1. Thirsk and Northallerton - Mowbray
2. Witney (Oxfordshire)
3. Brigg and Barton - Yarborough
4. Retford (Nottinghamshire)
5. Redditch and Bromsgrove
6. Allerton - Leeds NE
7. Cornwall visits by bishop and District Chair
8. Purbeck Choir
9.
Thirsk and Northallerton Circuit and Mowbray Deanery (North Yorkshire)
A partnership between Thirsk and Northallerton Circuit and the Mowbray Deanery (York Diocese) began by focusing on the possibility of jointly planning the provision of worship in the many rural churches in the area.
A more comprehensive rhythm of worship is now possible through careful application of Methodist Standing Orders and Canon B43. Methodist ministers may preside at services of Holy Communion in the parish churches of the deanery, and Anglican clergy may preside at services of Holy Communion in Methodist churches. The Anglican clergy are 'Authorised to Serve' by the Methodist Conference.
Inevitable spin-offs are regular staff meetings of clergy and ministers, joint deanery synods and circuit meetings and a whole range of joint missionary and community-building enterprises - including, for example, a scheme offering Information Technology classes in some of the villages in partnership with Northallerton College .
Download the Covenant
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From Witney and Faringdon Circuit and Witney Deanery (Oxfordshire)
54 churches in the circuit and deanery now see themselves as part of one family "Anglican/Methodist Forward for Us" (AMFU) following the signing of a Declaration of Intent between the two. The signing took place in the High Street Methodist Church, Witney, on 31 October 2004.
Chair of AMFU, Anthony Richards, comments:
"A visual aid, which occasionally appears at AMFU events, is a set of 54 single egg tray containers. Coloured red and blue by denomination, each egg tray has a cocktail stick flag mast with the name of the church it represents. All of the 'churches' are set around the cross of Christ and a candle denoting the Light of the World is centrally placed and shines symbolically on each person and each church equally."
Email: Richards@145m.freeserve.co.uk
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Brigg and Barton Circuit and Yarborough Deanery (North Lincolnshire)
The Brigg, Barton and Yarborough Ecumenical Mission Partnership in North Lincolnshire is evolving in an area where 30 Anglican churches and 20 Methodist churches are served by eight Anglican stipendiary clergy and three Methodist ministers.
Other Christian Churches - just six congregations in the entire area (Baptist, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and two community churches) - give it their prayerful and insightful support.
Download the principles behind this partnership
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Retford (Nottinghamshire)
A growing relationship between deanery and circuit in the Retford area of Nottinghamshire is building on an existing local ecumenical partnership in a group of parishes.
As a result another group of parishes is now pastored by a Methodist minister.
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Redditch and Bromsgrove
In Bromsgrove and Redditch, south of Birmingham, the deanery and the circuit are working out their own strategy for growing closer together by developing local partnerships between individual parishes and Methodist churches.
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Allerton - Leeds NE
Typical of a metropolitan setting, the Allerton Deanery and the Leeds NE Circuit are developing their own growing relationship.
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Cornwall visits by Bishop and District Chair
The Bishop of Truro and the Chair of the Cornwall Methodist District are engaged in a programme of visits to deaneries and circuits to encourage them to explore ways of collaborating more closely.
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Purbeck Choir
A story from the south coast doesn't mark a formal link between deanery and circuit, but it covers roughly this sort of area. The ecumenical choir from the Purbeck district of Dorset is seen here singing at crowded ecumenical celebration last year in Salisbury Cathedral.
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The North Tyne Area Partnership
A thoroughly pragmatic approach to shared ministry in a remote part of Northumberland has produced the North Tyne Area Partnership. The picture shows Bellingham's joint Methodist/United Reformed Church.
