The other striking development in Asia and the Pacific is the fragmentation of society. This trend is related to globalisation but operates in the opposite direction. This "breaking apart" is being experienced at personal, local community, national and international levels. The most open expression of this fragmenta-tion is communal violence. Striking cases of this have occurred in Ambon and Halmahera (North Maluku) within Indonesia. There is also clear evidence of the often violent breaking apart of society in the Pacific as well, for instance in Bougainville, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands. In Fiji there is still tension as they seek to implement the new multi-racial constitution. As well, there is concern about the fragmentation and division that is occurring amongst the indigenous Fijian people.

The Rev. Dr. Sevati Tuwere, the General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji, spoke powerfully of the response of the church to the situation. He said, "In a time of fragmentation the church is called to remember that the gospel is about bringing life together. The aim of unifying families, communities, churches and the nation as a whole needs to be at the heart of our activities."

International Mission is of the very essence of the Church. In the Uniting Church it is affirmed as an integral part of the church through its National Assembly. The Basis of Union speaks of the church’s calling to "the promotion of the Church’s mission" (Para 15e), and also sets the international context of our "special relationship with the Churches in Asia and the Pacific" (Para 2). Underlying all of this is the primary call to mission, that is, Christ’s call to share in the missionary nature of the Triune God Father, Son and Holy Spirit (see John 20: 21). As the Son and the Spirit are sent, so the Church is sent by the Trinity into the world. We cannot be united with God without sharing in God’s missionary nature. The secondary call to mission is the obedient acceptance of the risen Christ’s command and the promise of Christ’s presence (Matthew 28 : 18-20). Our mission can have no life of its own, as only under the graceful presence of the Triune God can it be called mission. (See further Robin Boyd and James Haire Mission and Unity).

Against this fundamental understanding of mission, there are a number of other important factors that are significant for us at this time.

2.1.4 Progressive Growth of the Vision for International Mission

Since the appearance of independent churches since World War II, the world mission work of all churches has had to start an uncertain journey towards a new understanding of their work. This journey speeded up in the late 1960s and 1970s with the push towards localisation.

Talking with Church leaders in the Pacific raises the question of who was really pushing for localisation. One church leader commented, "You never asked us whether you could come and you never asked us when you left". Others share how rapid localisation left their churches in disarray for years. Many problems related to structures, institutions, and organisational and financial management in the Pacific probably can be traced back to rapid and not well thought out localisation. A former missionary in Papua New Guinea described the way localisation was implemented by the Australian Church as ‘the last great paternal act’.

Since the 1970s we have tried to find appropriate new ways to express genuine and mutual partnership between the overseas churches and the UCA, as co-workers for Christ, including different approaches to funding.

We believe that we now need to move on further in the journey. With time, declining finances to share and a new generation of church leaders, there is the possibility of us moving on to more open and mutual interaction and interdependency, sharing in mission in the countries of our mission partners and also in Australia. This means less focus on the giving of funds or skills. Commitment and sensitivity of a high order are needed, because we are called to avoid paternalistic attitudes on the one hand but also irresponsibility and disengagement on the other. One has no right to wallow in post-colonial guilt as an excuse for disengagement. To take the fine line of respect but engagement requires hard work on all sides. However, it is the fine line that has been with the Christian mission since the days of Paul.

2.1.5 Marginalisation of International Mission Work

Over the last 10 to 15 years International Mission work has been steadily pushed to the margins of the life of the Church as an institution. Although it has never been formally suggested that International Mission is no longer a core ministry of the UCA, our actions as a community suggest that it no longer matters as it once did. Signs of this are the major reallocation of resources to other areas of the mission of the church, the drastic reduction of staff in Synods working in the area of International Mission and our declining capacity to support mission co-workers overseas. (In 1986 we funded 30 mission co-workers plus volunteers; in 2000 we fund 10.) This has contributed to the breakdown of communication networks concerning inter-national mission in the life of the Church and has forced UIM to allocate more of its declining resources to promotion. Yet the work of International Mission appears to still be central in the hearts of Uniting Church people. This dislocation of emphasis between the church as an institution and the hearts of our people is something that the Assembly must take seriously.

