Meet our Rector
- The Rev'd Philip Bromiley, B.th. (oxon) M.A.T.R. (dunelm).
- My calling to ministry came at the age of fourteen, the first time I had asked myself the question - where is all this leading? The answer instantly came back - 'Because I'm going to be a Vicar'. It was God speaking into my heart and I was instantly peaceful about the idea.
I had been brought up in a very middle of the road Town parish church, involving myself in Sunday School, Choir, and Serving. I told my Vicar and his advice was wise: 'don't put any barriers in the way of letting God's will be done in your life'. I kept praying 'Thy will be done' and the doors kept opening. Moving away from home to do a Theology degree created the first opportunity to meet Christians of the same age. At the age of 19, a naive faith rapidly matured, the penny truly dropped and I really began to understand the miraculous implications of the Gospel. A lively CU, my local village church on a Sunday morning and St. Aldate's, Oxford in the evening maintained breadth and provided wonderful teaching. When returning home in the holidays, my home parish, with the advent of a new incumbent, had become fairly conservatively Anglo-Catholic. Again, my ecclesiology was broadened. A year out as a chaplain's assistant with the Missions to Seamen in Southampton confirmed my original calling.
I trained at Cranmer Hall, Durham, served a curacy in a large suburban parish in Blackpool, then as an Associate Priest, in the Parish of Calne and Blackland, undertaking responsibility for establishing a new Church Plant in the north of Calne. Through prayer and the enabling of a lay ministry team, The Open Door was established. It continues to meet on a Wednesday evening, in Fynamore Community Primary School, built on a brand new housing development. It is a fresh expression of Church which seeks to engage with the unchurched, the prodigal and those hurt by church. As the Assistant Diocesan Ecumenical Officer for the Ramsbury Episcopal Area (which covers most of Wiltshire), I am committed to cherishing relationships between churches and churchmanships and maintaining unity. My own theology remains rooted in the appreciation of the Sacramental and is orthodox, Bible-based and concerned for renewal through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I have a heart for mission and evangelism and have been privileged to have taken part in three Springboard Missions.
Education and experience
2008 - present Inducted Rector of The Oldbury Benefice
2007 - present Appointed Associate Missioner for Fresh Expressions, a joint venture of the Church Of England and Methodist Church.
2006- 2008 Priest-in-Charge of the Oldbury Benefice.
2003- present Appointed Assistant Diocesan Ecumenical Officer for the Ramsbury Area in the Diocese of Salisbury.
This role entitles me to sit on Wiltshire Churches Together (including the Steering Group), the Archdeacon of Sarum's Pastoral Committee, the Archdeacon of Wiltshire's Pastoral Committee, the Area Resource Team for Ramsbury, the Diocesan Ecumenical Working Group and the Diocesan Board of Church and Society.
2001- 2006 Served as an Associate Priest in the Parish of Calne and Blackland, in the Diocese of Salisbury.
Ex-officio Governor of St. Dunstan's CV Primary School, situated in an area of significant social deprivation and a Community Governor of the new Community Primary School in a new build housing estate. Chaired a local Community group attempting to establish a Community Facility for the new Housing estates. Mayor's Chaplain for two years. Monthly contributor for the Local free Advertiser Magazine writing Christian thoughts designed to engage with the wider Community.
1998-2001 Served as a Curate in the parish of St. Paul's, Marton, in Blackpool, in the Diocese of Blackburn.
During this period, I was chair of Spen Churches Together in Blackpool and School Governor at the local Community Primary School, pioneering church/school relationships.
1999 Ordained Priest in Lancaster Priory, by the Bishop of Lancaster, Rt. Rev'd Stephen Pedley.
1998 Ordained Deacon in Blackburn Cathedral, by the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt. Rev'd Alan Chesters.
1995-1998 Training for Ordination at St. John's College, Cranmer Hall, Durham.
Diploma in Ministerial Studies and Masters degree in Theological Research. The MA was modular with a dissertation in The future of the "three-fold typlogy": an analysis of Lesslie Newbigin's theology of religion. During this period, I spent three months in Bangalore in South India working with TAFTEE.
1994-1995 Chaplain's Assistant with the Missions to Seamen in Southampton.
1991-1994 Student of Theology at Westminster College, Oxford.
Gained a 2:1 degree and given the College Theology Award.
- The Bromiley Family
- I am a husband to Anna, an artist, and a father to Rosie and Peter and Thomas, twin boys, born in February, 2006.
VICAR LOCKED AWAY FOR CRIMES AGAINST COMEDY
- JAILHOUSE JOKER
- Clapped in handcuffs and led away from his vicarage by two burly policemen. This was the fate of a West vicar yesterday after his congregation reported him to the law.
But Rev Philip Bromiley's crime was not anything the Bishop should be too worried about - unless he is a judge in a talent competition, that is.
For the vicar of Cherhill, near Calne in Wiltshire, spent yesterday afternoon in the cells and was officially charged with telling too many bad jokes.
The corny clergyman leads the worship at five different village churches in this picturesque corner of the Wiltshire Downs, but at each one the message was the same: Lock this vicar up for crimes against comedy.
So at noon yesterday the long arm of the law, who Rev Bromiley tried to claim had come from 999 Letsbe Avenue, beat a path to the vicarage door and unceremoniously nicked the vicar.
Down at the station, the vicar was held, banged up in the cells and charged with telling bad jokes. And his parishioners were given five hours yesterday afternoon to raise £200 bail money - the entire afternoon was a stunt to raise money for The Parkinson's Disease Society.
But as he languished in the cells, Rev Bromiley admitted he feared his parishioners might not be trying too hard to bail him out of the clink. He took a joke book in with him, he said, to try to learn some better gags.
"It was a very strange experience having two policemen knocking on the door and being put in handcuffs," he said, using his one phone call to ring the Western Daily.
"Thankfully, they've been very nice and polite and they put the handcuffs on not too tight. I'm currently wearing a blue paper suit. Luckily they had one in my size, but I fear it may split at the seams soon."
Rev Bromiley said he'd been told his jokes were bad, but he had no idea at the strength of feeling. "I don't hear these things from the pulpit.
They say they groan when they hear a joke coming, but I have a feeling I hear groans when I stand up to walk to the pulpit.
"In some of the churches I'm sure I've seen tumbleweed blowing across the pews as people shift uncomfortably in my seats in silence after the punchline."
The original plan by his congregation was to send the cops to the village primary school and arrest the vicar while he took assembly, but they feared his daughter Rosie, five, would be too upset at seeing Daddy led away.
"They thought her father being taken by two robust policemen might have upset her," said Rev Bromiley, "But I thought she would have probably been quite relieved and pleased, and maybe embarrassed, but then at least mum is picking her up this afternoon.
"But this is for a good cause, and I hope they raise the money. One of the members of our congregation has great experience or caring for someone with Parkinson's and another is suffering, so I thought it would be good to support this group and enable them to do things like go on outings."
This is the report that appears in The Western Daily press concerning Philips latest escapade!
For more information about Parkinsons Disease, the support avilable and how you can help please visit their website:
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/