Relationships with other denominations

LATEST NEWS
 

16 July 2009

Methodists celebrate their shared identity with all Christians

The Methodist Church has reiterated its commitment to ecumenical relationships at the Conference in Wolverhampton.

In a vision statement the Methodist Church commits itself to worshiping, learning and working with other Christians wherever and whenever possible.

Christine Elliott, Secretary for External Relationships, said, “This is about sharing the Christian gospel together with partner Churches to make a difference in the 21st century and expressing our identity as Methodists in new ways.”

The vision statement includes a commitment to pray, worship and work with people from other Churches regularly. It also affirms the Church’s dedication to learning with other Christians about our common faith and heritage in order to support mutual growth.

8 July 2009

Debated at Methodist Conference today - 'Responding to an Anglican-Methodist Covenant' - read Embracing the Covenant,  the 2008 report.  You can also read In the Spirit of the Covenant (2005) and Living God's Covenant (2007). 

19 May 2009

First meeting of the Methodist Anglican Panel  for Unity in Mission (MAPUM).

The first meeting of MAPUM took place on 29 and 30 April 2009 at The Royal Foundation of St Katharine, Limehouse.  The Panel is a merger between the Anglican Council for Christian Unity's Local Unity Panel and the Methodist Committee for Local Ecumenical Development.  A heavy agenda included:

• Provision of hospitality for Black Majority Churches
• An Anglican report 'Partners in God's Ecumenical Mission' about the current status of Local Ecumenical Partnerships
• A new process for the approval of LEP constitutions
• Recovery of assets following the termination of a Sharing Agreement
• Light Touch Ecumenism
• Local Implementation of the Anglican Methodist Covenant

The photograph shows the co-chairs of the panel at St Katharine's.  They are Bishop Nigel Stock (left) and Reverend Gareth Powell.

13 February 2009

Ecumenical Exchange between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Namur in Belgium and the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

Each year since 1983, the Ecumenical Commission of the Roman Catholic diocese of Namur, covering the south eastern portion of Belgium, has invited a church of a different confession from a neighbouring country to send it a small group to present their Christian witness to the diocese. It has also been the custom of the Commission to send a small group from its own membership to visit the church concerned beforehand. The aim has been to form as rounded an understanding as possible of the partner church and its style of mission and service.

For the Week of Prayer of 2009, the Namur ecumenical commission chose the British Methodist Church as its partner, approaching David Carter, a Methodist local preacher with previous knowledge of and contacts with the Catholic Church in Belgium, as preacher for their diocesan unity service. From his end, he sought the blessing and support of his church through its World Church Office, responsible for relationships with overseas churches, both Methodist and of other confessions. This article is an account of the visit by a Belgian delegation to London and the return visit, during the Week of Prayer 2009, of a small group from British Methodism to the diocese of Namur.

The photograph above shows the Methodist group at the Ecumenical Office in Rochefort, January 2009. They are from right to left, Revd Alison Geary, superintendent minister and formerly minister of the joint Roman Catholic-Methodist church in Nelson, Revd Harvey Richardson, superintendent minister of the Croydon Circuit and chair of the Methodist European Reference Group, and David Carter.
 

19 January 2009

Receptive Ecumenism and Ecclesial Learning: Learning to Be Church Together
Ecumenical scholars and practitioners gathered with Church leaders at Ushaw College, Durham, for a 4-day colloquium on ‘Receptive Ecumenism and Ecclesial Learning: Learning to Be Church Together’. This was the second international conference and built on the initiative of the Centre for Catholic Studies of the University of Durham with contributors from the Orthodox, Anglican, Reformed and Pentecostal traditions, including lecturers from Australia, Canada and the USA. Papers given at the first conference have been published in Receptive Ecumenism and the Call to Catholic Learning: Exploring a Way for Contemporary Ecumenism edited by Paul D. Murray (OUP 2008).

The aim of the conference was to focus attention on the fresh ecumenical strategy that Receptive Ecumenism represents in order to subject it to critical scrutiny. Receptive Ecumenism asks ‘what can we and what need we learn from our others for the sake of our further flourishing?’ The conference explored the implications of this in relation to a broad range of Christian traditions to help further its relevance to local church life.

The colloquium was organised and jointly hosted by the Centre for Catholic Studies and Ushaw College in association with Churches Together in England, the Ecclesiological Investigations Research Network, the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and the Society for Ecumenical Studies.

(This article is from Churches Together in England’s E-News.)
 

17 November 2008

Education Sunday, 8 February 2009, is an opportunity to acknowledge and support the role of teachers, especially those in our congregations, with prayer. This year's theme asks some challenging questions: 'The earth is the Lord's'. How then shall we teach? What is education for? Is it simply about wealth creation, or is it also about wellbeing? Does it train pupils only to compete effectively as individuals, or can education prepare us to live in more sustainable relationships with our fellow human beings, and with the ecosystems on which we depend so completely?

17 November 2008

Sense Making Faith. Observing Lent through the senses. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) will again partner BBC Radio 4 and BBC Local Radio to provide a rich worship and prayer resource for Lent 2009. This time, the CTBI/BBC Sense Making Faith Lent project will enable people to make their Lenten journey accompanied and inspired by worship, prayer and reflections prompted by the senses. 'Sense Making Faith' by Anne Richards and published by CTBI provides a starting point and theme for Lent 2009, and is itself a resource for spiritual exploration. 'In meeting Jesus through the senses we will find that we are drawn to the feast with him, to respond to him, to become involved in acts of love, to worship.' (Anne Richards). Supporting materials will be available for those who wish to study and pray during the six weeks of this important Christian season. 

