Methodists go home today

I have been able to taste conference proceedings at two morning sessions and I attended the annual lecture of the Methodist Sacramental Fellowship.

Major report on five years of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant

A major report received by the Methodist Conference addresses the progress made over the last five years of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant.

The Covenant between the Methodist Church in Great Britain and the Church of England was agreed by both churches in the summer of 2003. It was signed by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference and the general secretaries of both churches in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen on 1 November that year.

The quinquennial report of the Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) commends the work done so far by the churches to implement the Covenant, and features a number of ‘cameos’ illustrating how the Covenant is being put into action in a variety of contexts. These include a joint Anglican-Methodist primary school in Kent and volunteers from both churches working together to run a night café and creative arts centre in Manchester.

The Conference commended the report for further study and endorsed the recommendations, which include appointing a successor body to the JIC for a further five-year period. The scope of this body would extend to involve representatives of the Church in Wales and the Scottish Episcopal Church and from the Methodist Church in Scotland and Wales as well as relating more closely to Ireland where there is already a Covenant between the Methodist Church in Ireland and the Church of Ireland.

Professor Peter Howdle, Co-Chair of the Commission and past Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, says; ‘As the Covenant nears its fifth birthday, this report offers a chance to reflect on a major initiative for unity and mission in the history of our Churches. We have heard so many encouraging stories from those living out the Covenant both in church life and in serving their communities. But it is clear that there is still much to learn and much to do in order to make the journey towards fuller visible unity.’

The report recognises that further work is needed for the Covenant to move forward, particularly in encouraging and resourcing local churches. Expert support and advice is being made available to Bishops and District Chairs wishing to encourage deeper engagement with the Covenant in their area and take up the opportunities it gives for unity in common life and mission.

Methodist Recorder today

Thursday, July 10, 2008
Methodist Conference 2008

THE 2008 Methodist Conference, the governing body of the Methodist Church, has been meeting in the Spa Complex at Scarborough from July 3-10. The July 10 edition of the Methodist Recorder provides coverage of the ministerial and diaconal sessions of the Conference, the opening of the representative session on Saturday, Conference worship and reception into Full Connexion of ordinands on Sunday and Conference deliberations throughout Monday. The inaugural address of the new President of the Conference, the Rev Stephen Poxon, is included in full, as is the sermon of the new Vice-President, Mr David Walton, delivered at the Conference service on Sunday morning. Full coverage of Conference will continue in the July 17 edition.

Speaking out for Zimbabwe

The Methodist Conference has condemned the British Government’s failure to provide an adequate standard of care for Zimbabwean refugees living in the UK and has called on it to put an immediate end to all deportations to Zimbabwe.

In a strongly-worded statement, the Conference spoke out against the Government’s decision to send failed asylum seekers back to Zimbabwe, which is currently experiencing political, humanitarian and economic turmoil. The statement also expressed disapproval at the Government’s failure to appreciate the extent of the difficulties faced by those who have fled that country.

No review for human sexuality resolutions

THE Scarborough Conference has backed the recommendation of the Methodist Council that, following the results of the Connexional consultation process, there should not be a review of what are now to be known as the 1993 Resolutions on Human Sexuality.

The Conference decided to receive a report from the Methodist Council on the six 1993 Resolutions on Human Sexuality and agreed that this in the future should be the title of those resolutions of the Conference which met at Derby in 1993.

The Conference decided to direct the council to consider the implications for these human sexuality resolutions of work on equalities and diversities and then report back.

Delight at vote on women bishops

DELIGHT has been expressed at the Church of England General Synod’s decision to continue with the introduction of women bishops without special measures for those opposed to the move.

Speaking to the Methodist Recorder, Chair of the Northampton District the Rev Alison Tomlin said that she was delighted that the Synod had rejected proposals for alternative oversight, as they would have damaged the Church of England’s unity as well as creating difficulties for the Anglican-Methodist Covenant. She said she would be interested to see how the proposals for the code of practice would develop.