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{{Short description|Wesleyan Methodist church in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
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|theology = [[Wesleyan]] [[Methodist]]
|polity = [[Connexionalism]]
|leader =
|fellowships =
|associations = [[World Council of Churches]], [[World Methodist Council]], [[Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe]]
|area = [[Ireland]]
|website = {{URL|http://www.irishmethodist.org}}
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}}
{{Methodism}}
The '''Methodist Church in Ireland''' (
For the year ending 31 December 2012, there were 105 Methodist ministers, 227 local preachers and over six hundred lay people in leadership positions serving over 200 congregations, which combine to form a total community of 49,394 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishmethodist.org/membership-and-minister-statistics|title=Membership and Minister Statistics |website=www.irishmethodist.org }}</ref>{{update inline|date=January 2020}} The governing body of the Methodist Church in Ireland is the annual Conference.
==History==
{{incomplete|history of the Methodist Church in Ireland|date=November 2023}}
Methodism was founded in England by [[John Wesley]] and his younger brother [[Charles Wesley]] during the 18th century, initially as a movement within the [[Church of England]]. John Wesley visited Ireland on twenty-one occasions between 1747 and 1789.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dudley Levistone |last=Cooney |title=The prophet of experience |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-prophet-of-experience-1.362632 |access-date=19 January 2020 |
[[Wesleyan theology]] remained close to the Anglican criteria of scripture, tradition and reason.{{when?|date=November 2023}}
▲Methodism was founded in England by [[John Wesley]] and his younger brother [[Charles Wesley]] during the 18th century, initially as a movement within the [[Church of England]]. John Wesley visited Ireland on twenty-one occasions between 1747 and 1789.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dudley Levistone |last=Cooney |title=The prophet of experience |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-prophet-of-experience-1.362632 |access-date=19 January 2020 |work=[[The Irish Times]] |date=14 June 2003 |language=en}}</ref>
==Methodist belief==
{{Main|Wesleyan theology}}
The Methodist Church as part of the worldwide church shares those core beliefs which it believes to have been passed down from the time of the Apostles. Those beliefs are founded on the Bible and are summed up in the creeds, which are regularly used in Christian services of
It is widely considered that the Protestant Reformation focused on three main matters of belief: the supreme authority of scripture; salvation by faith through faith in Christ, and; the priesthood of all believers. The Methodist Church affirms the importance of these matters.
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===Classes===
The small group (or 'class') has long been an organisational mainstay of Methodism. While now operating under a number of different names, such as Alpha Home groups, prayer triplets, or Bible studies, their essential purpose remains the same: the mutual encouragement and strengthening of church members through close fellowship.
===Societies and circuits===
These small groups gather, along with other people, to worship together on Sunday and "to work and witness in the community throughout the week". These congregations (or 'societies') can be linked with up to six or seven other congregations in the local area to form a 'circuit'. The direction of a circuit is guided by the Circuit Executive, composed of one senior minister ('Circuit Superintendent'), other ministers, local preachers and a group of leaders from the member congregations.
===Districts===
There are
▲There are 73 Methodist circuits on the island of Ireland, which have been gathered into eight 'districts' to co-ordinate and motivate at a more general geographical level. Each district appoints a Superintendent and a Secretary to oversee the work and provide pastoral support to clergy.
===Conference===
The [[Annual conferences within Methodism|annual Conference]] is usually held over the second weekend of June each year. There are several boards and departments which work at the Connexional level to serve individuals and the Methodist Church in Ireland as a whole. Each year Conference elects an administrative and representative president for 12 months.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.irishmethodist.org/who/structures.htm |title=Irish Methodist.org – Structures |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050107210759/http://www.irishmethodist.org/who/structures.htm |archive-date=7 January 2005 |website=www.irishmethodist.org }}</ref>▼
▲The annual Conference is usually held over the second weekend of June each year. There are several boards and departments which work at the Connexional level to serve individuals and the Methodist Church in Ireland as a whole. Each year Conference elects an administrative and representative president for 12 months.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.irishmethodist.org/who/structures.htm |title=Irish Methodist.org – Structures |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050107210759/http://www.irishmethodist.org/who/structures.htm |archive-date=7 January 2005 |website=www.irishmethodist.org }}</ref>
==Social action and education==
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===Social action===
The church has an emphasis on social action in society. One of the church's mottoes is that the organisation is "Friends of all, enemies of none". The Methodist Church maintains a number of "City Missions". Work carried out by the City Missions includes listening services, homeless help, retirement and nursing homes and various other self-help groups. Strongly emphasised is that the relief of social and personal needs are addressed irrespective of creed. The Methodist Church attempts to make a proactive contribution to society as a whole through its Council on Social Responsibility, World Development & Relief Committee and Home missions department. The Church can also claim a positive contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.
