Brian Ellison

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians is an organization seeking to strengthen the Church of Jesus Christ, and specifically the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), by furthering the inclusion of LGBTQ persons and by working for the unity of the Church. Their work includes advocating for faithful application of the ordination standards adopted by the church in 2011, connecting councils and congregations for shared work for inclusion, educating Presbyterians about issues of LGBTQ inclusion, and engaging in conversations with those who disagree. You can read more about CovNet and its work atwww.covnetpres.org or follow @CovNetPres.

The Rev. Brian Ellison has been executive director of the Covenant Network since August 2012 after serving 13 years as pastor of Parkville Presbyterian Church near Kansas City, Mo. He has served the General Assembly as a director of the Board of Pensions, a member of the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, and as moderator of the Committee on Mission Responsibility Through Investment (2008-12) and the Stated Clerk Review/Nomination Committee (1995-96).  He has also served as Stated Clerk and as moderator of the Committee on Ministry, Committee on Preparation for Ministry and the Permanent Judicial Commission in Heartland Presbytery. A graduate of Harvard University and Princeton Theological Seminary, Brian also is a freelance writer, an adjunct instructor in homiletics, and a host/contributor at NPR affiliate KCUR-FM. He and his partner, Troy Lillebo, live in Kansas City, Missouri.