Agenda Volume 2 - Methodist Conference

35. Larger than Circuit
process would start at different
points and be undertaken very
differently in different contexts,
but it is the working party’s view
that the challenge to explore – and
keep exploring – these issues is
a connexion-wide task for all
districts, in enabling us more clearly
to discern and respond to God’s call
to discipleship and mission.
94. Finally, although the
recommendation is that the
conversations start from the
groupings created for the Learning
Network, it may well be – as has
happened when circuits began to be
involved with Regrouping for Mission
– that there are occasions where it
is found to be helpful then to initiate
conversations with others outside
those initially grouped together to
achieve a more effective solution,
with some movement into or out of
that group.
PART B WHAT FLOWS FROM THE
PROPOSAL?
95. Accompanying the basic proposal,
the working party has various
recommendations to make about
how the process would be taken
forward, and about possible parallel
work to be done.
a).
Connexional facilitation,
through support, oversight
and coordination:
96. In Regrouping for Mission in
relation to circuits, having a focused
and funded role to support and
encourage the process of change
(ie through District Development
Enablers) has been valued by many
people. It is the working party’s view
that some level of support of this
kind, on a connexional basis, would
be equally, if not more, valuable in
the proposed process, not least in
sharing information and encouraging
reflection on the different ways of
working being explored elsewhere in
the connexion. It is recommended
that this could be encompassed
within the initial tasks of the regional
Discipleship and Ministries Learning
Network staff with relevant church
and community development
responsibilities.
97. Alongside that support, it is
envisaged that the Conference
would need to appoint a ‘larger than
circuit’ coordinating group to take
forward the process and to bring
regular reports to the Methodist
Council which would have overall
oversight of the process on behalf of
the Conference. The working party
recommends that such a group be
appointed.
98. Beyond that, it is not suggested
that the Conference would attempt
to prescribe a detailed scheme for
how the consultations between and
within districts would take place.
Clearly circuits, as well as district
groups and officers, would expect
to play a major part in this process,
and conversations with ecumenical
partners would be essential.
Conference Agenda 2013
391