Priest parishioner sides with to uplift (7)
I believe the answer is:
prelate
'priest' is the definition.
(I know that prelate is a type of priest)
'parishioner sides with to uplift' is the wordplay.
'sides' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters) (only the letters on the sides are used).
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'to uplift' becomes 'elate' ('elate' can be a synonym of 'uplift').
'parishioner' with its centre taken out is 'pr'.
'pr'+'elate'='PRELATE'
(Other definitions for prelate that I've seen before include "e.g. Bishop" , "High-ranking member of clergy, say bishop" , "Cleric" , "Bishop perhaps" , "Church high-ranker" .)