2.1.6 Declining Financial Resources

There is also a dislocation between the generosity of UCA people and the declining capacity of UIM to resource its International Mission work. From Church Union in 1977 until 1986 there had been only a very small decrease in the real value (i.e after allowing for inflation) in funds available to support International Mission work. From 1986 to 1999 there were very large decreases.

In 1986, Synod allocations and other income for the work of UIM were $1,884,000 (inflation adjusted $ 3,021,000). By 1999, the same income was $1,597,000, in real terms only 53% of the 1986 figure. [See Table A, Appendix 2]

Table A in Appendix 2 reveals:

Table B in Appendix 2 reveals that while UIM is receiving less than half of what it did in 1986 from allocation of Synod contributions after allowing for inflation, the remainder of the Assembly has an increase of about one-fifth in the 1986 amount.

If UIM had received the same percentage increase in its budget over the period 1986 to 1999 as the whole Assembly budget then it would have received in 1999 an additional $945,000 in Synod Budget allocations. This is a measure of the amount of funds that have been reallocated from UIM to other areas of the Assembly’s work.

Reductions of funding of this magnitude cannot be made without reaching the point where the heart is torn out of the capacity of the agency to maintain even the minimum level of work. We believe that UIM has now reached this point. We are desperately struggling to continue to support relationships with 31 partner churches and partner church councils, as well as supporting and training mission co-workers, Interns in Mission and volunteers and seeking to maintain an effective work in Christian Unity.

2.2 Facing an Urgent Situation

In early 1999 we needed to take urgent strategic action. We needed to discern the new directions into which God was leading us. God granted us the grace of his guidance and wisdom through some unexpected as well as expected sources.

As we have been led by God in the last year or so in our response to the Indonesian situation, we have discovered four insights that inform the whole direction of our work in seeking to be in mission partnership with our partner churches.

3.1 Ecumenical Highlights of the Triennium, 1997-2000

We begin our report by reminding the Assembly of some of the significant ecumenical events which have happened since the Perth Assembly in 1997. Firstly, the Harare Assembly of the World Council of Churches, on the theme Turn to God, Rejoice in Hope.

Secondly, we rejoice in the highly significant Agreement on Justification, ratified by the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation in Augsburg on Reformation Day, 31 October 1999. Here in Australia the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches approved a similar - and in some respects superior - document. This is a hopeful indication that long held and Church-dividing doctrinal differences can in fact be reconciled, even though questions relating to the nature of ordination and authority may be more intractable.

Thirdly, we continue to encourage our Church to share in the worldwide celebration of the new millennium and, in particular, to support the National Council of Churches in Australia’s proposals for ‘Covenanting’. The National Forum invited all member churches, respecting the constraints of their respective disciplines, to take appropriate action within their own structures, and to engage in dialogue with each other, where appropriate, with the view to entering into a multi-dimensional covenant for celebration and recognition at the meeting of the National Forum in 2001. We have drawn these proposals to the attention of our dialogue teams; and particularly in our Lutheran dialogue we believe that we have taken considerable steps towards their implementa-tion. Also we supported the NCCA’s Pilgrimage to the Heart of Australia (Uluru) at Pentecost this year and warmly commend the study program on baptism in the period between Easter (shared with the Orthodox) and Pentecost 2001, culminating in the celebration of our common baptism at Pentecost.

Finally, we welcome the publication in 1999 of Together in Song: Australian Hymn Book II. This is an event of major ecumenical significance, as the editorial committee included representatives of the Anglican Church, the Churches of Christ, and the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Uniting Churches. In worship, the Spirit carries us together into God’s future; and this book will help the Churches to come together in song.

3.2 Problems of Restructuring

We would be failing to give an accurate account of our work in the triennium if we did not refer to the great difficulties which we - in common with other Assembly agencies - experienced in the restructuring process, instituted and carried out by the Assembly Standing Committee in the period following the last Assembly. Our difficulties were twofold: (a) the perceived downgrading of our Church’s commitment to Christian unity, through the insertion of an apparent additional level of management involving the removal of our direct access to the Assembly, together with what appeared at the time to be the severe curtailment of financial resources; and (b) the adoption of what we believe to be significant ecclesiological changes in the polity of the Church without reference to the councils of the Church, as required by para 15 of the Basis.

