The General Synod of the Church of Ireland today approved an motion (motion number 6) which urges Church of Ireland congregations to celebrate the covenant relationship with neighbouring Methodist congregations on or around the 26th of September.

Commending the work of the Covenant Council which is currently looking at the interchangability of ministry with the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Bishop of Meath and Kildare said that the breach between Anglicans and Methodists is “the most recent breach in the fabric of the Christian Church. There is virtually no doctrinal difference – more of ecclesiology. If we cannot heal that breach we are indeed disgracing the name of Christ on earth. I encourage you to try to work with on all our Christian brothers and sisters and to realise how many of these differences are cultural rather than doctrinal.”

Seconding the resolution, the Revd Dr Maurice Elliott said “we’re genuinely encouraged to see the covenant taking root in meaningful ways.” He said that “the Church of Ireland Theological Institute and Edgehill College (which trains people for Ministry in the Methodist Church in Ireland) are looking to closer collaboration in training in future.” He urged people to “think covenant in all we do...not as an add on but a filter through which we look at everything that we are doing.”

The Motion was passed without opposition.

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