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Questions & AnswersYou may have some questions about the practical outworking of ConneXions. Hopefully, the answers to some of your questions will be found below. If not, go to the Have Your Say section.
Does our Church HAVE to do ConneXions? No... but why not do it anyway? The thrust of ConneXions is to help a Church become more clearly what God wants it to be. That will of God is going to be different for every Church and ConneXions is committed to helping you find out what and how to move forward. In a few years time the laws of the Church will be changed to
facilitate those who have made the transition to Church Council,
and the aim is that the new Boards will also be in place. From that
time, the main structures of the Church will be running on the basis
of Church Councils. For instance, when a Church wants to put up
a new hall, agreement will depend as much on how the new hall will
fulfil the mission of the churches in the area.
Who is a member? (of the Methodist Church) At present the Faith and Order Committee of the Church is preparing
guidelines which will come to Conference. When these are in place
they will appear on the website. In the meantime, the understanding
of membership is that all who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour
and Lord are welcome to become members. Being a member means accepting
the Christian duties of worship, communion, fellowship and prayer
and wanting to serve Christ in the Church and in the world.
How do we elect the Church Council? This has yet to be decided. The report suggests that congregations will elect the Council, but it must be remembered that people will serve because they have particular gifts to offer, and not because there are positions to be filled or numbers to be made up. The Council will be formed according to the tasks which need to be done and overseen. A way of nominating and confirming Office holders will need to
be agreed by Conference.
Can we set up Church Councils now? If there are congregations willing to experiment with Councils,
then this could be done, in consultation with the Steering Committee,
not because the Committee want to veto things, but because we all
need to learn from each other and help one another.
Who are the Enablers or outside facilitators? These are people 98% from within Methodism, who have agreed to
act having been given some training. The Enablers which will come
to your Church will do so by invitation and be from other circuits
in the District, or in some cases, beyond the District.
How do we get an Enabler? Ask! By contacting the facilitator of ConneXions, Rev Des Bain,
arrangements can be made for someone to address your Leaders’
Meeting to outline the Menu. The Leaders then decide if they wish
to follow a course or courses. Providing there is 75% in favour,
an Enabler, or possibly two will be suggested and begin the course
with the congregation and leaders.
“What if...?” QuestionsWhat if… we start on a course and there is a change of minister who doesn’t want to do Connexions? ConneXions is part of the whole Church. The Stationing Committee
will be preparing a brief for circuits and ministers so that every
appointment will take into consideration the ConneXion’s stage
reached by both church and minister. It would not be helpful to
have a Church committed to a course and receiving a minister who
is not interested. However, it seems that ministers are generally
enthusiastic about ConneXions and keen to see the process under
way everywhere.
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