BRIDGNORTH churchgoers and other residents are backing a popular former vicar who wants to return to her job.
And the Archbishop of Canterbury has been made aware of the situation involving Rev Angela Rogers, who quit her post and then changed her mind, only to be refused reinstatement by the Bishop of Hereford, Rt Rev Anthony Priddis.
Rev Rogers, who had been team vicar for two years, revealed last week that she had resigned because she had been overlooked for the vacant rector’s post, felt overworked and was concerned about a cancer scare that did not materialise.
When she asked to withdraw her resignation she was offered voluntary work in a neighbouring parish.
Local resident Anne Batty wrote to the Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, urging him to investigate the situation.
She said that while covering for Prebendary Roberts – who was forced to curtail activities because of ill health – Rev Rogers ‘wholeheartedly gave her life to the ministry and was loved and respected by all the parishes within the Bridgnorth area’.
Andrew Nunn, the Archbishop’s correspondence secretary, wrote from Lambeth Palace to say that Dr Williams thanked Mrs Batty for her ‘warm’ comments about Rev Angela Rogers, but said ‘it would be decidedly “mal vue” (not well regarded) if he were to intervene in another Bishop’s business’.
Letters of support for Rev Rogers will appear in next week’s Journal.