The Revd Kingsley Dowling has been appointed as Urban Parish Support Officer for the Leeds Episcopal Area. In this one-day a week post (which he’ll combine with his post as Vicar of Wortley & Farnley) he'll be offering help and encouragement to parishes in urban areas.
Bishop Nick says, “I welcome the willingness of Kingsley Dowling to take on this role. This will strengthen our support of urban clergy and parishes. Kingsley will be a reliable and wise officer.”
Before ordination Kingsley worked in marketing and strategic planning in the electricity supply industry, and until last year he was Area Dean of Armley, where the parishes are in some of the most deprived areas of the country.
He says, “My work as Area Dean has given me a broad experience of the joys and challenges of urban/inner city ministry. I hope to bring together my love for urban ministry together with my skills in strategic planning to support those working in urban and deprived parishes.”
He is particularly enthusiastic about the use of Mission Action Planning – that is, helping parishes develop a documented plan to fulfil their mission priorities. He says “In some of the more challenging parishes, ministry can be lonely work, but I want them to know that they’re not on their own. And particularly by developing a strategic plan - by thinking things through in an organised way - churches be helped to find a way through without feeling swamped.
“I can also be simply someone to bounce ideas off in a non-threatening way. So I’m available to offer support, whether in mission planning or ministry or simply as someone with whom clergy can talk things through.”
You can contact Kingsley on 0113 263 8867 or kingsley.dowling@hotmail.co.uk