Rob Gillion

Gillion was born in Norfolk to clergy parents{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Winston |title=Former actor who worked as a priest in Norfolk, Surrey, Hong Kong and Australia takes over at St John the Baptist Church, Spalding |url=https://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/stage-set-for-new-priest-at-spalding-church-9065134/ |accessdate=11 January 2020 |work=Spalding Today |publisher=Iliffe Media Publishing Ltd |date=22 March 2019}} and was educated at Norwich School.{{cite web |title=The Right Revd Rob Gillion |url=https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=59c78828-7fe9-4765-8165-9a2775091109 |website=Diocese of Lincoln |publisher=Church of England |accessdate=11 January 2020}} He trained in acting at the University of London and then worked as an actor and theatre director for 12 years, participating in a variety of stage shows including cabaret, repertory and Shakespeare productions,{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Tim |title=The theatrical Bishop caring for a far-flung flock in the outback |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-22/bishop-rob-gillion-caring-for-far-flung-flock-in-riverina/7257872 |accessdate=11 January 2020 |work=Landline |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=22 March 2016}} prior to retraining for ministry at the age of 32.{{cite news |last1=Powell |first1=Russell |title=Former actor elected Bishop of Riverina |url=https://sydneyanglicans.net/news/former-actor-elected-bishop-of-riverina |accessdate=11 January 2020 |work=Sydney Anglicans |publisher=Anglican Diocese of Sydney |date=4 April 2014}}

Gillion trained for ministry at Salisbury and Wells Theological College and was ordained Church of England:{{cite web |title=The Revd Rob Gillion to be Diocesan Bishop of Riverina, Australia |url=https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/the-revd-rob-gillion-to-be-diocesan-bishop-of-riverina-australia/ |website=Diocese of London |publisher=Church of England |accessdate=11 January 2020 |date=4 April 2014}} made deacon at Petertide 1983 (26 June){{Church Times | title = Petertide ordinations | archive = 1983_07_01_004 | issue = 6281 | date = 1 July 1983 | page = 4 | accessed = 30 July 2021 }} and ordained priest the following Petertide (1 July 1984) — both times by Maurice Wood, Bishop of Norwich, at Norwich Cathedral.{{Church Times | title = Petertide ordinations | archive = 1984_07_06_004 | issue = 6334 | date = 6 July 1984 | page = 4 | accessed = 30 July 2021 }} His early ministry saw him serve in the Diocese of Southwark and then the Diocese of Hong Kong and Macao, where, as parish priest at Discovery Bay he voluntarily spent a week incarcerated at Shek Pik Prison to better understand his ministry as chaplain to the prisoners, who nicknamed him Father Robbery.{{cite news |title=Priest learns from his mission in cell |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/114370/priest-learns-his-mission-cell |accessdate=11 January 2020 |work=South China Morning Post |date=16 April 1995}} He was also the diocese's head of religious broadcasting.

He returned to London in 1998, where he served first as the evangelism officer for the Bishop of Kensington, then as rector of Holy Trinity, Sloane Street, and St Saviour, Upper Chelsea. During his time in London, Gillion was a regular contributor to the BBC's Pause for Thought program,{{cite news |title=BBC Radio 2 – Pause for Thought – Rob Gillion |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01npcrd |accessdate=11 January 2020 |date=19 December 2013}} and also served as chaplain at Harrods.{{cite news |last1=Hudson |first1=Sarah |title=Riverina's new Bishop swaps the stage for the pulpit |url=https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/country-living/riverinas-new-bishop-swaps-the-stage-for-the-pulpit/news-story/52f318668c0cad717414e2acaf3e82eb |accessdate=11 January 2020 |work=The Weekly Times |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=4 May 2016}}

In April 2014, Gillion was elected Bishop of Riverina in the Province of New South Wales in the Anglican Church of Australia after a representative of the diocese saw him preach at St Paul's Cathedral, London (which was the only time he had ever preached there).{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Tim |title=Outback Bishop: Divine Stage |url=https://www.abc.net.au/local/archives/landline/content/2016/s4428270.htm |accessdate=11 January 2020 |work=Landline |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=21 March 2016}} He was consecrated and enthroned on 15 August 2014 at St Alban's Cathedral, Griffith. In working in Australia, Gillion followed in the footsteps of his grandfather who had worked as a priest in Broome and Derby in Western Australia during the 1920s.

During his time as Bishop of Riverina, Gillion performed a one-man stage show about faith to raise funds for a youth theatre project in the diocese. He also called on denominational churches to combine in disadvantaged rural areas to improve ministry resources. Gillion served as bishop from 15 August 2014 until resigning effective 21 July 2018.

After his resignation Gillion returned to the United Kingdom and in March 2019 he was appointed as an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Lincoln and interim priest-in-charge of St John the Baptist Spalding,{{cite web |title=Notification of appointment: The Rt Revd Robert Gillion |url=https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/news/notification-of-appointment-the-rt-revd-robert-gillion |website=Diocese of Lincoln |publisher=Church of England |accessdate=11 January 2020 |year=2019}} for an 18-month term.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stjohnsspalding.org/1stjunemessagefrombishoprob.htm|title = 1st June Special Message from Bishop Rob - St John the Baptist Church, Spalding}}

On 19 August 2020, Gillion was licensed as priest-in-charge of Christ Church Streatham and an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Southwark;{{Cite web|url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/816/news/30530/christ-church-welcomes-bishop-rob-gillion-as-the-new-priest-in-charge/|title = Christ Church welcomes Bishop Rob Gillion as the new Priest-in-Charge - News - Streatham, Christ Church - A Church Near You|date = 19 August 2020}} on 10 September he was commissioned as Associate Bishop for the Arts (in that diocese);{{cite web | url-access=limited |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/1935226053444031/2486848998281731 |archive-date = 2022-04-30| url = https://www.facebook.com/NineElmsArtsMinistry/posts/2486848998281731 |title = Nine Elms Arts Ministry on Facebook |website=Facebook}}{{cbignore}}{{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/new-priest-for-christ-church-streatham/|title=New priest for Christ Church, Streatham|date=8 October 2020}} and in 2021, the legal status of his parish post (but not the nature of the role) was changed to vicar.{{Church Times | title = Gazette: appointments | archive = 2021_05_28_028 | issue = 8254 | date = 28 May 2021 | page = 28 | accessed = 30 July 2021 }}

Gillion is married to Janine and has two sons, one of whom is the marketing manager for the Australian Grand Prix.

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{{Portal|Christianity}}

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{{S-bef|before=Douglas Stevens}}

{{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Riverina|years=2014–2018}}

{{S-aft|after=Donald Kirk}}

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{{Bishops of Riverina}}

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Category:People educated at Norwich School

Category:Alumni of the University of London

Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in Australia

Category:Anglican bishops of Riverina

Category:Living people

Category:1951 births

Category:21st-century Church of England bishops