British Church of England priest
Alastair Murray Cutting (born 29 May 1960) is a British Church of England priest. Since 2013, he has served as the Archdeacon of Lewisham & Greenwich in the Diocese of Southwark .[1] [2]
Early life and education
Cutting was born on 29 May 1960 in Birmingham , England, the son of William Alexander Murray Cutting and his wife, Margaret McLean Cutting, née Manderson.[1] He was educated in three different countries: at George Watson's College , a private school in Edinburgh , Scotland; at Lushington Boys School , a private international Christian school in Ootacamund , India; and at Watford Grammar School for Boys , a state comprehensive school in Watford , England.[1] He grew up in South India where his parents worked at a rural hospital and "where four generations of his family lived and worked for nearly a century".[3]
Cutting took a gap year between school and university, during which he worked with the Salvation Army in South India.[3] He then returned to England, working as a science laboratory technician at a school. In 1980 he studied teaching and youth work at Westhill College , (now part of University of Birmingham ).[1] [3] He graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree.[2] From 1983 to 1984, he worked with The Ambassador's Roadshow, a Christian drama and music team working in churched and schools across South England. In 1984, he entered St John's College, Nottingham , an Open Evangelical Anglican theological college to study theology and train for ordination.[2] During this time, he completed a Licentiate of Theology (LTh) and a Diploma in Pastoral Studies (DPS).[1]
While undertaking parish ministry in the Diocese of Chichester, Cutting studied at Heythrop College , University of London .[1] He graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 2003.[2] His master's thesis concerned Maori and Celtic spirituality.[4]
Ordained ministry
Cutting was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1987 and as a priest in 1988.[2] He served his curacy in the Diocese of Sheffield at All Saints Church, Woodlands from 1987 to 1988, and then at Wadsley Parish Church from 1989 to 1991.[2] [4] From 1991 to 1996, he was Chaplain to The Nave and Uxbridge Town Centre, and an assistant curate in the Uxbridge Team Ministry in the Diocese of London .[2] [4]
In 1996, Cutting moved to the Diocese of Chichester where he took up his first incumbency as Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Copthorne, West Sussex .[1] [2] After 14 years, in 2010, he moved parishes and became Rector of the Benefice of St Peter's Church, Henfield with Shermanbury and Woodmancote , West Sussex.[2] [4] In 2011, he was elected Pro-Prolocutor of the Province of Canterbury of the General Synod in addition to his parish ministry until 2013, and again elected as Pro-Prolocutor in 2022.[3] [4]
In December 2012, he was announced as the next Archdeacon of Lewisham & Greenwich in the Diocese of Southwark .[4] On 14 April 2013, he was instituted and installed as archdeacon during a service at Southwark Cathedral .[3] [4] The Archdeaconry of Lewisham & Greenwich covers the area deaneries of Lewisham, East Lewisham, Charlton, Eltham and Mottingham, Plumstead, West Lewisham, and Deptford.[4] He was also priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity with St Augustine, Sydenham, between 2015 and 2019.
On 6 June 2024, it was announced that he is to become the next Bishop of Woolwich , the area bishop over his current archdeaconry. He will take up the post as of his consecrated as a bishop, which is scheduled for 3 July.[5]
Views
Cutting is an Evangelical Anglican .
Personal life
In 1984, Cutting married Kay Elizabeth Greenhalgh.[1] [3] Together they have two daughters.[1]
References
Southwark Kingston Reigate Lewisham Wandsworth Lambeth
Office holders
Christopher Chessun , Bishop of Southwark
Rosemarie Mallett , area Bishop of Croydon
Martin Gainsborough , area Bishop of Kingston
Alastair Cutting , area Bishop-designate of Woolwich and Archdeacon of Lewisham and Greenwich
AEO : Jonathan Baker , Bishop suffragan of Fulham & Rob Munro , Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet
Mark Oakley , Dean of Southwark
Simon Gates , Archdeacon of Lambeth
John Kiddle , Archdeacon of Wandsworth
Moira Astin , Archdeacon of Reigate
Jonathan Sedgwick , Archdeacon of Southwark
Greg Prior , Archdeacon of Croydon
Historic offices