New leaders for Birmingham’s Methodists

The first of September is traditionally the day on which Methodist Chairs of District, Superintendents and Presbyters around the country take up their new posts. This is certainly true for Birmingham’s Methodists in 2022.

Following the retirement of Revd Ian Howarth, Revd Novette Headley will become Chair of the Birmingham Methodist District, which serves 139 Methodist churches from Lichfield in the north-east to Ross on Wye in the South West, on the first of September. Novette is no stranger to Birmingham itself, having been born and brought up in the Elmdon Methodist Circuit, which, along with the Asbury, South West and Moseley Road/Sparkhill Circuits, amalgamated to become the Birmingham Circuit in September 2011.

Novette’s 29 years of Methodist presbyteral ministry has included service in the London District and the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas. Between 2009 and 2014, she served as Birmingham District’s Presbyteral Synod Secretary and as part of the District Leadership Team. Until a year ago, Novette was Superintendent of the Leicester (West) Circuit and the Northampton District’s representative on the Methodist Council. From September 2021, she has been Superintendent of the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Circuit, a family of 40 churches and two Methodist/Anglican schools, plus outreach and social projects.

Novette was appointed Chair for the Birmingham District at the Methodist Conference in June 2021, the conference noting her giftedness and experience in supervising probationary ministers, in guiding congregations through critical periods of development and change, in administration, in visionary and strategic leadership and in passion for social justice. Novette will be welcomed to her new role at a special service at Coventry Central Hall, Warwick Lane CV1 2AH, on Saturday 3 September, beginning at 2.30pm. The welcome service will be led by Revd Jonathan Hustler, Secretary of the Methodist Conference. The preacher will be Revd Inderjit Bhogal.

In addition to Novette’s arrival as Chair of the Birmingham District, the Birmingham Methodist Circuit will have new co-Superintendents from 1 September in Revds Cleopas Sibanda and Farai Mapamula, and a new Lay Pastor in Ermine Mitchell. The Welcome and Commissioning Service for all three will take place at Solihull Methodist Church at 7.30pm on Wednesday 7 September.

Keep informed about the Birmingham District via its Facebook page HERE and about the Birmingham Circuit via its Facebook page HERE.