What clear signal of local unity is your church giving?
Where a church is the only place of worship in a village or rural area it has a special ecumenical role to play by welcoming and serving people of various denominational backgrounds. A special code of ecumenical hospitality applies (see your area ecumenical officer for details). This is a special privilege and opportunity – to be THE church for all in that place and can liberate the local church from wearing denominational blinkers. Confidence needs to be fostered in some Methodist congregations to fulfil these roles – either as the only place of worship (learning to be THE Church) or as a partner – discarding Free Church feelings of ‘inferiority’. Where churches of different traditions serve villages, their credibility and joint survival depends upon imaginative co-operation and sharing of tasks so that there is more coverage of need and scarce resources are not squandered. This can be signalled on the notice boards: ‘Dale Methodist Church serving you as part of Longdale Churches Together’.