Posted on: 27th November 2025

The Rt Revd Nick Baines, retiring Bishop of Leeds, encouraged all to be confident in God, the Church and our context at his diocesan farewell service at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday, November 23.

Church members, civic representatives, leaders from other faiths and more gathered together to thank Bishop Nick and Linda for their years of service to the diocese, and to praise Bishop Nick for his resilience, character and skills shown in the creation of our young diocese.

Attendees included the Most Revd Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York; Johanna Ropner, the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire; Ed Anderson, the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire; the Most Revd Ezekiel Kondo, Archbishop of Sudan and Bishop of Khartoum; Bishop Ralf Meister, Bishop of Hanover; the Mayors and civic representatives of Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Richmond, Skipton, Bedale, Wetherby and Calderdale; and more.

During the service Bishop Nick preached a sermon all about confidence, talking about we can be confident in the person of God, who keeps our future open and invites us all to be part of shaping that future.

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