TRIBUTES have been paid to the 'courageous, wise and exceptional' Bishop of Buckingham, the Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson, who has passed away.

The long-standing bishop and 'remarkable leader' passed away unexpectedly on February 17, aged 68.

Bishop Alan served as Bishop of Buckingham for over 20 years, with his entire ordained ministry within the Diocese of Oxford as a curate in Eynsham, Vicar in Caversham and Sandhurst, Area Dean in Sonning, and then Bishop of Buckingham.

Paying tribute, The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, said: "Alan was a dear friend and colleague to many across the Diocese.

"Alan has deep friendships and pastoral relationships across both church and community in Bucks. He has offered remarkable leadership to our work in education and church schools over more than a decade."

Adding: "Alan loved God and loved God’s church with a rare passion. He was a bishop who prioritised the parishes and clergy in his care above everything else and served the people of Buckinghamshire with devotion over a long and demanding ministry.

“I will miss him as a friend and colleague. The Church has lost a wise, pastoral and prophetic bishop.”

Prayers were said for Bishop Alan and his family during an evensong service at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. 

Bishop Alan trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall in 1979, before he was ordained deacon at St Peter’s, Didcot, he become priest in 1980 at Christ Church, Oxford, and bishop in 2003 at Westminster Abbey.

Alan has served in the Diocese of Oxford since 1979, at Balliol College from 1979-81 and non-stipendiary minister at Eynsham, then as curate of Caversham and Mapledurham from 1982-89, and first incumbent of St John the Baptist, Caversham, from 1989-92.

Moving to Sandhurst as rector in 1992, he contributed to continuing ministerial education by developing residential training workshops in supervision skills for training incumbents, and as a diocesan work consultant.

Bishop Alan led the planning group for the Diocesan Convention at High Wycombe in 2002. He was area dean of Sonning from 1998-2003 and honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, from 2002-2003. In October 2003, he became Area Bishop of Buckingham.

The Archdeacon of Buckingham, the Ven Guy Elsmore, who worked closely with Bishop Alan, also paid tribute. He said: “Along with Alan’s other colleagues and the clergy and lay people of Buckinghamshire, I am deeply saddened by this unexpected news.

“We have lost a courageous, wise and exceptional pastoral leader and teacher. Alan’s ministry was centred in people, in valuing every person he met and in the quest to expand the circle of the Church’s love to embrace all.

"He will be deeply missed by us all.”

Bishop Alan is survived by his wife Lucy, and five adult children Catherine, Stephanie, Stuart, Nick and Anna.