Reverend Canon Ivor Moody
Areas of Interest
Alumni, ReligionHonorary Award
Honorary Fellowship, 2010Biography
Reverend Canon Ivor Moody is the newly-installed Vice Dean and Canon Pastor of Chelmsford Cathedral. Formerly Canon Moody was the Chaplain of the Chelmsford campus of Anglia Ruskin University for almost 14 years.
Canon Moody was born in Brighton and studied theology at Kings College London where he gained his Bachelor of Divinity and Associate of Kings College in 1980. He then spent two years at the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, studying for ordination. He worked in the area of East London now being transformed by the Olympic development, Leigh on Sea and then as Vicar of St John's Church, Tilbury Docks.
His ministry at Anglia Ruskin University was as enjoyable as it was productive. In 2004, he gained his MA in Pastoral Theology and in 2008, together with other members of the chaplaincy team, he published 'Living and Learning', the story of Chaplaincy at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford.
Canon Moody has taught many groups of students over the years, focusing on links between spirituality and various aspects of the higher education curriculum.
Throughout his time as Chaplain, he has, alongside many other staff from our University, visited learning disability centres and a children's home in Croatia with over 300 students from the Chelmsford and Cambridge campuses to help care for the patient clients there, and carry out a programme of restoration and repair of the centres' buildings.
In addition to his new role as Vice Dean and Canon Pastor of Chelmsford Cathedral, he is also currently chair of the Mid Essex Inter Faith Forum, which seeks to bring together people from many faith communities in and around Essex, and chair of Essex Mind and Spirit, which looks at the relationship between spirituality and mental health.
Citation
"Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Reverend Canon Ivor Moody for the award of Honorary Fellow.
Reverend Canon Ivor Moody is the newly-installed Vice Dean and Canon Pastor of Chelmsford Cathedral.
Formerly Canon Moody was the Chaplain of the Chelmsford campus of Anglia Ruskin University for almost 14 years.
Now 52, he is married to Ruth with one daughter and three sons.
Canon Moody was born in Brighton and studied theology at Kings College London where he gained his Bachelor of Divinity and Associate of Kings College in 1980. He then spent two years at the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, studying for ordination. He worked in the area of East London now being transformed by the Olympic development, Leigh on Sea and then as Vicar of St John's Church, Tilbury Docks.
His ministry at Anglia Ruskin University was as enjoyable as it was productive. In 2004, he gained his MA in Pastoral Theology and in 2008, together with other members of the chaplaincy team, he published 'Living and Learning', the story of Chaplaincy at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford. It traces the history of the Chaplaincy on the Chelmsford campus since its inauguration in 1994, and goes onto to explore the theology of what a Chaplaincy is doing, and what it means, in a modern, 21st century university. The final chapter traces important links between the ethos and outlook of Chaplaincy the choice of John Ruskin, the Victorian art critic and philanthropist, as the new name for our university. The book is available to read online, or hard copies are available from the Chaplaincy office.
Canon Moody has taught many groups of students over the years, focusing on links between spirituality and various aspects of the higher education curriculum. He has published widely in various journals, notably on aspects of the relationship between the Chaplaincy's presence and work on campus, and the experience of living and studying here at Anglia Ruskin University. One of the activities which most characterizes his time at the Chaplaincy here though, is the countless welcome meals and BBQ's he put on for hundreds of students, alongside the others in the Chaplaincy Team, and with the generous help from many people in local parishes who helped to supply food and assistance!
Throughout his time as Chaplain, he has, alongside many other staff from our University, visited learning disability centres and a children's home in Croatia with over 300 students from the Chelmsford and Cambridge campuses to help care for the patient- clients there, and carry out a programme of restoration and repair of the centres' buildings. As a result many important academic links have been established between institutions in Croatia and some of the Faculties here at our university, and only a few weeks ago a graduate learning disability nurse and two nurse teachers returned from a week's teaching at one of the hospitals on the value and importance of establishing Key Workers for the staff and patient-clients.
In addition to his new role as Vice Dean and Canon Pastor of Chelmsford Cathedral, he is also currently chair of the Mid Essex Inter Faith Forum, which seeks to bring together people from many faith communities in and around Essex, together with others from the voluntary and statutory sectors, and is also chair of Essex Mind and Spirit, which looks at the relationship between spirituality and mental health.
Canon Moody's attention-capturing style makes him a pleasure to know. His warmth and strong faith refreshes the minds of everybody he comes into contact with.
Both past and present, Canon Moody has held a great amount of responsibility, but faces any challenges optimistically and is always delighted to help other people. His hopes for the future include seeing the Cathedral further integrated into the town and communities it serves, and alongside the spirit and vision of our own university, to encourage others to offer themselves for greater responsibilities and public service, both inside the cathedral and beyond its walls.
He made a big impact on all students and staff that knew him at the Anglia Ruskin University and it is for his dedication to bringing practical help, faith and spirituality to the lives of others that we at Anglia Ruskin University honour him today.
Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to present Reverend Canon Ivor Moody for the award of Honorary Fellow, honoris causa."