About Us
Parish Pump is an independent, registered limited company. It began in May 1999. Our theological stance is: orthodox, historical, Bible-based Christianity. What CS Lewis called 'mere Christianity'.
The Editor and co-Founder, Anne Coomes, has worked in Christian radio, newspapers and publishing, and done a seven year stint as a diocesan communications officer for Peterborough Diocese. She writes daily notes for the Bible Reading Fellowship and has worked extensively for Operation Christmas Child. She has written several biographies on African church leaders, and has been a Reader in the Chester Diocese for 10 years.
The Parish Pump creative team includes:
Philip Barron is a Quaker journalist who has been involved with a number of health-related charities (he edited Hearing Concern Magazine for seven years until 2006). He lives in Croydon.
The Rev Dr Gary Bowness is vicar of Henbury, near Macclesfield. In his former diocese, Blackburn, he served as Director of Post-Ordination Training. He is currently a Bishops' Selector for those offering themselves for ordained ministry.
Dr Peter Brierley has been involved with church research for over 40 years, working initially with the government and then moving to the Bible Society, before starting MARC Europe which changed its name to Christian Research in 1993. He launched the UK Christian Handbook. He lives in Kent, where he now runs a private research consultancy for churches throughout the country.
The Revd Michael Burgess is priest of Oughtrington and Warburton in the diocese of Chester. A former sub-warden at St Deiniol's Library in Hawarden for six years, he has been involved in ministry training and CME along with parish work. His interests include music and choral singing, the theatre and reading.
The Rev Taffy Davies is a co-founder of Parish Pump, and is nationally known for his ever-popular cartoons, which as well as appearing in numerous children’s books and TV animations, have even enlivened weighty reports to General Synod! These days Taffy is Rural Dean of Macclesfield, with responsibility for a parish near Macclesfield Forest. He regularly hits the headlines in the Macclesfield Express for his imaginative parish initiatives which have included writing and producing a play, as well as hosting a public debate about religion in one of the eight pubs in his parish.
Noel Ford is also a nationally known cartoonist, not least through his regular single and double page spreads in contributions to Punch over 18 years, and work as an editorial cartoonist for the Daily Star. These days Noel is an editorial cartoonist for a number of national UK publications, including the Church Times. He lives on the edge of the beautiful Cors Caron Welsh National Nature Reserve (aka, The Bog), with his wife Margaret and three dogs. Noel is a founder member of the Professional Cartoonists' Organisation, member of the Cartoonists' Club of Great Britain, The British Cartoonists' Association (BCA) and also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).
Jean de Lemos is an illustrator who worked in Fleet Street for many years. She is based in north London.
The Rev Paul Hardingham is vicar of St Peter’s Halliwell, Bolton in the diocese of Manchester. Parish ministry has taken him all over the country including Cambridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Birmingham and Ipswich, during which time he has contributed to Parish Pump and it’s predecessor, Church News Service.
Elaine Hill is an artist and vicar's wife in an active parish in Shropshire. She illustrates Rainbow Rhymes.
The Rev Daphne Kitching is a poet whose work is published in over sixty anthologies and in two collections of her own poems. A former primary school teacher, she has also taught pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia). Based in the East Riding of Yorkshire, Daphne was ordained in July 2009 in York Minster. She is now a curate.
The Rev William Mather is vicar of Drypool in Hull. In his former ministry as national director of SOMA, he travelled throughout Africa helping churches to find spiritual renewal. William is also an accomplished artist, with several exhibitions to his credit.
The Rev Dr Herbert McGonigle is a former Principal of the Nazarene Theological College in Didsbury, Manchester. Currently he is Senior Lecturer in Historical Theology, Church History and Wesley Studies.
Deborah Noble is a designer and illustrator and a vicar's wife in Kent. She produces MouseMakes.
The Rev Dr Roger Roberts is senior pastor of the International Baptist Church, Brussels. As well as 40 years pastoring churches in Indiana, Ohio and Kansas, Dr Roberts has spoken at missionary spiritual renewal conferences throughout Africa and the Caribbean. He has also taught university courses on biblical studies and pastoral ministry and written a book on holiness.
Olave Snelling is a former TV producer and has worked professionally in many forms of media: print, film, TV and radio. For 11 years she was a presenter and producer on Premier Radio and is now Chairman of the Premier Editorial Board. She is CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Council and Chairman of African Enterprise.
The Rev Dr Jo White is a rector in Derbyshire. Jo has also taught, and worked in social services and education - planning, training and managing a variety of projects and budgets. She has co-written two books on Pilgrimage.
Angela Webb is an artist in Staffordshire, and is a speaker for the Mothers’ Union for Lichfield Diocese. She produces Our Page for children. She co-authored Children: the Churches’ Care and has written a number of other publications. She also produces cartoons based on old engravings.
Meanwhile, back in the office, the Parish Pump directors are Gordon Pickering, Michael Wilson (and Anne Coomes).
Gordon Pickering is a Chartered Accountant in practice in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. He specialises in personal tax and smaller businesses and is an Independent Examiner for a number of charities. He can be contacted at gordon@pickeringsfinancial.co.uk
Michael Wilson is the Director of the Seamen’s Christian Friend Society, an interdenominational Christian organisation which ministers to seafarers in ports throughout the world. More information can be found on www.scfs.org
Shirley Henshall , a former office manager for a large firm in Cheshire, now runs our Administrative and IT support department. She can be contacted at shirley@parishpump.co.uk
