E-News July 2010

New president and vice-president of Conference challenge the Church

Alison Tomlin and Eunice Attwood In her address to Conference the newly inducted president, the Revd Alison Tomlin challenged the Church to listen and pay attention to attention to God.

“If we pay attention to God we won’t stay inside the Church,” she said. “If we pay attention to God we will have to do the things God challenges us to do. And that will take us out to be among people who need to know that God loves them; the people who have no voice; the people who have doors shut in their faces. It will take us to that place where we become passionate for justice, passionate to be peace makers, passionate to make sure other people hear how much they are loved.”

She explained that every time people look at each other they look into the face of God because God loves everyone.

You can read more of her address by clicking here or you can watch a recording on the Conference website.

Eunice Attwood, the new vice-president of Conference, called on the Church to recognise the transforming power of God's love.

But Eunice was clear that this love is as much as challenge as it is a gift.

“If the Church is to be a sign of God’s kingdom, it must participate in the world that God loves. For the Church does not have the monopoly on God. God is already at work in people’s lives, in the world he created and sustains. In being sent into the world we get to join in with what God is doing. In the doing and engaging we meet God.”

Eunice spoke of her own experience of poverty, and of her current work with vulnerable women in the sex industry. She encouraged the Church to take seriously its calling to serve communities in the spirit of God’s love, saying, “I want to be part of a church that throws parties for prostitutes - a church that welcomes those who seek asylum, a church that longs and yearns for justice, a church that listens to those no-one else wants to listen to.”

Again you can read more of her address including a transcript by clicking here or you can watch a recording on the Conference website.

Methodist Web Radio also has audio versions of the speeches as well as all the sessions of Conference.

Archbishop of Canterbury wants to see Church of England and Methodist communities grow much closer together

Rowan Williams The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, addressed the Methodist Conference for 40 minutes, before responding to a wide range of questions for a similar amount of time.

During that time the Archbishop contrasted the roles of the apostles Peter and Paul in the Church, and what the contemporary Church could learn from them.

Dr Williams was asked what risks the Church of England was taking in relation to the Covenant with the Methodist Church.

“The answer is not a lot,” he replied. “We are being invited, in the short to middle term, to work out flexibility on models of ‘dual nationality’; that is, how two communities with two different histories can develop some genuine overlapping life.

“Any act of reconciliation has to be mutual; Anglican clergy at every level accepting the ministry of those they are being reconciled with.”

The Anglican-Methodist Covenant, signed in November 2003, puts the two Churches on a path of ever-deepening relationships, mutual trust and co-operation on the road to a richer unity.

To view the Archbishop's time at Methodist Conference in full click here.

Methodist Church to boycott goods from illegal Israeli settlements

Goods The Methodist Conference has voted to boycott all products from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories, and to encourage Methodists across Britain to do the same.

The decision is a response to a call from a group of Palestinian Christians, a growing number of Jewish organisations, both inside Israel and worldwide, and the World Council of Churches. A majority of governments recognise the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as illegitimate under international law.

Christine Elliott, secretary for external relationships, said, “This decision has not been taken lightly, but after months of research, careful consideration and finally, today’s debate at the Conference. The goal of the boycott is to put an end to the existing injustice. It reflects the challenge that settlements present to a lasting peace in the region.

“We are passionate about dialogue across communities and with people of all faiths. We remain deeply committed to our relationships with our brothers and sisters of other faiths, and we look to engage in active listening so that we act as agents of hope together.”

The Conference also adopted a statement calling for a full arms embargo against all sides in the conflict. “This conflict is further fuelled by partisan support by other countries. Violence from all parties in this conflict must be denounced, and a just peace sought for all peoples living in the region,” said Christine.

The move to boycott is just one among a number of measures agreed by the Conference, which also include a commitment to regular and informed prayer for the needs of those in region. Methodists across Great Britain are also encouraged to visit the region, write to their MPs and engage in respectful dialogue with Jews and Muslims on this issue.

For more information you can read the Conference report or watch the debate (beginning at 52 minutes 30 seconds).

Methodist Church adopts carbon reduction policy

cooling towers The Methodist Conference confirmed a pledge to reduce the Church's carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 in line with government targets after adopting resolutions set out in a carbon reduction report.

The Methodist Church in Britain has a carbon footprint of around 120,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum for approximately 8,000 of its buildings. The annual energy bill to the Church and individual ministers is about £19 million a year. Cutting the carbon footprint has the potential to free up money that can be used for mission.

All local Methodist churches will be asked to sign up to the Hope in God’s Future pledge now that Conference has adopted the report.

For more details click here.

New Methodist hymn collection to be published in 2011

music The Methodist Conference has announced plans to publish Singing the Faith, a major new authorised hymn collection for the Church.

The collection contains 772 hymns and songs, plus 59 canticles and psalms. It has been six years in the making, and will be the first authorised Methodist collection in thirty years. Leading modern hymn writers, including many Methodists, are represented alongside the best of Methodist heritage, such as hymns by Charles Wesley.

Singing the Faith will be published by Hymns Ancient and Modern. The full music edition will cost £30, the words edition £9 and the large print words edition £15. At a future date, these will be supported by electronic resources, including a website offering a free range of extra resources and products relating to the core hymn collection.

To discover more, click here or you can read the Conference report.