Rev Steven Wild elected President of Methodist Conference

Rev Steven Wild

Rev Steven Wild, a Rochdale born minister, has been elected as the President of the Methodist Conference.

Now living in Cornwall, Steven said: “I am very humbled to have been elected as president. It is the highest honour you can be given in the Methodist Church so I am very honoured.”

Steven, who lived in Rochdale until he was 21, has served fifteen years in the circuit ministry. He decided at the age of 12 to become a Christian.

“I made the decision at 12 to become a Christian and to give my life to God and I was supported from the get go with that decision by all in Rochdale,” said Steven.

When asked who influenced him during his time in Rochdale, Steven could not pin point any specific person. He said: “I don’t think I can pin point anyone in particular or single anyone out because I was supported by a lot of people from Sunday school teachers to youth club leaders.”

Steven credits Rochdale for supporting him throughout his time here. He added: “I owe everything to Rochdale really. I grew up in a very humble home with very hard working and grounded parents and I still get a lot of support from Rochdale today.”

In 1998 Steven became Cornwall District Evangelism Enabler and the Connexional Evangelism Enabler Co-ordinator as well as working part time with the West Country TV presenting programmes about Christianity in the South West.

From 2004, he worked at Cliff College as a Director of Evangelism and tutor. He then returned to Cornwall in 2008 to become chairman of the Cornwall District.

Steven, who last visited Rochdale last month, will start his new role as President of the Conference when the Conference meets in Southport in June 2015.

He said: “I hope to show people that the church is a place of love and not a place of criticism like many think. I don’t have anything planned which will bring me back to Rochdale at the minute but within my role as president I will be coming back to Rochdale at some point.”

Steven's Rochdale-based friends are full of praise and admiration for him. Dean Sherriff, who has known Steven since he was 16 years old, described him as a “wonderful person” and said: “He is a wonderful person who does some truly amazing work. I feel he will be an excellent person to take on the role as president for the upcoming year. He left school with very few O-levels but got into the Methodist ministry based on the fact that he is a wonderful person and a wonderful Christian.”

Jean Spencer, who has known Steven for over 50 years, added: “It is absolutely wonderful news and it is well deserved.”