CTBI announces new Moderator of the Board of Trustees

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) is pleased to announce the appointment of the Revd Dr Adrian Burdon as the new Moderator of its Board of Trustees, succeeding the Revd Canon Graham Sparkes, who has served as Moderator since September 2020.

Adrian has been a presbyter in the Methodist Church in Britain since 1988 and brings extensive experience of ministry, mission and ecumenical work. He has served in a range of appointments in the UK and overseas, including as a Mission Partner in the Kingdom of Tonga, where he was Principal of the Methodist Theological College. He has also held several national roles within the Methodist Church in Britain and has chaired the CTBI Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Writers’ Group since 2016.

“I am delighted to take on the role of Moderator of CTBI. CTBI’s theological vision and ethos, rooted in our calling to be an inclusive, justice seeking Church, resonate deeply with my own understanding of the Church as an ordained minister in the Methodist Church in Britain. At a time when many people are pushed to the margins, silenced or treated as ‘other’, CTBI’s work to ensure that everyone has a place at the table and that every voice is heard is both vital and prophetic. This is not an optional extra; it is the work of the Gospel, reflecting the ways of a just God.

“I look forward to working with CTBI’s many partners across the four nations and across the breadth of our churches. I also pay tribute to my immediate predecessor, the Revd Canon Graham Sparkes. During his six years as Moderator, he brought substance and stability to CTBI’s work, while his strategic leadership established ways of working that embody our shared commitment to inclusion and justice. I am grateful for his gracious support during this transition and look forward to building on all that he has achieved.”

Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary of CTBI, said: “We are delighted to welcome Adrian as our new Moderator. His breadth of experience, from parish and circuit ministry to mission service overseas and national leadership roles within the Methodist Church, will be of enormous value to CTBI as we continue our work for unity, peace and social justice across Britain and Ireland. We are deeply grateful to our outgoing Moderator Graham for his years of wise and generous leadership, supporting and promoting effective collaboration between staff and trustees as a foundation for sustained and strategic engagement with our membership across all the jurisdictions in which we work.”

Adrian will chair the CTBI Board of Trustees as it continues to support and coordinate ecumenical work across the four nations, bringing together member churches and ecumenical bodies to promote collaboration, mission and justice. He took up the role from 21 September 2026.

About The Revd Dr Adrian Burdon

The Revd Dr Adrian Burdon has been a presbyter in the Methodist Church in Britain since 1988. After a first appointment in Rochdale, Adrian served as a Mission Partner in the Kingdom of Tonga where he was Principal of the Methodist Theological College. Returning to the UK in 2000, he has served as a Superintendent Minister in County Durham, Leeds, the Fylde Coast, Manchester and Shropshire. Adrian has chaired the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Writers’ Group since 2016. He has served in a number of positions with the Methodist Church in Britain at a national level. He has been a member of the Faith and Order Committee and convenor of its Liturgical Subcommittee, chair of the World Church Scholarship Programme and member of the Methodist Diaconal Order Support Group.