The announcement of the Revd Julie Bacon as Interim Priest in Charge of St Andrew’s Kildwick and Interim Priest in Charge of St John’s Cononley with St Mary’s Bradley.

Andy Jolley, the Archdeacon of Bradford, is delighted that this announcement can now be made. He says “It was a privilege to be part of the meeting that Julie had with the representatives of the three churches last week. Julie is an exceptional priest with fantastic experience before and after her ordination which will be a great asset as she takes up this new interim role working in these two parishes and with these three churches. The interim role is for a period of three years and, in addition to covering familiar parish priest duties, will involve taking on the challenges identified in the profiles produced by the two parishes and myself. The main aim is to establish a new shared vision and put in place structures and relationships which will support the future flourishing of the church in these two parishes.”

Julie says,

“I am really excited to have been appointed to serve these two parishes as they prepare to enter into a new relationship with each other, and to seek God’s vision for the future in Kildwick, Cononley and Bradley. I’m looking forward to getting to know people in all three churches and villages, and finding out what God has in store for us over the next three years. I moved to Ilkley in 2000 with my husband, Matt, and children, Jack and Kate, and then to Shipley in 2014 when I became curate at St Peter’s Shipley, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to explore and get to know the most northerly part of the Bradford Episcopal Area.”