Our Minister

Rev'd Cathy Bird

Having previously worked in social policy and research, Cathy was ordained as a Presbyter in the Methodist Church in 1997. She has worked in Tottenham, Kings Cross, Marylebone (where she also served as part of the ecumenical Chaplaincy Team at the University of Westminster) and most recently as Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Church in the inner London Borough of Hackney.
Cathy served for 15 years as part of the World Methodist Council during which she Chaired its Committee for Social and International Affairs. She currently serves as a lead member of the national Methodist Church Complaints team. Cathy is passionate about a social gospel and is committed to the Church's work with refugees and migrants and the most vulnerable in society. She has recently completed the Cambridge Inter Faith Programme for Senior Faith Leaders and is committed to all opportunities for inter-faith dialogue and action. She has been active in Citizens UK and the City of Sanctuary movement and has recently been involved in starting a new network for Methodists interested in social activism.
Cathy is an experienced Spiritual Director, mentor, life coach and leader of retreats as well as being a writer of liturgy and hymns – her work has been used widely in various forms of worship and published in 'The Preacher' (Journal of the College of Preachers), 'Magnet' and the Methodist Recorder. She has spent several winter weeks in recent years in the most northerly inhabited place in the world, Svalbard, where for several months of the year they experience the Polar Night of perpetual darkness. From these visits emerged her book 'The Divine Heart of Darkness' published in December 2017 by Sacristy press. Check out her website www.divineheartofdarkness.com