The Methodist Circuits of East Solent & Downs, Meon Valley and the Isle of Wight are (apart from 4 churches in ES&D) coterminous with Portsmouth Diocese.
We have recently had very helpful, open, honest and potentially creative conversations involving Superintendents, District Ecumenical Officer, District Chair (from the Methodists) and Bishop, Archdeacon and Bishop’s Chaplain (from the Anglicans).
There are many positives that bring us together which include a similar commitment to the work and primary importance for God’s mission and the Church’s ministry of the local church. We also acknowledge that although there is a wide range within each denomination we significantly overlap in theology, ecclesiology and ‘styles’ of church/worship.
There are also challenges which each denomination faces locally, at Circuit/Diocesan level and a national level in terms of ministry numbers and deployment.
We have noted the hopes of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant nationally for a mutual recognition/interchangeability of ministry. Within our area we have some interesting and potentially creative examples of possibilities in that aspect. I (David Muskett, Methodist Co-Superintendent of ES&D) was ordained in the Anglican Church in 1990 & 1991). Hart Plain Church is an Anglican-Methodist LEP in ES&D Circuit where the Anglican Minister is a permanent Deacon. In Emsworth (also ES&D) we have regular shared services with a Methodist preacher at Anglican services and an Anglican preacher at Methodist services.
We are doing a ‘church mapping’ exercise to see what kind of churches are where across the area and what the ministry provision and needs are.
We hope this will lead to even more fruitful sharing across the area of the Diocese and the three Circuits giving a positive input and impetus to the national conversations.
David Muskett + Jonathan Frost
Methodist Co-Superintendent ES&D Bishop of Portsmouth
Southampton Methodist District Ecumenical Officer