Churches in East Midlands sign a covenant of unity

The United Reformed Church is one of six denominations across the Northamptonshire and Peterborough areas that have just renewed their commitment to working together across the region.

Baptist, Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Salvation Army representatives joined the Revd Peter Meek, moderator of the East Midland Synod, in signing the covenant which underpins the unifying work of the Churches in the area.

The covenant reads:

“We believe that the Holy Spirit is leading us into deeper unity, and that God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, is calling us to a greater sharing in our common mission to the world.

“We rejoice in the partnership of trust which has grown among us as we have shared personally in worship, work and consultation over recent years.

“We recognise that we have in common many similar responsibilities, joys, problems and hopes, and that we have much to offer and receive from each other in the rich diversity of our traditions, as we seek to serve our one Lord.

“We undertake, for the sake of God’s Kingdom, to encourage our churches to act together in mission, evangelism and issues of justice and peace; and in relation to appointments, buildings and resources.

“We commit ourselves to meet regularly to further the aims of this covenant; to promote local co-operation and the setting up and supporting of local ecumenical partnerships; and to encourage and support the work of the local, regional and national bodies of Churches Together.

“We invite congregations to share in the spirit of this Covenant to which we now commit ourselves.”

Photo caption: From left to right: The Revd Peter Hancock, Methodist chair of the Northampton district; the Rt Revd Peter Doyle, the Catholic Bishop of Northampton; the Revd Helen Wordsworth, Baptist regional minister, central Baptist Association; the Rt Revd John Holbrook, Church of England Bishop of Brixworth; and the Revd Peter Meek, United Reformed Church Moderator of the URC’s East Midlands Synod