With regard to (a) we have sought to work within the new structures, believing that the Church’s commitment to unity must be forwarded whatever the difficulties involved.

With regard to (b) we feel that we must draw the Assembly’s attention to the fact that there is a real danger that the Church may depart from our historic commitment to conciliarity, including the need of consulting the councils of the Church, and especially the Assembly, before making decisions "on matters of vital importance to the life of the Church" (Basis 15). We believe that this devaluing of conciliarity is a matter affecting Christian unity, and that the restructuring decision was indeed a matter "of vital importance to the Church". Sadly, we are aware that much energy and time had to be used in formulating and presenting our views in this matter - time which might have been used in work more obviously relating to interchurch relations.

The UIM Interim Executive and Reference Committee gave serious attention during 1998 to the document Mission and Unity, prepared by James Haire and Robin Boyd. Subsequent events have tended to show that, although there is, theologically, very good reason for combining the work of mission and unity, in practice there are many difficulties as the traditional modes of working of the two agencies are very different. There have been points of tension between the approaches of Christian Unity and International Mission during 1999 which we are working to resolve. We wish to express our appreciation of the support we have received from the National Director of Unity and International Mission, Bill Fischer, and our colleagues from the mission side of the partnership, at a time when all their energies were strained – and rightly strained – to cope with the very difficult situation in Indonesia.

3.3.2 Staff

Much of the energy and time of the Working Group has been spent in the setting up of the new structures. We pay tribute to the work of Hilary Christie-Johnston, whose skilful and experienced work as Secretary of the Working Group and its predecessors for many years has left the Church greatly in her debt. We welcomed the new National Director, Bill Fischer, and have been grateful for his presence at our meetings, for his commitment to Christian unity as well as to the mission of the Church, and for his active intervention to help us in securing the funds on which our work depends. Fran Barber took over the work of Secretary for Christian Unity in April 1999 and served the Working Group with energy, efficiency and distinction until mid-January 2000. We were disappointed to lose her services, which were of a high order, but we realise her need of undertaking further study to qualify herself even better for her work as a minister in the Church. We believe that it is important that we address some of the difficulties which Fran encountered in the job, such as the lack of a working environment with colleagues involved in the same kind of enterprise. We are following up suggestions about possible accommodation in an ecumenical environment.

3.3.3 Difficulties that have been experienced

The Christian Unity Working Group has been passing through a critical and unsettling period, though we have done our best to carry out our essential tasks and have been greatly encouraged by a number of fruitful outcomes.

We gladly acknowledge that the Christian Unity Working Group represents only a particular and somewhat specialised part of our Church’s commitment to unity. While we continue our work under the present structures, we do not consider the present situation ideal and we would like to see it changed, in particular, for the following reasons:

In the Uniting Church, unity is affirmed as a core function of the church through its national Assembly. The Basis of Union speaks of "the taking of further measures towards the wider union of the church" (Para 15e). Behind this lies the primary call to unity, that is, Christ’s call to share in the unity of the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 17:21). Christ’s followers as individuals and as a church are first of all called by Christ to share in God’s unity. The secondary call to unity is the call to Christians to be one with one another in order that the world may believe that the Father has sent the Son. Christian Unity is a means towards an end. That end is that all the peoples of the world should share in the life and love of the Triune God (see Robin Boyd and James Haire, Mission and Unity).

We therefore seriously and prayerfully suggest that the Assembly give consideration to strengthening Christian Unity’s position as a primary commitment of the Church.

All the suggestions and proposals we make are aimed to strengthen our focus on the church’s call to Christian Unity, for structures are merely a means towards the goal of unity-for-mission.

3.4 Achievements

The most obvious achievements of the Working Group are found in the work done by our different bilateral dialogue groups.

