Although in our church practice ministers are appointed to circuits or offices for several years, theoretically each appointment is for one year, and almost all appointments are subject to annual review.
For this reason changes in ministry happen annually at the time when the Conference meets.
This year four ministers retired, the Revs Graham Hamilton, David Houston, Robert Montgomery and Donaldson Rodgers. Three who had completed their training and probation were ordained, the Revs Mark Forsyth, Steven Foster and Ruth Patterson. Five candidates for the ministry were accepted for training, one woman and four men.
The Irish Methodist Church continues to welcome ministers from other areas who wish to spend some time working in this country. This year three of them are expected from the USA. The Rev Dr Stanley McQuade was born in Northern Ireland, and entered the ministry here. After some years he moved to America, and is now returning to his native shores to complete his ministry here. The Rev David Howard is a minister of the United Methodist Church in America. The third is in the process of seeking a visa to work in Northern Ireland.
The Rev Geoffrey Hewitt is a minister of the United Reformed Church in England who has been working in a joint URC/Methodist congregation there. He is coming to Ireland to minister for some years. There are already ministers from Australia, South Africa, America and Sierra Leone working here, and Irish ministers and lay people are working in various parts of the world. The two-way traffic is an enrichment of ministry in both directions.
The Rev Winston Graham has announced his retirement from the office of secretary of the Conference with effect from next year, and this year the Conference designated his successor, the Rev Donald Ker. Mr Ker is currently serving as the superintendent of the Belfast Central Mission, and as Belfast District Superintendent.
The president of the Methodist Church in Ireland currently serves for one year only. A proposal that the term of office should be extended to three years has been examined by a working party, and Conference accepted its report that the disadvantages of such an extension would outweigh the advantages. The presidency is always held by a minister, but there are discussions to alter the church's constitution and appoint a lay leader alongside the ministerial president.
This year the president of the church is the Rev R Ivan McElhinney. The Conference had designated as his successor the Rev Roy Cooper.
The morning service to be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on June 25th will be led by the Rev Norman Brookes and members of the Lisbellaw circuit in Co Fermanagh. On the same day, RTÉ 1 will televise a morning service led by the Rev Richard Johnston and members of the Centenary Church in Dublin.
"Voices in Praise", the Youth Choir of the United Methodist Church in Friendship, Maryland, will be touring Ireland at the beginning of July.