Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
Fruitful Field’s work. This risk was
identified by the Committee’s own
assessment of the impact of its work
on the institutions within the remit
of the project, and the Committee
felt its responsibility to limit such a
risk, should that be possible without
damaging the integrity of the wider
project.
226 In the light of these reflections,
both about the desirable degree
of consolidation and about the
appropriateness of Cliff College as
a centre, the Committee determined
that its interim response to the
consultation document would
indicate its intention to explore the
feasibility of two centres as opposed
to one centre only, and would also
identify Cliff College as one of the
centres which the Committee would
recommend to the Conference (see
the extract from the interim response
in paragraphs 114.5-114.6 above).
Focusing on identifying a second centre
227 The Committee, in its considerations
of a location for a second centre,
took as its starting point the marks
of a centre identified in paragraph
200 above. To these, three other
marks were added by the Committee
in order to reflect the Committee’s
stewardship both of existing good
practice and of past and future
financial investment, and these
appear in paragraphs 228.6-228.8
below.
228 The Committee therefore established
the following marks of the
contribution which two centres should
be able to provide to the Church and
to the wider Network:
228.1 The centres should be communities
of faith which nurture and support
a deep expertise in formation,
learning, training, theological
education, scholarship, research and
development.
228.2 The centres should be able to
provide a home and a gathering
place for communities of students
and learners (resident and visiting),
guests and staff (teaching and
research staff; administrative staff;
domestic and maintenance staff;
and visiting colleagues from across
the Network); and should be able
to provide residential hospitality for
short and longer periods of time.
228.3 The centres (through their structures,
resources and partnerships) should
be able to connect with partners
across the World Church.
228.4 The centres (through their structures,
resources and partnerships) should
be able to allow deep sharing with
ecumenical partners.
228.5 The centres (through their structures,
resources and partnerships) should
be able to nurture apt and excellent
scholarship and research, in
partnership with the Higher Education
sector.
228.6 The centres should be able to draw
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