TWO Methodist ministers will be welcomed to the Forest of Dean at a special service on Sunday (September 3).

Rev Michelle Ireland will minister to the the churches at Aylburton, Clement’s End, Coalway, Lydney and Woolaston while Rev Jayne Webb’s patch will include Newent, Tibberton and Hartpury.

They will be officially welcomed by chair of the Bristol Methodist district – which includes Gloucestershire – Dr Jonathan Pye and the county’s Methodist superintendent, Rev James Tebbutt, at the service at

St John’s Northgate in Gloucester.

Rev Ireland is orginally from Devon and was ordained in 2009. She has served for 10 years around the Midsomer Norton area of Somerset.

She started worshipping at the local Methodist church in Newton Abbot, Devon while working as a primary school teacher and was part of a singing group which performed locally and internationally, including a tour of the United States.

She became a local preacher in 1994 but felt a ‘draw’ to do something different: “I enjoyed teaching and loved being in the classroom, but there was a draw to do something different.

“I gave up my job, did teaching supply work while waiting to see where God would lead.

“A year later a lay worker vacancy arose in the seaside area of Teignmouth.

“During the three years I was there I felt called to go into the Methodist ministry.”

Rev Ireland, whose husband Mark is a digital piano specialist, said: “Having been part of an ex-mining community for the last 10 years, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to serve in the Forest of Dean.

“I look forward to walking alongside people and seeing what God is already doing and where we are being led.”

Rev Webb is the new minister for Tewkesbury, Apperley, Newent, Hartpury and Tibberton.

Originally from Birmingham, she was ordained in 2006 and trained as a psychiatric nurse.

She worked as a ward sister and nurse tutor and after leaving the NHS she went on to further studies in psychology and leadership.

Rev Webb specialised in change leadership, team building and management psychology.

She said: “I received a strong call to become a Methodist minister almost 20 years ago.

“Five years after ordination, I completed a Master’s degree on monastic contemplative practice.

“During my previous appointment within the Southampton Methodist district, I helped facilitate change leadership and also developed a Celtic spiritual community called Heart and Soul which includes teaching, retreats plus quiet periods for contemplation and worship.

“I am really looking forward to getting to know people and to serving the church in the county by

exploring fresh ways of communicating the life-transforming message we have.”

The new appointments follow the retirements of Rev Heather Upton in south of the Forest and Rev Christopher Cory in the Newent area.