The new Growing Healthy Churches Adviser within the Diocesan Mission and Ministry Team will be the Venerable John Day, Archbishop Stephen announced at the 2nd July meeting of York Diocesan Synod.
The role will involve drawing alongside parishes and deaneries to help them engage in God’s mission, and in growing a team who can share in what is vital work in resourcing our local churches as we live out Christ’s story.
John Day is already well-known in the Diocese of York; he is currently acting Archdeacon of York while the Ven Sam Rushton is Acting Director for Strategic Transformation, and had previously served since 2016 as the Archbishop of York’s Assistant Chaplain and Adviser in Mission Strategy and Church Revitalisation. John's parish ministry is working with the incumbent in York St Chad, St Clement and Bishopthorpe St Andrew. From 2001 to 2015 John worked in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, as a vicar and then Archdeacon in Christchurch Diocese; previously he had been a vicar in Bradford and Leeds, and later was Archdeacon in Liverpool Diocese assisting parishes in strategies for growth.
Archbishop Stephen said, “I am delighted that John has been appointed to this role. He will bring significant experience as a missioner, an archdeacon in New Zealand and as someone who has, over many years, helped churches across a whole variety of contexts and traditions to engage in God’s mission.”