LETTER FROM THE ECUMENICAL MODERATOR
personal covenant
MURDOCH MACKENZIE
julY 2002
Dear Friends
On June 2nd at Windsor Castle in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen a Personal Covenant was signed by the four Presidents of Churches Together in England. A copy of the Covenant is enclosed for each person receiving this mailing. The wording of the Covenant is partly based on the Charta Ecumenica a document shared between the churches in Europe. Thus The Leader of the Black Churches, The Free Churches Moderator, The Archbishop of Westminster and The Archbishop of Canterbury are saying that together they believe that in our common pilgrimage we are being led by the Holy Spirit, and that God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, is calling us to a deeper unity and to a greater sharing in our mission in his world. They also commit themselves in the power of the Holy Spirit, to work towards the visible unity of the Church of Jesus Christ in the one faith, expressed in common discipleship, worship, witness and service.
The things which we are doing in Milton Keynes are directly in line with all of this particularly since the recent convergence of the URC-Methodist Joint Area alongside the Anglican Deanery and Baptist Connexion. In all of this the work of the Commissions, meeting quarterly, is of vital importance. These six Commissions are now doing jointly the work of the previous URC and Methodist Committees and of their equivalents in the other denominations. From January till June we emphasised the work of Evangelism and World Church and of Theology and Creation. Their work was enhanced by the way in which the Worship Commission brought Alison Adam to teach us new songs from around the world in January and by the gathering together of representatives from all the World Church Partner Missionary Bodies in March. The Theology Commission have now published their 'Sharing Faith and Experience' study guide for use in house groups and in other settings. The Evangelism Group has been very busy preparing for the important Alpha Training Day to be held on 29th June and for the TOUGH TALK MK Mission Week to be held in Milton Keynes from September 21st to 29th. On 2nd July Alison Gelder of the Church Life Profile will be sharing with all the Commissions the results of the Milton Keynes Mission Profile and the vision of Churches Together in England (CTE) for Evangelisation across the country. All of this work is towards our being a MISSION PARTNERSHIP but it will only bear much fruit if individual local areas and churches buy into it and begin to own it. An excellent example of this actually happening was on 8th June when over 60 people from many local churches met together in a Healing Conference at St Paul's School. The Healing and Social Caring Commission have moved into top gear and it is hoped that the work of the healing ministry through our local churches may be greatly enhanced by this as well as the ongoing work of those working in or volunteering alongside the caring professions.
From July till December we hope local churches and churches together groupings of various kinds will focus on Training and Christian Nurture and on Social Responsibility Peace and Justice. The more observant among us will have noticed that the Information Sheet each month is laid out under the headings of the six Commissions. The Training Commission also produces its termly brochure giving details of a whole variety of Training opportunities available. We are very grateful to Jan Appleby for all that she has done as Director and look forward to the advent of Peter Ballantine who will be taking over from Jan on July 10th. If your church, local area or parish would like a particular programme laid on for you and for others in your area then the Training Commission will be glad to arrange this. Please ring 322533. The other good news is that Margaret Broadhurst has agreed to be the new Convenor for this Commission.
Graham Skipsey is Convenor for Social Responsibility, Peace and Justice and within the coming six months much work will be done to enable each local church and churches together to ensure that their Racial Equality and other Equality practices are in line both with the Law and with the Gospel. If you are in any doubt about yours do give Graham a ring on 312843. Also we are approaching Racial Justice Sunday on September 8th, the 'Faith in the World after September 11th Conference' on September 11th, the Week of Prayer for World Peace 13th-19th October and One World Week 20th-27th October which this year will have a special emphasis on tackling racism and HIV/AIDS. Full details of all of these and much more are in the Moderator's monthly information sheets.
So as we plan our autumn programmes in each of our churches and parishes let us consider working together across Milton Keynes as a MISSION PARTNERSHIP in order that the Word of God and the Ways of Christ may be better known throughout Milton Keynes.
