Reynaldo Ferreira Leão Neto

Welcome – as the photo says in different languages. Getting to know the General Secretary:

Revd. Dr. Reynaldo Ferreira Leão Neto, known as Léo, is a Methodist minister originating from Brazil who served since 1996 at the Methodist Church in Great Britain. A son of the manse, he first ministered in Methodist educational institutions and in churches in poor areas of big cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In his last post with the MC in GB he was the Connexional Officer at the ecumenical and inter-religious desk and the Global Communities Officer for the diverse languages and cultures groups in Britain. This involved shared oversight for over 600 Local Ecumenical Partnerships and also, the creation of language specific congregations within the Connexion.

Léo was a Superintendent minister in Brent, London and minister at Harlesden Methodist Church for almost 9 years. In this post the church grew, there was a Popup Gospel Café and a Foodbank both run ecumenically, and a winter night shelter of sanctuary which ran in partnership with other faith communities under his leadership.

Before that he was a minister at the West London Mission, serving as a second minister at Hinde Street MC and as a Chaplain to the extensive Social Work Ministry of the Mission for 10 years. He led the Young People’s residential communities and proposed and ran the Spirituality in Action programme – SPA, that saw students and volunteers being a presence within the social ministry to the homeless, those in trouble with the justice system and those suffering from addiction.

As General Secretary of the World Methodist Council, his vision is for the Council to be an Association of member churches rooted in Christ and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17); the expression of which would be a Connexion of Connexions, supportive and accountable to each other, built as a fellowship/community, reconciled with each other and respectful of differences, united and connected in mission worldwide.

Léo is supported by his family, an extended family and friends, without which he would not be here.