Revd Kingsley Ponniah will be joining us as the new vicar of St Chads from 1 September 2010. He is a Singaporean of Sri Lankan descent. He is married to Jeyanthy and they have 2 children, Samuel, 21 yrs, presently studying at Victoria University, and Miriam, 16 yrs, presently in her last year at college. Jeyanthy, Samuel and Miriam will stay in Wellington until the end of Miriam’s school year. Samuel may decide to continue his studies in Wellington.
Kingsley holds a Bachelor of Divinity, Trinity Theological College, Singapore. He is currently in the Master of Ministry programme, Otago.
Kingsley has been involved in parish ministry for 26 years, in a total of 5 parishes. Four of these have been in Singapore, where the parishes ranged in size from 250-1000. In NZ he has served as Vicar of St Michaels, Newlands in Wellington since 2002.
Other roles have included being a chaplain to various schools in Singapore for 18 years and Chaplain to Synod in Wellington 2007 -2008.
Kingsley has a heart for mission and has led many overseas missions.
Feedback from the referees the nominators contacted, and a Wellington Diocese ministry review in 2007 comment on Kingsley’s warmth, planning and preparation, excellent preaching and teaching, his depth of spirit, and belief in his calling.
Key values include compassion, sensitivity, pastoral care, prayerfulness, faithfulness and caring nature.
Kingsley is a firm believer that God desires a congregation to be a channel of his blessing to its local community.
