The Diocese of Leeds has launched a new webpage to help explain the Vacancy in See process, as we get ready for the retirement of the Rt Revd Nick Baines, the Bishop of Leeds.
The new page has helpful information about what the process entails, who is involved, a sense of the timings for the different strands of work, and how people will be able to get involved.
Bishop Nick will retire formally at the end of November 2025 and the Rt Revd Toby Howarth, Bishop of Bradford, will become Interim Bishop of Leeds from Monday, September 1, taking on the responsibilities of the role.
After a transition period of three months Bishop Toby will formally become Acting Bishop of Leeds on Monday, December 1.
At his last Diocesan Synod on Saturday, June 14, 2025, Bishop Nick said: “The first eleven years of this diocese have not been boring and yet I believe we can gather today for this synod with confidence in our future.
“We have much to thank God for in our life and mission together. I will never cease to thank God for you and to pray for your faithfulness.
“I have been blessed to be the first Bishop of Leeds. The next Bishop will be blessed to serve with you in this part of the world to which God has called you at this point in history.”
The process of choosing a new Bishop of Leeds is governed by the Vacancy in See Regulations 2024, and is designed to ensure transparency, consultation, and discernment in choosing our new Bishop.
The process includes the Vacancy in See Committee, a group all dioceses are required to have and that operates when the role of diocesan bishop goes into vacancy.
More on their role, their strands of work and the makeup of the committee can be found on our new page.
Part of the process will involve a diocesan-wide consultation, which will be happening in July this year.
It will consist of a short survey with key questions about your views on what our new bishop should be like and focus on.
We want to encourage all to complete the survey when it is released, as it is really important a wide range of voices are heard in the process.
More on this will be shared in a variety of ways, including on our webpage, in the coming weeks.
Prayer is also vital, so please do be praying for all involved in this work, and please do engage with upcoming resources created by the Vacancy in See Committee to help encourage prayer.
Between April and October 2025, the Vacancy in See committee will meet, and as part of their work create a diocesan Statement of Needs, informed by the consultation and which will give a descriptive overview of our diocese, and a statement setting out the desired profile and qualities of our new Bishop.
We hope to make an announcement of who the new Bishop of Leeds will be in summer 2026, with them arriving formally in winter 2026.
Please find our new page here.