The Governing Body of the Church in Wales holds a special meeting this month to discuss the episcopal vacancy in the diocese of Bangor.

Following the retirement of Bishop Andrew John at the end of August, the Church in Wales’s Electoral College was called and met at two preliminary meetings to discuss the election of the next bishop and to invite potential candidates to respond to the vacancy. Following this process the Electoral College decided not to form a shortlist of candidates and to therefore not take forward the election process for the time being, but sought the approval of the Church’s Governing Body, via its Standing Committee, for an alternative, interim, approach.

It is proposed that an experienced bishop should be invited to Bangor on an interim basis, for a period of one to two years to provide leadership and stability and to work with the diocese to strengthen leadership, finance, governance and management in advance of the election of a new diocesan bishop.

In order to do this, the Governing Body will need to approve a motion which makes some time-limited changes to the Constitution to allow for the interim appointment. These proposals will be discussed at a special meeting of the Governing Body at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Tuesday 25 November 2025.

The proposal, which has been supported by the Standing Committee, is the latest stage of the work being led by the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Cherry Vann to address what she has described as the “tough financial and organisational challenges” currently facing the diocese.

Reporters / film crews are welcome to attend. The meeting will  be live-streamed via a link on the Church in Wales website at www.churchinwales.org.uk and YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/churchinwales