fruitful

2024

A day conference for LGBTQ+

inclusive evangelicals and allies

at St Mary’s, Bryanston Square


Saturday 11th May 2024 10am - 5pm


Up and down the country many evangelical and charismatic churches have already fully welcomed and integrated the ministries and gifts of LGBTQ+ people. Many more are on a journey to doing so.


Fruitful is a day conference for everyone who is on that journey, and an invitation to come and see the good fruit of what God has been doing in our churches.


Everyone is invited, whether you’re joyfully LGBTQ+ yourself, or simply wanting to see our churches become more welcoming, whether you’ve been in a church that embraced LGBTQ+ folks for decades, or you’re at the very beginning of your journey towards inclusion and you still have lots of questions.


The first one took place on 11th May 2024, sign up here for details of Fruitful 2025.


who are we?

Fruitful is a collaboration between St Mary’s London, a large charismatic Anglican church in Marylebone, and Two:23, an LGBTQ+ inclusive worship gathering which meets at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church.


We bring together voices from across the evangelical spectrum, including Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal, and Black majority churches.


You can email us at hello@fruitful2024.com or click here to sign up for email updates on Fruitful 2025.


the day

09.45 Doors Open

10.00 Coffee

10.30 Opening Worship with Talk

11.20 Coffee

11.45 Seminars

12.45 Lunch* featuring movie premiere

14.00 Seminars

15.00 Coffee

15.30 Worship with teaching & prayer ministry


Scroll down for details of seminars or click here.


*Lunch is not provided, but there are many lunch options on Baker Street, or bring a packed lunch.

location

Fruitful 2024 took place at St Mary’s, Bryanston Square, which is located in Marylebone in central London, nearest tubes Marylebone and Baker Street. Find it on Google maps here.


St Mary’s Church

Wyndham Place, York Street

London

W1H 1PQ


St Mary’s has step-free access throughout, for more information click here.


Click here to sign up for email updates on Fruitful 2025.

booking

Ticket costs are as follows:


Regular ticket - £35

Concession ticket - £25


We are really keen that nobody stays away because of money, so if you like to come but can’t manage the concession price, just let us know.


Alternatively, if you’re in a position to subsidise someone else, you can pay the supporter rate of £50.


Coffee, tea and pastries provided. Feel free to bring lunch or there are lots of lunch places on Baker Street.


Click here to sign up for email updates on Fruitful 2025.

Book now - text on a display lightbox on yellow and pink background.

seminars

Seminar

leading your church into inclusivity

Come and join a discussion with evangelical church leaders who have made the journey towards LGBTQ+ inclusion in their church.


With

John Peters, St Mary’s London

Paul & Maureen Bailey, Regeneration Project

Simon & Keely Bateson, Riverside Church Whitstable





Seminar

post-traumatic growth - finding our voice through worship

Charismatic worship can be an environment where we experience control and abuse. But it can also be a place where we can meet with God again, experience healing from the effects of our trauma and rediscover who God made us to be.


With

Carrie & David Grant





Seminar

how to be a good christian ally to LGBTQ+ people

I’m not gay or transgender myself, but I want to support people who are. How can I do that well?

The Student Christian Movement work with students across the country to support them in their faith including integrating their faith and identity. They have developed a series of resources to help individuals (and churches) be supportive and safe to LGBTQ+ people.


With

Naomi Nixon, CEO of SCM

Tom Packer-Stucki, SCM & St Mary’s London





Business Team Cooperation with Many Hands

Seminar

supporting Lgbtq+ youth - an interactive workshop

If you have young people under 18 in your family or church, you will have noticed that their understanding and approach to gender and sexuality can be very different to those of us over 30. Will has decades of experience working with young people, and in helping other youth organisations work in a way that is inclusive and most importantly, safe.


With

Will Willmott, Frontier Youth Trust





Seminar

jesus and justice

Stories of radical Christian living from around the UK as featured in Red Letter Christians’ new book “Jesus and Justice”. Be inspired by ideas of what God can do through all of us, LGBTQ+ or straight/cisgender, when we focus on the kin-dom of God and follow Jesus with all our hearts and minds.


With

Sally Mann, Anji Baker, Cathy Chapman, Faith van Horne, Danielle Wilson





Film

fruits of the spirit

Fruits of the Spirit is a short 16 minute movie telling the story of Maddy and Carys, two women on the worship band of their local church who fall in love with one another.

It was written and directed by Georgia Day, LGBTQ+ Community Link Worker at the The Gathering, an LGBTQ+ church in Cardiff. Released in January 2024, we’ll be showing the film on the big screen in the lunch break.


Producer Georgia Day will show the film and answer questions about how and why it was made, and how it could be used.