3.4.1 Roman Catholic. To our delight, the Australian Catholic Bishops quickly gave their blessing to the book on Interchurch Marriages: their ecumenical significance and challenge for our Churches, and our Standing Committee also gave its approval, on the recommendation of our Working Group and the Doctrine Working Group of the Theology and Discipleship Reference Committee. The book has now been published in an attractive format - at no cost to the Churches, as it is expected that proceeds from sales will exceed printing costs - and has already achieved wide circulation. In its present form, the book is directed to clergy but it has also already proved to be of great value to interchurch couples who, in their own life, illustrate the joys and the challenges of Christian unity. We are most grateful for the co-operation of our Roman Catholic colleagues, especially Archbishop John Bathersby and Bishop Michael Putney. It should be noted that the President of the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Cassidy, has endorsed this work internationally.

3.4.2 Lutheran. At the time of the last Assembly, we had just commenced a new chapter of this dialogue after a disappointing failure of an earlier recommendation to establish "altar and pulpit fellowship". Things have moved swiftly and encouragingly and we have now finalised a Declaration of Mutual Recognition, which we are submitting for approval to the Assembly (see Appendix attached). This declaration could make possible Eucharistic sharing between our two Churches in country areas where the shortage of ministers deprives people of pastoral and sacramental care. Such sharing of altar and pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran Church in Australia would be a new and very significant breakthrough and we commend it in hopefulness and joy.

3.4.3 Anglican. The new and strengthened dialogue teams have had several meetings and we are glad that one of our Working Group members, Janet Wood, is the UCA secretary of this dialogue. Discussion is focusing on the apostolicity of the churches, the mutual recognition of ministries and on the nature of pastoral oversight (episkope). We have suggested to the group that it may be helpful to work on the reconciliation, rather than simply the recognition of ministries. We believe that we, like others, may have to accept change in the interests of unity; we therefore believe that the time has come when in our discussion of episkope we must be prepared to give a fuller account of how episkope is exercised in the Uniting Church, personally, collegially and communally.

3.4.4 Churches of Christ. We have been en-couraged to seek closer relations with the Churches of Christ both because our Churches work together in a number of united parishes and also because in various places - like the Church of North India and the United Reformed Church in England - Churches of the same traditions as ours have in fact united. On the initiative of the President (John Mavor), a high level meeting was held in Sydney between three national leaders of each Church. As a result, Gregor Henderson, and also Morag Logan of our working group, each of whom were visiting England in 1999, met with leaders of the United Reformed Church in order to study how the Churches of Christ tradition has been integrated into the life of the URC, with special attention to baptismal practice. It is hoped to follow up this initiative with renewed dialogue.

3.4.5 Baptist. This dialogue is at present concentrating on local co-operation such as sharing in evangelistic outreach. It is also working on the production of explanatory articles in Church journals.

3.4.6 Greek Orthodox. One dialogue meeting a year is held in Sydney on theological topics, followed by a press release, and helpful personal relationships between Church leaders have been established. A different group is working on the production of draft guidelines for clergy celebrating marriages between members of the Uniting Church and Orthodox Christians, and this task is approaching completion.

3.4.7 Antiochian Church. Although we have as yet no official dialogue with this Church, we are in helpful contact. We note with sadness the death of Archbishop Gibran and welcome the appointment of Metropolitan Paul Saliba.

3.4.8 Oriental Orthodox. The dialogue with the Armenian Church continues. Some members of the Uniting Church in Australia visited Armenia and worshipped in the Armenian Church in 1998. We welcome the appointment of the first bishop to a Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia - Bishop Suriel. Christian Unity Work-ing Group member Robert Gribben has drawn up and is offering (through the United Faculty of Theology, Melbourne and the Centre for Ecumenical Studies) a new course (for B.Theol) on "Liturgy and Life - the Oriental Orthodox Churches in Australia". He has also been invited to share in the Anglican-Oriental dialogue - an instance of helpful ‘cross-fertilisation’ between dialogues.

3.4.9 Salvation Army. This dialogue has been disappointingly slow in resuming work, partly at least because of the rapid turn-over of personnel in the Salvation Army.

3.4.10 Society of Friends. This dialogue, based in Hobart under the leadership of Eric Smith, resumed activity in 1999 and has been studying the UCA report on sexuality.

