19 October 2017
Methodist Council October 2017
The Methodist Council, the body which undertakes work
on behalf of the Methodist Conference, met at High Leigh Conference
Centre, Hoddesdon, on 16 and 17 October 2017.
As usual, a wide range of reports was received by the Council but a particular focus of this meeting was further discussion of the Statistics for Mission report received by the Methodist Conference earlier this year. This informed discussion of other matters, including a strategy to ensure that the property owned by the Church is used in the most effective way to further its mission.
Statistics for Mission - collated responses from
District discussion groups
During the 2017 Conference, Districts were invited to consider
their response to the Statistics for Mission report which revealed
a 3.5% year-on-year decline in membership over the past decade,
with membership now at 188,000.
The Methodist Council was presented with the feedback from the
discussions held at the Conference with most Districts being
unsurprised by the decline. However, Districts expressed the view
that the figures alone did not truly reflect the wider work of
their churches.
The Council heard a presentation from the President of the
Conference, the Revd Loraine N Mellor, the Secretary of the
Conference, the Revd Canon Gareth J Powell, and the Connexional
Secretary, Doug Swanney, reflecting on the discussions held at the
Connexional Leaders' Forum in September, and re-emphasising the
need to respond to the challenges shown by the statistics and to
return to Our Calling as the basis of the Methodist Church's
work.
The Council split into groups to discuss the state of the work
of God, including what Circuits and Districts need to better
support them as they pursue Our Calling. The groups also discussed
what would support Districts in fulfilling their mission plans, and
the role to be played by the Council itself and the Church's other
decision-making processes in this.
Developing a connexional strategy for the use of Methodist property
A report outlining the principles of a connexional strategy
for the use of Methodist property was received by the Council. The
report, in the light of the Statistics for Mission report's
findings, emphasised the need for property to be used to fulfil the
Methodist Church's calling and for this to be underpinned by a
strategy for the use, development, acquisition and disposal of
property. It was also recommended that the role of District
Property Secretaries be clarified to ensure that the post is
appropriately resourced.
The Council directed the Property Development Committee to
bring the proposed strategy back to the Council no later than April
2018. Separately, it also directed the Committee to draft
Memorandum and Articles of Association for establishing a wholly
owned trading subsidiary company to undertake future property
development projects on behalf of the Committee and the
Council.
Connexional Grants towards Mission and Ministry in
Britain
A new policy for the work of the Connexional Grants Committee
was agreed by the Council. The policy and the refreshed criteria
for grants reflect the wish to encourage new ideas for mission and
the development of capacity, leadership and infrastructure at a
local level within Methodist bodies and ecumenical institutes
working in Britain. The policy emphasises that any grants must be
related to Our Calling and the Priorities for the Methodist Church
and be a response to a clearly identified need.
Building closer relations between the Methodist Church and All We Can
A report on developing closer relationships between the
Connexional team and All We Can, the Methodist relief and
development organisation, was received by the Council. The Council
requested that a new Memorandum of Understanding be written to
define the future relationship of the organisations. The paper
reported that a merger between the Connexion's World Church
Relationships team and All We Can would not be advantageous, and
that greater mutual understanding and joint working was the best
way to fulfil the Methodist Church's international callings.
The Methodist Diaconal Order as a Religious Order
It was agreed by the Council that the timeline for the working
group considering the Methodist Diaconal Order (MDO) as a religious
order be amended and for the report to be received in April 2019,
prior to the Conference of that year.
Corporate Risk Register
The Council was asked to consider the Corporate Risk Register
in small groups, noting in particular the addition to the register
of a risk of breach of data protection law. The Council engaged
fully with this and a range of suggestions was made, with the view
expressed that the register should be linked to the clear
strategies which seek to take forward the mission of the Church in
the light of Our Calling. An updated risk management policy was
approved and the risk register adopted, with an assurance that the
register will remain a live document. Further updates incorporating
some of the comments which had been made will be brought back to
the next Council.
Safeguarding and Network Committees
The Council heard that significant progress had been made on
the process for reviewing the Safeguarding Committee, its terms of
reference and its membership. The committee will meet to discuss
proposals in November this year and these will be brought to the
Council in January 2018.
Separately, the Council recommended that the Network Committee
be disbanded at the end of the current connexional year, with its
responsibilities being absorbed into other bodies.
The role of the Church in opposing racism
The Council was updated on the response to a Memorial accepted
at the Conference this year, suggesting an event on the role of the
Church in opposing racism. It was agreed that, while there would
not be a conference on this topic, the issues of racial justice
will continue to be a priority and that the spirit of the Memorial
would be expressed in other ways.
Marriage and Relationships Task Group
The Council received a report from the Marriage and
Relationships Task Group on the progress of its work towards
bringing material to the 2018 Conference. The Council did not see
or discuss the content of that material.
The Council affirmed the processes by which the task group
will bring a draft statement to the Conference for consultation
throughout the Connexion. That consultation will lead to a final
decision in 2020, as required by the Conference of 2016.
Chair of the Council
With the Revd Ruth Gee completing her term as Chair of the
Methodist Council at the end of this connexional year, a resolution
was passed that a panel be established to undertake the
responsibility of nominating the next Chair to the April 2018
Council. The Council also recommended to the Conference that the
term of office of the Chair of the Council be extended from three
years to four, in line with the length of service of other
representatives on the Council.