We have always been here.

Throughout human history, we have been born into families, grown up within communities, and lived and worked and died like everyone else - sometimes hidden, sometimes acknowledged, sometimes both.

Down the centuries, like other people, many of us have found ourselves living within the conventions of married life, faithful to our partners, bearing children and supporting families. Whatever our circumstances, like other people, we have also played our part in the ordinary, everyday lives of the communities in which we have lived, being good neighbours, being responsible citizens and upholding the law. And, like other people, some of us have been privileged to hold positions of influence and authority, some of us have been called upon to exercise moral and spiritual leadership, and some of us have made significant contributions to literature, art, music and other fields of creativity.

We have, too, always been here within the Christian church: in the Jewish faith which preceded it, in the communities where Jesus lived and worked, in the founding events of the Church, in the life of the early church, and in the churches of Christendom down the centuries until today. As in the world at large, during this time we have sometimes been hidden, sometimes acknowledged, sometimes both, holding positions of influence and authority in the Church and in its institutions, its religious orders and its foundations of learning as well as being called to be spiritual leaders and writers, artists and musicians.

In these churches we have been and remain, faithful and often lifelong members of congregations large and small, rural and urban, poor and prosperous, and of all spiritual traditions. Most of these congregations have benefited considerably from our commitment, our energy, our loyalty, our spirituality, our resources, our gifts and our money. In many cases we have been called by our fellow church members to bear office as members of church councils, as churchwardens and in other positions of leadership and trust, and to serve in similar positions in Deaneries, in the Diocese, and in the national synods of the Church of England. In many instances the sheer quantity of time we devote to our diocese is of an order far above that able to be given by those with family commitments.

Significant numbers of us have also been called to spiritual leadership in our Diocese and its ministry, as lay workers, religious, deacons, priests, rural deans, Bishop's advisors, diocesan officers, members of our cathedral chapter, and as archdeacons and bishops. At this present time, therefore, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Christians play, as they have always done, a highly significant and crucial role in the spiritual, intellectual and material life of our Diocese. We are here. We have always been here. We shall continue to be here.

Produced by the Southwark Diocese Lesbian and Gay Support Network