in the Diocese. A few personal highlights:
- Serving as Training Incumbent to the talented Fr Chris Wroot, this was slightly unusual given I was barely a new incumbent myself, but one of the most rewarding partnerships of my ministry.
- Being invited to join the Selection Panel for the new Bishop of Doncaster, which was a humbling privilege and a reminder of the breadth of the Church’s calling.
- The missional renewal at Hatfield: seeing the church grow, home groups begin, discipleship deepen, and worship filled with joy, laughter, and a renewed sense of the Holy Spirit’s leading.
- The warmth, humour, and resilience of the people of Hatfield, and the extraordinary collegiality across the Diocese of Sheffield.
‘Leaving all this behind will be felt keenly by me. I’m a home grown Diocese of Sheffield Priest. Warmsworth, where I served my Curacy, Hatfield where I have been Vicar and the wider Diocese, have been places where the gospel has flourished in very ordinary, very beautiful ways. In shared meals, in prayer, in community partnerships, in baptisms and funerals, in the laughter of children, and in the faithful witness of people who simply love Jesus and love their neighbours.
‘As Joy and I prepare to step into this new chapter, we do so carrying Sheffield’s kindness, humour, and generosity with us. We will miss the people, the partnerships, the shared mission, and the holy mischief that has shaped our life here. But we go trusting that the same Spirit who has been so present in Hatfield will be just as present in Jersey, even if he moves at 15mph!
‘We leave with full hearts, deep gratitude, and a prayer that God will continue to bless this diocese richly. And as we begin ministry at Holy Trinity on the Island of Jersey, we hope our paths will cross often, our friendships will endure, and that the Kingdom will keep breaking in here, there, and wherever Christ’s name is exalted.’
