Name: Tim Bennison
Year of Birth: 1963
Place of Birth: Hull, Yorkshire
Location: Dunfermline, Scotland
Occupation: Priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church (Anglican)
I have recently moved south, with my wife, Hilary, to Dunfermline in Scotland, where I am the Rector of two congregations: Holy Trinity, Dufermline, and St Margaret’s in Rosyth. I was born in Hull and brought up in the North of England but moved up to Scotland in 1990 to do a degree in theology at the University of Aberdeen. Though I originally intended to go back down to England after finishing at University, I never did, and stayed in the Aberdeen area for 15 years before moving a little way south. I also have a post-graduate diploma in counselling and am a member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). Counselling is an important part of my ministry here in Dunfermline and, working at an agency called Talk Matters I see about 6 clients a week.
I have two grown-up daughters, Bryony and Laura who live in Edinburgh and St Andrews, respectively, a dog called Max, who has his own blog, and a cat called Monty, who doesn’t.
I have an urge to do something useful and constructive with my life – and to make difference. I struggle sometimes with the church and the fact that I am a priest in it. In particular, the thought that people might think that I represent or endorse some of the more unpleasant and intolerant views, expressed sometimes in the wider church fills me with horror. I also find it difficult that so many people unconnected with the church seem to have a strong, negative and emotive response to the church and its ministers. I am aware that many people both in the church and outside have somewhat preconceived, and rather negative, notions of what a priest should be like. I hope I don’t fulfil any of them!
I love being around people – I’m definitely an extrovert, though possibly, at times a rather shy one (Myers-Briggs: ENFP). I prefer uncertainty to certainty and fluidity and change to stability and sameness! I’m good at seeing the big picture, but not very good at fine detail, which bores me quickly!