September meeting of the Methodist Council

The Methodist Council met on 21-22 September at Methodist Church House in London. This is the first Council meeting of the new Church year.

Discipleship was high on the agenda for this Council meeting. General Secretary the Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, introduced the discussion by asking Council members to consider the challenges that Christian discipleship presents to the contemporary church. Presenting a vision for discipleship, John Ellis, Secretary for Team Operations, said; “Christian discipleship isn’t just about self improvement and it’s certainly not about self promotion. We want to encourage people to grow in faith and action as their own lives change and grow. As the life of John Wesley has taught us, Christian discipleship can change the world.”

The Council also discussed a new fundraising strategy for the Church, which will now be developed in consultation with Methodists around Britain. Fundraising Coordinator David Bennett, said, “At the heart of this strategy is better communication with all those who give so generously to the Methodist funds. We want them to see the enormous difference their money makes to the lives of people all over the world. We couldn’t do any of this work without their support.”

The Council spent time in discussions about the progress of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant, which was signed in 2003. Groups discussed how the covenant might be further progressed in practical ways, including different models of episcopacy and how the churches might consult and make decisions together.

The Council also welcomed the Revd Kirsty Thorpe, a minister of the United Reformed Church (URC), as a participant observer. The Revd Alison Tomlin, President Designate of the Methodist Conference, will attend the URC Mission Council in November.

Other topics discussed at the Council included a new communications strategy for the Church and plans to lease Southlands College to Roehampton University, with continued Methodist involvement in the life of the College. The papers of the Methodist Council are available online at: http://methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=1325.


Source: Methodist News Service 22/09/2009

METHODISTS CONSIDER HANDOVER OF ‘BEST KEPT SECRET’

BRITISH Methodism’s last re­maining higher education institute, Southlands College, is in talks to hand over responsibility for management of the college to its parent body, Roehampton University.

Southlands is one of four constituent colleges of Roehampton University, along with Digby Stuart (Roman Catholic), Whitelands (Anglican) and the Froebel Institute (Humanist). They amalgamated in 1975 to form the Roehampton Institute, which gained university status in 2004, now based in south-west London.

In a bid to centralise its services, the university has asked Southlands, Whitelands and Digby Stuart colleges for a long-term lease of their properties. The university already holds a 999-year lease on Froebel College, while Digby Stuart was due to enter into a formal 125-year lease this week.

If agreed, the university would take full responsibility for ongoing “maintenance and development” of Southlands, paying staff costs and managing areas such as accommodation, catering and conferences. Some of Southlands’ services are already being subcontracted to a centralised university authority from this summer.

The proposals have been in the pipeline for some time. However, the Methodist Council and the Conference are required to give approval to any changes agreed.

Senior Methodist leader Revd Lord Griffiths has requested prayer over discussions to hand over the denomination’s sole remaining higher education college. Southlands College is described by Lord Griffiths as one of Methodism’s ‘best-kept secrets’. The college has 1,500 students, houses a Methodist research centre and most of its governors are currently appointed by the Methodist Council. The chair of governors, Revd John Pritchard, told the Methodist Recorder, they are consulting with ‘eminent Methodists’ over handing management of the college to the university. This would centralise services and reduce costs in the face of rising financial demands. Consultations are said to have produced a ‘mixed’ response. Lord Griffiths, a former chair of governors, said they need God’s help in knowing ‘How do we keep the Methodist interest alive?’

Source: Methodist Recorder (31/7)
http://www.methodistrecorder.co.uk/mrhlines.htm