Michael J. Adee, M. Div., Ph.D.

Executive Director & National Field Organizer
More Light Presbyterians
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Dr. Michael J. Adee, National Field Organizer for More Light Presbyterians, the National LGBT Equality Network within the Presbyterian Church (USA). Michael is an openly gay Elder within the Presbyterian Church (USA) and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Michael has been working in the LGBT & HIV-AIDS community since 1988. A human rights activist and educator, he earned his Ph.D. at Louisiana State University. Having served as a college professor in Louisiana, Kentucky and Ohio, he has also been a hospital and hospice chaplain, bereavement counselor, campus minister, diversity consultant, tennis coach and a teacher/relief worker in Zimbabwe, Africa.

A welcoming congregation in Cincinnati loved Michael back to church and enabled him to reclaim faith as a gay man. He became involved in the welcoming church movement as a volunteer in 1991 and as National Field Organizer with More Light Presbyterians in 1999. As an athlete, he competed in tennis in the last four Gay Games winning a Silver Medal in Chicago and in the First World Outgames in Montreal winning a Bronze Medal. Michael recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania as a benefit for justice and equality.

Kerry Armstrong

Open and Affirming Ministries of the
Gay, Lesbian & Affirming Disciples (GLAD) Alliance

The Rev. Howard Bess

IWR Board Member Emeritus
Church of the Covenant
Palmer, Alaska

Howard is an ordained American Baptist minister. A graduate of Wheaton College and Garrett Theological Seminary, he has pastored American Baptist churches in California and Alaska for 47 years. He has been an open and vocal advocate of gay acceptance for 35 years and is the author of the acclaimed book "Pastor, I Am Gay." In retirement Howard gives his pastoral time to Church of the Covenant, an American Baptist congregation in Palmer, Alaska. Howard and his wife, Darlene, have five children and twelve grandchildren.

In 2005, the Rev. Howard Bess was made Board Member Emeritus in thanks for his foundational work towards the establishment of the Institue for Welcoming Resources.

Meredith Bischoff

President
Welcoming Communities Network
Chino Hills, California

Meredith is an activist involved with full inclusion and ministry in the Community of Christ. She has been serving as an ordained minister since 1987, and is currently an elder and CoPastor of a welcoming and affirming congregation devoted to peace and justice, Basileia: An Open Door Community of Christ. Meredith has also been a member of the GALA (Gay and Lesbian Acceptance) Board of Directors and is a founding Board Member of the Welcoming Community Network. She works as a free-lance webmaster with graduate training in Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology.

Rev. Shari Brink

Co-president
Room For All
New York, New York

Emily Eastwood

Executive Director
Reconciling in Christ Program of
Lutherans Concerned/North America, Inc.
Richfield, Minnesota

As Executive Director of Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA), Emily Eastwood's duties include the direction of the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Program of LC/NA. She is a lifetime Lutheran, would-be pastor, story-teller, organizer and sometime stand up comic. She and her partner of 15 years, Jan Bailey, are members of the first RIC congregation, St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran, St. Paul, MN. Emily is a graduate of Texas Lutheran College and attended both Gettysburg and Luther Seminaries before choosing a career in business to support her church habit. For the next 18 years Emily worked as a volunteer in ministry with and on behalf of GLBT people their families and friends. In May of 2002 Emily resigned her position as credit manager of a nationwide manufacturing company to accept a position in ministry as director of the RIC Program. In September 2002 she returned to seminary for part-time study. Emily travels throughout North America working with congregations, synods, and organizations considering the RIC program. Using the principles of faith based community organizing she is also building and training teams to foster the expansion of the RIC program in the Lutheran church. Emily was appointed Executive Director of LC/NA in July 2004.

Rev. Ruth Garwood

Executive Director
United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBT Concerns
Cleveland, Ohio

Rev. Dr. Sally Harris

Co-Chair
Affirm United/S'affirmer ensemble
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Rev. Malcolm Himschoot

Interim ONA Program Coordinator
Open and Affirming Program of the
United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBT Concerns

In Fall 2007, The Rev. Malcolm Himschoot joined The Coalition as Open and Affirming Program Interim Coordinator. Previously, Malcolm worked as Associate Pastor at the Denver Inner City Parish, and then as Associate Minister at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. Since 2004, he has traveled widely with the UCC-produced feature documentary on transgender issues, Call Me Malcolm. To this work Malcolm brings a passion for creating justice among diverse communities, developed by a background in journalism, teaching and five years of pastoral ministry.

Rev. Kenneth L. Pennings

Executive Director
Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists
Madison, Wisconson

Rev. Ken Pennings is Director of The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB), an association of churches, chapters, organizations and individuals working for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (and allied) people in the life, mission and ministries of Baptist congregations.

Ken is also Coordinator for Ecumenical Formation for The Wisconsin Council of Churches. He lives in Madison, WI, with his partner of 8 years, Dr. John K. Leonard.

Rev. Troy Plummer

Executive Director
Reconciling Ministries Network
Chicago, IL

Rev. Troy G. Plummer joined Reconciling Ministries Network as the executive director in November of 2003. He has traveled coast-to-coast organizing and bringing an inclusive Gospel message. Nationally, he coordinated the Hearts on Fire pilgrimage to Lake Junaluska, NC (2005) and the Faith, Hope, Love convocation in Nashville, TN (2007). At General Conference in 2004, Troy gave leadership to Watermarked: Witness of Assurance and now for 2008: One Family Tree. In 2007, he also initiated the Called to Witness campaign strengthening relationships for the long haul.

Troy brings a United Methodist voice to ecumenical and interfaith organizing for full inclusion in our faith communities and in broader society through the National Religious Leaders Roundtable, Bishops and Elders Council, the Institute of Welcoming Resources and Faith Based Relational Organizing trainings.

Facing a bomb threat with 50 other couples, Troy and his partner Walter, shared promises and rings on Freedom To Marry Day, February 12, 2003 for their 5th anniversary.

Rev. Robert Williams

Co-president
Room For All

Rev. Robert Williams is the pastor of the United Church of Spring Valley. He served for 20 years as the Associate Minister for Pastoral Care and Community Service at the Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. For over a dozen years he was staff advisor to GIFTS, Marble's LGBT fellowship. While there he performed a number of blessings for same sex unions. Rob left Marble in December 2005 to accept a call to be senior minister of a church in NJ, which was subsequently denied by the church's classis due to his involvement in blessing such unions. He is married to Nora Heflin Williams. They have three sons and a schnauzer.

Carol Wise

Executive Director
Supportive Congregation Network of the
Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests
Minneapolis, Minnesota