On Friday 10 July, Bishop Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York designate, will be answering young people’s questions during the Church of England's online assembly for secondary schools.

Bishop Stephen will feature in this week’s Church of England assembly, answering questions asked by pupils from Bishop Young Academy and Manor CE Academy on the theme of ‘compassion’. The assembly, which focuses on compassion, will be aired the day after Bishop Stephen becomes the 98th Archbishop of York.

Questions asked to Bishop Stephen include, ‘Where does Jesus talk about compassion in the Bible?’, and ‘in the midst of all the turmoil in the world, what are you hoping for?’

There will be a full version of the Bishop Stephen interview, including questions asked by pupils form Archbishop Holgate’s School. This video will be available on the Archbishop of York Youth Trust’s YouTube at 10am on 10 July.

The virtual assembly also includes pupils from Grace Academy in Coventry sharing their thoughts on compassion, a reflection from Bishop Paul Mason and pupils from St Peter’s School in Huntington leading prayers.

The Church of England produce assemblies each week, hosted by the Oak National Academy, which feature pupils and school communities across the country and partner organisations. The themes of past assemblies have included courage and kindness. Each week, versions for primary schools and secondary schools are aired.

Bishop Stephen says, “It’s easy to see that many children and young people are finding it hard being apart from their friends both in school and beyond.Parents and carers, teachers and schools, are working hard to help learning take place, but all recognise that this can be a challenge. The Oak National Academy is a wonderful platform that is helping with this and the contributions to the weekly Faith at Home collective worship sessions reflect a wider world beyond the confines of the home. I’m pleased to support the Archbishop of York Youth Trust as they are involved!” 

Watch the collective worship and previous episodes here.

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About the Archbishop of York Youth Trust

The Archbishop of York Youth Trust is passionate about developing opportunities for young people to grow in leadership, faith and character, in partnership with schools, churches and communities. Through the Young Leaders Award, the Youth Trust has empowered over 100,000 young people from over 850 schools to learn and practice key leadership skills and character virtues and to transform their communities through social action.

For more information visit abyyt.com.

About Bishop Stephen

Born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in 1958, Stephen Cottrell was educated at Belfairs High School, Leigh-on-Sea, and the Polytechnic of Central London. He found faith as a teenager through the work of youth organisations in his local church. After a brief spell working in the film industry, and at St Christopher’s Hospice in South London, he began training for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, in 1981 and was ordained deacon at the age of 25. He later studied for an MA with St Mellitus College.

Serving his curacy in Christ Church and St Paul’s, Forest Hill, south London, in the mid-1980s he was priest-in-charge a St Wilfrid’s, in Parklands, a council estate parish in Chichester from 1988 to 1993. He also served as Assistant Director of Pastoral Studies at Chichester Theological College at the same time.

He then moved to West Yorkshire, as Diocesan Missioner and Bishop’s Chaplain for Evangelism in the Diocese of Wakefield and in 1998 he also became a member of Springboard, the Archbishop of York and Canterbury’s team for evangelism. Throughout this time he adopted Huddersfield Town as his team alongside his beloved Spurs.

In 2001, he was called south to become Canon Pastor of Peterborough Cathedral and three years later was consecrated as Bishop of Reading. He became Bishop of Chelmsford in 2010 and served there until 2020 when he became the 98th Archbishop of York. 

Author of more than 20 books including children’s books, he enjoys poetry, music and art. His 2013 book on the artist Stanley Spencer, Christ in the Wilderness, prompted a recent podcast reflection with Russell Brand, discussing the crucifixion and resurrection.

He has undertaken several walking pilgrimages, including twice walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, as well as pilgrim routes in England. You can read about this in his book, Striking Out, poems and stories from the Camino. In 2002 he walked from Durham to York with young people from his church youth group.

A founding member of the Church of England’s College of Evangelists, he has also chaired a group of bishops with an interest in the media and is one of the authors of the Church of England’s Pilgrim course, a major teaching and discipleship resource. He also chairs the Board of Church Army. Based in Sheffield, but working across the British Isles, Church Army is an organisation committed to evangelism and social justice. He is Bishop Protector for the Society of St Francis.

Stephen is married to Rebecca who is a potter. They have three sons and a dog, Alfie.