==== LGBTQ Issues and Same-sex marriage ====
The Methodist Church of Ireland does not permit same-sex marriages.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-06-30 |title=Irish Methodist Church will not permit same-sex marriages |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57671828 |access-date=2024-06-18 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Irish Methodist Church reaffirms marriage is ‘between man and woman’ after UK vote |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/irish-methodist-church-reaffirms-marriage-is-between-man-and-woman-after-uk-vote-1.4609193 |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> In 2024, the Methodist Church voted to apologise to the LGBTQ community for "all forms of homophobia," while also voting to reaffirm that the church defines marriage as heterosexual, "between one man and one woman."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Linehan |first=Alice |date=2024-06-10 |title=Methodist Church in Ireland apologises to LGBTQ+ community but fails to allow same-sex marriage |url=https://gcn.ie/methodist-church-ireland-apologises-lgbtq-community/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=GCN |language=en}}</ref> The church also accepted a report that "recommended individual churches and their councils could decide if people in same-sex relationships could serve in leadership roles," but an amendment reaffirming that sexual intercourse is reserved for marriage made it unclear if the recommendation would be implemented.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Methodist Church in Ireland apologises to LGBT community |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ggnqlp46xo |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> The amendment stating that “faithfulness in marriage and celibacy outside of it” is “a standard for spiritual leadership and teaching roles" was approved with 56% in favour and 46% opposed.<ref name=":0" />
===Education===
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===Children's and youth work===
Methodism has a long tradition of organised youth work, currently instigated and supported by the Irish Methodist Youth and Children's Department [IMYC] (formerly Department of Youth and Children's Work). The first full-time general secretary was appointed over thirty years ago. IMYC exists to establish links between the Church and children and young people, so that every generation in the church's life is appreciated and listened to. This involves representing and advocating youth and children's issues within the whole life of the Church as well as providing training to ministers and youth and children's workers.
The current general secretary is Gillian Gilmore, and her predecessors have included: Rev Dr David Rock, Rev David Neilands; Rev Dr Johnston McMaster, Rev Winston Good and Rev John Knox, the department's first general secretary. Current members of staff are: Dani Lorimer (Office Administrator), Lisa Best, & Gemma Barclay (Youth Ministry), Amy Anderson (Communications) & Leanne Hill (Training & Development). Previous members of staff include: Rev Dr Janet Unsworth, Jill McVitty, Kerry Scarlett, Janette McCormick,
It offers a year out discipleship and evangelism programme known as Team on Mission (TOM) which is currently in its 31st year, members including Amy McSharry, Sara Fullerton and Aaron Sweeney; TOM succeeded the older programme known as Youth Evangelism Team (YET). The
<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.youth.ie/members/methodist_dycw |title=Methodist Church Department of Youth and
===''The Methodist Newsletter''===
''[[The Methodist Newsletter]]'' is a newsletter produced by the Methodist Church in Ireland every month (except August).
==Contribution to Northern Ireland Peace Process==
[[File:Methodism Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|thumb|Map of Methodist population in Northern Ireland ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]]). The Methodist population is highest in [[County Fermanagh]]; south [[County Antrim]] and [[Belfast]]; the [[Ards Peninsula]]; and the [[Upper Bann (Assembly constituency)|Upper Bann]] valley]]
===Eric Gallagher===
[[Eric Gallagher]]
===Gordon Wilson===
Wilson declared at the end of his interview that he forgave his daughter's killers and urged loyalist paramilitaries not to take revenge for her death. This was seen as a turning point in the peace process, that somebody so soon after such a disaster was able to forgive his own daughter's murderers.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.soetrust.co.uk/p/gordon-wilson/ |title=Spirit of Enniskillen Trust – Gordon Wilson (includes audio file of Mr Wilson forgiving his attackers) |access-date=17 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406051947/http://www.soetrust.co.uk/p/gordon-wilson/ |archive-date=6 April 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His contribution was honoured when he was invited to take a seat in [[Seanad Éireann]] by request of the [[Taoiseach]] in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/S/0144/S.0144.199506270002.html |title=Seanad Éireann – Volume 144 – 27 June 1995 Death of Senator Gordon Wilson – Expression of Sympathy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607063131/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/S/0144/S.0144.199506270002.html |archive-date=7 June 2011 }}</ref>
===Harold Good===
In 2005,
==Ecumenical relations==
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==Into the future==
In 1998 The Methodist Church in Ireland embarked on a period of reflection on its position within Irish Society which it called 'Dreaming Dreams'. Although in many areas of the country the Church is increasing in numbers it is aware that as a whole numbers are decreasing in church membership across the country in every denomination.
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* Rev. John Arthur Walton (father of Nobel Physics prize winner Ernest Walton)
* Rev. [[John Robertson (Irish minister)|John Robertson]] (1929)
* Rev. William Henry Massey (
* Rev. W. E. Morley Thompson (
* Rev. [[Eric Gallagher]] (1967)
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev. Kenneth Lindsay (2012–2013)
* Rev. Dr. Heather Morris (
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev.
* Rev. Tom McKnight (2020–2021)
* Rev. Dr Sahr Yambasu (
* Rev. David Nixon (2022–2023)
* Rev. David Turtle (2023–2024), President Elect
==Gallery==
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==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity
* [[History of Christianity in Ireland]]
{{clear}}
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{{Northern Ireland topics}}
{{Christianity in the United Kingdom}}
{{CPCE}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Methodist Church in Ireland}}
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