1. “Take me to your leader!” Who takes the decisions in the Church of England and in the Methodist Church?

2. Who’s in charge in your church? Bishop? Your Vicar? The Minister? The Stewards? The congregation? An unelected elite? …God?

3. In a healthy church Responsibility for the life and mission of the church will have three aspectsPersonalCollegial Communal A Group or Team An Individual Everyone

4. Every denomination has these three aspects of leadership or oversight (The churchy word is “episcopé”) But they show up in different ways

5. The Methodist Church PersonalCollegial CommunalCONFERENCE Circuit Meeting Superintendent Minister Minister + Stewards Circuit Leadership Team District Synod Church Meeting Minister Chairman of District Salmon = most influence Green = less influence Thick border = primary responsibility

6. The Church of England PersonalCollegial Communal General Synod House of Bishops Diocesan Synod Archbishop PCC Incumbent Bishop Deanery Synod Rural Dean Chapter Salmon = most influence Green = less influence Thick border = primary responsibility

7. What a contrast! PersonalCollegial Communal Church of England on the right Methodists on the left

8. Cut out the ‘less influential’ PersonalCollegial Communal Church of England on the right Methodists on the left There’s no ‘opposite number’ at any level for anyone to talk to!

9. In short: ConferenceGeneral SynodConference and General Synod have similarities but –The Church of England is not a Connexion –The House of Bishops has a significant role outside Synod Dioceses DistrictsDioceses, where power and resources mostly lie, find that Districts are relatively insignificant Circuits DeaneriesCircuits, where responsibility and decision-making mostly lie, find that Deaneries have little to do Parisheslocal Methodist churchesIn Parishes and local Methodist churches the culture is markedly different: –The incumbent has a personal responsibility – ‘the cure of souls’ –In the local Methodist church, the ‘itinerant’ minister works collegially with the Stewards

10. Practical realities What Anglicans decide at diocesan level, Methodists decide at circuit level or else at the level of the whole Connexion

11. So who do they talk to? The diocesan bishops and their resource people... ? The superintendent minister and the circuit stewards... ? The incumbent and the Methodist church stewards... ? What adjustments must we all make to allow joint planning and joint decision- making?

12. We know there are many things we can and should be doing jointly What new mechanisms do we both need to deal with the mismatch and start planning mission together?