Bishop Jonathan Blake, born in 1956, taught for one year before gaining his degree at Durham university in 1978. During his undergraduate days he established a shop selling goods from the poorer countries which became a successful aid project trading to this day. In the following year he worked with Mother Theresa`s  Missionaries of  Charity in Calcutta, India. He raised over £20,000, a quarter of which he used in direct relief work and the remaining £15,500, he invested through the Church of North India in a trust to fund a T.B. hospital for women in Howrah. On his return he completed his training in Nottingham and was ordained a priest in 1982.

He served within the Church of England for over eleven years. For his six years  as a Curate, he worked in Bradford and Rochester. In addition to his regular work, in 1985 he wrote the lyrics for and produced a musical on the life of Saint Francis of  Assisi which was performed in the city of Bradford. In 1987 he organised and led an international group of fifty young people from twelve different faiths on a bus journey of reconciliation from London to Moscow as guests of the Moscow patriarchate.

During the next five years he worked as a vicar in Bexleyheath and was responsible among other things for leading the parish in raising nearly £250,000 to complete a major building project to repair and extend the church, making it a multipurpose resource for the whole community. In 1993, he left parochial ministry and in the following year he became fully qualified as a financial advisor and worked with the Sun  Life Assurance Company of Canada.

In addition to the above, he has developed wide experience in inter-faith work, serving on the International Executive of the World Conference on Religion and Peace and as the Director of the Week of Prayer for World Peace. He has also worked voluntarily as  a Samaritan  for four years and for a further four years as  a Relate Marriage Guidance Counsellor.

In the autumn of 1994 he decided to relinquish his office as a minister within the Church of England. However, according to church law as well as his own understanding, he is still and will always remain a priest. As such he is continuing his work as a priest, working as a self-employed minister , independent of any denomination.

In the first six years, following 1994, over 70,000 people had attended his services, and more than 1000 were baptised. His ministry had taken him throughout the UK and overseas to Menorca, Morocco and Crete. He has conducted services in homes, gardens, chapels, churches, hotels, country estates, pubs, cruisers, marquees, castles; even in a circus ring, on top of Mount Snowdon, underwater and over the Internet!

He has also chaired the Holy Circle Trust, a charity formed to provide a place of natural beauty for the public to be refreshed spiritually and physically. The charity represents no one group but welcomes all people from every faith and philosophy.

In 1999 he published a book entitled `FOR GOD`S SAKE DON`T GO TO CHURCH ` as well as a little book of prayers.

On the first day of January, 2000, at the rising of the sun, he co-founded The Society for Independent Christian Ministry ( SICM ).

By the end of the year 2000, there  were over 30 priests within the Society.

On March 30th, 2000, Jonathan`s ministry as a priest and minister was re-affirmed with the laying on of hands by the bishop, priests and ministers present at the first gathering of the Society for Independent Christian Ministry  and he was incardinated into that Society.

On December 9th, 2000, Jonathan was ordained a priest according to the Catholic tradition by Bishop Richard Arthur Palmer.

On December 10th, 2000, Jonathan was  Consecrated Bishop to work independently within the Province for Open Episcopal Ministry and Jurisdiction.

Jonathan has thus received nearly every form of Ordination practised within the Christian church and thus embodies all the traditions within his ministry. He is happy to take services as a pastor/minister  for  those from a free church or non conformist tradition, or as a priest  for those from  an episcopal tradition, be they catholic or anglican. He is happy to take any christian service from any type of prayer book wearing any form of vestments with any form of ritual.

As  a bishop of the Christian church, he  is  a symbol of unity, available for all within the church and all without it. He represents  no one tradition ,but all. He works as a CHRISTIAN offering CHRISTIAN ministry to all.

In addition, his ministry is one of love and therefore he is happy to work with and offer ministry for anyone, whether christian or from another faith, whether religious or atheist. He respects everyone.

In November 2001 Jonathan jointly founded THE OPEN EPISCOPAL CHURCH, a Church for everyone, with bishops, priests, deacons and laity becoming a part of the church as it grows at an  encouraging speed. What is more we have entered and are entering into inter communion agreements with other jurisdictions across the world.

Jonathan, despite the growth in the church nevertheless does not regard himself as solely a part of a 'new denomination'; as a christian bishop  he is there for everyone, irrespective.

On 10th April 2003, Jonathan was one of the consecrating bishops with Archbishop Palmer and Bishop Wilson of the Revd Mother Canon Professor Elizabeth Bridget Augustine Stuart ssb.,M.A., D.Phil, Provincial Prior of the Apostolic Society of St. Brigid of Kildare.  Her consecration to the episcopate took place in the Chapel of Royal Holloway & Bedford New College, University of London, Egham, Surrey. Professor Stuart  is the first woman bishop in this country and the first catholic woman bishop in the world. She is well known as a leading theologian, writer and spiritual guide and her work is well respected, bringing hope and light to all and especially those who have been disenfranchised by the denominational and majority traditions.

In 2001 Jonathan and his wife were approved as foster carers and during 2002 welcomed two foster boys as part of their family.

He has also continued to develop his work among the homeless in London and is establishing a scheme whereby he can help in providing  homes for the homeless and the needy. So far he has managed to help one family and three men, one, directly housing them from the streets.

In 2006 he was elected the Presiding Archbishop of the Open Episcopal Church.

Jonathan  adopts a broad minded and liberal approach  to matters of faith and to life generally. He is a sensitive and caring man whose desire is to bring greater happiness and hope to people's lives.

His motto and central belief is that ` GOD IS LOVE ` and so he tries to  live out, and to encourage others to live out  the scripture ` Let us love one another for love comes from God. `

He will never turn away anyone. His love is for ALL.