who we are
trustees
Nominations from the Churches
selected by the Nominations Committee
The Revd Gwynn ap Gwilym - nominated by the Church in Wales
Gwynn ap Gwilym was educated at the Universities of Wales (Bangor), Ireland (Galway) and Oxford (Wycliffe Hall), and he holds Masters' degrees in Welsh, Theology and Hebrew. He is an ordained minister in the Church in Wales, has served in the dioceses of Bangor and Llandaff, and was also a part-time lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies in the United Theological College, Aberystwyth. He is now full-time Adviser to the Bench of Bishops on Church Affairs and Language. He is chaired bard, a published poet and novelist and has written extensively on Welsh literature. He has also published a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy. His most recent book (2008) is a metrical version of the psalms in Welsh, Salmau Cân Newydd.
The Most Revd Richard Clarke, Bishop of Meath and Kildare - nominated by the Church of Ireland
Richard Clarke was educated at Trinity College Dublin and King's College, London. He was ordained in 1975 and, having held a number of posts within the Church of Ireland, has been Bishop of Meath and Kildare since 1996. He is currently Chair of the Church of Ireland Unity Committee. He is author of And is it True? (2000), The Unharmonious Blacksmith (2002) and A Whisper of God (2006).
The Revd Dr Mary Cotes - nominated by the Baptist Union of Great Britain
Mary serves as Ecumenical Moderator in Milton Keynes. She took up that position in 2003, having previously ministered within an LEP in Pontypridd. She is a member of the Faith and Unity Executive with BUGB, was recently one of the BUGB delegates to the CEC Assembly, and has wide and deep ecumenical understanding.
The Right Revd Colin Fletcher OBE, Bishop of Dorchester - nominated by the Church of England
Ordained in 1976, Colin Fletcher was a Tutor at Wycliffe Hall and then Vicar of Holy Trinity in Margate before becoming Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1993. During his time as Chaplain, he was Co-Chair of the Lambeth Group which was set up to advise the Government on the 'spiritual aspects of the millennium'. He has been Bishop of Dorchester since his appointment to the Episcopate in 2000. He is Chairman of the Bible Reading Fellowship Council, a member of the Editorial Board of the Anvil Trust, and a member of the Steering Group and the Fresh Expressions group of the South Central Regional Training Partnership.
Bishop Paul Hendricks - nominated by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales
Bishop Paul is auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and a member of the Bishops' Conference Department for Dialogue and Unity. Within the department he has specific responsibility for engagement with the Ecumenical Instruments, and therefore ideally placed to act as a Trustee of CTBI.
The Very Revd Sheilagh Kesting - nominated by the Church of Scotland
Sheilagh Kesting is the first female minister to become Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and currently the Secretary of the Church of Scotland Committee on Ecumenical Relations. Born in Stornoway, she was educated at Edinburgh University, and was inducted to Overtown Parish Church, Lanarkshire in 1980, and in 1986 was inducted to the newly united congregation of St Andrew's High, Musselburgh.
In 1993, her commitment to ecumenical work led her to take up post as Secretary to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations. She has served as secretary to the ecumenical conversations, SCIFU (Scottish Churches Initiative for Union), the talks with the United Free Church which led to the signing of a Covenant, continuing talks with the Free Church and joint secretary of the Joint Commission on Doctrine (Church of Scotland/Roman Catholic). She is a member of the Scottish Churches' Forum and a former trustee of CTBI. At various times she has represented the Church of Scotland at international assemblies, often facilitating group discussions. Her interests are listed as gardening, singing oratorio in a choir and photography.
Deacon Gwenllian Knighton - nominated by the Methodist Church in Britain
Gwenllian Knighton is a member of the Diaconal Order in the Methodist Church in Britain. She was ordained a deacon in 1991 and has served in pastoral appointments, working with community development projects and was Training and Development Officer for 6 years in North Wales. Gwenllian served as ecumenical officer in the Cymru District and was Secretary of the Council of Methodism in Wales. She is a longstanding member of the International Ecumenical Fellowship while her previous background is in language teaching. She was one of the MCB representatives to CEC General Assembly. Gwenllian has a very practical approach to ecumenism and has a depth and wisdom which is valued. She is a Welsh speaker.
The Revd Elizabeth Nash - nominated by the United Reformed Church
Elizabeth is a senior URC minister. She has served as Training Officer for the E Midlands Synod for 15 years and, although taking early retirement from stipendiary service this summer, she will continue serving the church. As the incoming convener of our Equal Opportunities Committee, she will be a member of the URC Mission Council and General Assembly. Elizabeth was a member of the Ecumenical Committee from 1998 to 2002 returning as its Convener from 2004 to 2008. The earlier period saw the union between the URC and the Scottish Congregational Church, and the latter saw a significant restructuring in which ecumenical work was remitted to a new Mission Committee. Elizabeth not only ensured the delivery of the agenda through a time of upheaval but gave personal support to the staff members affected. She has represented the URC at the CTE Forum, the CTBI Assembly, the Methodist Conference and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches Assembly. Elizabeth brings to the CTBI Trustees human resources and governance skills. Although not an HR professional, she has consistently challenged the church to meet the highest standards of professional practice, particularly in the area of equal opportunities.
Major John Read - nominated by the Salvation Army
John Read is an experienced Salvation Army officer and from August 2009 will be the Salvation Army's Territorial Ecumenical Officer. He has a background in various aspects of ministry and a wealth of experience.
