Methodist Youth President Election Results
07 January 2021
Following the election held online in December as part of 3Generate365, the Methodist Children and Youth Assembly, it has been announced that the next Youth President will be Daud Irfan, aged 21, from Cardiff.
Daud will become the new Youth President for the connexional year 2021/22 at a service to be held this autumn. On receiving the news of his success, Daud commented; “I would like to thank all the children and young people who took part in the voting process. I feel honoured to have been elected. I am humbled that God has blessed me with this responsibility and I am excited to see what the coming year holds.
“The focus of my year will be on God’s Church being a home for all. While, as a nation, we try to overcome the grip of Covid and pray steadfastly for world peace, as a Church we need to stand together in unity not only for our local churches but for our communities as a whole.”
The Methodist Youth President is a salaried position working full-time for one year to serve the children and young people of the Methodist Church in Britain. The role involves meeting and representing the young Methodist people to ensure that their voices are heard and to help them be involved in every aspect of Church life.
The Revd Dr. Stephen Wigley, Chair of the Wales Synod of the Methodist Church who supported Daud, commented: “I am delighted to hear the news of Daud Irfan’s election. I have known Daud for some 15 years since he and his family arrived in Cardiff. His experience will enable him to enrich and encourage both young Christians and the wider Church in his year as Youth President.”
Daud’s father, Revd Irfan John, is a Synod Enabler for culturally diverse congregations with the Wales Synod. Revd Irfan commented: “For myself and Daud’s mother, Raheela, it is a huge honour to see Daud elected into the position of Methodist Youth President. It's a fruit of our upbringing as God graced us according to His word. As a minister, I want to encourage Daud to work faithfully in the year ahead and I pray that he will be a blessing for many young people.”
The current Methodist Youth President, Phoebe Parkin, commented: “My prayers and congratulations are with Daud on his success. Daud will be taking on this role at an important time when we hope that society and our Church will be leaving Covid behind and looking to renewal and rebuilding. It will be important for children and young people to have their voices heard as part of this.”