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WHEN CHURCHES JOIN

3. Pitfalls and other Unexpected Difficulties

(This section reflects on particular difficulties that need special consideration)

Matters for consideration regarding Clergy

It is important that the initiating clergy with the ecumenical vision be left in position until the partnership has been consolidated. Removal of clergy under normal circumstances prior to this consolidation can lead to the collapse of the whole venture, and a situation where it would have been better had there been no co-operation at all. In circumstances where clergy have to be replaced in the short term it is crucial that the denominational appointing bodies appoint someone (whether in the short or long term) who is sensitive to the ecumenical endeavour which is in its infancy. It is often a struggle to overcome old divisions, so personnel must be chosen for their dedication and ability to co-operate and complement one another and to give appropriate ongoing encouragement and support to the venture.

Further, whenever any new appointments are made to churches within the covenant ensure that there is joint participation in the appointment of the minister by all the bodies with oversight, in consultation with representatives of both parts of the congregation. There have been problems when there is a proposal to appoint a minister that one partner considered inappropriate. In addition, if there is only one (joint) congregation, this may mean there is only one minister, and this prospect can be a threat to those who will want to be ministered to by clergy of their own denomination. It is also important to ensure that potential ministers are fully aware of the covenant and its implications because it goes without saying that an appointee with contrary views will soon undermine the co-operation and dismantle the partnership. There is a preference for five rather than three years as the normal term of appointment of ministers in co-operating parishes, with shorter periods being possible and limited flexibility on extensions.

There must be clarity on roles and authority within the congregation especially when parent churches have different views on the role and authority of the Priest/Minister of the Word.

The issue of mutual recognition of the ministry is the major barrier to unrestricted local eucharistic fellowship, but there are ways and means of effecting that most important sharing of all, at the Lord's Table together. Joint retreats for clergy and lay people, as recommended by the Trinity Declaration (iv) may be useful in such situations.

There are rural towns where clergy of all denominations have been/are being withdrawn without ecumenical consultation. What initiative needs to be taken in such a circumstance? What support and assistance is available to ministers who have difficulties coping with complex demands in isolated situations?

A useful inclusive language name for an ecumenical clergy group may be the term 'Ministerium', or more simply, "Ministerial Team".

When the first minister is appointed, there is a tendency to state that the next will be of the other denomination. However it is not wise to predetermine the future situation. A general statement about taking balance into consideration when new appointments occur should be sufficient.

Matters for consideration regarding Congregational Members

Discover together the evangelical imperative which you share in your witness and service to the local community. There will be a greater emphasis on and interest in the local community because congregations wish to concentrate on their local mission and life. A suggested focus could be: 'How do we engage together in mission?'

Explore together the Faith that we share, at the same time developing a deeper understanding about the identity and traditions of your own church and about your partner church. With regard to the Uniting Church this will include its origins, its Basis of Union, its ecumenical commitment and its understanding of mission and ministry. Distinguish the basics of the faith from the liturgical expressions which have their origins in the developing tradition of the Church. Special teaching sessions may be required to inform members of the respective church traditions.

Individual members of co-operating congregations must know to which church they belong. Separate baptismal rolls should be kept, and confirmations should be conducted by the appropriate authority in each church. This is important for young people leaving home and moving to larger centres. Nevertheless, in one co-operative partnership which has been in operation for some time, there is a move towards having only one list of members which would not identify persons according to denomination.

Members of either church in the co-operative partnership must not feel that any proposal is a threat to their identity as a member of one or other of the denominations involved in the discussions, e.g. the vision of a 'united congregation' may be more than they bargained for. They must not feel 'under siege'.

Provision for and appointment of eldership or parish assistants in co-operating parishes can be provided for by agreement, but the functions of any council or committee remain a matter for the Church Council to determine.

Matters for consideration regarding Worship and the Sacraments

Worship and pray together no matter what form the co-operative venture may take.

Each tradition must be clearly and regularly represented in forms of worship. It has been found to be beneficial to have alternating services/liturgies, each being an authentic example of one tradition even if the congregation is a mixture of traditions. To this end, at the outset clergy and other key people must be specially educated in the worship practices of the churches involved and trained to celebrate the Eucharist as the people of each church in the partnership would expect. These aspects of liturgical training have not always been given adequate attention at the beginning of a co-operative partnership.

In places where the Eucharist at every service has not been expected in the past, there is no 'adaptability problem' to a changed pattern of worship services.

It is useful to remember that the Anglican and Uniting Churches have adopted a common statement on Baptism and share, with the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Orthodox churches, a common Baptismal certificate.

Matters for consideration regarding Property and Resources

The property-owning denomination may be prepared to enter a Declaration of Trust so that one party holds the property on behalf of both parties. In other instances the relationship is that of 'landlord/tenant', with one party owning the property and the other having access as a tenant. But beware of entering partnerships with a congregation which is struggling financially and sees the arrangement as a convenient source of a financial contribution for the use of the building (a landlord/tenant relationship). The greater the partnership in property the better. A landlord/tenant relationship reflects two unequal partners. Preferable is 'tenancy in common' with shares reflecting the differing contributions in the cause.

Points to bear in mind if, however, a tenancy agreement is negotiated:

- the congregation owning the property may decide on a new use of their buildings on a Sunday morning, e.g. two worship services in differing styles, leaving the 'tenant' congregation possibly without a meeting time which they feel appropriate.