3.4.11 Evangelical/Liberal Conversation on Mis-sion. This "conversation" (the term is preferred to "dialogue") has completed its first phase. A new title, indicating something of the approach, has been adopted: "Mission and Unity: liberal and evangelical perspectives in a conversation on faith-sharing and witness". During the next phase it is hoped to encourage the development of "conversations" at presbytery level, and to provide material for such conversations. Behind our thinking is a highly significant ecumenical question which cuts across all our Churches, "How do we maintain within a single koinonia individuals and groups whose biblical, theological and ethical views are moving at different ‘speeds’ and perhaps seemingly in different directions?". What are the limits of diversity? We are aware that already in the Uniting Church several different agencies are considering this question: we hope to work in co-operation with such agencies and possibly to act as a catalyst for co-ordinating their work. We are glad to report that our group now includes official representatives of EMU (Evangelical Members of the Uniting Church) and also the Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance, Tom Slater. Interchurch co-operation in mission takes place in many contexts other than official national ones and we need to be open to the guidance of the Spirit here.

3.5 Funding for Dialogue Work

During 1998-99 Robin Boyd, Bubsy Arulampalam and Bill Fischer spent considerable time on an application for funding for our dialogue program from the Council for World Mission in London (formerly the London Missionary Society). We are glad to say that this application was successful and we received a generous grant of $52,000 over two years, for which we are most grateful. At the same time, we are concerned that the Uniting Church’s work for Christian Unity should in this way have to depend on the generosity of an overseas partner, rather than on the contribution of our own Church. Financial problems also mean that when we sent Toska Miriam as our delegate to the Toronto meeting of the Standing Committee of Faith and Order (WCC), we had to make a direct appeal for funds to a number of private donors. We feel that the Church’s commitment to Christian unity should be supported directly by the Church and that, if necessary, permission should be given to raise funds directly from congregations for this purpose.

3.6 Intentional Ecumenical Education

The Perth Assembly entrusted to us the task of working with the Ministerial Education Commission to promote ecumenical formation among students for the ministry. We presented a detailed submission on the subject to the Ministerial Education Committee (MEC), and are disappointed that we have not as yet received a response, although the Assembly resolution asked the MEC to report to the Standing Committee, which was authorised to act in the matter (97.32.11). In addition to negotiating directly with the MEC we have been able to influence the actual drawing up of courses through the newly founded Centre for Ecumenical Studies (CES), which operates as a centre of the Melbourne College of Divinity. Robert Gribben and Robin Boyd are both members of the Board of the CES, and Robert is joint co-ordinator, along with the Rev Ray Williamson of the Anglican Church. Already the Centre has successfully conducted a one-day segment in a residential course for M.Min students (November 1998) and a one-week intensive course on ecumenism - attended by interstate students - in association with the Melbourne Ecumenical Summer School in January 1999 and again in January 2000. We believe that the elements are now in place to develop a workable plan for providing intentional ecumenical education to all our ministerial candidates.

3.7 Relations with Ecumenical Bodies

3.7.1 World Council of Churches. Several of our members, including Bill Fischer, Hamish Christie-Johnston and Rob Gallacher, attended the Harare Assembly and reported back to us. It is significant that Gregor Henderson was elected to the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches as a representative of Australian Churches. We were pleased that Dorothy Lee was appointed to the standing committee of the Faith and Order Commission. Dorothy was unable to attend the June meeting in Toronto of this committee, but her place was taken by Toska Miriam. We were privileged to be able to represent in this way not only ourselves but also the Australian Anglican Church. We commend to the study of the Church two very significant Faith and Order documents - The Nature and Purpose of the Church: a stage on the way to a common statement (F&O paper 181) and A treasure in earthen vessels: an instrument for an ecumenical reflection on hermeneutics (paper 182). Copies of these documents have been provided to staff in our theological halls; and we commend them to our ministers.

