Philip was born in Australia and came to the UK in 1986. Originally from the Uniting Church in Australia Philip was ordained Deacon and Priest in Lincoln Cathedral 1989. In addition to ecumenical parish posts in Australia and in Lincolnshire he has served as Team Vicar of Grimsby Parish Church 1989-1995 and 'Rector of St Stephen's 1995 - 2002'

Among his church interests Philip includes:

• Ecumenical Theology having trained originally for the ministry of the Uniting Church in Australia in an ecumenical Theological Faculty in Melbourne alongside Anglican and Jesuit ordinands. Philip has attended international ecumenical conferences and an all Asian ecumenical school in Hong Kong and China arranged by the Christian Conference of Asia. Philip also served on the Church of England Faith and Order Advisory Group which advises the House of Bishops on ecumenical matters.
• Social Ethics having taught Graduate Nursing students Medical Ethics at the University of Hull, been Chairman of the Research Ethics Committee of the North Lincolnshire Regional NHS Trust and teaching Christian Ethics to final year students of the South East Institute for Theological Education at Canterbury.
• Faith - Science Issues having been educated in both Applied Science and Systematic Theology. Parish Management and Contemporary Mission now being involved as Archdeacon in issues of strategy and planning for Diocese, Deaneries and Parishes working alongside the whole range of ministries in today's church. Philip is particularly interested in parishes and ministers who are asking questions about how we are to be the Church of Jesus Christ in contemporary British society.

Philip is married to Christine and they have a family of four adult children. The family keep one' dog - a wonderful Jack Russell terrier called Jessie and a number of rare breed chickens. Philip also greatly enjoys conversation and company, opera, theatre and cinema, poetry, art and travel, fine wine and cooking and eating but, with apologies to all Australians, not sport.