Elizabeth Snowden

Snowden was born Elizabeth Hall in 1958.[1] She studied geography at Plymouth Polytechnic, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1979.[1][2] She then trained as a teacher at the London Institute of Education and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 1980.[1] She then taught geography and economics at a secondary school.[2]

In 1998, Snowden entered Queen's College, Birmingham, an ecumenical theological college in Birmingham, to train for ordination.[1] During this time she also studied theology at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 2001.[2][1]

Snowden was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2001 and as a priest in 2002.[1] From 2001 to 2004, she served her curacy at Christ Church, Burntwood in the Diocese of Lichfield.[1] In May 2004, she was appointed Resident Minister of Clayhanger Holy Trinity, a church plant that worships in a building of Holy Trinity School in Clayhanger, West Midlands, and also became Youth Work Coordinator for the Parish of St James, Brownhills.[2][3][4]

In 2010, Snowden was appointed priest-in-charge of the Benefice of Bestwood Emmanuel with St Mark in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.[1] The following year, in 2011, she was made Vicar of the benefice.[1] From 2013, she was also Area Dean of Nottingham North.[1] During this time she worked closely four other parishes the Bestwood area including two Methodist-Anglican local ecumenical partnerships.[2]

In December 2015, Snowden was announced as the next Archdeacon of Chelmsford in the Diocese of Chelmsford.[2] On 13 March 2016, she was collated and installed as Archdeacon during a service at Chelmsford Cathedral.[2][5] The Archdeaconry of Chelmsford covers the Deaneries of Brentwood, Chelmsford North, Chelmsford South, and Maldon and Dengie.[2]

Snowden announced her retirement, on or after a "farewell service" scheduled for 2 October 2022.[6]

Snowden is married to Geoff and she has four children.[2]