Show notes:
Ollie Preston shares his journey as a pioneer within traditional Anglican churches, exploring how ancient practices like Compline can foster new Christian communities in unexpected places.
- Guest: Oli Preston
- Episode host: Mark Robinson – fx Comms
- Join the discussion on our Facebook group
This is an automated transcript and may not be fully accurate.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Mission Shaped Podcast. My name is Mark Robinson, and I’m on the ops team at Fresh Expressions. Today, I’m chatting with Oli Preston.
Good afternoon, Oli. Welcome to the Mission Shaped Podcast. How are you doing today?
Speaker 2:
I’m doing really well, thank you. Good to be here.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for coming on. So, Oli, I realize you and I have never met. I quite enjoy these conversations when I meet someone new and have no idea about their story. You came recommended—I can’t even remember by who—because, you know, we’re having quite a few episodes, and I just get a recommendation, we reach out, and some people come back, and some people don’t. You came back!
So why don’t we get into this? Why don’t you start telling me a little bit about yourself and the community that you’re involved in or forming? Whatever is appropriate. Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 2:
Okay, yeah. So, hi, I’m Reverend Oli Preston. I’m a Church of England vicar. I am married, we’ve got two children, ten and six. I’m currently the vicar of Haworth, Cross Roads, and Stanbury, which is in West Yorkshire, just outside Bradford. It’s the Brontë house—that one, that church.
That’s been a really interesting new step on my journey because I’m in a fairly traditional church in the parish, looking to do parish ministry well, but I would certainly say I am a pioneer. My previous role was outright pioneering, and that’s a really important part of how I understand my vocation and who God has made me to be.
The community that I’m leading at the moment consists of three quite traditional church congregations, but I also have a specific remit to be looking for new directions, new opportunities, and ways to reengage in ways that maybe haven’t been considered for a while. We’re looking at how to connect with younger generations—which, at the moment, means anyone under 60!
And we’re trying to find ways for church life to exist in the community and in the villages, rather than just within the four walls of the church. It’s a really interesting time—I’ve been here for a year now.
Speaker 1:
I can imagine that’s quite a transition. My wife and I are also from an Anglican background—she’s a curate in her final year—so I hear you when you talk about traditional churches and models. That must be quite a challenge as a pioneer because, for some people, entering into a regular parish model is like, “This isn’t what I signed up for.”
Tell us a little about how that’s happened for you and what your journey has been like.
Speaker 2:
Over the last year, there have definitely been times when I have shocked or surprised the existing congregations. Sometimes, it’s been really positive—some people find it a breath of fresh air and are really excited. Others have found it unsettling.
I think there was even a moment a few weeks in where some thought, “Oh, this is not the vicar we were looking for!” But that’s the challenge I see in the wider church—there’s a general recognition that things can’t stay the same, yet change itself is unsettling.
For me, that’s been a challenge. I didn’t train specifically as a pioneer—I was in a straightforward curacy—but I’ve always had that strong leaning. Taking on incumbency responsibilities means dealing with paperwork, churchyards, and admin, when what I really want to be doing is sitting in the pub, engaging with people.
But the exciting thing has been keeping my eyes open for opportunities within the existing model.
One of the most exciting things we’ve started is a Compline service—an ancient night prayer. It’s very traditional, but we first introduced it a couple of times during Advent as an extra moment of reflection before Christmas. It was well received, so we kept it going every Thursday night.
In the last few months, it’s grown. We advertised locally on social media and put an A-frame board outside the church, which is right on Main Street. Now, we have people from the village and even tourists joining in. It’s a 20-minute space of silence and reflection—hands-off, no commitment, but an invitation to go further.
Recently, we started going to a pub afterward for conversation. It’s been well received, and I see this not just as a midweek service, but as a new community forming.
Speaker 1:
That’s really exciting! We’ve heard that before, especially in the Church of England—how going back to really traditional models of church can actually meet a deep hunger.
For so long, success has been defined by large charismatic evangelical churches with multiple services and huge attendance. But now, there seems to be a gentle but growing appreciation for liturgy and ancient ways of worship.
Speaker 2:
Yeah! I grew up in a Baptist church, and for most of my early years, I would’ve said liturgy wasn’t “real” prayer. I thought, “Where’s the meaning if you’re just saying words?” But I’ve come to see that liturgy actually provides an accessible entry point.
People don’t have to bare their souls immediately, but they can still engage deeply. They belong before they believe, and that’s powerful.
Speaker 1:
I love that. What’s exciting is how you’re reframing tradition in a way that meets people where they are. Language plays such a big role in that!
Speaker 2:
Absolutely! That’s why we didn’t call it “Compline” at first—we called it “Quiet Space.” If I say, “Compline is a variation of the Latin word meaning ‘completion,’” I’ve lost people already!
Instead, I describe it as a place of peace, stillness, and reflection—words that connect with people’s spiritual hunger.
Speaker 1:
That’s brilliant. I think language matters so much in how we engage with people. And you’re also dealing with the challenge of balancing tradition and innovation.
Speaker 2:
Yes! And success in pioneering isn’t about numbers—it’s about faithfulness.
One of the best things that’s happened in the last few months has had nothing to do with me. Since March, we haven’t had more than a few weeks go by without someone reaching out—whether it’s through the church website, showing up, or emailing me—saying, “I kind of want to explore faith.”
Or, “I’ve decided I’d like to be baptized.”
That’s not something I can measure in a spreadsheet, but it’s real. It’s transformation.
Speaker 1:
That’s so encouraging! Thank you, Oli—this has been a fantastic conversation, full of real wisdom and insight.
Speaker 2:
Thank you, Mark. I’ve really enjoyed it!
Speaker 1:
Brilliant, Oli. We’ll leave it there for now. Thanks for joining us, and who knows—maybe we’ll speak again sometime soon!
Speaker 2:
Maybe so!
Speaker 1:
Take care.