With

Georgia Day, Writer, Director & Producer

Del Liddell, the Gathering Cardiff





Seminar

refocusing faithfulness

Refocusing Faithfulness is a six week course which explores the Biblical basis for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Written by Peter Russell and Chris Hassell of St Mary’s London, the course has drawn many back to faith and is currently being piloted in different church contexts around the country.

Join Peter and Chris for a taster of the course followed by a Q&A on scripture and inclusion.


With

Peter Russell, St Mary’s London

Chris Hassell, St Mary’s London




people

JOHN PETERS

St Mary’s London

John is the leader of St Mary’s, Bryanston Square - a charismatic Anglican church in central London. In more recent times, the church took the decision to become inclusive with the result that LGBTQ+ people are involved in all areas of ministry - and literally nobody has died. It has been a privilege to see many previously rejected people from within this tradition find a home and start to engage their gifts whilst being true to their identity.


AUGUSTINE TANNER-IHM

St James & Emmanuel

Augustine is a dynamic Afro-American educator, theologian, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Assistant Professor of Anglican Liberation Theology at the New Theology School, USA and Lead Minister of St Nic’s Kingsway in Manchester. Renowned for his work in inclusion, race, and spirituality. A prolific writer He is dedicated to empowering others towards self-betterment and is passionate about travelling and stand-up.

CARRIE & DAVID GRANT

The Space

The Space Church has been running for fourteen years and is a community of diverse and multi-hyphenate people who together explore inclusive faith, recovery from trauma caused by high control religion, how to remain authentic to oneself whilst holding a Christian faith and how that might work in community. Worship is central to that exploration. The church is set in David and Carrie Grant’s home.


SIMON & KEELY BATESON

Riverside Church Whitstable

Simon & Keely are the Lead Pastors of Riverside Church in Whitstable. After ministering and raising four children in Birmingham they felt a call to a new adventure which led them to help Riverside transition into a new building and a new future. They love family, food, a good box set and exploring Kent in their little green MGF.


MAUREEN BAILEY

Regeneration Project

Maureen Bailey is an award-winning experienced equalities coach. mentor, trainer providing

one-to-one support for women and girls and their families, including professionals. She co-leads Regeneration Project, a community of disciples of Jesus based in Mitcham, south London, who actively work to be radically inclusive.


PAUL BAILEY

Regeneration Project

Paul is currently the Business and Development Manager of an outstanding Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and the Joint Director of The Regeneration Project, a radically inclusive faith community.


THE GATHERING

Cardiff

The Gathering is an ecumenical LGBTQ+ church, based in Cardiff. They are proud to have produced a community short film in partnership with Iris Outreach. ‘Fruits of the Spirit’, which will be screened during the lunchbreak.

WILL WILLMOTT

Frontier Youth Trust

I have been involved with youth most of my adult life, in church and secular environments. I started in LGBTQ+ youth over 12 years ago, spending my time supporting young people and the adults involved in their lives. I also work with youth and faith organisations to help them continually work on improving inclusion, currently for Frontier Youth Trust.


JEREMY MARKS

Post-Courage

Since September 1987 Jeremy has been working full time to provide pastoral care for LGBTQ+ Christians, most of that time under the ministry name of ‘Courage’. Jeremy led Courage from being ex-gay to become an LGBTQ-affirming ministry. Find out more about Jeremy’s journey here.



TOM PACKER_STUCKI

SCM

Tom served as the Chair of Trustees for the Student Christian Movement from 2019-2023 and is also a member of St Mary’s London. Tom is now a PhD student in Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London. From a Pentecostal background, he is particularly interested in inclusion in the charismatic church and building relationships between affirming Christians of different denominations.


NAOMI NIXON

SCM

Naomi is CEO of the Student Christian Movement which has been at the forefront of putting progressive theology into action for over a century. As an Anglican priest, in addition to parish ministry, she has worked in clergy training, college chaplaincy and is currently assistant pioneer minister at St Clare’s at Coventry Cathedral.


CHRIS HASSELL

St Mary’s London

Chris is ordained in the Church of England and currently serves at St Mary’s Church, Bryanston Square (PTO). Chris helps to look after the LGBTQ+ community at St Mary’s, including co-writing and leading a course exploring the Biblical basis for LGBTQ+ inclusion, Refocusing Faithfulness. Chris is passionate about supporting LGBTQ+ Christians reconcile their faith and their sexuality and to stand tall as the people God created them to be.

RACHEL HUMPHREY

Two:23

Rachel is one of the ministers of Bonny Downs Baptist Church, a part time primary school teacher and is preparing for a PhD in safeguarding in the context of charismatic worship. She is on the leadership team of Two:23 and is getting married to Pippa in May.


