Agenda Volume 2 - Methodist Conference

42. Ministries Committee
2.25 Fresh expressions in the Methodist
Church continue to be a growing,
vibrant and life-giving dimension of
the Church’s mission and ministry.
The headlines for this year’s
statistics are distilled within the
General Secretary’s Report and
further expanded in the Statistics for
Mission data. For particular note is
the significant number of volunteers
who support this ministry and their
stories gathered through the year,
expressing their joy of growth in
discipleship through being engaged
with new people with no previous
church connection.
2.26 At this year’s Fresh Expressions
summit, the Vice-President of the
Conference, Mr Michael King offered
a wise reflection on how things are
being received in the Connexion: “I
am aware that there are debates
surrounding the name of ‘fresh
expressions’ – such as whether the
label is correct or even the best
descriptor. I am content to leave
that discussion with theologians
and ecclesiologists because, from
my experience of the Methodist
Church this year, what the label of
fresh expressions has done is to give
local churches, circuits and districts
permission to think outside the box.
I just want to thank God for anything
that releases his people to reach
those outside mainstream church
circles.” Stories from grassroots
Methodist fresh expressions are
regularly gathered and added to
the growing ecumenical economy
on the fresh expressions website:
http://www.freshexpressions.org.
uk/stories where over 200 articles
can be searched. Two encouraging
Methodist stories recently added are
summarised below.
2.27 Cook@Chapel Update, Milton
Keynes: Over the past four years,
Cook@Chapel has grown and evolved
as a fresh expression of church. This
group of young people meets once a
week to cook together, pray together
and share a meal. By sharing food,
hospitality and worship these young
people can develop and deepen their
faith and build a small missional
community. In the past 18 months,
the numbers of people attending has
steadily increased as the turnover
rate has decreased. This means
that the group of young people
attending has gradually stabilised.
Before this period, people would
join the group for a few months, or
maybe a year, and then move on,
whereas now they stay. As a result,
the community has become more
cohesive as faith has grown and
worship has developed. This change
has been a positive one which, in
turn, has raised many questions,
including “How do we cope with the
increase in numbers?” and “How do
we effectively disciple those who are
new to the Christian faith, especially
if Cook@Chapel is their only contact
with church?” Most importantly,
however, is the discipleship that
happens while journeying alongside
people, developing their faith as they
go. As Cook@Chapel moves towards
the start of its fifth year, other plans
Conference Agenda 2013
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