The Church in Scotland is in shock at the sudden death of the new bishop-designate of Dunkeld just days before his ordination service. Source: The Tablet.
Galloway Bishop Frank Dougan, himself recently ordained, announced the death of Fr Martin Chambers yesterday.
In an announcement, Bishop Dougan paid tribute to Fr Chambers’ work with the Missionary Society of St James in Ecuador, where he served from 2004 to 2009, to his work at a number of parishes in the Galloway diocese, and to his personal qualities of “love, enthusiasm, humour and a deep faith which enlivened all that he did”.
The cause of Fr Chambers’ death was not known at time of going to press but he was believed to be in good health and his passing is a further blow to both his home diocese and to the parishes of Dunkeld, who lost Bishop Stephen Robson to ill-health and early retirement in late December 2022.
The Diocesan Administrator of Dunkeld Canon Kevin Golden said that Fr Chambers had died in his sleep on Tuesday night. His episcopal ordination was due to take place on April 27.
On his appointment as Bishop, Glasgow-born Fr Chambers pledged himself as a “missionary disciple” and said that would “sit in prayer as a disciple at the feet of Jesus, listening to his voice calling me forward in faith”.
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Profound shock in Church at sudden death of priest days before ordination as bishop (By Brian Morton, The Tablet)
