John Ellis announced as Moderator Elect of URC General Assembly

The United Reformed Church's General Assembly has elected theRevd David Grosch-Miller as ministerial moderator for 2014-16 andMr John Ellis as lay moderator for 2013-16.

Mr Ellis has served as the URC's treasurer since 2007 and wasconvener of the Assembly's ministries committee 2002-2006, duringwhich time he led the process that produced the Equipping theSaints report. Mr Ellis works for the Methodist Church as Secretaryfor Connexional Team Operations, a role that involves leading thewhole Methodist staff team and overseeing policy developmentproposals, staffing and management, as well as promotingcollaboration with the Methodist districts.

Before this he worked for the Bank of England for 20 years, withdiverse posts including research on international debt issues,co-ordinating the Bank's network of regional agents and being theGovernor's business ethics advisor.

"My twelve years working in the Connexional Team have beeninteresting and challenging and often enjoyable," he said. "Howeverat the beginning of the year I told our General Secretary, MartynAtkins, I believed that it was time I moved on and so when I wasapproached to consider nomination as Moderator I was able toaccept.

"I am honoured and humbled that the Assembly chose to elect me.My conviction that Christians need to work together in evangelismand mission remains undimmed, so I look forward to many contactswith Methodists from this new perspective."    

Mr Ellis was ordained as an elder while a URC member inGravesend, where he was also an organist and led the junior sectionof the nearby Baptist church's Boys' Brigade. He has been a memberof Christ Church URC in Tonbridge for many years, where he hasserved as church secretary. He is a member of the Council for WorldMission's Investment Committee and has extensive experience ofethical investment campaigning.

The Revd David Grosch-Miller is currently moderator of the URC'sSouth Western Synod. He was ordained at St John's Fagley, Bradford,where he remained for 10 years before accepting a call to StAndrew's Roundhay, Leeds. In both Bradford and Leeds he was heavilyinvolved in the community, acting as chair of governors of schoolsin both cities. He worked to build a youth and community centre inBradford and helped establish a charity to serve the needs ofelderly people in their own homes in Leeds.

Mr Grosch-Miller has been moderator of South Western Synod since2002 and has served on the Assembly Pastoral and Welfare Committeeand the Mission Council Advisory Group. He is currently convener ofthe Inter Synod Resource Sharing Task Group. He is married to CarlaGrosch-Miller, who is also a URC minister.