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The Conference of Religious works closely together with World Faiths, Anglican Communities and Churches Together to engage in inter-faith and inter-denominational dialogue. World Faiths As well as links with fellow Christian Churches CoR has well established connections through its members, with representatives and leaders from the major world religions Members of religious congregations are extending their apostolic work with migrants in parishes. Anglican Communities The Conference of Religious has a particularly close association with the Anglican communities. The Anglicans have a representative on the Executive. Anglican Associates' Report Some Facts Not all Anglican Congregations are Associates of the Conference, the same is true for the full members of CoR, but with us it is a greater percentage i.e. 50% (20 out of 40). The total number of Anglican Religious in the UK is considerably smaller too. And it is also of note that about 50% have fewer than 10 members. The church structures regarding Religious are very different too. There is no body of Canon Law relating to Religious in the Church of England. Instead Congregations are regulated by choosing a Bishop Visitor who is the link with the House of Bishops of the General Synod of the Church of England (or the equivalent Synod in other Provinces of the Anglican Communion). There is a body which has the cumbersome title of The Advisory Council on the Relations of Bishops and Religious Communities, composed of members who are bishops elected by the House of Bishops and Religious elected by the Religious. They have produced a book A Handbook of the Religious Life, which sets out guidelines for all aspects of the Religious Life and which has recently been substantially revised. This Council meets twice a year. The Anglican Congregations themselves have an organisation called Anglican Religious Communities (ARC), which is the nearest parallel to CoR, only that all professed members belong. The groupings between Congregations; the Leaders, the Novice Guardians, the Religious elected to General Synod, and the professed have representative who are elected to an ARC Committee which is the central body that deals with business and issues of interest to all Congregations. The Leaders and the Novice Guardians have an annual meeting and then there is a larger annual conference organised for everybody. There is a paid part-time Secretary for ARC. A representative from the CoR Executive attends the annual meeting of the Leaders and meetings of the Advisory Council; the current representative is Sr Catherine McGovern OSF. A representative from the Anglican Leaders is elected to represent them on the CoR Executive. I have fulfilled this role for the past 8 years and shall be retiring in June 2007. Last Year The Leaders met at Sneaton Castle Centre, Whitby, June 19-22. There were 30 participants and the theme was ‘Holding the Space’ led by Dr Gillian Stamp. Her input was of a high quality but there was little time to reflect on it. Some of the issues raised were to do with leadership in small communities which are ageing; finding time for reflection rather than reaction; the need for clarification around decision making and how to implement them; the importance of listening; the dangers of collusion and co-dependence; the care of those going out of leadership. One morning was given to ‘holding the inner space’ and was a quiet time together led by an invited priest. There was also some input from Br Riccardo of the Bose Community (a monastic Ecumenical Community begun in Italy in the seventies) on ‘the space of a Rule of Life’ and ‘holding the space for the future’. We were left with the question ‘how do we live out our core values? Some felt there was too much input! The provisional title for this year’s conference is ‘How to live Today so there’ll be a Tomorrow. It is to be held June 18-22 at St Gabriel’s Centre, Ditchingham, Suffolk. Joyce Yarrow CSF Churches Together General Secretary: Rev Robert Fyffe Through association with ecumenical bodies the Conference of Religious and related groups are engaged in a process of growing together and exploring new forms of partnership in local ecumenism, inter-faith relations, mission and racial justice. Church of England Mr William Fittall Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales Mgr Andrew Summersgill ( Gen Sec) Ecumenical Committee for Corporate Responsibility Miles Litvinoff ( Co-ord ) Focolare Movement Celia Blackden ( Dir ) Churches Commission on Interfaith Relations Rev Peter Colwell |
© Conference of Religious 2007 |