Church leader 'thankful for love and support of congregation' after announcing departure from Black Country role
The leader of a Dudley church has announced he will be leaving after being invited to become a bishop.
Rev. James Treasure made the announcement on the Top Church Dudley Facebook page that he had been invited to become the next Suffragan Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro in Cornwall.
He said the decision to take up the role was one he had not taken lightly, but he and his wife Esther had taken a lot of time to think about and said there was a deep sense of God calling him.
Rev. Treasure was ordained as a priest in 2017 and was previously a leader in a free church before his move back to the Church of England.
From 2018, he served as Vicar and Resource Church Leader at St Thomas and St Luke’s (locally known as “Top Church”) in Dudley, spearheading a major redevelopment and mission project, supported by significant grant funding, to revitalise the historic Grade II* listed building and expand its parish outreach.
In 2023, he was also appointed Team Rector for the wider Dudley parish, maintaining responsibility for four additional churches while continuing his leadership at St Thomas and St Luke’s.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining the Diocese of Truro, the land of the saints, at this exciting time and cannot wait to discover all that God is doing amongst you.
"I am especially looking forward to discovering more of the beauty of the Church across our diocese, in its worship, its communities, and its faithful presence in every place.”
He also said in his message on the Top Church Facebook page that he would be finishing at Top Church around April 19, before moving to Cornwall ahead of his consecration on May 1 in London at St Paul’s Cathedral, and offered a message of thanks to everyone in Dudley.
He said: "In all this, I just want to say thank you. Dudley will always have a very special place in my heart and I will always be grateful that part of my story was written here with you.
"This church and this community has shaped me more than you will ever realise.
"In the meantime, we've got plenty of time for chats, natters and banter, which I very much look forward to before I move on."
