Ecumenism how it is done

Ecumenical work is carried out at all four administrative levels: Connexion, District, Circuit and Local. The District through its Ecumenical Officers and Ecumenical Panel will act as the channel of communication between Connexion, Circuit and Local as appropriate and give encouragement, support and advice for ecumenical work carried out at Circuit and Local levels.

It is at District level that there is the strongest link with the so-called Intermediate Bodies, the County Ecumenical Bodies that fall within the District’s geographical region. These are Gloucestershire, Greater Bristol, Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. Each county region has two people from the District, one designated the Assistant Ecumenical Officer who represent the Methodist Church on these County Bodies, attending their various Councils, Executives and Forums as required and providing a Methodist input to the work that is carried out by the County Body.

These county representatives are there to support circuits and local churches with encouragement and advice and to help in the sharing of what works well, and what doesn’t! in ecumenical practice and relationship. The District Ecumenical Officer co-ordinates the work across the region and through membership of the District Leadership and Policy Committee ensures that an ecumenical dimension is can be considered in all District Business.

As part of their advice to local churches Ecumenical Officers can supply or direct to a wide range of ecumenical resources. Many of these resources are now published on the websites of Churches Together in England, the individual denominations and County Bodies.

One aim of this website is to help you find these RESOURCES directly.

Another aim is to provide a means of sharing information and NEWS about ecumenical work throughout the District. For that your help is needed in two ways:

if you are part of an Churches Together group then please describe it briefly. It will be put on the Ecumenical Patnerships page
if you have news stories to share that will encourage of inspire others then again please describe these briefly. They will put on the Ecumenical News page

Send these by email to john.emmett@methodist.org.uk who will arrange for them to put onto this website. Thank you.

Ecumenism at Circuit Level.

Our District has one of the few but growing number of United Methodist-URC Ecumenical Areas in the country: Mid-Wiltshire and West Wiltshire. This United Area are a mix of united and single denomination churches that can come under the pastoral charge of either a URC or Methodist Minister. All the URC ministers in the area are given AM (Authorised to Serve) status and the area has a lead minister who can be from either denomination. For legal reasons one of the Methodist ministers in the area has to be the Superintendent but not necessarily the lead minister.

For all Circuits in the District currently considering realignment and amalgamation, it is an opportunity not to be missed, indeed laid upon us by our commitment to the Anglican-Methodist Covenant, to involve and inform our ecumenical partners in any decision-making at the earliest opportunity. Closer alignment of circuit and Anglican deaneries for instance will enable partnership to be set up more effectively for the resourcing of mission.

Many Circuits have churches that are in LEPs. The ministers of other denominations in these LEPs are invited to accept a recognised status in the Methodist Church. This can be either AM/D (Authorised to Serve) or Associate Minister SM/D. The Authorised to Serve AM for presbyteral and AD for diaconal roles would be the norm for an LEP. The Associate Minster SM/D (presbyteral/diaconal) is a relativly new status introduced for those in less formal and occasional roles in Churches Together groups. There is a standard form that the minister must fill in and get agreed by the Circuit Meeting and their relevant denominational approval process. Copies of these forms can be obtained from the Ecumenical Officers or downloaded from the Anglican-Methodist website. http://www.anglican-methodist.org.uk

more to follow

Local Ecumenism

Most ecumenical work in the District happens at the local level as churches work together sharing resources for mission to the area they serve. Much depends on there being good working relationships between the local church leaders and congregations. Historic divisive issues and suspicion have to be recognised and overcome. No one denomination has the resources to do everything and there is little justification for duplication of activities in a locality.

Local ecumenical work has various degrees of formal recognition. They vary from churches informally agreeing to work together on a particular project to churches forming a Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP).

An LEP is formally recognised and registered by the partner denomination and their intermediate County Body. They have to have an agreed written covenant (statement of intent) and a constitution which define relationships and responsibilities of the partners. Oversight is given by the intermediate body through support groups and persons, periodic reviews and involvement in whichever denominational procedure takes place when there is a change in ministerial appointment. For the Church of England, involvement in an LEP enables significant sharing of ordained ministry under the application Canon B44.

Types of LEP:

Single congregation LEPs worship in one building with ordained ministry provided by any or all of the participating denominations. A minister from another denomination in such a situation would be granted Authorised to Serve (AM) status. A Sharing Agreement has to be set up in this case to safeguard the resources and availability of all participating denominations, especially those who do not own the building, or those who have financially invested in it.
Multiple congregation LEPs worship in different buildings usually each having an ordained minister for each congregation. They are encouraged to see their buildings as a common resource for the mission of the church in that area.
Christian mission in the community rather than through church buildings, when set up ecumenically are usually LEPs. The most common examples are chaplaincies, in education, hospitals, industry, commerce etc
When new churches are set up in new housing areas there will always be a strong encouragement from county and denominational bodies to form an LEP often with denominational sharing the cost of buildings and ministry.
Less formal a partnership are the ‘Churches Together’ groups. These are when separate denominations in their own buildings with their own denomination placing the ordained minister, agree to do certain activities together. Even here, it is advisable for for these to have a covenant (statement of intent) and a constitution. These set out in writing the mutual understanding of what it means to work together.

more to follow

Inter-denominational

Most ecumenical activity is inter-denominational. It has a different emphasis at Connexional District, Circuit and Local level. As with all church activity, ecumenical co-operation in mission is largely delivered at the local level through congregations and individuals working together. The main role of Connexional, District and Circuit is to support that local mission and they do that is different ways.

At Connexional level general resources and advice is provided through the Connexional Ecumenical Officer (Revd Ken Howcroft) and the Development Officer (Mr Chris Sissons). They can be contacted directly especially if there are anomalous or difficult issues to be resolved. However it is best to try the District Ecumenical Officers first and to keep them informed of any direct contact with the Connexional officers. For most enquiries the initial information you will need can be found on either the Methodist Church website or the Anglican-Methodist website.

Through the Resourcing Mission Office in Manchester, Covenants, Constitutions and Sharing Agreements are scrutinised. These should be sent to that office for the attention of Mr Chris Sissons, copied to the District Ecumenical Officer.

At District level the Ecumenical Officer and Assistants for each county should be able to give advice or tell you where to find it. This website has been set up to help you do that for yourself.

At Circuit level it is the Superintendent and the Leadership Team who are responsible for ensuring proper resourcing and encouraging ecumenical activity throughout the Circuit. This is particular important when drawing up Church Profile and visit interviews when there is a change in ministerial appointment.

At Local level, that is where ecumenism is put into practice in the mission of the church. Churches may enter different kinds of relationships: LEP, Churches Together Group, Chaplaincy or ‘Fresh Expression’. There are various levels of formal recognition of such groupings. Hopefully the more robust the arrangement, the more likely the group can be sustained through changing circumstances and personal because of the commitment to each other is better agreed and overseen.

Help is needed from the local level to build up this website in two areas:

registering what local groups, formal and informal are in operation throughout the District.
sharing news stories of ecumenical activity that can be celebrated across District and shared as example of good, workable practice.

Please send a brief description, a couple of lines that’s all, to john.emmett@methodist.org.uk
more to follow

Inter-Faith

There is an opportunity for a someone to be the District Inter Faith Advisor and our representative on the SW Council of Faith.
more to follow

Regional Government

The District is represented on the South-West Churches Forum by Revd Ward Jones.
more to follow