Proposing the report of the Covenant Council the Dean of Cork, the Very Revd Nigel Dunne, announced very significant progress in the last year. He said the first area of progress was in Local Covenant Partnerships and Projects and the Dean said that the signing of such a local covenant at Queen’s University, Belfast had been a high point.

The Dean informed Synod that they had now arrived at the point where the Methodist Conference had put in place all necessary changes to bring about the full interchangeability of ministry between the two traditions. “It is our turn to follow through with the necessary legislation to allow the full implementation of what was presented to General Synod in the Council’s Second Interim Statement in 2011,” he stated.

He concluded that: “The Council believes that bringing about the full interchangeability of ministry is a vital step on the road to full organic unity, the ultimate goal of the Covenant, and will greatly enrich the life and witness of our churches for the future.”
Speaking to the report the Revd Ken Lindsay, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, welcomed the growing Covenant relationship which was evolving between the two churches. He said they were setting the scene for the wider church and community that we can travel the road together and try to prevent the schisms growing. “We have many challenges ahead and we have to try to bring people with us on all sides. But I believe we have a stronger future together,” he said.

The Archbishop of Armagh said that the proposal allowing for the introduction of a special bill at Synod 2014 may be the most significant thing done at this Synod. “We are blazing a trail for other churches,” he stated.

Canon Ian Ellis said ecumenism had come along way to the point in which today we could not perceive life on our own as a Church. “Any such days are now over for any Church,” he said.

Maureen Lannigan (Cashel and Ossory) asked how the move was going to affect the man or woman in the pew.

Agnes Young (Connor) spoke of her Methodist friend Elsie and how they had a great Christian accommodation of each other.

Archdeacon Alan Sinnott spoke of his experience of uniting a Church of Ireland and a Methodist congregation under the Covenant.

The Revd Wayne Carney (Killaloe) said he was glad that the mistakes made in Canada in 1965 were not being made by the Covenant Council.

Jack Sanders (Limerick and Kilaloe) said that their diocesan magazine included news from the local Methodist circuits.

Archbishop Jackson said the Churches were now entering a more concrete situation where we can move forward together.

The report of the Covenant Council was received by Synod.

Motion 2O allowing for a Special Bill to be brought to Synod 2014 on the interchangeability of ministry between the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland. It was proposed by the Very Revd Nigel Dunne who said that as far back as 2005 the Covenant Council’s report to the General Synod and Methodist Conference presented ‘ten points’ indicating the direction in which its discussions on interchangeability were heading.

He gave a background to the work of the joint Interchangeability of Ministry Working Group. One of the group’s key findings was to say, ‘We have discerned consonance between the office and function of Presidents and Past Presidents of the Methodist Church in Ireland and in the office and function of Bishops in the Church of Ireland based on the current doctrinal understanding and ecclesiology of both Churches.’ He said the warm reception of the Agreed Principles motivated the Council to move forward on the understanding that the interchangeability of ministry would be a very positive move towards full organic unity.

In 2011 the Covenant Council presented a ‘Second Statement on the Interchangeability of Ministry and Episcope’ which set out the way forward. Two key areas, agreed by both Synod and Conference that year, were the recognition that it is the Methodist President wherein the historic episcopate had been, and continued to be, embodied and that as such the title, ‘Episcopal minister’ be used to describe him/her.

“The report also noted that this would not mean full organic unity, but that it will be a step on the way,” the Dean said. “This will allow Church of Ireland clergy and Methodist Church in Ireland ministers to take up posts in each other’s churches. As such, this is one of the most significant ecumenical steps to be taken in recent years, and, no doubt, can only further strengthen the mission of the church in Ireland, which, after all, has to be the key motivator for this kind of ecumenical endeavour.”
The Bishop of Cashel said this was a ‘hand of history moment’. He said it was not a merging of polities but the churches were at a specific moment where ministries converge.

Canon Michael Kennedy spoke strongly in favour of the motion as a means towards full communion between the Churches.

Dr Maurice Elliott said there were many others internationally who were watching this debate with great interest. “We need to see this in the context of a shared mission. The realising of interchangeability is not a goal in itself it is part of the full mission,” he said.

The Bishop of Down and Dromore said that this was a powerful moment. He described the interchangeability of ministries as the ‘Holy Grail of ecumenism”. “What we are doing today has great significance for the whole Anglican Communion and the worldwide Church… We will be de facto in full communion as two churches,” he stated.

Canon Kerr (Clogher) added is voice of support to the motion.

The Bishop of Cork reminded everyone that there was now one month for amendments to be submitted.

Voting on the motion took place by orders and was resoundingly passed. The Bill has been given leave to be introduced next year. It has received its first reading.

A related motion – Motion 21 – urging that General Synod continued to encourage congregations to celebrate the Covenant relationship with neighbouring Methodist congregations on or around September 26 each year was passed.