THE Church of England and the Methodist Church marked the twenty first anniversary, on Friday, of the covenant that “recognised one another as a real Church, with authentic ministries of Word and Sacrament”.
Signed in front of Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, the Anglican-Methodist Covenant committed each Churches to forging closer ties and to removing further obstacles to unity. The two Churches separated after the death of John Wesley in 1791. From the time of the General Synod’s rejection of the Anglican-Methodist Unity Scheme in 1972, work continued towards “a united, interchangeable ministry”, through which much of the controversy turned on the importance of the historic episcopate.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, the Revd Helen Cameron and Carolyn Godfrey, are as a consequence of reaffirm the Covenant on Monday during a service of celebration in Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, followed by evensong at Westminster Abbey.
The Archbishops this week described the Covenant as “each a mirrored image of the good degree of friendship and agreement in faith and life which the Church of England and the Methodist Church of Great Britain share, and a commitment that we must always work ever more closely together within the years to come back.
“Our differences, in the good scheme of things, are minor: what we share in common is the good joy of the cross and resurrection of Christ, and his call to bear witness to the love of God for all humanity.”
While the anniversary was a day of celebration, they said, it was also a challenge to the Church to do more, to “raise our gaze to that horizon of unity in love and fellowship to which we’re all called. May Christ guide us as we rise to that challenge.”
The President and Vice-President of Conference also welcomed the occasion to reaffirm the Covenant and to have fun “the work and worship that happens between the Church of England and the Methodist Church locally and nationally.
“We welcome all that focuses on what unites us in Christ, and we pray that we are able to proceed to construct on what we learn from one another. As we have fun this milestone, we glance forward in hope to journeying together in the longer term.”
A joint pre-recorded national service was posted online on Friday, led by representatives of each Churches. Congregations are encouraged to mark the anniversary in church on Sunday: special prayers have been provided.
