St Albans Cathedral is delighted to announce that, subject to all necessary checks, Bishop Richard Atkinson, Acting Bishop of St Albans, has appointed the Revd Canon Dr Jennifer Cooper as the next Canon Chancellor at St Albans Cathedral. 

Hailing from Canada, Jennifer joins us from The Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle, where she has been the Director of Initial Ministerial Education since 2019 and is currently the Canon Theologian at Newcastle Cathedral. Prior to that, for 10 years, Jennifer was Academic Dean and Lecturer in Theology at the College of the Resurrection Mirfield and associate Lecturer at the University of Leeds and Sheffield. Jennifer has also been theological consultant to the International Anglican Roman-Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission.

Commenting on her appointment, Jennifer said: 'I feel blessed beyond measure by the invitation to join the Chapter and community of St Albans Cathedral as Canon Chancellor. Your commitment to theological learning, ecumenism and welcome – among so much else – is outstanding. During my recent visit I was moved not only by the beauty of the Cathedral but also by the love you have for this sacred place. Everyone I met made me welcome. It will be a great privilege to serve together with you in the life and ministry of the cathedral; and I look forward to getting to know the wider diocese. Please pray for me over the coming months. I will leave a piece of my heart in the beautiful North East. It has been my home for eight years. Yet in the midst of many goodbyes here, there is much joy as I prepare to make my home in St Albans. I am so grateful that God has led me to this place'. 

Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans said: ‘I am thrilled that Jennifer is coming to join us as the next Canon Chancellor at our Cathedral. With her long experience in education, the global role that she has held in ecumenism and her commitment to the welcome of this place to all pilgrims and visitors, Jennifer brings all the gifts of ministry and leadership experience to support our commitment to these priorities and to lead us into the next era. This is great news!’ 

We look forward to welcoming Jennifer and Clemmie the labrador to St Albans in the next few months.

Jennifer will be installed by the Bishop of Hertford on Saturday 6 June at Choral Evensong.