The report of the Covenant Council was proposed by the Revd Dr Maurice Elliott. He stated that whereas the long–awaited moment of full interchangeability was now tangibly close, and this was without doubt a goal that the Covenant Council had sought to promote since its inception in 2002. However, he said this was but one facet of the Covenant Council’s work overall. “Whilst the legislation and its attendant choreography is vitally important, it remains very much the mind of the Council that if the Covenant is ultimately to count for the kingdom, then it needs to move beyond that which is structural and institutional to that which can more readily facilitate the local and the missional,” he stated.

For this reason, he said the Council genuinely rejoiced in every instance of where the living and breathing and felt outworking of the Covenant was able to find meaningful expression. He gave the example of the ongoing encouragment of the Church on the Hill at Maghaberry where there is a fully united congegration governed by a single Convenant Leadership Council of 12 people plus the ministry team and other joint initiatives.

He said that the Covenant Council was keen to see local initiatives such as these continue and increase, and one such opportunity may arise under the suggestion of different date for Covenant Celebration – May 24, John Wesley Day.

He suggested that there were so many things that people could learn from their shared traditions. He paid tribute to the Primate for this contribution to the Covenant Council.

The report was seconded by Dean Nigel Dunne.

Speaking to the report, Gillian Kingston of the Methodist Church in Ireland said: “We are within hours of a historical occasion when we will achieve interchangeability”. She said this had been a long time coming. Both Churches started talking to eachother in 1905.

She said the Covenant was entered into in 2002 and 12 years later they had reached this point which for some had been a lifetime’s work. are at this point. For some of us it has been a lifetime’s work.

The report was received by Synod.

A motion on the membership of the Covenant Council was taken. Synod approved the membership of The Rt Revd Alan Abernethe (Co Chair), Ms Elva Byrne, the V Revd Nigel Dunne, the Revd Dr Maurice Elliott, the Revd Barry Forde, Harold Gibney, Canon Ginnie Kennerley and the Revd Dr Peter Thompson.

A motion calling on General Synod to encourage congregations to celebrate the Covenant relationship with neighbouring Methodist congregations on or around John Wesley Day, May 24, each year was also passed.

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