We also particularly welcome the document Mission and Evangelism in Unity Today (printed in International Review of Mission, Jan/April 1999) which was introduced at the Assembly in Harare. Although this document is still at the discussion stage, we believe that it is highly significant for our own work in the area of Unity and Mission, and we commend its study, both to our own Reference Committee on Unity and International Mission, and to the wider Church.

3.7.2 Christian Conference of Asia. Simon Moglia, who had been an active participant in the work of CCA for several years and who had contributed to its current restructuring, resigned from the Christian Unity Working Group on account of other commitments, and we pay tribute to his work. We are glad to be represented on CCA now by James Haire, Wendie Wilkie and Rachel Kronberger.

3.7.3 National Council of Churches in Australia. We have sought to promote the NCCA’s initiative in working for a multi-dimensional Covenant for 2001 by requesting all our bilateral dialogue teams to ensure that this matter is put on their agenda, and suitable action taken.

We regret that, for a number of reasons, we have been unable to carry out the Assembly’s recommendations concerning the provision of guidelines for local ecumenical projects, and for the development of official ecumenical over-sight for such projects. This item remains on our agenda.

Work has commenced on the following items, but is still to be carried to fruition.

3.8.1 Developing Relations with Synods. We are conscious of a loss of contact with Synods in comparison with the previous Commission for Christian Unity. We are, however, hoping to follow up the suggestion that we have one enlarged meeting of the CUWG each year, at which representatives from some of the Synods would be present. The UIM Reference Committee could also perhaps be developed in ways that would strengthen links with Synod ecumenical committees.

3.8.2 Personnel Bank. We have begun a process of compiling a list of people - from all over the Uniting Church - who have experience of Christian unity, or have demonstrated commit-ment to it, and could be called upon to serve in various capacities. We are looking for people from all age groups, but especially from the younger members of the Church.

3.8.3 Reception and Communication. We have set up a committee to look at the question of how the Church should receive and disseminate ecumenical information - both from publications and from delegates returning from conferences. Some work has been done on the setting up of a web site, and on the production of an occasional newsletter.

It is a privilege to be associated with the people of Unity and International Mission, past and present, staff and members of the Reference Committee and its working groups. They are people of faithful service who have persisted even when the way has been very difficult and sometimes painful. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to those who have completed their service: Rev Graham Brookes for 13 years in leadership in the former World Mission, Maureen Lewis for 30 years and Jen Youngs for 10 years with People in Mission and Hilary Christie-Johnston with Christian Unity. They are also people of extraordinary courage. Both staff members and UCA people linked with UIM through working groups and Synods have repeatedly been in places of high risk and deep emotional engagement during 1999-2000 as they have gone to be with our friends in Indonesia, India and parts of the Pacific. How many other committee meetings begin like the International Mission Working Group with emotional welcomes to staff, just back from a visit to a partner church - and still alive! The strong relationship we now value with churches in Asia and the Pacific comes at a cost to our own people. There are no words for it but I simply thank them: Bill Fischer, Bubsy Arulampalam, John Barr, Joy Balazo, Laurie Fitzgerald, Julie Woolcock, Iris Elgueta, Joanne Neilson, Caitlin Vincent, Jen Youngs and James Haire, and our other friends and members.

The journey of Unity and International Mission in the immediate past has been over rough roads. We have been re-structured, relocated, relieved of resources. Our left foot and our right foot still need to learn to walk well together. Our most challenging times have coincided with our most vulnerable times. Forty years ago I was accepted for missionary service. Since then almost everything about this work has changed - our denomination, our understanding of mission and unity, our methods. Yet the strong call of God to mission and unity remains. God invites us to keep listening and to keep following.

Our roots are mainly in the German, Scandinavian, French, Swiss, Scottish and English churches, which were renewed by the Reformation of the sixteenth century.

We come from different parts of the world, diverse ethnic backgrounds, and with distinctive experiences of being Christian. We thank God for bringing our two communities to live together in this land, along with other Christian traditions. We thank God that we have been privileged to share our faith with the Aboriginal peoples of this land, and in turn to be enriched by their expression of that faith.

Although our forbears treasured close links with each other during the Reformation and for many years afterwards, we regret that our ignorance and misunderstanding of each other have kept us apart. We now seek to restore and develop our relationship.

