plus+ presentations: Women on Company Boards

As part of further developing the relationships St Stephen Walbrook has with the business community in the City of London, we have begun a new series of events to explore the place of faith in the world of business. This new ongoing series of events is entitled ‘plus+ presentations’, as the series is one part of the way in which St Stephen seeks to add value to the City.

The format for ‘plus+ presentations’ is:

• 6.15pm: Evening Prayer (optional)
• 6.30pm: plus+ presentation
• 7.00pm: Drinks reception & networking
• 7.30pm: Close

As part of her talk on campaigns to see more women on company boards, Sally Muggeridge highlighted the examples of two remarkable woman. The first was Revd Paula Vennells. Sally said that "Paula happens to be Chief Executive of the Post Office and is an ordained self-supporting minister like myself. Prior to her present role Paula, like myself, had had a long business career, starting with Unilever in 1981. I listened to Paula speak last week as to how she manages to work at the heart of two national institutions that shape and support us in our communities all over the UK. Paula also has three Parishes in Bedford!"

The other example she quoted was that of Liza Strong, the group head of organisational talent and diversity at Royal Mail saying that: "Liza had put a whole new meaning into diversity when she asked a transgender champion to speak on a panel at an event for female employees, alongside the business’s CEO and a range of distinguished authors and experts. Liza said that she wondered if the organisation was ready, but she told me people loved it and Liza was the one who got all the questions afterwards. Other key signals were Royal Mail taking part in the Pride Festival in London for the first time, together with a Post Box at Mount Pleasant sorting office in the Capital being painted in rainbow colours."

Sally noted that Royal Mail has also pioneered balanced shortlisting, where any shortlist for frontline roles must have an equal gender split. To some, she said, these might seem small changes but from little actions, larger ones emerge, and it helps change the ethos of the workplace. 

The overall message has been that ‘Our CEO believes that employing more women will change the culture.’

The programme of plus+ presentations going forward is as follows:

• 9th November Barbara Ridpath, Director of St Paul's Institute, will speak on Transitions: how to make life-changing career changes by choice or necessity.
• 18 January 2018, our presenter will be Professor Richard Higginson (Director of Faith in Business, Ridley Hall Cambridge) speaking about Christian entrepreneurs living out their faith.
• 15 February 2018 - Revd Dr Fiona Stewart-Darling, Canary Wharf MultiFaith Chaplaincy.

Each plus+ presentation is preceded by Evening Prayer at 6.15pm.

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Karen Peris - First Days In The City.

Exhibition, service & reception - St Stephen

Clare Paine, London Church Coordinator for Christian Aid, spoke (during Christian Aid Week) in our Discover & explore service at St Stephen Walbrook about St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, in relation to Christian Aid's support for partners who serve their communities and who do so, sometimes, in the face of persecution. As an organisation committed to human dignity, Christian Aid wants to see a reduction in the inequalities people face and create a more inclusive world, so Clare told us about Karla Avelar’s experience of exclusion and violence, which is replicated by so many women and men around the world.

Karla Avelar, a Salvadorian transgender activist who survived rape, attempted murder, kidnap and incarceration in a male prison is now Executive Director of Comcavis Trans, an organisation that fights for the legal rights of El Salvador’s transgender population. Comcavis Trans receives support from FESPAD, which is funded by Christian Aid. Karla's coordination with FESPAD started around four years ago because of the assassination of one of her closest friends, Tania. 

As a result, they wanted to press charges at a national and international level, but didn’t have that expertise in their organisation. FESPAD, along with others, gave the technical expertise to submit a case to the American Human Rights Commission [the case had not previously been recognised by the Salvadorian state]. A report was put together based on the evidence and that was anchored in the tangible reality of what trans women were experiencing. The commission passed a resolution that strongly suggested that the Salvadoran state write and pass an identity law-passage for an anti-discrimination law for the LGBTI population. They also suggested reforms of the penal code to recognise hate crimes. In the longer-term Comcavis Trans want access to justice and the creation of laws and to have the same rights as the heterosexuals in the country.

We also used Malcolm Guite's poem about St Stephen and prayed the following prayers:

O Saviour Christ, in whose way of life lies the secret of all life, and the hopes of all the people, we pray for quiet courage to meet this hour. We did not choose to be born or to live in such an age. But let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate us, its injustice anger us, its possibilities inspire us, and its vigour renew us, for your Kingdom’s sake. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Crying God, we join our voices with those from around the globe, crying out for the plight of the persecuted minorities in El Salvador, Iraq and many other places. We join our hearts with those displaced from their homes, yet again, crying out for the fear, the terror and the madness to end. We join our hope with those who wait for rescue, crying out for food, for water and for the kingdom of heaven to break into their hell. We join our faith with the faith of all who pray, crying out for the slaughter of innocence to end. We join our tears with yours, crying out for us all to know and live by the things that make for peace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O Lord God, your Son Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his resurrection he restores life and peace in all creation. Comfort, we pray, all victims of intolerance and those oppressed by their fellow humans. Remember in your kingdom those who have died. Lead the oppressors towards compassion

and give hope to the suffering. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious Father, who gave the first martyr Stephen grace to pray for those who took up stones against him: grant that in all our sufferings for the truth we may learn to love even our enemies and to seek forgiveness for those who desire our hurt, looking up to heaven to him who was crucified for us, Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today's music sung by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields was: James MacMillan - Factus est Repente; Orlando Gibbons - Lord with what zeal; Edward Elgar - The Spirit of the Lord; and G.P. da Palestrina - Elegerunt Apostoli.

Next week's Discover & explore service is on Monday 23rd May and explores the life and thought of the Venerable Bede.

Later in the evening we explored Joe Machine's interpretation of the life and legend of St Stephen at the Private View for our latest exhibition. Joe Machine's paintings combine Jewish and Christian iconography in a unique interpretation of the story of the first Christian martyr, who is our Patron Saint. Mysticism, humour, symbolism, narrative and stylized patterning are fused to form these ravishing and reflective icons. Other exhibition events include a concert by Claudio Crismani (Wednesday 18th May, 7.00pm) and a Poetry Evening organised by The London Magazine (Wednesday 25th May, 7.00pm).

  

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Orlando Gibbons - Lord with what zeal.