! Background: United Methodists & Episcopalians in dialogue as part of Consultation on Church Union from 1962-present. Established bilateral dialogue in 2000. Dialogue has met from 2002-present. Church of England-British Methodist Dialogue " Anglican-Methodist Covenant, 2003 International Dialogue, Phase 1: 1988-1996 " Sharing in the Apostolic Communion International Dialogue, Phase 2: 2009-2013 " Into All the World
! Interim Eucharist Sharing, 2006 Allows for shared celebrations of the Eucharist under mutually agreed guidelines A step on the way to possible full communion! Make Us One in Christ, congregational study guide, 2006 Designed for one congregation from each communion to get to know one another! Theological Foundation for Full Communion, 2010 Summarized work of dialogue from 2002-2010 Declared that no major doctrinal issues separated two churches Presented mutual affirmations Recommended drafting of full communion proposal
! Full communion is understood as a relationship between two distinct ecclesiastical bodies in which each maintains its own autonomy while recognizing the catholicity and apostolicity of the other, and believing the other to hold the essentials of the Christian faith. In such a relationship, communicant members of each would be able freely to communicate at the altar of the other, and ordained ministers may officiate sacramentally in either church. Specifically, this includes transferability of members, mutual recognition and interchangeability of ministries, mutual enrichment by one another s traditions of hymnody and patterns of liturgy, freedom to participate in each other s ordinations and installations of clergy, including bishops, and structures for consultation to express, strengthen, and enable our common life, witness, and service, to the glory of God and the salvation of the world. 1, A Gift to the World, adapted from Called to Common Mission
! Not merger! Churches remain distinct! Interchangeability of ordained ministers! Members may freely receive the Eucharist in one another s communions! Commitment to common witness, mission, worship, and service! Pledge to mutually enriched by one another s traditions
! This agreement is currently only between The United Methodist Church and The Episcopal Church! Since 2002 have held several consultations with historically African American Methodist Churches: AME, AMEZ, CME, and others! UMC and historically African American Methodist Churches declared full communion with one another! Hope is to present this proposal for discussion and consultation
! Document notes Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral as foundational principle for Anglicans in ecumenical conversations! Presents fourteen mutual affirmations! States that Episcopalians consider first three points of Quadrilateral met by affirmations outlined in Sharing in the Apostolic Communion and Theological Foundation for Full Communion documents! Proposes way forward on sharing in ordained ministries and the historic episcopate
! Interchangeability of lay persons and lay ministers according to polity of each church! Interchangeability of deacons United Methodist Church and Episcopal Church have both revived office of vocational deacon Both have vocational deacons ordained by bishops Episcopal Church has retained transitional diaconate, United Methodist Church no longer ordains transitional deacons Proposal is for interchangeability of deacons, according to polity of each church.
! Both churches have an ordained office of Word and Sacrament Episcopal Church: priest/presbyter United Methodist Church: elder, though presbyter used in other churches of World Methodist Conference! Proposal: for Episcopalians, suspension of the Preface to the Ordinal to permit for grandparenting of United Methodist elders in full connection to serve in The Episcopal Church.! After effective date of full communion, all elders in full connection will be eligible for service due to actions taken with regard to bishops! This does not include lay pastors authorized to preside at the sacraments or locally ordained elders! UMC polity already would permit Episcopal priests to serve in United Methodist Church Same process as with the ELCA in Called to Common Mission
! Recognize the ministries of bishops in both churches as fully authentic! Acknowledge both are adaptations of historic episcopate to historical context of 1780s! Moving forward: all future consecrations of United Methodist and Episcopal bishops will include at least three bishops drawn from common full communion partners (ELCA, Moravian Church, and each other). These bishops will be present and participate in the laying on of hands. Similar process as with the ELCA and Called to Common Mission: three bishops in historic succession at each consecration.
! Establishment of Joint Commission to oversee full communion relationship! Final draft of proposal will set an effective date of full communion, depending on scheduled consideration by General Convention and General Conference! Proposal will be effective as of that date! Celebration of full communion will be developed by Joint Commission For both national celebration and local, regional celebrations
! January, 2017: Draft agreement formally endorsed by dialogue team.! 2017-2019: Conversation, discussion, consultation in both communions Incorporation of feedback.! 2020: considered for approval by United Methodist General Conference! 2021: considered for approval by General Convention of The Episcopal Church! January 1, 2022: Possible effective date for full communion and interchangeability of ministries! Spring, 2022: Worship service(s) celebrating and affirming full communion