Chair

Simon Sarmiento

Simon Sarmiento was born in Sheffield and after growing up in England, he earned a degree in Industrial Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then worked in computer software development at US Steel Corporation and IBM, before returning to Britain where he worked for Logica plc until he retired in 2000. He has also worked as a freelance journalist and in 2003 was a founder of ‘Thinking Anglicans’. He is a trustee of the charity Inclusive Church.

Living

Ruth Harley

Ruth is Children’s and Families’ Minister at All Saints Church, High Wycombe in the Oxford Diocese, and Chair of Governors at High Wycombe Church of England School. She also leads children’s work for On Fire Mission.

The Right Reverend Alan Wilson

Alan was born in Edinburgh, grew up in East London and Kent, and studied at St John’s College Cambridge and Balliol College Oxford. He has been ordained Deacon (1979), Priest (1980) and Bishop (2003). Alan has served in the Diocese of Oxford for the duration of his ministry. He is the author of ‘More Perfect Union? Understanding Same-Sex Marriage’. When named as a leading straight ally of gay rights in 2014 Rainbow List, he was described as one of the most vocal supporters of equal marriage in the Church of England.

Jeremy Timm

Jeremy trained for ordained ministry in the Church of England and spent two years working for the Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau. He chose not to be ordained but returned to work happily, as the fifth generation in the family flour milling business. He became a trustee of Changing Attitude in 2007 and in 2014 became National Coordinator. His continuing active role in the Church of England ended recently, when the Archbishop of York withdrew his Permission to Officiate (PTO) as a Reader, on the occasion of his marriage to Mike, his partner of 15 years.  He remains a member of a dispersed contemplative community, and he remains on the list of Spiritual Directors for the Diocese of York.

Loving

Tracey Byrne

Tracey Byrne has been an Anglican for 30 years. As an out gay woman, she has been unable to pursue a calling to ordained ministry but has nevertheless worked in university and healthcare chaplaincy. Tracey is involved with OuterSpace, creating LGBT-affirming spaces at the Greenbelt Festival and is Chief Executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement.

The Reverend Canon Steven Saxby

Steven Saxby is a parish priest in Walthamstow and works on social action across London and the UK. He has served on General Synod, is a member of the Faiths Forum for London, Chair of the Faith Workers Branch of Unite the Union and a canon of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. Steven is married to Christine and has five childen. His engagement with the LGBTI Mission comes for his passion to see the Church reflect God’s love for all.

Savi Hensman

Savitri Hensman is a writer and activist and works in the voluntary sector. Savi was born in Sri Lanka but has lived in England for many years.

Serving

The Reverend Chris Newlands

Chris was born in West Yorkshire and studied Drama and French at Bristol University, then worked for two years in Algeria on behalf of the British Council. He returned to England to study Theology at Cambridge, and after ordination worked in Hampshire, as Precentor of Durham Cathedral, in Romania and Bulgaria, and then in Essex, where he eventually became Chaplain to the Bishop of Chelmsford. In 2010 he became Vicar of Lancaster, working in the historic setting of Lancaster Priory Church. Chris lives with his partner David, a GP, and they are legal guardians to a teenage boy.

The Reverend Canon Giles Goddard

Giles Goddard  is Vicar of St John’s Church, Waterloo and an Honorary Canon of Southwark Cathedral. He is a member of the General Synod and on the board of Operation Noah, working to ensure the church responds to climate change. His book,  “Space for Grace – creating inclusive churches”  was published by Canterbury Press in November 2008. He has degrees in theology from Cambridge University and King’s College London.