"Yes, I was a parish priest for five years. I was a curate in a large working class parish in Bristol and the Vicar of a village in Kent"

John Polkinghorne was a parish priest for 5 years, functioning as a curate in a large working class parish in Bristol and after that as the Vicar of a town in Kent. This quote recommends that he had a different experience of parish ministry, serving in both a large city and a little rural town. This experience most likely offered him an unique viewpoint on the obstacles and chances of parish ministry, and the various requirements of various communities. His time as a parish priest likely shaped his understanding of the importance of pastoral care and the requirement to be responsive to the needs of the people he served. His experience likely also offered him a deep appreciation for the variety of individuals and communities he came across, and the value of being open to gaining from them.