17 November 2008

The Leveson Centre for the study of Ageing, Spirituality and Social Policy has recently produced two new publications which will be of interest to clergy and lay people in churches of all denominatiions; A Mission-shaped Church for Older People? and Celebrating Age in Worship. Both publications contain very practical information and advice for use with older members of congregations. They are available in printed versions and pdf.

17 November 2008

CLIMATE CHANGE:ECEN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, met in Triuggio near Milan to consider the theme of 'The real challenge of climate change' building on the role that ECEN had in the CEC/CCEE Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu in 2007. For more information see the CEC website and the press release posted at the CPCE website.

17 November 2008

The European Methodist Council had its annual meeting this year in the Italian Methodist Church's Ecumene Centre at Velletri in the hills outside Rome. The meeting was chaired by Bishop Hans Växby of the United Methodist Church in Eurasia and Colin Ride of the British Methodist Church's World Church Relationships. Representatives came from across the continent and guests were welcomed from the Europe District of the Korean Methodist Church. Key topics for discussion included climate change, inter-faith relations, migration, religious freedom and religious rights. A six page special in the 16 October issue of the Methodist Recorder, by Managing Editor Moira Sleight, included reports from member churches in Northern, Central and Southern Europe and Eurasia. If any readers would like a copy of the Methodist Recorder please contact Colin Ride at WCO: Europe@methodistchurch.org.uk



 

 

 

15 October 2008

Launch of new web resource encourages Methodists to get to grips with ecumenism

The Methodist Church in Britain today launched a new web resource offering information and guidance about how churches of various denominations work together to serve their communities. It offers a variety of information, from a basic introduction to ecumenical work to more detailed practical guidance about how to get involved.

Chris Sissons, based at the Methodist Resourcing Mission Office in Manchester, said "When churches work together, sharing their vision and resources, it benefits entire communities all over the world. This is about owning and developing the work that all churches do at local, national and international levels. We want to demystify ecumenism and encourage people to find out what's going on, from their locality to churches internationally, and get involved."  

12 September 2008

Training Course for Recently Appointed Ecumenical Officers

This course is organised annually by Churches Together in England. This year it is from Tuesday noon to Thursday lunchtime, 3-5 March 2009 at Launde Abbey, Leicestershire. It is for:

• Recently-appointed County Ecumenical Officers
• Recently-appointed Denominational Ecumenical Officers
• Ecumenical facilitators who wish to build on their experience

Follow this link for more information.


12 September 2008

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 

18-25 January 2009 Reconcile Your People. Each year the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is developed by one country which produces outline material that is adapted for use in other parts of the world. Korea is the selected country for 2009 and they have chosen Ezekiel 37:15-28 which draws on insights from the Korean experience of a divided nation. As in previous years this has been adapted by a writers group from the four nations.


23 July 2008

A church response to social disorder linked to gangs, drugs, guns and knives is published and launched

Churches Together in England has just launched ‘Who is my Neighbour?’ This report is an expression of our churches’ deep concern about negative gang-related social disorder and violent crimes; their effects upon society at large, particularly the young; and the perspectives of the churches on and contributions to finding solutions. The report aims to quantify and value the contribution of the churches in addressing gang-related social disorder, reveal gaps in thinking and provision and provide churches with guidelines of good practice. It also aims to identify partnership opportunities to better address the issue. Visit the CTE website for more information.

 

8 July 2008

Methodist Conference and the URC Assembly in 2008 both voted on a District Resolution to pursue closer working between the two churches. Methodist Conference voted to direct Methodist Council to engage in further conversations with the URC in order to further enhance collaboration over mission, outreach and unity. Go to Methodist URC Collaboration for more information.

 

8 July 2008

The quinquennial report 'Embracing the Covenant' of the Joint Inplementation Commission (JIC) for the Anglican-Methodist Covenant has been commended to the Methodist people for "study, action and response".  Copies of the report can be obtained by seaching for the title from Methodist Publishing House.

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4 July 2008 

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has put together a programme of resources to encourage and assist churches to observe a Time for Creation in 2008, between 1 September and 4 October. Our theme for 2008 is Hope for Creation: a time for worship and action. Scientists and campaigners sometimes paint such an apocalyptic image of a future dominated by climate change that many are near to losing all hope. Some believe our hope lies in technical innovation, new regulatory frameworks, or political action. However, today it is being recognised increasingly that we also need a deeper and more profound change, and these materials are based on the hope that we have as Christians, based ultimately in God's good plans for his creation, the cosmic scope of Christ's saving work, and the Spirit's renewing power at work within and through human beings. All the material is available as free downloads. Some resources will be available in Welsh, Irish and Scots Gaelic, in addition to English.

 

26 June 2008

The letter A Common Word, addressed to Christian leaders around the world, and signed by 138 Muslim scholars, is an important contribution to Christian-Muslim relations and dialogue. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has produced a publication that will be a resource for churches and individuals who wish to explore these issues more deeply and who wish take the opportunity the letter affords to develop local inter faith relations. This publication gives the background to the letter, offers a commentary on the issues that lie behind it and suggests resources for further reading and activity.

 

March 2008

‘How to Make it Work’ is a new website resource for use with partnership working between the Methodist and United Reformed Churches. This is an up-to-date version of the booklet of the same name. Districts, circuits and local churches involved in work with the URC are encouraged to add this link to their website.

 

 

March 2008

Local Preachers and Readers: Sharing two ministries by John Cole compares and contrasts two roles and finds them surprisingly different. Nevertheless the booklet is able suggest many possible ways the two ministries might collaborate. Copies can be ordered from the Parish and People website.