16 THE BRIDGE... September 2011 Tony Davies - the CofE’s longest serving Archdeacon retires Bishop Richard pays his tribute to Tony ... and Danny Kajumba presents a prayer mat on behalf of the Archdeacons “Now, looking back over 38 of his colleagues, he has not personal love of Christ, and his who made the farewell services years of ministry, I know it was allowed this to intrude on his total dependence upon that such memorable occasions. the right way of life for me... ‘it constructive approach to strength supplied by Christ in Your generous cheque is going fits my skin’ as my African maintaining the good order of the Sacraments and fellowship to be spent on what I am friends say”. the Church and good relations of His Holy, Catholic and reliably informed is ‘new The whole sermon can be with all. Apostolic Church.... media’. (My brother tells me found at: http://tinyurl.com/ “He has earned great respect “I would like to think that I that a ‘MacBookPro’ will The Venerable Tony Christ the Eternal High Priest, 3qqeuax for the way in which he has was a bishop who never revolutionise my life). Davies, Archdeacon of and many people from the Bishop Richard paid tribute encouraged both women’s stopped being a parish priest. “My 35 years in the Diocese Area and further afield came to Croydon and the to Tony and gifts were appointments and ministry in I certainly think that Tony is have been happy and fulfilled say goodbye to him. presented to him by the the Archdeaconry of Croydon an Archdeacon who never and I am very jealous of those longest serving After the service at which Bishop on behalf of the and also the development of stopped being a parish priest. young clergy at the beginning Archdeacon in the the choir sang a Millennium Diocese, by Canon Andrew minority ethnic interests, If he has access to an altar in of their new ministry. You country, was Prayer for which Tony had Nunn on behalf of the especially in terms of his retirement, they will not be have been kind enough to himself written the words, the Cathedral and by the vocations”. lacking in intercessions on laugh at my jokes and listen ‘farewelled’ by the Revd Canon Colin Boswell, Venerable Danny Kajumba, These tributes can be seen their behalf as Tony pleads the with patience to all those Croydon Area at Vicar of the Minster, led the Archdeacon of Reigate. in full on the Diocesan website Holy Sacrifice”. endless stories! Enough! I Croydon Minster on tributes to Tony Davies. Danny’s gift was a prayer mat, at http://tinyurl.com/3ez4wj Looking forward shall now leave you in peace On Sunday 17 July at Choral so that Tony would be able to and wish you God’s richest Archdeacon Tony, who is looking forward Friday 8 July – and Evensong in the Cathedral, pray for his former blessings.” people from across the Diocese Archdeacon colleagues, as they for 17 years to his retirement and to then by the whole learning to paint and spending He will be much missed and gathered to say a final would probably need them! Tony Davies has been Diocese on 17 July in more time in his beloved Italy, we wish him a long, happy and goodbye. In his final sermon In turn, Tony presented the Archdeacon of Croydon since fruitful retirement. the Cathedral. Cathedral with a banner that 27 February 1994 and officially says: “Thank you to all for (which he pointed out, was the Photos of the services can be On 8 July he preached and first he had ever preached in had been hanging in his own retires on 17 September. your kind words, cards, prayers and good wishes on my found on http:// presided at a Solemn Mass of the Cathedral) Tony said: chapel. Prior to becoming retirement. www.flickr.com/photos/ The service heard a tribute Archdeacon of Croydon he was southwarkcofe/sets/ from Bishop Christopher in Vicar of St John’s, Walworth “Thank you also to all those Tony Davies censes the altar at Croydon Minster which he said: “His wisdom, having served his title in Canon Andrew Nunn displays Tony’s gift to the Cathedral insight and humour will be Durham Diocese and a further much missed. Tony we are curacy at St Faith’s, grateful for your service in Wandsworth. the Gospel, for your The Rt Revd Wilfred Wood, friendship and for your who was Bishop of Croydon encouragement; we assure when Tony Davies was you of our prayers and wish appointed Archdeacon, writes: you a long and happy ‘‘......from 1994 when he joined retirement”. as Archdeacon of Croydon There was also a tribute until 2002 when I retired as from the Archbishop of Bishop of Croydon, Tony and I Canterbury, the Most Revd were members of that team and Rt Honourable Dr Rowan (Croydon Episcopal Area.) I Williams. He said of Tony, “As was its leader and Tony its befits both the man and his ‘anchor-man’. office, Tony’s ministry has “I have no doubt that he has above all been supportive of continued to demonstrate that others. Even when his views his faithful service is but the may have diverged from those outworking of a deep and Tony Davies censing the altar at Croydon Minster The Bridge - in print, in your parish... and on line at www.southwark.anglican.org/thebridge.