Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
on the strengths and good practice
of existing institutions in appropriate
ways.
228.7 The centres should be able to offer
realistic accessibility from across the
Connexion.
228.8 The centres, as premises and
assets as well as communities of
faith, should demonstrate good
stewardship of the Methodist people’s
past and continuing investment of
resources.
229 The Committee proceeded to make
assessments of the contribution
which several combinations of
institutions and locations would be
able to make, based on the marks
of the contribution which two centres
should be able to provide to the
Church and to the wider Network.
230 To aid its consideration of institutions
and locations, information about
existing institutions and locations –
drawn from research, analysis and
the submissions made by institutions
themselves during the consultation
period – was ordered in the following
categories:
l
l
l
Existing and (institution-specific
or location-specific) potential
connections with World Church
partners
Existing and (institution-specific
or location-specific) potential
connections with ecumenical
partners
Existing and (institution-specific
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
or location-specific) potential
connections with research
universities and institutes
The governance arrangements of
the institution
The status of the institution’s
occupation of its premises/the
institution-specific or locationspecific
potential for new
premises
The maintenance outlook for the
institution’s premises
The financial outlook of the
institution
Any other factors pertaining to
the institution’s assets
Any other institution-specific or
location-specific development
opportunities
Any other risk factors pertaining
to the institution or location
An assessment of the impact of
withdrawal on the institution and
its partners
231 The process of assessment and
discernment took place in two rounds.
The first round included the following
institutions and locations, drawn from
the institutions currently sponsored by
the Church, from suggestions made
in consultation submissions, and
from further research and analysis. In
response to suggestions made to the
Committee during some institutional
consultation submissions and in
further reflections gathered from
institutional leaders in the wake of
the publication of the Committee’s
interim response to the consultation,
configurations involving three centres
were also included at this stage.
738 Conference Agenda 2012