District Leading Team

District Leading Team

The District Leading Team ("DLT") exists to serve, guide and co-ordinate the life of the district. Its members are the legal and managing trustees of the district.

What are we responsible for?

As a district our, primary role is to equip our circuits, churches and people to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out their discipleship in worship and mission.
DLT meetings include a strong focus on implementing For Such A Time As This , our strategy for resourcing mission, including awarding grants linked to this.
Most of the day to day work of the district is led by a broad base of voluntary officers, various committees, and our staff team. More information about each of these is available on our website. The role of DLT is to oversee their work. We are also required to directly approve some significant local events, such as the opening or closing of chapels.
We aim for robust governance where this is required, whilst being flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.

How we work

DLT usually meets six times each year. Presently we meet on weekday evenings (usually on Zoom) but are alert to the need to be flexible with this to be accessible to new members.
Members of DLT are also members of our Representative Synod/ District Gathering, which meets twice each year – on Saturdays in April and September.
Whilst we have a strong staff team and skilled district officers, some members of DLT will sometimes take on extra responsibilities between meetings, if they have time and relevant expertise.

About our members

DLT is deliberately structured to include people undertaking specific key functions central to our work, plus people who inhibit a range of different local roles. In a time of great change for our churches, we will offer better strategic leadership if we include a diversity of theological perspectives, lived experiences, ordained/employed/lay ministries.
DLT members are committed to enabling and inspiring our circuits, churches and people to create missional change – our mission is learning, changing, and joining in

Current membership

• Chair of District: Revd Gill Newton
• DLT Secretary: Vacancy
• Deputy Chair of District: Revd Julie Coates
• Synod Secretary: Revd Margaret Mwailu
• Treasurer: Neil Harland
• Methodist Council Representative: Revd Romeo Pedro
• Lay Stationing Representative: Gill Daly
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Officer: Erica Dunmow
• Local Preaching and Worship Leading Officer: Revd Claire Rawlinson
• Superintendent Minister: Revd Sean Adair
• Individual involved in a new Christian community / Pioneer:  McCauley Key
• Employed Children, Families or Youth Worker: Vacancy
• Young person (aged 16-23): Vacancy
• Synod Elected Representatives x 2: Revd John Simms; David Burton
• Revd Jon Bellfield
• Note taker (non-voting member): Katrin Hackett