- if the 'tenant' partner congregation has sold property and invested the monies received into the property of the 'landlord' partner congregation, and the co-operative partnership collapses for some reason, the 'tenant' congregation will no longer have those financial resources. They would be in no different position from other community organisations which rented the church building.

If Uniting Church properties are sold and funds contributed to a joint venture, consider how Uniting Church members will feel if, for example, it becomes the Anglican prerogative to appoint the minister. This may come about because of the question of presidency at the Eucharist, or the stipend may be funded by the Anglican Church with no provision in the agreement for the Uniting Church to provide the ministry?

Ultimately, how one congregation puts its resources into property owned by another must be determined by the Synod of the Uniting Church and the appropriate authorities of other denominations acting on legal advice.

Where a Uniting Church building is used for worship by other denominations, interpersonal interaction among the communities should be fostered.

The Christians of a country town may want to join together under a name which does not include any reference to a denomination. If there is a proposal to give them Uniting Church property and set them free from all connections with the Uniting Church or any other denomination, the committees of Presbytery and Synod would have to be consulted. The issues involved go far beyond considerations of property. They include the sense in which an independent congregation participates in the body of Christ and the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church, how oversight is to be exercised and how ministers are to be appointed.

Matters for consideration regarding Episcope/Support

There is a need for appropriate authority (episcope) in co-operative ventures, but there is an attempt to avoid the use of the word 'oversight' because it means different things to different denominations. With the separation of the churches following the Reformation the churches ordered the ministry of episcope in different ways. We believe the Church is a communion of co-responsible persons: no function, no gift, no charisma is exercised outside or above this communion. The ministry of oversight implies an ordering and differentiation within the communion of the church. In many parts of the world, however, the ecumenical movement is increasingly leading to a degree of shared oversight.

There must be a two-pronged approach to the provision of episcope / support:

From the Uniting Church perspective the Presbytery (and Synod) needs a formal body which deals specifically with matters of partnership. This body needs to be willing to support local ecumenical projects, to stand alongside the congregations entering into co-operative partnerships and their clergy, to assist and lend support in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion, to trust their members involved in them, and to be challenged by their experiences. It needs to be in regular conversation with the equivalent body of participating denominations. This provides a framework of agreed co-operation and ecumenical courtesy to guide (and bind) the participating parties in any co-operative ventures.

Throughout the ongoing negotiations ensure that approval is obtained from the council/person with episcopal oversight - Presbytery and Bishop. It is important to have the approval of the "Bishop-in-Council", i.e. the Presbytery, which might mean less likelihood of a break in the event of a change of Bishop. The question has been raised: Can a Committee perform the ministry of episcope? Reports from time to time to Presbytery Pastoral Relations Committees may not be adequate, especially if there is a troublesome issue to be resolved. Is the Presbytery Minister the most appropriate person in this situation to provide assistance and support, usually having a longer term of office than the Chair of Presbytery?

It is also necessary to establish a joint body to provide ongoing pastoral 'oversight'. Presbytery representatives, which may be Presbytery Ministers, Bishops, Archdeacons and appropriate members of other traditions are encouraged to meet together to establish this pastoral process, to oversee co-operative work, and to consult as to the most appropriate form of ministry that can be offered collaboratively between each communion within the confines of budget and personnel limitations, and to consider the deployment and location of clergy. Ensure there are continuing and regular meetings of these episcopal authorities from both/all the participating churches so that the support and oversight provided for co-operative partnerships is satisfactory.

Examples of such bodies include the:
* Regional Council of Co-operation: U.C.A. Presbyteries of Eyre Peninsula and Frome with Anglican Diocese of Willochra
* Joint Advisory Council of S.A. S.A. U.C.A. Synod co-operating with the Churches of Christ

Whilst various states have ecumenical bodies which support local ecumenical networks and endeavours, and state rural ministry support groups within some denominations, there is to date no representative, national, ecumenical, rural ministry body which can give specialised support to rural ecumenical co-operatives. One form of support, however, can come from electronic inter-denominational sharing about rural ministry and related issues through internet discussion groups such as RFD+ which can be found at http://ruralchurch.org.

Provide for periodic review of the venture. Regular meetings of the joint body allow for review of the work in co-operating congregations, or there could be a review of the local Covenant prior to an annual act of worship at which the Covenant is renewed.

Relationship to Parent Churches

Any co-operative ministry is expected to safeguard and present the doctrines, practices and traditions of each participating denomination in such a way that they can be recognised and appreciated along with degrees of blending which evolve.

The members need to retain strong relational bonds with their own tradition through the co-operating congregation if their project is to remain truly ecumenical. Giving to the mission of the wider church beyond the parish must be maintained and people kept as informed about what each of the co-operating churches is doing in their church's wider work as they would be if they were in a 'normal' parish.

Each part of the co-operative remains part of its parent church and requires accountability and participation in the life of that parent church. Changes in personnel at any of the levels may require adjustments. This maintenance of relationships needs to be encouraged and supported, rather than become a matter for resentment. So normal relations must be maintained with the wider church structures e.g. Presbytery, Diocese, etc. Clergy should be granted opportunity to attend the meetings of the 'other' sister church's councils. This requires special effort as relating to more than one structure imposes greater and more complex demands. It may not always be possible for ministers to attend all the meetings and choices may have to be made. Regular attendance of lay representatives at these meetings is also important for keeping in touch.