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COVENANT
between
The Methodist Church in Ireland and
The Church of Ireland
- We acknowledge one another's churches as belonging to the One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ and as truly participating
in the apostolic mission of the whole people of God.
- We acknowledge that in each of our churches the Word of God is
authentically preached and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion
authentically administered according to the command of Christ.
- We acknowledge that both our churches share in a common faith set
forth in the scriptures and summarised in the historic creeds.
- We acknowledge our common inheritance in traditions of spirituality
and liturgy .We rejoice in our diversity from which we may mutually
benefit as we continue to develop varied forms of worship as appropriate
to different situations.
- We acknowledge each other's ordained ministries as given by God and as
instruments of his grace by which our churches are served and built up.
As pilgrims together, we look forward to the time when our ministries
can be fully interchangeable and our churches visibly united.
- We acknowledge that personal, collegial and communal oversight is
embodied and practised in both churches, as each seeks to express
continuity of apostolic life, mission and ministry.
Therefore:
We believe that God is calling our two churches to a fuller relationship
in which we commit ourselves
- to share a common life and mission.
- to grow together so that unity may be visibly realized.
As the next steps towards that goal, we agree:
- to pray for and with one another and to avail of every opportunity to
worship together
- to welcome one another's members to receive Holy Communion and other
ministries as appropriate
- to share resources in order to strengthen the mission of the Church
- to help our members to appreciate and draw out the gifts which each of
our traditions has to offer the whole people of God
- to encourage the invitation of authorised persons of each church to
minister in the other church, as far as the current disciplines of both
churches permit;
- (a) to encourage united Methodist/Church of Ireland congregations
- where there are joint church schemes,
- where new churches are to be planted,
- where local congregations wish to move in this direction;
(b) to encourage united Methodist/Church of Ireland chaplaincy work;
- to enable a measure of joint training of candidates for ordained and
lay ministries of our churches where possible and appropriate and to
encourage mutual understanding at all levels in our churches;
- to establish appropriate forms of consultation on matters of faith and
order, mission and service;
- to participate as observers by invitation in each other's forms of
governance at every possible level;
- to learn more about the practice of oversight in each other's churches
in order to achieve a fuller sharing of ministries at a later stage of
our relationship.
Guidelines for discussion of the Revised Draft Covenant
- There were relatively few responses from joint meetings of Church of
Ireland and Methodist congregations last year. However, it was clear
that those which did happen were found to be very useful by the people
who took part.
JTWP urges that congregations make every effort to discuss the
Revised Draft Covenant and its implications at joint meetings.
It may be that the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity offers a context
for such a meeting.
- There remain areas of confusion as to the nature of the proposed
relationship between our two churches. JTWP would want to make the
following points
- this is yet another step in a journey which started for our churches
in the 1930s
- we remain separate churches, but now in a covenanted, or special,
relationship with each other
- we have not yet reached complete agreement on certain theological
issues, as has been indicated in 2.10 of the draft Covenant. Seeking
such agreement is part of the onward journey.
- Areas which might helpfully be discussed
- what is important to each church congregation about its own
denominational expression of the Christian faith?
- on what issues does each church/congregation need clarification from
the other?
- what are the implications in your own local situation if the proposed
Covenant is ratified?
- what opportunities for greater co-operation might be facilitated by
the Covenant?
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