Love, Joy and Peace !
Murdoch MacKenzie
On June 2nd at Windsor Castle in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen a Personal Covenant was signed by the four Presidents of Churches Together in England. A copy of the Covenant is enclosed for each person receiving this mailing. The wording of the Covenant is partly based on the Charta Ecumenica a document shared between the churches in Europe. Thus The Leader of the Black Churches, The Free Churches Moderator, The Archbishop of Westminster and The Archbishop of Canterbury are saying that together they believe that in our common pilgrimage we are being led by the Holy Spirit, and that God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, is calling us to a deeper unity and to a greater sharing in our mission in his world. They also commit themselves in the power of the Holy Spirit, to work towards the visible unity of the Church of Jesus Christ in the one faith, expressed in common discipleship, worship, witness and service.
The things which we are doing in Milton Keynes are directly in line with all of this particularly since the recent convergence of the URC-Methodist Joint Area alongside the Anglican Deanery and Baptist Connexion. In all of this the work of the Commissions, meeting quarterly, is of vital importance. These six Commissions are now doing jointly the work of the previous URC and Methodist Committees and of their equivalents in the other denominations. From January till June we emphasised the work of Evangelism and World Church and of Theology and Creation. Their work was enhanced by the way in which the Worship Commission brought Alison Adam to teach us new songs from around the world in January and by the gathering together of representatives from all the World Church Partner Missionary Bodies in March. The Theology Commission have now published their 'Sharing Faith and Experience' study guide for use in house groups and in other settings. The Evangelism Group has been very busy preparing for the important Alpha Training Day to be held on 29th June and for the TOUGH TALK MK Mission Week to be held in Milton Keynes from September 21st to 29th. On 2nd July Alison Gelder of the Church Life Profile will be sharing with all the Commissions the results of the Milton Keynes Mission Profile and the vision of Churches Together in England (CTE) for Evangelisation across the country. All of this work is towards our being a MISSION PARTNERSHIP but it will only bear much fruit if individual local areas and churches buy into it and begin to own it. An excellent example of this actually happening was on 8th June when over 60 people from many local churches met together in a Healing Conference at St Paul's School. The Healing and Social Caring Commission have moved into top gear and it is hoped that the work of the healing ministry through our local churches may be greatly enhanced by this as well as the ongoing work of those working in or volunteering alongside the caring professions.
From July till December we hope local churches and churches together groupings of various kinds will focus on Training and Christian Nurture and on Social Responsibility Peace and Justice. The more observant among us will have noticed that the Information Sheet each month is laid out under the headings of the six Commissions. The Training Commission also produces its termly brochure giving details of a whole variety of Training opportunities available. We are very grateful to Jan Appleby for all that she has done as Director and look forward to the advent of Peter Ballantine who will be taking over from Jan on July 10th. If your church, local area or parish would like a particular programme laid on for you and for others in your area then the Training Commission will be glad to arrange this. Please ring 322533. The other good news is that Margaret Broadhurst has agreed to be the new Convenor for this Commission.
Graham Skipsey is Convenor for Social Responsibility, Peace and Justice and within the coming six months much work will be done to enable each local church and churches together to ensure that their Racial Equality and other Equality practices are in line both with the Law and with the Gospel. If you are in any doubt about yours do give Graham a ring on 312843. Also we are approaching Racial Justice Sunday on September 8th, the 'Faith in the World after September 11th Conference' on September 11th, the Week of Prayer for World Peace 13th-19th October and One World Week 20th-27th October which this year will have a special emphasis on tackling racism and HIV/AIDS. Full details of all of these and much more are in the Moderator's monthly information sheets.
So as we plan our autumn programmes in each of our churches and parishes let us consider working together across Milton Keynes as a MISSION PARTNERSHIP in order that the Word of God and the Ways of Christ may be better known throughout Milton Keynes.
Love, Joy and Peace !
Murdoch MacKenzie