Conference chooses Anglican talks member as next President
A member of the formal conversations between the MethodistChurch and the Church of England is to be the next Methodistleader, it has been announced today.
The Rev Dr Neil Richardson is to be President of the MethodistConference in 2003. He is currently Superintendent Minister of theLeeds North East Circuit of the Methodist Church and a formerPrincipal of Wesley College, Bristol.
At a crucial time in the developing relations between Anglicansand Methodists, the election of Dr Richardson could be seen as avote of confidence for the steps being taken to bring the twochurches closer together.
The President of the Methodist Conference is the most senioroffice held by a minister in the Methodist Church. The Presidentchairs the annual Methodist Conference, the main decision-makingbody for Britain's 325,000 Methodists.
Dr Richardson has been elected President-designate by the 380representatives attending the Methodist Conference meeting inWolverhampton this week. He will serve as President for 2003-4.
As well as being a Superintendent minister, Dr Richardson isalso minister in charge of Lidgett Park Methodist Church. Hepreviously served in churches in Oxford and Manchester and was NewTestament Tutor and Principal at Wesley College, Bristol.
Dr Richardson is a former Chair of the European TheologicalCommission, and is currently Secretary of the British Committee ofthe World Methodist Council. He is married to Rhiannon with hasthree sons and enjoys marathon running and armchair football.
Child safeguarding expert becomes VicePresident
At the same time the Conference has chosen as its next VicePresident one of its guiding lights in developing Methodism's childsafety policy.
Mrs Judy Jarvis is the Church's Children's Secretary. A formerprimary school headteacher, Mrs Jarvis has been responsible -together with colleagues from other Churches - for setting up thenew Churches Agency for Safeguarding. She helped to draft theMethodist Church's own child safety policy, 'Safe from Harm', whichhas become a pioneering blueprint for children's work across theChurches.
The Vice President is the most senior office held by a layperson in the Church, working closely with the President duringtheir year in office.
The daughter of a Methodist minister, Mrs Jarvis was born inAlvechurch, Worcester in 1940. After studying at SouthlandsCollege, London, she taught in schools in Walsall, Stafford, andHigh Wycombe, Bucks. She was headteacher at The Meadows CombinedSchool, High Wycombe.
In 1989, Mrs Jarvis became the Methodist Church's DivisionalSecretary then Training Secretary for the former Division ofEducation and Youth. When the Methodist Church Connexional Team wasestablished, she became Children's Secretary.
Mrs Jarvis is the author and editor of many publicationsincluding Big Blue Planet and Roots, a new ecumenical resource forworship and learning. She is married to Eric with two grown-up sonsand is a local preacher in the High Wycombe Methodist circuit.