Methodist Conference New President Urges Churches to Centre on Holy Spirit

The Methodist Conference 2005 is currently taking place from 25-30 June at the Riviera Centre, Torquay. On Saturday afternoon, the Conference begun with the induction of the new president and vice president for the session 2005. In the Presidential address, the priorities of the Methodist Church this year were spelled out. Amid dark times for evangelism across Britain, Methodists have been called to centre on the Holy Spirit and the word of God in church life.

The incoming President Revd Tom Stuckey expressed heart-felt gratitude to all those who had supported him, speaking to the 384 representatives and the packed public gallery at the Riviera Centre.

Revd Stuckey stated that the direction of his presidency would be built on the foundation of his two immediate predecessors. The Revd Dr. Neil Richardson had talked about a Christ-centred Church, while Revd Will Morrey spoke a year before about a God who listens.

Revd Stuckey clearly identified the two priorities of the Church. First of all, to develop the faith in evangelism that God truly interferes with our lives. On the other hand, he encouraged churches to explore fresh expression of being a Church, as suggested on the Mission-Shaped report published by the Church of England last year.

Regarding evangelism, Revd Stuckey said, "Talk about God works best when it stimulates talk with God."

"Evangelising and spirituality are inter- dependent. There is a single word which encapsulates ‘conversation with God’. It is the word ‘theology’. ... I believe we shall become a God-centred Church when we genuinely engage in theology."

On the other hand, Revd Stuckey stressed on the importance of listening to God, in the context of exploring a fresh expression of the Church. He said, "We must listen more carefully to the Holy Spirit who is speaking to us both within and beyond the Church."

He continued with a biblical and theological account for the work of the Holy Spirit. Quoted the remarkable passage in Ezekiel 37, Rev Stuckey deeply reflected that the Methodism in Britain has focused on laying down structures, clear priorities and plans over the past few years and therefore the skeleton is built very well. However, he said, "all these do not give life...only the Word of God and the Holy Spirit can energise."

Rev Stuckey spoke about God’s calling to Methodism for a radical change. The Church needs to repent and be revived by the Holy Spirit.

"Word and Spirit need each other," he said. "When the Word is without the Spirit the Church dries up. When the Spirit is without the Word the Church blows up. When Word and Spirit come together the Church grows up. If we are to recapture vision we must give attention to theology and the work of the Holy Spirit."

Rev Stuckey reminded the delegates of the heritage of Methodism, which arose as a missionary movement, "The founder John Wesley focused upon the Spirit of God burning like a fire in the hearts of converted individuals, renewing the Church, firing communities and spreading until scriptural holiness covers the whole earth. His vision was of the restoration and renewal of all things through grace."

He pointed out that Christianity is growing in many countries, especially in the Southern hemisphere and even in Britain there is still a thirst for spirituality. Methodists should therefore find ways to recapture its foundation as a missionary movement, and to remember, "Mission is seeing what God is doing in the world, and joining in."

Rev Stuckey finished by saying that Methodism "stands on the threshold of a new discovery of itself. Come Holy Spirit. Disturb our complacency. Drive away our fears."