Revd Nezlin Sterling - nominated by the New Testament Assembly
Nezlin held management and leadership positions for 25 years and spent the last 5 years of her working career in the strategic role of Director of Nursing. She has a BA Honours degree in Management from Westminster University.
Currently she serves as:
• Member of the African & Caribbean Evangelical Alliance Trustee Board
• National & International General Secretary of the New Testament Assembly
• Associate Pastor of the Ealing New Testament Assembly
• Vice-chair of the Tooting Neighbourhood Centre (A community Project)
• Course Director & lecturer of the New Testament Assembly Institute of Theology & Christian Counselling
• Member of the Minority Ethnic Christian Affairs group
• Ecumenical member of the Church of England General Synod - representing Black Majority Churches and the New Testament Assembly
In the past Nezlin served as a Member of the Trustee Board of Christian Aid and Joint President of CTBI
Nominations from each of the four National Instruments
The Revd Paul Conroy - nominated by ACTS
Father Paul Michael Conroy PhL STL, is a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow and General Secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland. Following his ordination in 1980 he completed post-graduate studies in Theology and in Philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. On completion of his studies he was appointed to the staff of the Seminary in Glasgow, where he was a resident lecturer until 1995, by which time he was also Vice-rector and Director of Studies. In 1995 he took up an appointment as assistant priest in St. Andrew's Cathedral in Glasgow and was made Director of Pastoral Planning for the Archdiocese of Glasgow. In 1998 he was appointed parish priest of the parish of Our Lady and St. George in the Penilee area of Glasgow, while continuing as Director of Pastoral Planning. During this time he participated in and was a member of several local, regional and national ecumenical bodies, including the clergy fraternal and the Hillington-Cardonald-Penilee Inter Church Group.
In 2003 Paul was appointed Assistant General Secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland. In 2005 he was appointed General Secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland which includes responsibility for overseeing the financial, administration and human resourcing of the Conference. This position also brings involvement with a number of inter-Church and ecumenical bodies, including the Scottish Churches Committee, the Churches Legislation Advisory Service and the Prison Chaplaincy Steering Group. He is currently a member of the ACTS Mission Network and a member of the CTBI Senior Representatives' Forum. Among his interests he numbers art, cooking, current affairs and football.
The Right Reverend (John) Wyn Evans- nominated by CYTUN
Wyn Evans, 61, grew up in Aberystwyth, the son of the Vicar of Aberystwyth, Efion Evans. He was educated at Ardwyn Grammar School, Aberystwyth, then studied archaeology at the University of Wales, Cardiff. He trained for the priesthood at St Michael's College, Llandaff 1968-71 and has served all his ministry in the Diocese of St David's.
Ordained as a priest in 1972, Wyn served as a minor canon at St David's Cathedral from 1972-75. After a period of research at Oxford University he returned to Pembrokeshire, serving as Rector of Llanfallteg with Clunderwen and Hellan Amgoed with Llangan from 1977-82. He was Diocesan Warden of Ordinands from 1978-83, chaplain of Trinity College of Carmarthen 1982-90 and Diocesan Director of Education 1982-1992. He was made an honorary canon of St David's Cathedral 1988 and served as a canon from 1990 to 1994. From 1990-94 he was Dean of Chapel, Trinity College Carmarthen and head of department of religious studies 1991-94. He was made Dean and Precentor of St David's Cathedral in 1994 as well as Vicar of St David's. In 2001, the parish was enlarged into a Rectorial Benefice and renamed Dewisland, where he served as rector. He was elected Bishop of St David's in 2008
A keen historian, the bishop is an honorary fellow of the University of Wales, Lampeter, and a leading expert on the lives of the early Welsh saints and St David's Cathedral. He has recently edited a book titled, St David of Wales - Cult, Church and Nation.
He is married to Diane, a professional potter in St David's
Gillian Kingston - nominated by ICC
Gillian was born and educated in Cork, Ireland and has a degree in English Language and Literature from Trinity College, Dublin University. She is Lay Leader designate of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Director of the Glenstal Ecumenical Conference and co-Chair of the Theological Forum of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting. She is Vice Chair of Christian Aid (Ireland) and the immediate past President of the Irish Council of Churches. She has a life-long involvement in things ecumenical, both in Ireland and further afield. For seven years she was Moderator of the Church Representatives' Meeting of CTBI.
The Rev Peter Whittaker - nominated by CTE
Peter Whittaker is a Methodist minister and also a husband, parent and grandparent. He has been a foster carer in the past. Currently he is Chair of West Yorkshire Methodist District. He is also Convenor/Chair of CTE Board and Enabling Group. His interests include ecumenism, evangelism, spirituality, inter-faith and generally the interface between church and society. He is a presenter on the Radio 4 Daily Service. He enjoys music, walking, holiday, watching sport and friendship.
Moderator - nominated by the Board of Trustees
Appointed at the AGM May 2009
Margaret Swinson has been a member of the General Synod of the Church of England since 1985. She has been involved with CTBI since its inception. She has served on various Boards and Councils of the Church of England including the Church Urban Fund, the Board of Social Responsibility, the Board of Mission and the Standing and Policy Committees. She is currently Chair of the House of Laity of the Diocesan Synod in Liverpool and serves on the Chapter of Liverpool Cathedral. Her day job is as a Chartered Accountant specialising in Corporate Tax and VAT, and she is also a non-executive director of the Mental Health and Learning Disability NHS Trust which serves Merseyside and South Lancashire and includes Medium and High Secure Services.