PETER RUSSELL

Two:23 & St Mary’s London

Peter Russell is part of St Mary’s London and also the 2:23 Team. At St Mary’s he helps look after the LGBTQ+ community and leads worship as well as being a member of the PCC. With Chris Hassell he has developed ‘Refocusing Faithfulness’, a 6 week course looking at the Biblical case for inclusion which is currently being developed for use outside of St Mary’s. Peter is a keen musician, enjoys walking in the countryside, and is a solicitor by profession.


ALEX HUZZEY

Two:23

Alex is a founder member of Two:23, an LGBTQ+ inclusive worship gathering in London. He’s been with his partner Dave for 21 years, has two daughters, and is vicar of an inclusive evangelical Anglican church in St Albans.


MATT CRISP

Two:23

Matt is a founder member of Two23. He enjoys church expressions online, in neighbourhood homes and among the LGBT+ community. In Portsmouth for over 30 years, he’s a GP, sings with Solent Gay Men’s Chorus and organises Christians at Pride at the local annual event.

THE GATHERING

Cardiff

The Gathering is an ecumenical LGBTQ+ church, based in Cardiff. They are proud to have produced a community short film in partnership with Iris Outreach. ‘Fruits of the Spirit’, which will be screened during the lunchbreak.


GUS TANNER-IHM

St James & Emmanuel

Augustine is a dynamic Afro-American educator, theologian, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Assistant Professor of Anglican Liberation Theology at the New Theology School, USA and Lead Minister of St Nic’s Kingsway in Manchester. Renowned for his work in inclusion, race, and spirituality. A prolific writer He is dedicated to empowering others towards self-betterment and is passionate about travelling and stand-up.


PRAISE JOURDAIN

St Mary’s London

Praise Jourdain is a member of St Mary's London, where they serve and lead in the worship and prayer ministries. While working in the field of sustainable fashion, Praise is also a performer, poet and Spoken Word artist, with work exploring the intersection of faith, the body, and trans non-binary identity.


MATT CRISP

Two:23

Matt is a founder member of Two23. He enjoys church expressions online, in neighbourhood homes and among the LGBT+ community. In Portsmouth for over 30 years, he’s a GP, sings with Solent Gay Men’s Chorus and organises Christians at Pride at the local annual event.

CATHY CHAPMAN

Red Letter Christians

Cathy is a Sustainability and Change student at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Part of Red Letter Christians and Christian Climate Action, she campaigns around action on climate, welcome for refugees, LGBTQ+ and women's rights. She loves pilgrimage, festivals, writing, adventure, and Manchester.


SALLY MANN

Red Letter Christians

Sally Mann has a PhD in Philosophy and Theology and lectures in Sociology. She is a minister at Bonny Downs Baptist Church where she is the 4th of 5 generations of her family to stay put and serve in that East-End community. Sally was on the original team who launched RLC UK and is proud to be a Red Letter Christian.


FAITH VAN HORNE

Red Letter Christians

Faith Van Horne has just completed her PhD in Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham. Her thesis explores how perceptions of selfhood and the body influence theological visions of redemption for survivors of sexual abuse. She also blogs for Pentecostals and Charismatics for Peace and Justice.


ANJI BARKER

Red Letter Christians

A qualified social worker and a United Reformed Church Minister, Anji has spent the last 30 years living in poor urban communities in Australia, Thailand and the UK. She is passionate about social justice and grassroots transformation. Her stories will make you laugh and cry, inspire and encourage you. Since 2014, the Barkers have been based in Winson Green, inner city Birmingham, UK where they founded Newbigin House.


Why “fruitful”?

Because the Bible tells us one of the best ways of discerning what the Holy Spirit is doing is to look where the fruit is. So many of us can testify to the fruit of LGBTQ+ inclusion, in terms of faithful, loving relationships, stable families and beautiful vocations realised within and beyond the church.


We know the word ‘fruit’ has had a chequered past for some of us, but we are proud to reclaim it here. 😉


Click here to sign up for email updates on Fruitful 2025.

Accessibility

St Mary’s has step-free access throughout, and accessible toilets. For more information including dimensions, please click here.


There is also a hearing loop.


If you have any questions about accessibility at all, please don’t hesitate to email us at hello@fruitful2024.com.


Click here to sign up for email updates on Fruitful 2025.

what’s next?

Click here to sign up for email updates on Fruitful 2025.


In the meantime, these are some places you could go:


Inclusive Evangelicals - a network offering resources and a very active and welcoming Facebook group.


Two:23 - a network for LGBTQ Christians with central London meetings and an active Facebook group.


Diverse Church - for LGBTQ+ Christians under 30.