Roger Walton & Rachel Lampard elected as Methodist President & Vice-President for 2016/17

• Photos of the new President and Vice-President Designate here

The Methodist Conference has elected the Revd Dr Roger Walton tobe President of the Conference in 2016/17, and Ms Rachel Lampard tobe Vice-President. Both will start their year of office when theConference meets in London on 2 July 2016. They will succeed thecurrent President and Vice-President, the Revd Steve Wild and DrJill Barber, as the first item of the Conference's business.

For ten years Roger was the Director of the Open LearningCentre, and for eleven years the Director of the Wesley Study Centre in Durham. He is currently the Chair of theWest Yorkshire Methodist District and the Methodist representativeto the General Synod of the Church of England.

"This is a wonderful gift from the Church and I am deeplyhonoured," said Roger. "I owe so much to the Methodist people andhave learned the way of Jesus in this church. I hope to encourageus to continue be a learning, loving and outward looking communityfor transformation of the world."

Rachel is the leader of the Joint Public Issues Team, which has for many years been at theforefront of campaigns about UK poverty, nuclear weapons andclimate change. She has been a Commissioner with the GamblingCommission since 2006 and is an active member of Winchester RoadMethodist church in Walthamstow.

"I feel humbled and very excited," she said. "I am lookingforward to meeting with Methodist people around the Connexion,celebrating together our shared Christian commitment to justice aswe explore what it means to follow Jesus today. I would ask you topray for Roger and me as we take on this responsibility."

The role of President of the Methodist Conference is reservedfor presbyters, and that of Vice-President for lay people ordeacons.