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NewsTranscript
00:00 (gentle music)
00:02 - Hello, my name's Mike Harrison,
00:06 and I'm delighted, excited, and honored
00:09 to be becoming the next Bishop of Exeter.
00:12 Presently, I'm the Bishop of Dunwich
00:13 in the Diocese of St. Edmund's, Breenips,
00:15 which shares so many similarities to Devon.
00:19 And I'm really looking forward to coming here
00:21 and flying the flag of Devon and its concerns.
00:24 It seems absolutely appropriate
00:27 that I'm doing so on St. Petrock's Day.
00:30 St. Petrock, of course, the patron saint of Devon,
00:33 and also to be doing so on what is called,
00:36 therefore, Devon Day.
00:38 And as I say, looking forward to flying the flag,
00:40 an example of which I have with me here,
00:43 and which, of course, is in green, in black, and in white.
00:48 The green for the rolling countryside of Devon,
00:51 the black for the moors,
00:53 and the white for the beautiful coastlines of Devon.
00:56 But also, of course, as you'll notice,
00:59 there is a cross outlined in white on that flag.
01:02 And the cross, of course, is that place
01:05 where we see the self-sacrificial love of God,
01:08 God's glory in Jesus Christ,
01:10 which paradoxically for us is actually
01:14 the core of our new creation of our forgiveness
01:17 and of our hope in Christ.
01:20 A little bit about me and Devon.
01:22 I was brought up on holidays in North Devon,
01:25 Woolacombe, Ilfracombe, Morty Ho,
01:28 and those places have a special place in my heart.
01:31 I dated my future wife when she was a student
01:34 at St. Lloyd's College of Occupational Therapy.
01:38 And at the same time,
01:39 I was weighing a vocation to the ordained ministry.
01:42 So the cathedral here and a local church
01:45 has a very special place in my heart.
01:49 And in terms of my own interests, I am a keen baker,
01:52 so I'm delighted to see these cream teas,
01:54 which have been fashioned in the appropriate way,
01:57 given that we are in Devon.
01:59 I'm also an enthusiastic beekeeper
02:02 and I'm a keen football fan.
02:04 So I look forward to supporting Exeter City when in Exeter
02:08 and also Plymouth Argyle,
02:09 who knows what will happen
02:10 if they ever are in the same division,
02:12 but very much look forward to that.
02:15 Meanwhile, very much looking forward
02:16 to joining you in ministry and mission,
02:19 in growing in prayer together,
02:21 in making new disciples
02:23 and serving the people of Devon with joy.
02:26 So every good wish to you on Devon Day, every blessing,
02:30 and I hope that this day is as special for you
02:33 as it is for me.
02:34 (orchestral music)
02:37 (music fades)
02:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]