Final service beckons for our cathedral’s retiring Precentor

Canon Tim Schofield is to retire this June after 14 years as Residentiary Canon and Precentor at Chichester Cathedral.

Tim’s wife Julie will also be retiring, having worked closely to develop children’s ministry in the form of Pebbles, a now weekly group which takes place every Sunday.

The Precentor will mark his last service at the Cathedral online on Sunday. The service will be streamed on the Cathedral website at 10am and made available to watch afterwards.

The Dean of Chichester, The Very Rev Stephen Waine, said: “We have been truly blessed by Tim’s ministry at the Cathedral and beyond. It has been a ministry devoted to the worship and music of the cathedral which he has ordered with great skill, and to caring for members of the cathedral community. His priestly ministry is sustained by the depth of his own spiritual life.

“He has been strongly supported by Julie who we will also miss. Julie has been instrumental in children’s work through Pebbles, but also in countless other ways, many of which were unseen and unnoticed except by those to whom she too has offered hospitality and care.

“It is a great sadness that we are prevented from having an opportunity to express our gratitude on Tim and

Julie’s final Sunday with us, but they will return when we can worship together in the cathedral once again so that we can thank them and wish them well in retirement.”

Due to the current circumstances, and inline with the Government’s guidance, Tim’s retirement service and reception due to take place in June have been postponed, with a revised date to be announced in the near future.

Members of the congregation and Cathedral community wanting to express their gratitude to Tim and Julie for their ministry can address contributions towards a farewell gift to Verger Sam Walmsley: Chichester Cathedral, The Royal Chantry, Cathedral Cloisters, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1PX.