Eamonn Mullally shares his hopes for the Lambeth Conference

Eamonn Mullally lives in London, near to St Paul’s Cathedral. His full time vocation sees him working as an IT and Enterprise Architect. Married to Sarah Mullally – the Bishop of London – Eamonn will be attending the 2020 Lambeth Conference and is involved in some of the conference planning. In this interview he shares his hopes for the event and what being married to a bishop entails.

How would you describe your vocation?

I am an IT and Enterprise Architect. Put simply this is the equivalent of town planning but for large systems rather that the physical world of building i.e. Strategy. In my spare time, I recently qualified as a city of London Tourist Guide and plan to lead walks for visitors.

How did you and Sarah meet?

We first met at a student hall of residence, and then got to know each other a few years later through a local church.

What does being married to a bishop involve? How does it affect your own life and work?

Surprisingly little. I occasionally accompany Sarah to formal events and go to church with her on a Sunday morning whenever possible, it’s always somewhere different. She is frequently busy in the evening so, wherever we have lived I have developed other interests to keep me busy. I get to meet many different people in different settings. I feel really privileged to have such a unique opportunity.

Your wife is one of the early trailblazers for women bishops. What impact has that had on you and what have you learnt from the journey?

Sarah has always been a trailblazer, changing the world quietly by getting alongside people and sharing the love of Christ. I do not see this as having an impact on me, it’s just the way we have always lived our lives. I try to be supportive and learnt a long time ago the best way to achieve this is by just being there and being a distraction from the challenges.

What are your hopes for the Lambeth Conference – what are you looking forward to about the event?

I’m looking forward to meeting other people and learning how I may be a better supporter based on the example and their lived experience.

What do you think about the event and how do you hope it will build community and understanding across cultures and settings within the Anglican Communion?

I’m excited by the spouses’ participation in the conference programme, it’s a unique opportunity to meet others and learn together Gods plan for the 21st Century church.

What would you like to learn at the Lambeth Conference and how do you hope it will shape your thinking and life beyond the event?

I would like to learn about the lives of other spouses, their challenges and how we can support each other to establish the Kingdom. Most of all, I would like to explore how the Holy Spirit would guide us and pray together about how we turn vision into reality.

A lot of people have registered for the Lambeth Conference. Why would you encourage people to attend?

To share fellowship and listen to the many ways in which God is transforming the lives of his people across the Anglican Communion. To learn and pray together.

About the Lambeth Conference

The Lambeth Conference is convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury approximately every ten years. The event will meet in Canterbury next summer, and will see active bishops and spouses attending from over 165 countries of the Anglican Communion. Further information on the conference can be found at: https://www.lambethconference.org

open to all:
the Phase 3 webinars