We are delighted to announce the appointment of The Reverend Emma Halliwell as our new curate.

Emma was ordained Deacon on Saturday, July 1st, at Bradford Cathedral, and attended her first services at Christ Church and St Mary’s, Carleton, on Sunday, July 2nd.

The joint benefice held a barbecue on Sunday afternoon to welcome Emma and her family to our churches.

Emma will be a Self-Supporting (SSM) Curate. This means that she is in full-time employment and her curacy in the benefice will be on a part-time basis.

She will live in her own home in Ilkley with her husband, Simon, and daughter, Esme.

Emma trained for ordination part-time at St Hild College, where she read for an MA in Theology, Ministry and Mission, and also served at the national chair of the Ordinands’ Association.

While training Emma continued to work as a Senior University Lecturer specialising in property law and art law, having previously qualified as a solicitor.

In her spare time she enjoys being with family and friends, walking with (and trying to train) their puppy, improving her French, cooking, creating, listening to all kinds of music and reading detective novels.

Emma is particularly interested in choral music as a form of mission, as well as encouraging whole-life discipleship that helps people to see God at work in all parts of their lives.