THE REVD DAVID AUSTIN
It is a real joy & privilege to be joining you in St Peter’s Addingham as a full-time Curate. I started on the 4th December 2011 and I hope to be with you until 2015. I am grateful for the unanimous vote of acceptance by Addingham PCC when it was suggested I transfer to you. I will be serving as a deacon and then hope to be ordained priest in July 2012.
So I thought I better take this opportunity to tell you something about myself. I grew up in Swindon (Wiltshire) and have always been a church goer. My parents sent me to the local Congregational (URC) church – this Church later entered into an Ecumenical Partnership with the Anglicans and Methodists – the first such local project in the Country. When I was confirmed it was as a member of all three denominations. A year prior to my confirmation I had a profound sense of meeting God after an intense time of bullying at school – I see this as my point of conversion or spiritual awakening. I later got involved in the Evangelical church – through Youth For Christ and identified with the Evangelicals within the Church of England, such as Michael Green (then Rector of St Aldates Oxford) and David Watson.
I always felt from the age of 14 that God wanted me to do something ‘special’ and assumed this was ordination – I told my School career teacher & he sent me to 6th Form Enquirers Conferences. This started a very long process of talking to Diocesan advisors. I felt an inner certainty that this was the right ‘career’ choice but had to act in faith that God would make it possible as I was intensely shy and lacked confidence. I remember my first sermon in Church went okay but immediately afterwards I collapsed & was in bed for the next three days.
I spent a year in Birmingham with the City Mission learning about Urban Evangelism – door to door witness, preaching in the Bullring and handing out tracts, selling bibles in the market and running Children’s Bible clubs. The Mission also ran a traditional Soup Kitchen and Hostel for Homeless men. It was here that I got my first experience of homeless work and this led me into spending the last 20 years in Manchester and East London as an Outreach & Care Manager for the homeless and those with psychiatric needs. I discovered so many people living on our streets had undiagnosed mental health needs and so I began training in Mental Health Work through the London hospitals and the charity MIND. I eventually ended up as a Registered Care Manager running a Care Home for 30+ Adults with Severe Mental Health Needs (often with alcohol, drug or other compounding issues) in Hackney, East London and with a staff team of 11 specialist workers.
My vocation to ‘priesthood’ did not go away in these times however – I spent three years with a Missionary Society (YWAM) in London, Mexico and Liverpool and three years as a Community Member of the Anglican Franciscans (Society of St Francis) in East London, whilst testing out vocation in these various settings. I also did a 2 year diploma at the London School of Theology in the mid 1980s. I have had a lot of growing up to do in these years – getting to know myself, to know the World & to know God. None of these experiences have been wasted but given me insights & transferable skills for Ordained Ministry within the Church of England.
For me, the essence of Christianity is ‘renewed humanity’. Wherever people are seeking their true selves, loving their neighbours and being true to what they know of God, I believe healing and transformation occurs – then broken lives and broken communities are restored as a glimpse of Heaven is seen. This is of course centred on Jesus, the God-Man who lived amongst us, or as ‘The Message’ paraphrase of the Bible says, ‘The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood’ (John 1:14).
I decided to come North to study theology as an Ordinand (trainee vicar) and so became a student at St John’s (Cranmer Hall) Durham in 2009 where I studied for my first degree. The training also included practical placements and I choose to work in a high security prison and a summer placement in South Africa, in the Durban townships.
And so I now find myself in Bradford Diocese – living in Silsden with Sam, my adopted 8 year old Labrador. Sam gets me out & about meeting people (my pastoral assistant) as we explore the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. I am very interested in local history and so am fascinated by the long Christian heritage that St Peter’s represents. I enjoy going to the cinema and theatre regularly and I am a Dr Who fan and an avid supporter of the Eurovision Song Contest (maybe a Parish event in May 2012 ?) – just to warn you..!!
I look forward to meeting the people of Addingham and St Peter’s and hearing your own stories of how you came to be here. Invitations to coffee are always gratefully accepted and I hope I can also offer you hospitality in Silsden in this coming year. Please take note of my contact details below and do not hesitate to contact me at any time. My day off is normally a Friday. We are on a journey of Faith together – I look forward to walking with you.
In Love and Grace,
David Austin (Rev’d) – 12 Westerley Crescent, Silsden.
07740 922468 / 01535 211043 E: dsj.austin@hotmail.com
