Nick Jowett Sheffield Diocesan Ecumenical Officer

New document to download : Developing Co-operation between Anglican and Methodist Churches

Who am I and what do I do?

1. I am the Vicar in an Anglican-Methodist church (LEP - local ecumenical partnership), St Andrew's Psalter Lane in Sheffield.
   
2. I am available for ecumenical work in the Diocese, spending about one day a week on this.
   
3. As Ecumenical Officer, my tasks are:
   
   - to encourage the parish churches and structures of the diocese to work ecumenically, i.e. to work in consultation and collaboration with other Christian denominations, creating ever greater areas of unity, with the long term goal of full visible unity as the one holy catholic and apostolic church.
   
   - to represent the diocese to the other Christian denominations, and, as far as I am able, to offer advice about appropriate procedures and legalities.
   
   - in particular at the present time to encourage implementation of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant of 2003.
   
4. Outside the structures of the diocese, I relate to the following groups or bodies:
   
   
   (a) Churches Together in South Yorkshire (CTSY)
   This brings together all the churches in South Yorkshire. The Ecumenical Development Officer is (from September 2009) vacant until the appointment of a successor to the Rev Louise Dawson. The current Chair of the CTSY is the Mrs Briony Broome. The Chair of the Standing Committee is the Revd Vernon Marsh. I am a member of the Standing Committee. There are twice annual forums on major issues.
   
   (b) LEP Committee of CTSY
   This subcommittee of CTSY provides oversight and encouragement on behalf of the denominations for all the LEPs (local ecumenical partnerships) in South Yorkshire. There are 12 LEPs, 9 of them involving the Church of England.
   

   (c) The Ecumenical Officers of all the major denominations (see contacts)
   We meet and consult with each other on a regular basis.
   
   (d) The Council for Christian Unity
   This is the Church of England's national ecumenical body. Our national officer for local ecumenism - National Adviser (Unity-in-Mission) - is the Revd Roger Paul (see contacts), who can be approached for advice on ecumenical situations.
   
   (e) Consultation of national Anglican and Methodist Ecumenical Officers
   This happens almost every year and is increasingly important as we seek to implement the Anglican-Methodist Covenant of 2003. There are also national consultations with Ecumenical Officers of other denominations.