Ekklesia was set up to operate 'virtually', with its staff working from different locations rather than from a central office. This minimises its carbon footprint and reduces the costs and overheads normally involved in running a think-tank. Ekklesia also works as a co-operative. We have a number of freelance staff who undertake Ekklesia's main work, who are listed below. But there is also a range of other associates, consultants and contributors. If you want to contact any of the staff individually by email you can do so by firstname.secondname(at)ekklesia.co.uk

Simon Barrow - Co-Director

Simon Barrow is a theologian, writer, commentator, consultant, educator and trainer. He contributes to the Guardian's Comment-is-Free, to Third Way magazine, to OpenDemocracy and a number of other media outlets. From 2000-2005 he was global mission secretary for the official ecumenical body Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), which he also served as assistant general secretary until 2003. He was formerly adviser in education and training for Southwark Anglican Diocese (1991-1996) and has worked in current affairs journalism, theological education, development studies, and as the convenor of a national network of Christian social action groups. Simon has edited and co-edited a number of books, including Consuming Passion: Why the Killing of Jesus Really Matters (DLT: 2005), Christian Mission in Western Society: Precedents, Perspectives, Prospects (CTBI: 2001) and Expanding Horizons: Learning to be the Church in the World (SBCS: 1995). His articles and reviews have appeared in journals such as Political Theology, the International Review of Mission (World Council of Churches), the British Journal of Theological Education, Christian, Crucible, Pro Mundi Vita, the International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church, Movement and others. Simon sits on the council of the London Mennonite Centre and is a member of St Stephen's Church, Exeter. He is a member of both the British (BIAMS) and the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS). His research interests include religion and peacemaking, political theology and the conversation between post-modern faith and other viewpoints, including secular ones. Simon's regular blog can be found at: http://faithinsociety.blogspot.com. His home page is: www.simonbarrow.net/ He Twitters at: www.twitter.com/simonbarrow

Jonathan Bartley - Co-Director

Jonathan Bartley is a regular writer, public speaker and commentator on television and radio. In particular he was a contributor to BBC Radio 4's 'Thought for the Day' and is a columnist for the Church Times and the Guardian's Comment is Free. He is also currently appearing on BBC1's 'The Big Questions' and has been a regular panellist on ITV's discussion programme 'The Moral of the Story'. He has lectured and tutored in Theology and Politics at Sarum College in Salisbury. Having graduated from the London School of Economics in 1994, Jonathan worked in Parliament for a number of years, including with the then Prime Minister John Major. Between 1997 and 2001 he ran the cross-party Movement for Christian Democracy. He has served on the Church of England Evangelical Council, and is the author of a number of books on religion and public life including: The Subversive Manifesto: Lifting the Lid on God's Political Agenda (BRF: 2003) and Faith and Politics After Christendom: The Church as a Movement for Anarchy (Paternoster: 2006). Jonathan was co-editor of Consuming Passion: Why The Killing of Jesus Really Matters (DLT: 2005). You can follow his twitterings at: http://www.twitter.com/jon_bartley

Symon Hill - Associate Director

Symon Hill is a Quaker Christian, activist, trainer and writer. He is a part-time Tutor in Practical Theology at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham, and will combine this with his role at Ekklesia. Until recently, Symon oversaw media relations at the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT). He was responsible for CAAT's handling of the recent controversies around BAE's arms deals with Saudi Arabia. He represented CAAT in the media when they took the Government to court in 2007-08 over the cancellation of a Serious Fraud Office investigation into BAE. As a result, Symon was nominated as a Hero of 2007 by campaigner Mark Thomas in the Independent on Sunday. He has written on issues including disarmament, public activism, sexuality and the role of religion in society. His comment pieces have appeared in newspapers as diverse as the Sunday Herald, the Morning Star and the Daily Mail. He contributes regularly to Guardian Comment-is-Free, The Friend and Movement. His book The No-Nonsense Guide to Religion (New Internationalist), will be published in March 2010. His website is: http://www.symonhill.co.uk/ He Twitters here: twitter.com/SymonHill

Jill Segger - Editorial Associate

Jill Segger is a freelance writer who contributes to the Church Times, Catholic Herald, Tribune, and The Friend, among other publications. She is also a composer, freelance orchestral player, music tutor and organist. She is a Quaker, an activist on political issues, and has a particular interest in how spirituality influences our social choices. Jill joined Ekklesia in March 2009 as a copy editor and general editorial adviser. See: http://www.journalistdirectory.com/journalist/TQig/Jill-Segger

Simon Beard - Researcher

Simon joined Ekklesia in February 2009 to work on achieving social and environmental justice in land ownership. He has previously worked for two Westminster think tanks and supported several front bench peers in the House of Lords. He is a Quaker who is passionate about creation theology and the divine feminine. He sees the rout of the current environmental crisis as being theological, but has a profound hope that we have become aware of the problem just in time to deal with it. He is the author of 'The Road Ahead - The Politics of Sustainability" (CentreForum:2009). He has a first class degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford.

Lizzie Clifford - Researcher

Lizzie Clifford currently works for Ekklesia, alongside tutoring in English and RE and working freelance for an academic publishing company. She has a first class undergraduate degree in English and a postgraduate degree in Theology from the University of Cambridge. Her research interests include theolinguistics and the relationship between theology and the arts. She is currently taking forward Ekklesia's work in the area of religious broadcasting.

Jordan Tchilingirian - Researcher

Jordan Tchilingirian came to work with Ekklesia in September 2006, after obtaining a first class degree in Social and Political Sciences at the University of Cambridge. He authored the report 'United We Stand?' on conflicts over religion in Britain's universities, which has been welcomed by the government, chaplains and the National Union of Students. From an Armenian Orthodox background, Jordan has been involved with the Icthus christian fellowship in South London and now attends a Baptist Church in central London. His interests include Christianity as a critical social theory and the question about how religious identities and groups are created, sustained and contested.

Kate Guthrie - Research Intern

Kate Guthrie is a recent graduate with a first class honours degree from Cambridge University, and a long-standing interest in social justice issues. She was the lead researcher for Ekklesia's headline 'Re-imagining Remembrance' report (2009) and has been helping with the future events planning service. She also works for Hope’s Place, a Bristol-based charity, as a Mental Health Work Developer, finding ways to equip the church to respond to and engage with the growing challenge of mental illness. She is co-authoring ‘Sex and Relationships Matter’, an innovative resource for schools with a holistic approach to the pedagogy of relationships. Kate is part of a non-denominational church.

Aaron Kennedy - Researcher (until October 2009)

Aaron Kennedy came to London five years ago from Northern Ireland. He graduated from Greenwich University in 2007 with a first class honours degree in theology and sociology, and has recently undertaken postgraduate study in the dialogue of religions. He has been working on Ekklesia's 'do-tank' side, and is also a freelance copy editor and copy writer. Most recently he worked on Ancient Faith, Future Mission (Canterbury Press). His interests include playing drums, listening to music and music journalism. Aaron has been a member of the Moot Community since arriving in London.

Ben Harvey - Web Director

Ben Harvey has worked creating web sites for eight years as well as online video, DVDs, web strategies and online marketing. He is a partner in wateringcanmedia, an award-winning company that creates websites, programmes, films, DVDs and CDRoms. He is also a photographer.

Nick Turner - Marketing Director

Nick Turner is a partner with Ben Harvey in wateringcanmedia, which brings together programme makers, film directors, web designers and other creatives. He specialises in promotion and publicity.

Ekklesia also has a network of Associates and Consultants with which it works.