President and Vice-President elected and inducted for 2024/2025

The Revd Helen Cameron has been elected and inducted as President of the Methodist Conference. During the Methodist Conference, the induction occurred on Saturday 29 June at the Royal Armouries and New Dock Hall in Leeds.

Revd Helen Cameron is currently the Moderator of the Free Churches Group and President of Churches Together in England. Helen represented the Free Churches at the funeral of Her Majesty the Queen, reading prayers during the service and also took part in the Coronation of King Charles, blessing the newly crowned King alongside the Archbishops. Helen has worked extensively with survivors of sexual abuse and co-wrote the study guide Reflect and Respond with members of the Methodist Survivors Advisory Group.

In her Conference address, Helen invited the Methodist Church to listen to the lived experience of those who experience poverty and learn from marginal communities about what needs to change so that all can flourish. She warned against the Church abandoning those who experience poverty because to do so would be “to abandon the gospel”.

Mrs Carolyn Godfrey was inducted as the Vice President for 2024-2025. Carolyn is the District Safeguarding Officer covering the Darlington and Newcastle Districts, and a local preacher. She has a background in pastoral care and child protection within the education system helping to support children with additional needs and families facing complex issues. Carolyn has a Master of Education degree focused on social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Carolyn’s experience in her safeguarding role, education and lifelong engagement with the Methodist church have given her the drive to understand and challenge the use and misuse of power.

In her address to the Conference, Carolyn spoke about the call to us all to learn and challenge our thinking.  She encouraged members of the Conference and the wider church to start by making small changes that would build together into a wave of transformation in the church as it seeks to “Learn to do right, seek justice and defend the oppressed”.

The role of President of the Methodist Conference is reserved for presbyters and that of Vice-President for lay people or deacons. John Wesley chaired the Methodist Conference during his lifetime, but after his death, the Conference was determined to elect a President annually.

Notes

Watch the President and Vice-President speak about their theme for the Connexional Year

The text of the President's address is available on our website

The text of the Vice-President's address is available on our website