OneBodyOneFaith welcomes new trustees

OneBodyOneFaith's trustee board has been strengthened and diversified by four new trustees, bringing new skills and experience to our work.  Tim Sledge, Jo Winn-Smith, Lisa-Jayne Lewis and Mark Rowland were elected to the board at the Annual General Meeting at the recently refurbished Toynbee Hall in London on Saturday 11 May.  They succeed John Seymour and Andy Marshall, both of whose three year terms have come to an end this year. 

Welcoming them to the board, Peter Leonard, Chair, said, 'Since Janaury 2018 we have been working hard to make sure that our board comprises people with a range of very specific skills, to carry forward OneBodyOneFaith's work, supported by the wider membership of our Advisory Group.  Tim, Jo, Lisa and Mark will bring fresh perspectives and expertise in fundraising, communicatons, theology and strategic planning and we are looking forward to welcoming them.  We will be sad to say goodbye to John and Andy, our retiring trustees, and we're grateful to them for their commitment over the past years.'

Addressing her last AGM prior to leaving her post at the end of May, Chief Executive Tracey Byrne paid tribute to all the trustees with whom she has worked over the past five years, for their commitment, determination, energy and support.  She added, 'We are convinced that making space for our a sucession of new members to be actively involved as trustees in the leadership of OneBodyOneFaith is crucial, not only to our identity as a membership organisation, and for good governance, but as a way of growing the leaders of the future.  We are so much stronger together, and the gifts our members are bringing to the table in their roles as trustees are gifts we are grateful to receive, and by which we are all blessed.'

The meeting received a report on OneBodyOneFaith's involvement in the Living in Love and Faith project, and on developments in the Methodist church, from Mark Rowland, newly-appointed trustee and founder member of Dignity and Worth.  

The meeting also heard that a number of OneBodyOneFaith members are to be ordained in the Church of England this summer, an encouraging development which seems to speak of increasing openness and gentle change, sometimes in places where it might least be expected.   It was reported that the LGCM stole (pictured above) had been gifted to a longstanding member in anticipation of their ordination late May.  During the service which followed Tracey was presented with a stole as a leaving gift, on behalf of members and trustees,

Tracey concluded by expressing her particular thanks to Katie Marsh, Operations Manager, for her work over the past year, not least in relation to implementing new financial systems, and also thanked her for her indispensible support as a colleague over the past four years.