New leader for East Anglia's Methodists prepares to take office

The Rev Graham Thompson has been appointed as the new Chairmanof the East Anglia Methodist District. A welcome service was heldfor Mr Thompson at Chapel Field Methodist Church, Norwich, onSaturday, 23 August, at 3pm.

The British Methodist Conference has designated Mr Thompson tobe Chairman of the East Anglia Methodist District for a period ofsix years from 1 September 2003. He succeeds the Rev Malcolm Braddy- who has retired to Worcestershire - as the leader of the region's8,900 Methodists.

Mr Thompson becomes the most senior Methodist minister in aregion that includes 280 churches across Norfolk, Suffolk and partsof north east Cambridgeshire including Ely, March and Wisbech. Inhis role as District Chair he will work closely alongside AnglicanBishop Graham James, Roman Catholic Bishop Michael Evans, and otherChurch leaders in the region.

Methodists from across East Anglia, as well as friends andfamily of Mr Thompson are to attend the welcome service onSaturday. The ex-President of the Methodist Conference, the Rev IanWhite, was preacher at the service. Among other guests was the newGeneral Secretary of the Methodist Church in Britain, the Rev DavidDeeks.

Born in 1957, the Rev Graham Thompson was educated in Manchesterand trained as an accountant, before undertaking theologicalstudies at Cliff College, Derbyshire, and Wesley College, Bristol.After ordination, he served as a Methodist minister in the BristolKingswood Circuit (1986-91) and Newark & Southwell Circuit(1991-99). During the latter appointment, he was chaplain to TheMinster School, Southwell, and Chair of Churches Together inSouthwell.

For the past four years he has been Superintendent Minister ofthe North Walsham and Aylsham Circuit, with responsibility for sixMethodist churches in the area, as well as an alcohol-free outreachbar. He was Chair of Churches Together in North Walsham in2000-1.

Mr Thompson has served on a number of national Methodist bodies,including being a member of the Methodist Day Schools Committee(1991-99) and a district representative to the Methodist Council(2001-3). He is currently a director of the Methodist Ministers'Pension Trust.

In East Anglia, Mr Thompson has been co-ordinator of theDistrict's lay workers for the past three years, as well as being agovernor at Millfield County Primary School. He has also been partof the District's Policy & Executive Committee.

He has undertaken a sabbatical study on effective communicationwith the elderly mentally infirm - which included a month-longplacement in a residential home for the elderly - as well asanother study on the doctrine of the 'priesthood of all believers',which included a short period working in the United States. He hasa concern for rural issues and is a respected preacher andcommunicator.

He lives with wife Alison and two sons Adam (13) and Andrew (10)in Norwich. His interests include reading, watching cricket andcandle-making.