Mothers’ Union welcomes new Central Chaplain, Bishop of Penrith, Rt Revd Dr Emma Ineson

This is the first time that the role, which serves the worldwide organisation made up of 4 million members, has been filled by a woman and we are pleased that Bishop Emma will be helping guide the spiritual lives of our members and staff as well as ensuring that Mothers’ Union continues to work effectively alongside clergy and the wider Anglican Communion. 

Bishop Emma was born in Birmingham, brought up in Kenya (where her parents worked in education) and spent her teenage years in South Wales. She met her husband Mat when they were at university and they both went on to study for ordination together at Trinity College. Emma and Mat job-shared their four year curacy at Christ Church, Sheffield and from there they joined the Lee Abbey community in Devon. It was at Lee Abbey that Emma says God installed in her “the absolute necessity of Christian community life as a primary focus for discipleship, transformation and mission”. 

After four years, the family moved to Bristol and Emma became Associate Minister of St Matthew and St Nathanael Church whilst also teaching part-time at Trinity College. Emma was Tutor in Practical and Pastoral Theology as well as teaching gender studies, charismatic theology, preaching, spirituality and leadership and she eventually became Director of Practical Training. 

Between 2013 -2014 Emma was Chaplain to the then Bishop of Bristol, the Rt Revd Mike Hill before returning to Trinity College as Principal in 2014. Alongside these roles she has been Chair of the TEI (Theological Educational Institutions) Principals’ Steering Group and a member of General Synod, the Implementation and Dialogue Group on the Five Guiding Principles, and the Lambeth Conference 2020 Design Group. In 2016 she was appointed as Honorary Chaplain to our Patron, Her Majesty the Queen. This year (2019) she was consecrated as Suffragan Bishop of Penrith.

Speaking about the new role she is taking on as Mothers’ Union Central Chaplain, Bishop Emma says: "I am honoured to have been asked to take on this role. I have long admired the work of the Mothers’ Union in its worldwide reach. Now, more than ever, the ministry of Mothers’ Union in sharing the good news of Jesus, in supporting family life, in influencing positive change in our communities, and in giving voice to the issues facing women and girls globally, is of vital importance. I have longstanding connections with Mothers’ Union myself - my Grandmother was a member for many, many years and both my husband and I became members during our curacy. I look forward to seeing what I can do to support and pray for the members, and the various boards and committees, over the coming years."

“We are thrilled and honoured that Bishop Emma has chosen to accept this critical role for Mothers’ Union” says  Chief Executive, Bev Jullien.

When Bishop Emma does manage to find some free time, she enjoys cooking and entertaining, reading, walking her dogs, gardening and going to the theatre. She and Mat have two grown up children.  

(Photo Credit: Jenny Woolgar Photography)