I'm grateful to a Church that has never given up, says Methodist President

At the opening of the annual Methodist Conference in Plymouthtoday, the Revd Dr Mark Wakelin spoke of a Church that has nevergiven up on him and challenged Methodists to make it a place wherepeople are welcomed as they are.

Giving his inaugural address as President of the MethodistConference, Dr Wakelin said: "We need, all need, the samething. I recognise the older I get that I am needy and it is theChurch that has that has met that need and for that I am verygrateful.

Dr Wakelin added: "One of my needs is a profound need tobelong; to feel that somebody, somewhere knows who I am and cares.At different times through the Methodist Church I have experiencedbelonging.

Speaking of the ways in which the Church hasalways challenged him to better things, he said: "Godloves you as you are, but too much to leave you that way. I amgrateful to the Church that it has never believed that I have donemy best. I have never believed that. Because the Church always hasdisquiet; a sense that there is more; there is yet more in you;there is more to come.

"I am grateful to this Church that it has never given up. There isa challenge there still to believe in people even though you havebeen let down."

The full text of the address will be available onlinesoon. You can also listen to an audio recording of the speech