The Bishop of Coventry has appointed Glyn Samuel as the new Chancellor of Coventry. Glyn has been the Deputy Chancellor of Coventry since 2010, and he succeeds HHJ Stephen Eyre QC who stepped down as Chancellor in November.
The Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor both sit as judges in the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Coventry. The consistory courts are Courts of HM The Queen whose orders and judgments are enforceable in the High Court. They deal mainly with the faculty jurisdiction relating to consecrated land and buildings – including Church of England churches and churchyards and the consecrated parts of local authority cemeteries - but also regarding valuable items belonging to the Churches and with memorials too.
A Chancellor is appointed so that the Bishop is independent from the legal business of the Consistory Court. In all legal proceedings of the Consistory Court the Chancellor works with the Diocesan Registrar, through whom all contact about legal matters should be made.
Bishop Christopher said:
“Glyn Samuel has served the Diocese of Coventry with great diligence as Deputy Chancellor. I am delighted that Glyn is bringing this experience – and all that he’s gained in the Diocese of Leeds where he is also a distinguished Deputy Chancellor – to the role of Chancellor of our Diocese.
Glyn’s deep roots in the Church of England and his experience as a churchwarden, mean that his legal acumen and vocation to canon law is embedded in the practicalities of church life as we seek to make the fullest use of our historic church buildings and churchyards in today’s world.”
Glyn said:
“I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to serve the church communities in the Diocese of Coventry as the new Chancellor. The appointment to this Office is an important new step on my journey in faith, almost like a calling to some form of ministry.
Having been a churchwarden for a number of years, I know first-hand many of the worries and frustrations faced in the parishes when dealing with the faculty jurisdiction. I hope in some way to help keep that process as smooth as possible, even if there is very occasionally disappointment in the end.
It is as your Chancellor, working with the very skilled members of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC), that I hope to see through many well thought out schemes to keep God’s churches open, alive and enabled to deal with the changing expectations of twenty-first century life, without forgetting the long heritage left for us by previous generations.
Can I ask that those who feel able keep me in your prayers as I commence this new role?
Brief Biography
Born and raised in Yorkshire, Glyn has lived in South Birmingham since he was 12 years of age. He has attended the local parish church since his move to Birmingham and was a churchwarden for nine years, returning to that illustrious office nearly five years ago.
Although not from a family of lawyers (his father was in management in the Jewellery Quarter and his mother was a childminder) Glyn was called to the Bar in 1991 at Lincoln’s Inn, where he received a Church of England scholarship. Having practised from Birmingham all his professional life, Glyn became Deputy Chancellor of Coventry in 2010 and was also appointed Deputy Chancellor of Leeds in 2016.
Outside the law, Glyn has a passion for history and a love of historic buildings, especially our beautiful churches. He previously served as a Scout leader and Youth Leader and for many years was a steward and stewarding manager for the Greenbelt festival. With his eldest son, he was often seen (before the pandemic) involved in living history re-enactments of the second world war at various events across the country, often for English Heritage or the National Trust.
Glyn is married to Sarah, a primary school teacher and a Methodist (at one time District Steward for Birmingham Circuit). They have three children: Isaac is studying business in Derby; Miriam is studying Archaeology at York; and Noah is working towards his A-levels.
Although not from Coventry, Glyn has a very real family connection with the Diocese: Sarah’s mother is a long serving member of the Coventry Cathedral Chorus (formerly St Michael’s Singers) and Sarah’s father is a behind-the-scenes mainstay at most CCC concerts.