The International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities will meet in Methodist College, Belfast, from July 16th to 20th.
The association provides a forum at which Methodist institutions engaged in teaching at secondary and third levels may consult and exchange experiences. The administration of the association is based in the US, but member-colleges are to be found in all the continents. Some 150 delegates are expected to attend the gathering, and their programme will include presentations on a variety of subjects related to the development of education in the 21st century.
It will open with an ecumenical service of worship in which the leaders of the four main churches will participate and it will also include visits to political institutions in Belfast.
The Methodist system of limiting to eight years the period any minister may remain in one circuit (with some exceptions) means the first couple of weeks in July will witness the sometimes complicated business of getting all those moving that year from one circuit to another.
Dr Norman Taggart has retired from circuit ministry after seven years at Coleraine and will be replaced there by the Rev Alan Macauley, who moves from Dungannon. Mr Macauley's successor will be the Rev David Clements, who will be succeeded at Belvoir and Cairshill in Belfast by the Rev Robert Loney.
Mr Loney has been working in the Lisburn circuit, and his work there will be taken over by the Rev Clive Webster.
Following Mr Webster at Portadown is the Rev William Mackay, who leaves Cranagill.
The new minister at Cranagill will be the Rev Timothy Boocock, who has transferred to the Irish Conference from Britain.
The Rev Samuel Clements has also retired, and his place at Cullybackey, Co Antrim, will be taken by the Rev Edward McDade. He leaves Pettigo, where his successor will be the Rev Norman Cardwell, who has completed his training at Edgehill College. The Rev Elizabeth Hewitt will be without pastoral charge for the coming year, and the Rev Alan Meara is going to Ballynahinch.
Mr Meara has been superintending the Dublin Central Mission, and the work of that mission will be taken over by the Rev John Stephens.
Mr Stephens has been working for some years as chaplain to several third-level colleges in Dublin, but a scheme of co-operation with the Presbyterian Church means his successor will have responsibility only in UCD. He is the Rev Stephen Skuce, an Irish minister who has spent the last four years serving with the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka.
The Rev David Neilands, who has been secretary of the Department of Youth and Children's Work, is moving to Methodist College where he will serve as chaplain and head of religious education. The new secretary of the DYCW is the Rev David Rock, who will be replaced at Whiteabbey by the Rev Heather Robb. Miss Robb's work at the South Derry Mission has been taken over by the Cookstown circuit.
There is an exchange in Dublin, where the Rev Graham Hamilton leaves Wesley College and goes to the Dublin South Circuit and the Rev Nigel Mackey goes from Dublin South to the college.
Similarly the Rev William Lavery of Glenavy and the Rev Leslie Spence of Seymour Hill, near Finaghy, exchange appointments.
The only complete circle of changes involves four ministers: the Rev Robert Russell from Ballynafeigh to Donaghadee; Dr Brownlec Glenny from Donaghadee to Holywood; the Rev Brian Sweeney from Holywood to Lurgan; and the Rev Wesley Blair from Lurgan to Ballynafeigh.
Dr Sahr Yambasu leaves Wicklow to go to Galway. From Edgehill College the Rev Heather Bell goes to Cavehill, and the Rev Paul Ritchie to Lisnakea. The Rev John Nelson has retired from the chaplaincy of Campbell College.
The president of the church, the Rev Harold Good, returns from an official visit to South Africa next week, and on July 15th will be preaching at the churches in Portrush and Portstewart.