Commissioner  Bronwyn Buckingham is originally from New Zealand. Her current appointment with the Salvation Army is at International Headquarters in London as the World Secretary for Women’s Ministries. Alongside Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, she has begun reimagining what Women’s Ministries in The Salvation Army could become and we are looking forward to hearing more about this at the Women and God Conference

Together with her husband Lyndon, they have led the Salvation Army’s mission and work in the United Kingdom and Ireland and prior to that in Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar. The couple have also served in appointments across New Zealand and Canada.

Bronwyn is mum to Daniel and Emma and together with Lyndon, they love returning to New Zealand to visit their family, and especially including their grandson Israel.

Thea Muir is an artist, mural painter, writer and teacher. Together with her husband Dominic, they are mum and dad to their little boy, Redemption and lead short-term missions to India, South Africa and across the United Kingdom; painting, preaching the gospel and sharing the love and grace of God. Having both been on their own journeys of restoration and redemption, especially in the area of identity, Thea and Dom are passionate about seeing others become the fullest and freest version of who God made them to be.

Throughout Thea’s teenage years Psalm 139 and especially verse 14 become something she spoke over herself even though she felt far from being fearfully and wonderfully made. Leaving university she found herself in the grips of debilitating eating disorders and did not know what to do about it.

Thea says ‘A key figure in my life at the time got me to say three declarations in the mirror daily. I started with the old classic- 'I am fearfully and wonderfully made' and added 'I am enough just as I am' and 'I have a beautiful and healthy body'. At first they made me squirm, but they soon found their way into my heart- changing the tapes in my head and affecting my behaviour for the good. I was a new creation, being continually transformed by the renewing of my mind!’

Discovering more declarations in the bible about who God says we are, Thea began to add them to her list and illustrate them leading to what is now ‘I Am So Many Things’.

Lynne is Thea’s Business Manager and as well as organising and facilitating literally so many things,  she has an amazing and God honouring prayer ministry. She’ll be sharing that with us at the Conference as well as supporting Thea and bringing along merchandise for us to browse.

The Mothers & Daughters Choir was formed in 2012 originally for a ‘one night only’ performance  to celebrate the retirement of a colleague. However they were so warmly received by the audience and realised that they had really enjoyed the time rehearsing together, that they didn’t want to stop.

Their leader Jacqui goes on to say, ‘Since then, we have lead Salvation Army meetings across the country, released a CD "When we stand together" and  raised thousands of pounds in support of a variety of charities.

Although singing is a big part of our being, it is our love for the Lord, our love for each other and the  support and friendship we all share that is our real strength.  The songs we choose, many of them secular, reflect these themes and we hope our audiences enjoy not just our harmonies but the message each song brings.

We are really looking forward to sharing "our story" through song, with you at the Women and God Conference in June’