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Yvette Flunder is an internationally known speaker and proponent of the radically inclusive love of Jesus Christ.  She founded City of Refuge in Oakland, California in 1991 and is the presiding Bishop of the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries. In December of 2014, Bishop Flunder served as the keynote speaker for the White House observation of the 26th Anniversary of World AIDS Day and continues to advocate for the full inclusion and affirmation of all LGBTQ+ people in faith communities.

Tim Stevenson is a pioneer in LGBTQ+ liberation in Canada. In 1992, he became the first openly gay minister ordained to a mainstream denomination in Canada. Tim was also the first openly gay candidate elected to win a seat as a member of the BC legislature in 1994.  He was a founding member of Vision Vancouver, and recently retired as City Councilor in the City of Vancouver.  

Matthias Roberts

Matthias Roberts is a writer, consultant, and host of Queerology: A Podcast on Belief and Being. His work has been featured in HuffPost Religion, Believe Out Loud, OnFaith, and The Oregonian. He holds an MA in Theology and Culture and an MA in Counseling Psychology. Matthias lives in Seattle and spends his time helping LGBTQ people of faith and allies live confidently.

THE REVEREND HELEN DUNN

Helen currently serves as Vicar (Assistant to the Dean and Rector) of Christ Church Cathedral Vancouver BC. and has been the main liaison and coordinator for the Cathedral’s co-hosting of Spiritpride. Educated at St. John’s College Durham University U.K. and Briercrest College in Caronport Saskatchewan, her broad theological perspective complements the Cathedral’s vision of Open Doors, Open Hearts and Open Minds. The title of her dissertation was “Mary as Intersexed Body of the Church.”

In her previous role as Vicar in Calgary, Helen served on the Bishop’s Committee for Developing a Pastoral Service for Committed Same-Sex Partnerships and has founded the Disability Gospel Project, promoting commentary on the gospels submitted by disabled people.

Mary Ann Saunders

As a Professor on Faculty at the University of British Columbia, May Ann’s cross-disciplinary work bridges the traditional disciplines of literary studies, medicine, psychology, sociology and history, and in relation the emerging discipline of transgender studies. She is also an active member of Christ Church Cathedral and has previously spoken at the Cathedral, St. Bridges Community, and Spiritpride on Trans Theology and Faith.

“I came to faith through my body. I experience God, met Jesus, and feel the Spirit in and through my body, and specifically, in and through my trans body. Because of this, I long for a theology of trans embodiment, and I keep wondering what trans theologies of creation, of the Eucharist, of crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension would look like, because each of these is moments where, in scripture and tradition, we encounter bodies transforming or transformed… This is, in part, why I love the incarnation of Jesus: our embodied God knows me through my body, and I know her through my body. She saved me in my body, and with my body.”

Matthew Wigmore, Panelist

Matthew Wigmore is the co-founder of One TWU, the advocacy and community group of LGBTQ+ students and alumni from Trinity Western University. While also being the first male-identifying gender studies alum from TWU, Matthew holds an MSc in Gender, Policy, and Inequalities from the London School of Economics. He has been published and interviewed extensively, particularly around TWU’s failed Supreme Court Case for a law school and the controversial “community covenant.” In addition to continuing with One TWU, Matthew works as a fundraising and communications executive for a community development NGO in London, UK. He is also the UK Communications Coordinator for the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy. He continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ people in faith spaces and hopes to see an end to conversion therapy in his lifetime.

Gregg Taylor, Conference Host Gregg is the founder of Spiritpride, Chair of the conference planning committee, and a co-leader of the Word is Out LGBT Spirituality group at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United. Professionally, Gregg is a Registered Clinical Counsellor providing gay affirmative counselling to LGBTQ clients and is President of FSEAP, a workplace mental health and wellness service provider. He has authored the counsellor resource Straight Talk on Counselling Gay Clients: A Resource for Straight Counsellors and tells his story of authenticity, vulnerability and coming out in the book The Thought That Changed My Life Forever.

Curt Allison, Minister of Urban Outreach, Founder of the The Word is Out LGBT Spirituality Groups Curt founded and leads The Word is OUT!! LGBT spirituality group, a place for LGBTQ2 people of faith to integrate their spirituality and sexuality, and to meet and build community. Curt also serves on the Board of Directors of BJUnity, an outreach to former students of Bob Jones University (and other conservative colleges) who suffered under conservative and limiting. Curt finds great satisfaction in helping others discover and live their full potential in the body of Christ with honesty, integrity and authenticity. His passion for music and inclusive church communities has also led him to serve the greater community of the United Church of Canada through music leadership at a variety of national and regional events.

Dan Chambers, Lead Minister, St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church Dan is the Minister of Congregational Life with a passion to awaken and enliven faith through worship, serving and learning. Dan will lead the Sunday morning worship service. He is an ally to LGBTQ2 members of his congregation and the broader community, and has been an active and supportive resources on the Spiritpride planning committee each of the last 4 years. He was ordained in California in 1993 after graduating with a Masters in Comparative Religion and a Masters of Divinity and has taught World Religions at a University in Southern California. He previously served congregations in Santa Ana and Berkeley, California, West Vancouver and Pontypridd (Wales).

Beth Carlson-Malena, MDIV

Director of Community, Generous Space Ministries

Beth’s life has been transformed through friendships with people on the margins.  After completing her BSc in Biology, she moved to Vancouver to study theology at Regent College, where her dual call to pastor and to work alongside marginalized people became clear. She loves her work at Generous Space Ministries, facilitating connections and understanding between LGBTQ+ Christians, their families, and their churches, and offering pastoral care to people with diverse perspectives and experiences. This year, Beth also began co-pastoring a new Vancouver church startup called Open Way Community Church, a diverse, inter-generational, inclusive community that welcomes everyone.

LGBTQ2 Spirituality Conference

Venue:  St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church
100-1022 Nelson Street
Vancouver, BC
Ph. 1-604-683-4574
Email: info@146.66.71.61

Parking available from the lane
Wheelchair accessible