The Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, has appointed the Revd Emma Sykes as the next Archdeacon of East Derbyshire.

Emma is currently serving in the Diocese of Birmingham, where she has lived for nearly 30 years. She began her working life in the charity sector working with young people facing homelessness and other challenging issues. As a youth minister at St Michael’s Church in Boldmere, she began to discern a call to ordained ministry. She trained at St John’s College, Nottingham and, in 2008, was ordained at Birmingham Cathedral.

She served her curacy at St Martin in the Bull Ring and became Associate Rector there three years later. In 2014, she took a break from full-time ministry and took a ‘portfolio’ approach, taking on a variety of different roles as a self-supporting minister including being an assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands and a Bishop’s Advisory Panel advisor. She also worked part time for CPAS as a Leadership Specialist with a focus on young vocations and facilitating training for Curates and Incumbents.

In May 2020, she followed God’s call back to fulltime parish ministry, into her current role as Vicar of St Barnabas Erdington and Oversight Minister for the Erdington Area. Emma has been a member of General Synod since June 2024.

Speaking on her appointment, Emma said: “I’m delighted, honoured and a little overwhelmed to be asked to be the next Archdeacon of East Derbyshire. I’m looking forward to getting to know the people in the archdeaconry and supporting them to flourish in mission and ministry.

“Whilst I’m excited, I also carry sadness at leaving Birmingham Diocese and especially the people of St Barnabas whose resilience, generosity and joy has helped shape me as I follow God’s call to step into this new role.”

Bishop Libby said: “I am delighted that Emma has accepted my invitation to serve as Archdeacon of East Derbyshire. Her varied experience, both in parish ministry and other ministry contexts, will be an asset as she takes up this role within our diocese. I am looking forward to working with her as we follow our shared vision of the Kingdom of God as Good News for all, and seeing that come to fruition for the congregations and communities of East Derbyshire and across the Diocese. Please join me in praying for Emma as she prepares to join us next year,”

Further details about Emma’s Installation as Archdeacon will come in the new year.