The Bishop of Salisbury is pleased to announce the appointment of the Revd Canon Andy Perry as the new Dean of Leadership and Church Growth for the Diocese of Salisbury.
Andy has served at St Mary’s Longfleet, Poole, for 30 years, during which time the church has grown into a vibrant, missional community known for its commitment to prayer, discipleship and outreach. Under his leadership, St Mary’s has become one of the largest and most flourishing churches in the Diocese, nurturing new ministries, serving hundreds of children and young people, supporting parish revitalisation and equipping leaders for mission.
The post of Dean of Leadership and Church Growth has been made possible through the Diocese’s recent Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB) award of £5.1 million from the Church Commissioners, which is supporting the implementation of the diocesan vision: Making Jesus known in every place so that all may flourish and grow, seeking His kingdom here and now.
In this newly created role, Andy will provide strategic and spiritual leadership to embed a culture of courageous Christian leadership, church growth and renewal across Dorset and Wiltshire. Working closely with bishops, archdeacons and diocesan teams, he will help develop pathways for leadership, formation and discipleship, supporting the growth and sustainability of Mission Hubs and new missional initiatives across the diocese.
Andy said: “I am thrilled and deeply humbled to have been appointed to this exciting new post as Dean of Leadership and Church Growth. It's been an enormous privilege to serve St Mary's Longfleet as vicar for just over 30 years, and it will be a massive wrench for my wife Fi and I to leave such an amazing church family. However, there's a risky sense of adventure in responding to God's call, and I'm expectant of what the Lord might do in this season, as together across the Diocese we pursue our shared vision and strategy of Making Jesus Known in our communities and beyond.”
Rt Revd Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury, welcomed Andy’s move into this new role. He said: “Andy’s gifts of leadership and tremendous experience in revitalising parish ministry will be vital as we embed our vision to grow missionally healthy churches and equip a new generation of courageous Christian leaders. I am thankful he has responded to God’s call to this new ministry across the Diocese.”
The Revd Canon Jonathan Triffitt, Director of Mission and Ministry, said: “I am delighted that Andy has accepted the Bishop’s offer to become the Dean of Leadership and Church Growth. Andy brings a wealth of experience in developing leaders for mission that serve prayerfully and courageously. As we look to implement our vision and commitment to growing creative partnerships in local mission, I greatly look forward to working alongside Andy in supporting the growth of healthy and sustainable missional churches across the whole Diocese. “
Andy will take up his new role in March 2026.