Methodist Conference Tuesday 30 June

The Conference opened with worship and a reflection from Dave Hardman on peacebuilding, with references to those living in Palestine.

Budget

In presenting the Connexional Central Services Budget to the Conference, the Executive Director of Finance and Resources, Matt Tattersall, highlighted how the budget sought to represent the values of the Church. Some progress has been made to reflect concerns of economic justice through changes to the Assessment formula.

Concern was expressed that the Methodist Church Fund deficit is growing each year and that by 2029 would represent more than 25% of the budget. Despite some progress in addressing the deficit over the last year, decisive action will be required between now and 2029. This will include a review of every area of the budget, including the costs of the Conference.

AI

The Conference has debated the usage and implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in training and other aspects of Church life.

In 2024, the Conference was asked to consider the implications of AI and its practical and theological impact across the Methodist Church. A report was prepared for this year’s Conference on how the Church should respond to the technology.

Recommendations adopted by the Conference following the debate include working towards issuing appropriate guidance that would be available across the Connexion and directing the Ministries Committee to consider how material on theological, ethical and practical implications of AI can be included within training for ordained and lay ministries.

Kairos II

As part of the Mission Committee’s presentation, the Conference was addressed by Father Fadi Diab, Rector of the Anglican Parish in Ramallah in the West Bank. He presented the Kairos II document, A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, calling for greater costly solidarity with the Palestinian people. Father Fadi stressed to the Conference that the Palestinian people need support and more action from other countries, saying: “...the last three years have changed us forever. In Gaza we have seen the decimation of an entire society ... this document (Kairos II) is not an abstract theological reflection but a cry of a people whose faith is being tested”.

Father Fadi told the Conference that the church cannot choose neutrality. A Notice of Motion was agreed, which requested a study resource that can be used for churches to be produced, based on Kairos II. It also asked for the President of the Conference to write to the UK Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, and the governing bodies of other jurisdictions in which the Methodist Church in Great Britain has a presence, urging them to uphold international law and to take the actions outlined in the Time to Act campaign.

Online Celebrations of Holy Communion and Predominantly Online Churches

The Methodist Conference, following a period of discernment since 2021, has decided that online celebrations of Holy Communion should be generally permitted in the Methodist Church. However, in view of the importance of this matter, it resolved to refer the decision to the Synods to seek their views over the coming year and therefore this will not come into effect yet. The Conference will confirm or vary its decision when it meets next year. In the meantime, the period of discernment will be extended to provide continued permission for communion online

Reparative Justice

On Monday, the Conference received an update on the work of Reparative Justice from the Director for Inclusion, Hartwell Mhunduru and the Director of Engagement, Jo Hibbard, as directed by the 2021 Conference. Representatives heard that research illustrates how John Wesley’s public stance against the trade in enslaved people, through the publication of Thoughts Upon Slavery in 1774, did not stop him or other leading Methodists from associating with and accepting financial support from people intimately linked with the enslavement of African people, and that the Methodist Church was complicit in the trafficking of African people in the Caribbean.

Representatives took part in workshops and were presented with three texts that represent the basis for the ‘accepted position’ that the Methodist Church was historically anti-slavery and abolitionist, and contrast that with illustrations of the ways in which it was in fact more entangled and complicit.

On Tuesday the Conference received the report from the Mission Committee on this work. The key messages received were that everyone was made in the image of God and so everyone needs to lament their complicity in the transatlantic trade in enslaved African people.

The Conference resolved that a statement, apology and initial actions are brought before the Conference for approval in 2027, recognising that this will be informed by ongoing work with Global Partners and not precluding additional statements, apologies and actions alongside Global Partners as further work unfolds.

Representatives took part in a conferring session on peacebuilding in the afternoon, as part of the Conference priorities for justice.

Safeguarding Committee

The report of the Safeguarding Committee was presented to the Conference by the Chair, Judith Davey-Cole, and Vivien Almond, a representative from the Methodist Survivors’ Advisory Group. Conference representatives heard that while we can never be complacent, safeguarding progress has been made in the past year. Vivien Almond told the Conference that while things have moved on since the Past Cases Review, the survivors’ group still needs to be heard at all levels in the Church.

The Conference received the report and voted through the resolutions, which included a possible change to advanced safeguarding training from every four years to three.