Methodist Church elects new President and Vice President Designate

The Revd Alison Tomlin has been elected President Designate ofthe Methodist Conference for 2010-2011, and Deacon Eunice Attwoodhas been elected Vice President Designate. The elections wereannounced at the annual Methodist Conference inWolverhampton.

Alison Tomlin is currently Chair of the Northampton MethodistDistrict, having previously chaired the Oxford and LeicesterDistrict. In September she will become co-Superintendent of theThames Valley Methodist Circuit with her husband Dave. She hasserved the Church as a minister for 25 years, having originallybeen ordained in Wolverhampton in 1984.

Alison said; 'It is a great privilege to be elected as PresidentDesignate and I am humbled to be trusted with this role by theConference. In my year of Presidency I will seek to help the Churchbe more receptive to go where God is inviting us. The Church hasnot always been very good at risk-taking but it's easier to takerisks when we are confident in God's love and listening for God'svoice.'

Central to Alison's ministry has been the imaginative use of theBible in prayer. She said; 'The Church has designated 2011 as theYear of the Bible and this will be very important and exciting forme in my year of office.'

Eunice Attwood works as part of a team of lay and ordainedministers in a busy city centre church in Newcastle. She has beeninstrumental in establishing the Newcastle Street Pastors Projectand supports work with asylum seekers, street workers and teenagerunaways. Eunice spent 12 years working as an Intensive Care Unitnurse and brings experience of hospital chaplaincy and 10 years ofserving the Church as a member of the Diaconal Order. She is aMethodist Local Preacher and a part-time diaconal tutor at theWesley Study Centre in Durham.

Eunice said; 'As a member of the Methodist Diaconal Order it's areal honour to be elected Vice President Designate. I am passionateabout enabling the people of God to reach out to and better engagewith their communities. In my year as Vice President, I hope toinspire God's people to reconnect with the servant ministry towhich we are all called and celebrate the rich contribution of theDiaconal Order to the life and work of the Church.'

Alison and Eunice will be inducted as President and Vice Presidentas the first items of business at the 2010 Methodist Conference,which will meet in Portsmouth, 24 June -1 July.