Selwyn College » People in Chapel

WHO'S WHO IN SELWYN CHAPEL

			Canon Hugh Shilson-Thomas, DEAN OF CHAPEL AND CHAPLAIN, studied at Exeter College, Oxford, and then came to Westcott House in Cambridge to continue his Theological training. After Chaplaincies at Kingston University and Robinson College, Cambridge, and a Master's at King's College, London, he moved to Church House, Westminster. There, he worked in the Education Division of the Archbishops’ Council, as the Church of England’s National Adviser for Higher Education and Chaplaincy for five years. Hugh was appointed to his post at Selwyn in 2008, and lives in Cambridge with his wife Annabel (also a priest), and their two children. Hugh is also Chaplain and Director of Studies in Theology at Newnham College, and serves on the Chapter of Ely Cathedral as a Chapter Canon. college room: Old Court D7A telephone: 01223 335 875 email: hds21@cam.ac.uk

			Brett Gray is the ASSISTANT CHAPLAIN. American by birth, but a long-term resident of the UK, Brett read for an MPhil in Theology at Selwyn while training for the ministry at Ridley Hall. He has since served in two Hertfordshire parishes, most recently as the Vicar of St Michael’s in St Albans. He is currently reading for a PhD on the Christology of Rowan Williams. Previous research interests have included a study on forgiveness, the works of the American poet and ecologist Wendell Berry, the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur and the theology of Karl Barth. He is pictured here with his wife, Alison, who has just submitted her Selwyn PhD researching the use of metaphors in the Psalms. They have one son, Thomas, whose research interests include dinosaurs, steam trains, and the works of Roald Dahl. email: bcg24@cam.ac.uk

			Sarah MacDonald, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, came to the UK from her native Canada in 1992 as Organ Scholar of Robinson College, Cambridge, after studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto with Leon Fleisher, Marek Jablonski, and John Tuttle. At Cambridge she studied the organ with David Sanger. She has been at Selwyn since 1999, and is the first woman to hold such a post in an Oxbridge Chapel. Sarah has played numerous recitals and made over 25 recordings, variously in the guises of pianist, organist, conductor, and producer; she is a winner of the Royal College of Organists (RCO) Limpus Prize. Sarah has taught organ and conducting for Eton Choral Courses, Oundle for Organists, the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy, and courses run by the RCO, and she is a regular Director of the annual Girls’ Chorister Course at St Thomas’ Church Fifth Avenue, in New York City. Sarah is a Fellow, Examiner, and Trustee of the RCO, and is a member of the Academic Board. She is also Director of Ely Cathedral Girls' Choir. college room: Old Court D17B telephone: 01223 335 877 email: seam100@cam.ac.uk

			Monica Cameron, CHAPEL ADMINISTRATOR, studied at University in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. She previously worked as a solicitor and as a teacher. She works in the Chapel office on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, from 9am to 12:30pm. Monica is currently training for ordained ministry. telephone: 01223 746 950 email: chapel-administrator@sel.cam.ac.uk college room: Old Court D7B

			Stephen Edmonds, GOSDEN SCHOLAR is reading for a PhD in Church History at Selwyn. Stephen read History & Religious Studies at the University of Kent at Canterbury. After graduation he worked for a variety of international NGOs, and took an MA in Christian Theology at Heythrop College, University of London. After six years of testing a call to the priesthood in a variety of cathedrals, shrine-churches and inner-city estates, he began training at Westcott House in 2010. His research interests are in liturgy, the Great War, Anglo-Catholicism, and the Eucharist. email: spe25@cam.ac.uk

			Sam Hole, FROST SCHOLAR, is reading for a PhD in Theology at Selwyn. After studying History at Trinity Hall, and doing a PGCE there, Sam taught for five years in secondary schools in London - first at an independent school in Hammersmith, then at a comprehensive school in Westminster. While teaching he studied for an MA in Systematic Theology at King's College London, and worked with children and youth groups at a church near Camberwell. He is now training for the priesthood at Westcott House, and researching for a PhD on John of the Cross. email: srh40@cam.ac.uk

			Gareth Atha, ORDINAND ON ATTACHMENT, describes himself as a “born again, cradle Christian”. He arrived in Cambridge in September 2011 to train for the Anglican priesthood, after his spiritual journey took him through Methodism, agnosticism, conservative Evangelical, and finally to a spiritual home in the Church of England. Gareth holds degrees from Leeds and York St John Universities, and is studying for the Bachelor of Theology for Ministry here at Cambridge. Gareth is engaged to Rachael, and both are looking forward to setting up home in their native Yorkshire after ordination. email: gwa22@cam.ac.uk

			Timothy Parsons, SENIOR ORGAN SCHOLAR, began his musical training as a chorister at Guildford Cathedral. He went on to hold Music and Academic Scholarships at Charterhouse, where he studied the organ with Mark Blatchly. After secondary schooling, he spent a Gap Year as Organ Scholar of Hereford Cathedral, where he accompanied the cathedral choir, and participated in a tour of South Africa and the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester. In September 2011, he took up the Organ Scholarship at Selwyn. He is in the second year of his undergraduate degree in Music, having achieved a Starred First Class in the end-of-year examinations after his first year, and receiving the Donald Wort prize for the best overall result. Tim is also a prize-winning Associate of the Royal College of Organists. For the academic year 2012-2013, he has been appointed to the additional post of Organ Scholar for King's Voices, the mixed-voice choir which sings evensong once a week in King's College Chapel. He currently studies the organ with Stephen Farr. As a recitalist, he has played at venues including the cathedrals of Winchester, Ely, St David's, and Gloucester, as well as in continental Europe. email: tjyp2@cam.ac.uk

OTHER PEOPLE IN CHAPEL Chapel Clerk: Mark Bostock (mjb218) Sacristans Elaine Freer Heidi Russenberger Chapel Wardens Louise Anthony Rachel Gordon May Harrison Helen Griffith Rebecca Lawrence Robbie Leigh Sarah Leiter Ed Pyzer-Knapp Chapel Flowers Chloe Valenti
If you would like to become involved in chapel, by reading, serving, wardening, or otherwise, please contact Hugh (Dean of Chapel) on hds21@cam.ac.uk. If you would like to audition to sing in the choir, please contact Sarah (Director of Music) on seam100@cam.ac.uk.