The Revd Peter Meek, Moderator of the East Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church (URC), is due to retire at the end of 2019, and the Church has been seeking the right person to succeed him.

The group appointed to consider and interview candidates recently completed its work, and decided to nominate the Revd Geoffrey Clarke, presently Minister of The Crossing Church, Worksop and Wales Kiveton Methodist Church.

The group was impressed by many fine qualities in Geoffrey: his experience of 27 years of pastoral ministry; substantial spells of service as Synod Clerk in the North West and Deputy Moderator in the East Midlands, and the high respect he has gained in both these roles; deep and broad ecumenical understanding; detailed knowledge of the Synod, its structures and staffing, and many of its people and churches; thoughtful pastoral insight; and a tested and honest personal spirituality.

Geoffrey’s name will be brought to the URC's Mission Council in March, which has the power to ratify this nomination as a formal appointment of the Church.

The proposal will be that he begins his term as Moderator on 1 May 2020 for an initial term of seven years.

_{Picture: The Revd Geoffrey Clarke.
Published: 2 December 2019}