Fiona Munn was a Norwich GP when she realised she was being called to serve as a priest on urban estates.
“I saw firsthand the impact of poverty on people’s lives. Some of the situations I encountered really broke my heart,” she said. “I used to walk around the estate in my lunch break, praying and wondering how we do church well in estates settings. I kept quizzing my church leaders about how they felt the church should respond to poverty. Eventually I understood God was calling me to ordination and that I would always maintain a focus on urban estates.
“Reading the gospels, I can’t help but notice Jesus’ care for the poor. My role now is as an estates pioneer priest in Gaywood on the edge of King’s Lynn.
Fiona, who grew up in Wells-next-the-Sea and is married with three children, explained: “For me it starts with compassion and social action along with seeking social transformation and justice. We need to listen deeply and not just to those who shout the loudest or are most articulate. The challenges communities face are complex. There are no quick solutions; it takes a long time to build trust.”