Terence Kelshaw

Kelshaw, Terence



On Sunday, July 5th at sunrise, Bishop Terence Kelshaw of Albuquerque, NM died peacefully in his sleep at home. He was 78.

Terence was born in Manchester, England into a wonderful, loving family and was the seventh of ten children. His passion from a very early age was to serve the Lord, and he was called to be a preacher and teacher at the young age of 15 at a Summer Camp in the Lake District of England. After serving in Singapore and Malaya in the Military he returned to the University, and then went to teach at the Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda for two years. Just before he left for Africa he met his wife-to-be, Hazel, and they married on his return in 1962. In 1963 he followed his first calling, and went to seminary at Oak Hill College in Barnet. He served his first curacy at a university church, Christ Church in Bristol. After serving in a suburban church, St. John's in Woking, and an inner-city church, The Christian Family Center in Bristol, he was called to be Professor of Pastoral Studies at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. There he earned a Doctorate at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. In 1989 he was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande, where he served faithfully and courageously for 16 years. He has enjoyed taking many people on pilgrimages to Israel, Rome, and Greece and Turkey. In retirement, he continued to minister as Interim Rector and in many other areas of teaching and preaching in the Anglican Church of North America.

He is survived by his wife, Hazel, and their four children: Julian, Joanne, Rachel and Michael, and their spouses, & nine grandchildren.

A celebration of Terence's life and ministry will be held on Monday, July 13 at 11AM at Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 8600 Academy NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505-821-1993). The family asks clergy to vest according to your tradition and process. Child care will be available. Flowers may be delivered to the church on Monday after 8AM or, if you wish, contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to Trinity School for Ministry, Kelshaw Student Scholarship Fund at 311, Eleventh Street, Ambridge, PA 15003.

He will be remembered for the way he brought scripture to life using his incredible knowledge of the Word. He served the Lord with great resolve teaching others about the love of Christ. The Bishop surrounded himself with children at the close of services to pronounce the blessing, a trademark of his love for the young ministers of the church. He will be greatly missed by family and friends.

Terence has run the race with courage and perseverance, keeping his eyes on Jesus, his Savior and Lord. Now he has obtained his athlete's crown, and is with the saints in glory. Praise God.