Irish Methodists hold annual four-day Belfast conference with Biblical theme 'Living by Letters'

Rev Dr Janet Unsworth, 58, currently serves as director of the ministries' team for the Methodist Church in Ireland and brings more than 25 years of experience in ministry and leadership across the Irish Methodist conference.

She previously served as superintendent minister of the Newry Methodist circuit before being appointed director of studies, and later principal, of Edgehill Methodist theological college in Belfast.

Prior to ordained ministry, she served as children’s work secretary for the Methodist Church in Ireland.

In her conference address, Dr Unsworth reminded delegates that St Paul, in his letter of recommendation to the Christian people of Corinth, indicated such letters were written by the 'Holy Spirit' as a letter from Christ to the world.

"This picture of a ‘living letter’ is a reminder of how each follower of Jesus Christ is called to be a vibrant, living expression of God’s Spirit, an ‘ambassador of Christ’ to others," said Dr Unsworth, who was installed at a service on Thursday night.

Throughout her long ministry, Rev Dr Unsworth has contributed extensively to Methodist life. She is a long-standing trustee/governor and former chairperson of the board at Methodist College, Belfast.

An Irish Methodist president serves a period of one year.

Methodism is a global evangelical denomination with an estimated 80 million adherants in 138 countries. There are are just over 200 Methodist congregations.

Mrs Laura Griffith, a member of Whiteabbey Methodist church in Newtownabbey mission circuit for 36 years, was installed as the Methodist church's primary lay leader for the coming year.

Mrs Griffith, a senior radiographer with attachment to Ballyclare HIgh School, was secretary of Methodist Women in Ireland and has represented her church on the British Methodist conference.

The conference is the governing body of Irish Methodism and reports from the various church boards were fully considered by delegates over the four days, aside from sessions of prayer, worship, teaching and discernment.

The Rev Martin Mujinga, general secretary of the African Methodist Council, was guest Bible teacher at the conference. Representatives of the Methodist Church in Britain and visitors from other Christian denominations in Ireland were also present.

The supreme court of the Church is the final authority in the Methodist Church in Ireland on all matters of doctrine, worship, discipline and order.

The first Methodist conference in Ireland was called by Methodist founder John Wesley, a former CoE cleric, in Limerick in 1752.

The Irish Conference had been chaired by the successor of John Wesley, the President of the Methodist Church in England, until recently. In the last number of years the Church has elected a President annually, who chairs the Conference and other committees throughout the year, as well as visiting Methodist congregations all over the island and representing the Church in the public sphere.

Methodism is a global evangelical denomination with an estimated 80 million adherants in 138 countries.

There are are just over 200 Methodist congregations, with an estimated membership close to 40,000.