Rev John Howard

Driven by a lifelong Christian commitment to addressing social injustice and poverty through non-violent civil action, John Howard’s forty-year ministry has focused on bridging divides and fostering mission in multiple areas of deprivation.

This work has included serving as Chair of the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District, leading a long-term partnership with the Methodist Church of Rwanda over seven visits, and serving as a human rights observer in Palestine.

Following this, John spent two years living in Bethlehem as the British Methodist Church’s representative at the World Methodist Council’s Jerusalem Liaison Office.

Since retiring to Middleton-in-Teesdale in 2019 with his wife of nearly fifty years, Mary—with whom he share three children and three grandchildren—John has remained highly active in regional church leadership, including serving as an Acting Superintendent.

In his spare time, he volunteers on the Stainmore steam railway and is an avid skier and mountaineer who has completed the Scottish Munros.