Beckly Lecture 2026

The Beckly Lecture is 100 years old this year. The Beckly Social Services Lecture takes place annually, as one of the fringe events at the Methodist Conference.

John Henry Beckly, a lay Wesleyan Methodist, founded the trust which is responsible for the lectures in 1926.

According to the original charter of the Beckly Trust "the function of the Lectureship shall be to set forth the social implications of Christianity and to further the development of a Christian sociology and the expressions of the Christian attitude in reference to social, industrial, economic and international subjects."

Jude Levermore, Head of Mission at The Connexional Team, shares her perspective on the lectures and on this years speaker.

"I wonder if John Henry Beckly, who founded the Beckly lectures as part of the Methodist Conference in 1926 could even begin to imagine the sort of fragmentation we see in the world today? Mind you, in 1926, world politics was defined by a global rise in authoritarianism through European coups, consolidation of fascist power, intense colonial unrest and landmark shifts in international diplomacy - sound familiar?

For its 100th anniversary, I’m really excited that my friend and colleague from the United Methodist Church, Roland Fernandes, will be giving the lecture.

The thing about Roland is not only that he talks the talk - he also lives it.

Now living and working in Atlanta, Georgia, in a hugely prestigious role in the UMC, Roland grew up as a Catholic in Kolkata (Calcutta), India. He’s a real example of quietly following God's call. Despite facing challenging personal circumstances during his youth, he earned a Master of Commerce degree from Calcutta University and completed his Chartered Accountancy certification (the British and Indian equivalent to a CPA) in just three and a half years, a rare feat.

Like me, Roland is a ‘accidental Methodist’. Like me he’s also a passionate one. After graduating from university, he saw a small job listing for an accountant at the "MCI" in a local Catholic newspaper. He admits that at the time, he didn't even know what the acronym "MCI" (Methodist Church in India) stood for. He took the job out of a desire to serve and, decades later, he joined the United Methodist Church.

I’ve worked with him for a good few years now as we struggle to join in God's Mission in ways that make sense in the world. One of the things I admire most about him is his leadership theology; it is explicitly built around calm and grace. One of the other things I admire him for is his devotion to Arsenal football club!

Despite holding the highest executive portfolio across multiple multi-million-dollar global UMC agencies, Roland remains full of a wonderful mix of common sense and kindness that’s born of having known hardship and struggle.

It seems to me he is just sort of person John Henry Beckly might imagine giving the 100th anniversary lecture. I know he won’t pull his verbal punches. (He has been extremely outspoken against the current US administration's directives targeting the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.) I know he will be brave and honest, I fear he may make me feel uncomfortable. He tells me he intends to engage honestly with the political currents of our moment - and refuse to let the Gospel be captured by any of them.

As we in the UK struggle in a world undergoing a complex period of transition, where economic resilience and rich cultural diversity contend with deep-seated cost-of-living strains and shifting political landscapes, this lecture could be transformative.

What I want to say is - do not miss this rare opportunity to hear Roland speak, his unique blend of global executive leadership, lived grace, and fearless honesty offers a truly catalytic blueprint for navigating our fractured world.

You can register and read more about the lecture and its history here: https://jpit.uk/beckly-lecture