The Uniting Church in Australia identifies itself in the Basis of Union (1971, 1992). The Uniting Church claims continuity with the "Reformed" and the evangelical traditions, and is committed to continue to learn from the Scots Confession of Faith (1560), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), and the Savoy Declaration (1658), and also from the preaching of John Wesley (1703-91) in his Forty-Four Sermons (paragraph 10, Basis of Union).

The Lutheran Church of Australia identifies itself by adherence to the Confessions in the Book of Concord (1580) because they contain the truth of Scripture.

Both traditions have understood themselves, despite their shortcomings, as standing in the continuity of the faith and ministry of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church. They have therefore sought, by these statements of belief and by the maintenance of ministerial continuity, to gather Christians together into a single fellowship.

We have been in official dialogue since 1979, and have produced the following agreed statements:

Some practical co-operation is already in place, from consultation at the level of Heads of Churches to special arrangements for local eucharistic hospitality.

We identify the following ways in which we believe and practise a shared faith:

We proclaim that in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, and that we are saved by this grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ alone. ‘You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God’ (1 Cor 6: 11). This is not our own doing; it is the gift of God. We are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. (See The Word of God, Justification by Faith and Law and Gospel.)

We submit ourselves to the Word of God, accepting the authority of the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the prophetic and apostolic testimony to Jesus Christ. (See The Word of God, Justification by Faith.)

We profess the ecumenical creed of Nicaea and the Apostles’ Creed. We believe that Jesus is true God and true human being, and confess one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Church is created and preserved by the triune God, through God’s saving action in word and sacraments, to be in the world as sign, instrument and foretaste of the kingdom of God. We recognise that the Church stands in constant need of reform and renewal. (See The Church.)

We believe that all members of the Church are called to participate in its apostolic mission. For this they are given various gifts of service by the Holy Spirit. Within the community of the Church the ordained ministry³ exists to serve the ministry and mission of the whole people of God. We hold the ordained ministry of word and sacrament to be a gift of God to his Church, and so an office of divine institution. (See The Ministry.)

We believe that through baptism with water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit God unites those baptised with Christ in his death and resurrection, incorporates them into his body, the Church, and confers the gracious gift of new life in the Spirit. Through the grace of God these and all other benefits of the work of Christ are received by faith. (See Baptism.)

We believe that the body and blood of Christ are truly present, distributed and received in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. Thus the bread and wine we eat and drink in the Lord’s Supper are a participation in the body and blood of Christ. We believe that we receive the grace of divine forgiveness and new life offered in the sacrament and respond with the thankful offering of ourselves for God’s service. (See The Eucharist.)

God graciously serves us in word and sacrament when we gather in Christ’s name. We celebrate and proclaim our salvation in Christ, and we are built up together into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. We use similar orders of service for the eucharist, for baptism and confirmation, for confession and absolution, for marriage and funeral rites. We share a common heritage of hymns, canticles and collects. (See A Doxological Affirmation.)

We believe that marriage is instituted by God and is intended as a relationship of mutual companionship in which husband and wife complement and serve each other. We hold that the strength and stability of marriage and family life is the expression of God’s purpose for the well-being of the wider society. It is the God-given institution for the expression of sexual intimacy. (See Pastoral Statement on Marriage.)

We share a common hope in the final consummation of the kingdom of God, when God’s purpose will be fulfilled, all things will be united in Christ, and we shall see him as he is, and we shall be like him. Meanwhile we are sure that as he is righteous, so we are to be righteous in this world.

We affirm in each other’s churches the presence of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We believe that, despite our shortcomings, we stand in the continuity of apostolic faith and ministry. We acknowledge and respect each other’s ordained ministries as real and effective expressions of the proclamation of the word, the administration of the sacraments, and pastoral oversight. We have learnt much from each other. We pledge to work together to develop joint participation in mission and witness, and to continue to seek ways of manifesting the unity that is ours in Christ.

We encourage local co-operation between our two churches in the ministry of the word and pastoral care, and a shared deployment of human and material resources for witness in local communities by word and deed. This co-operation should take place on the following basis: