George Bailey

I have been a Methodist presbyteral minister in this circuit since 2012. Before that I was stationed not so far away in north west Leeds.

After early years in Manchester, I grew up in Hertfordshire, then studied theology and philosophy in Oxford, was a primary school teacher in Oxfordshire, and worked for the Probation Service in a Probation and Bail Hostel in Manchester. Throughout all those years God had been shaping me and calling me to ordained ministry. Eventually I listened and said yes to God, and so trained for ministry in Cambridge, alongside more study of theology, before being sent to Leeds, where I have lived since 2007. I like it here and have now spent more of my life in Yorkshire than anywhere else – I might even be on my way to feeling like a Yorkshireman.

I live with my wife, Fran and four children, Adam, Jemima, Esther and Lydia. We also share our manse with a dog, two cats, two guinea pigs and two chickens. I am more of a 'cat person' so of course understand that they are really in charge of all this. When not doing things with the family or the animals, I enjoy running a long way for no particular reason and reading books that are not to do with my academic work, though not usually at the same time.

In the circuit I am Co-Superintendent and also work especially with Oakwood Church and Gipton Methodist Church. I very much enjoy being part of a team ministry at both churches, with my Church of England colleagues at Oakwood and my layworker colleague at Gipton. I am stationed part time in the circuit, and part time I am a lecturer at  Cliff College where I teach theology at BA, MA and PhD levels. I feel very privileged to be able to fulfil these two aspects of my calling to ministry at the same time.

I look forward to meeting you soon.