Cathedral funeral for former Nottinghamshire bishop

A retired bishop, who spent more than 25 years working with the church in South America, before moving to become an assistant bishop in Nottinghamshire, died last week on Wednesday, 1st October. Tributes will be paid to the Rt Revd Bill Flagg at his funeral service at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral tomorrow (Friday, 10th October 2008, at 2.15pm).

Bishop Bill was well known to many clergy and parishioners across the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, where he worked as an assistant bishop, advising particularly in rural ministry, stewardship and world mission for some 10 years.

The Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd George Cassidy said: “I was particularly grateful for Bishop Bill’s warmth and welcome when I first came as a new bishop in 1999. As a retired bishop he assisted with confirmations and installations and was always a great encouragement to everyone he came in contact with.”

Bishop Bill was bought up in a farm near Yeovil and moved out to Chile as a 22-year-old agricultural missionary with the South American Mission Society (SAMS) in 1959. His wife Marjorie joined him two years later. After being ordained in 1959 he became chaplain to St Andres Asuncion Paraguay. He was transferred to Northern Argentina in 1965, becoming archdeacon. Then in 1969 he was consecrated as Bishop of Paraquay and Northern Argentina. During his time there he was charged with initiating Spanish speaking ministry in the towns while serving an area several times the size of the UK. In 1978 he returned to the UK and became an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Liverpool, working alongside the then Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd David Sheppard. During his time there he was also vicar of St Cyprian’s Church in Toxteth. In 1986 he was appointed as the General Secretary for SAMS, before moving to the Diocese of Southwell in 1993, where he worked alongside his ex-colleague and former Bishop of Argentina, the Rt Revd Patrick Harris, Bishop of Southwell. In 1996 he was awarded one of the highest honours in the Church of England, when he was presented with the Cross of Augustine in recognition of his and his wife’s lifetime of ministry and service in the Anglican Communion.

Bishop Bill’s wife Marjorie died in 1999, leaving six children: Richenda Elizabeth, Andrew Jonathan, Rachel Margaret, Rosalind Helen, Patricia Ruth and Timothy Henry.

Bishop Bill had been suffering for some six years after a debilitating stroke in June 2002, but continued to be an inspiration to his family and also to many people whose lives he touched throughout the world. 

There will be a private family cremation following the funeral service tomorrow.