I was born 1961 in Newcastle upon Tyne. After leaving Ryton Comprehensive school I trained as a Chef and eventually worked at Miltons Restaurant in New Bond Street, London. In 1986 I re-trained with Philips Electrical and finally served as the senior Engineer for NCR on the Marylebone road.

Brought up in a family of Jehovah's Witnesses I was expelled in my late teens for being gay. I wanted nothing to do with organized religion until a profound spiritual experience in 1991 led me to MCC North London.

In 2001 I graduated Kings College London with a degree in theology, after which I served my formative year working under Rev. Pressley Sutherland. I served my year of candidacy with MCC New York under Rev. Pat Bumgardner where I helped to create, and then run, New York's only emergency LGBT Youth shelter. I was ordained in 2003 after which I continued to serve MCCNY as assistant pastor. In 2004 I was called to New Light MCC in Hagerstown where I served as senior pastor for the last 8 years. I'm an advocate for social justice and recently helped to pass legislation that made same sex marriage legal in Maryland.

I am married to Christoffer Baker, the most wonderful man in the world. We live with two beagles named Pebbles and Odie, and two cats named Fred and Blinky. I like to cook, read, watch TV, and consume any make of good chocolate.