The life of the Right Reverend Henry (Harry) Moore (2 November 1923–16 December 2025), former Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, was celebrated at a Service of Remembrance in Manchester yesterday. The service was followed by a committal at Blackley Crematorium.

Bishop Sean, the Diocese and UK Friends of the Diocese were represented by the Reverend Canon Chris Butt, who writes:

The service itself was delightfully informal, held in Middleton Parish Church where Harry had served as curate and later as rector.

Reflections from a former curate, a teacher, a Church Mission Society colleague and a son-in-law—along with a photo montage—recalled Harry’s ministry and family life. There were Bible readings from 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 and John 14: 1-7, and a brief Sermon from the Rector, the Reverend David Brooks, on the message of the Gospel underlying Harry’s passion for mission. Stirring hymns reflected Bishop Harry’s faith—How great Thou art, My song is love unknown, Abide with me and, at the crematorium, Make me a channel of your peace.

The family was at the very foundation of Harry’s life and ministry: his 66 years of marriage to Betty; their five children, ten grandchildren, and 12 grandchildren. He constantly expressed his love and pride in them. It was clear that family life, wartime service in the Indian Army and working as a clerk for the railways earthed his ministry.

His curate, David Smethurst (himself 89) spoke of Bishop Harry as a model and a mentor throughout his life and ministry, describing Harry as having had a discipline of prayer and service, especially regular pastoral visiting in the parish.

Mark Oxbrow from CMS spoke of Harry’s being “a practical man, who never forgot his Northern working-class roots and, as a Bishop, was refreshingly unlike the public school and Oxbridge bishops who were ever-present in the Church of England.

“He was gifted in pulling a team together, humble enough to learn from others, and believed passionately, after service as a missionary in Iran, that Britain also needed to be on the receiving end of mission.”

Bishop Harry remained a lifelong friend of the exiled former Bishop of Iran, Hassan Dehqani-Tafti, and the Right Reverend Guli Francis-Dehqani—his daughter, the Bishop of Chelmsford— sent her greetings.

As Home Secretary of CMS, “Harry was wonderfully complementary to the visionary Simon Barrington-Ward, rooting the vision in reality. When he became General Secretary, after three years as the second Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf (1983-86), he provided the leadership needed in a time of great change for CMS.” 

Following his retirement, Bishop Harry served as an Assistant Bishop in Durham and then Hereford Dioceses, only fully retiring in his nineties.

The world and the Church is undoubtedly richer for Bishop Harry’s life and ministry, and he will be remembered with great fondness by all who knew him.

Chris Butt