Connexional Council 28 July 2025

The Connexional Council recently met online and heard reports from the Mission, Ministries and Resourcing Committees which included an update on the work of the Methodist Modern Art Collection Management Committee and on work to support ministers’ wellbeing. The Committee also received a workplan from the 2025 Conference which set out resolutions, memorials and actions that the Conference has directed be completed.

The Connexional Council met online on 28 July 2025 and approved the minutes of its last meeting.

• The Council discussed a paper from the Connexional Secretary outlining three change areas as part of its work on the vision and strategy of the Church. It noted the continued work of members of the Senior Managers’ Meeting on this and looked forward to a further report in October.
• The Council received the report of the Mission Committee and heard an update on the Methodist Modern Art Collection Management Committee and that the current Chair Professor Ann Sumner steps down from her role at the end of the Connexional year. Professor Sumner has been instrumental in the successful co-curation of Eric Gill’s Annunciation at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft and with the upcoming exhibitions as part of Bradford City of Culture this autumn. The Committee also heard about the careful and ongoing work being done on reparative justice. The Council head that the Committee had recommended that a report to Conference on reparative justice and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade should be postponed from 2026 to 2027. The Committee also received a progress update on the Connexional Economic Justice Working Group.
• The Council received the report of the Ministries Committee and were updated on the last meeting of the Committee. This included a report from the Officer for Vocational Flourishing, Corin Pilling who presented his report on Vocational Flourishing/Wellbeing of Ministers. His work aims to strengthen the Ministries resource and complement the work of the Wellbeing team by focusing ‘upstream’ on support, resources and interventions that might effectively prevent exhaustion in ministry and encourage the likelihood of flourishing for those living out their calling in ministry. The committee had also received an update on Hope in God’s Future and a report concerning a review of the Armed Forces Pathway for Local Preacher /Worship Leader training. The Council was told that following a review of the new candidating process, some changes to the Discerning Ordained Vocation timetable have been recommended.
• The Council had sight of the workplan with a record of the resolutions, actions and memorials which came from the 2025 Conference. The work includes: Healing Ministry and Neurodiversity, Faith and Order work with the Methodist Forces Board and Revising the Methodist Worship Book. The Council heard that the Faith and Order Secretary’s post has been increased to full time from September 2025. The Council will review the workplan again at its October meeting.
• The Council received the report of the Resourcing Committee, and noted, again, the concerns around ministerial wellbeing. The report updated the Council on a number of areas relating to the Cliff College, Methodist Central Hall Westminster, the Guy Chester Centre, and Mehtodist International Centre Ltd. The Council approved a change to guidance on ministerial grants.
• The Council received the third quarter accounts.
• The Council appointed the Mission, Ministry, Resourcing and JDS Committees for 2025/2026. It appointed two new trustees of All We Can, two new members of the Methodist Modern Art Collection Management Committee and two trustees of the Methodist Academies and Schools Trust. It appointed the Revd Richard Byass as Deputy Chair of the Ministries Committee. Acting on behalf of the Conference, it appointed the Revd Ruth Gee as Chair of the Conference Business Committee for the Conferences of 2026, 2027 and 2028, and Richard Alexander to the Board of Westminster College Oxford Trust.
• The next Council meeting will be held at Methodist Church House in October 2025.