New President of the Methodist Church in Ireland

Rev Dr John Alderdice with his wife, Ruth and children, Hannah and Daniel.

At its 2023 annual Conference, the Rev Dr John D Alderdice was designated as President of the Methodist Church in Ireland for 2024-25. He will be installed as President during the opening service of the 255th Conference of the Methodist Church in Ireland taking place this year at Assembly Buildings in Belfast from Wednesday 5th – Saturday 8th June.

John Alderdice was born into a Christian household in Ballymena in 1974. Consequent to his Father, the Rev Duncan Alderdice, also a Methodist Minister, being stationed on various circuits, John was educated at Fivemiletown Primary School, Malone Primary School and Fullerton House Preparatory School before attending Methodist College, Belfast and later studying Modern History at Queen’s University Belfast.

John was accepted for ministerial training at Edgehill College in 1995, where he studied for three years before being stationed on his first circuit in Richhill in 1998 and later ordained at the Methodist Conference in Belfast in 2000.

Through the years ministry has taken John from Richhill to Movilla Abbey and Comber. He has also served in the Queen’s University chaplaincy for five years before he was appointed as the Director of Ministry for the Methodist Church in Ireland between 2014-21. John currently serves as Circuit Superintendent of the recently amalgamated Belfast Central and South Circuit. John is also an Ecumenical Canon of Down Cathedral.

John’s Presidential theme for his twelve months in office is ‘For the transformation of the world’. From his experience and learning, John will be sharing more with the Methodist people, and with the Church as a whole, as to how the Holy Spirit transforms people and communities.

Speaking ahead of his installation, the Rev Dr Alderdice said:

“I see this as such a tremendous privilege and my hope and my prayer is that I’m able to serve in a way that builds on the last 25 or 30 years.”

Reflecting on the Church today, the Rev Dr Alderdice said:

“As I chat with sisters and brothers in other older denominations and even in some of the newer churches as well, there is a recognition that being followers of Jesus is going to be an ongoing challenge for decades to come.”

Elaine Barnett, Lay Leader Designate 2024-26

In his inaugural address on the evening of Wednesday 5th June, the Rev John Alderdice will reflect on Paul’s example of leadership found in 2 Corinthians
He will say:

“Let’s be real and understand that to most people the church is entirely irrelevant to their daily lives and circumstances. The cultural landscape is changing right in front of us, we need to be real. For many this change might be a threat, however, this context provides so many opportunities to share the transforming message of the good news of Jesus.”

He will go on to say:

“As church leaders, lay and ordained, from Methodism and beyond, oh, how we must pray for leadership across our churches that is gifted and equipped to help us understand where we are and how we are to fulfil God’s calling today.”

Married to Ruth they have two children, Hannah and Daniel.

Mrs Elaine M Barnett is designated as Lay Leader of the Conference for the Connexional years 2024-2026 and will also be installed on the evening of the 5th June.

The Service of Installation of Rev Dr John D Alderdice as President and Mrs Elaine Barnett as Lay Leader will take place on Wednesday 5th June, 7.30pm at Assembly Buildings, Belfast.