Birdsall joins the Church of England’s service

The Church of England has appointed typographer Derek Birdsall, founder of design group Omnific, to design Common Worship, the Church’s service book, for the next Millennium.

A “best practice” process was used to choose Birdsall, to ensure that “nobody was getting rolled over”, according to Church of England director of communications Dr William Beaver.

A panel, chaired by Royal College of Art rector, Professor Christopher Frayling, and including publishing consultant and Alison Baverstock, and Revd Canon Jeremy Haselock of Norwich Cathedral, shortlisted three groups for the job.

Birdsall beat Graphic Thought Facility and Et Al with Phil Cleaver. “All three are winners, and would do the job beautifully,” says Frayling: “We selected Omnific for the confidence they gave us in terms of creativity married to precise process.”

Common Worship will combine traditional and contemporary styles in new services, replacing the existing Alternative Service Book at the end of 2000.