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Churches Together in Eastleigh & Bishopstoke |
Churches Together in Eastleigh unites in pilgrimage those churches in Eastleigh,
Bishopstoke and Fair Oak which, acknowledging God’s revelation in Christ, confess
the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures, and, in
obedience to God’s will and in the power of the Holy Spirit commit themselves
- to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the
Church, which is His body, and
- to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the
world
to the glory of the one God - Father Son and Holy Spirit.
The aims of the Churches Together in Eastleigh shall be
(i) to provide a means of consultation between the churches
(ii) to facilitate common witness to Christ by the member churches
(iii) to work and pray together for Christian unity in association with Churches
Together in Hampshire and the Island
(iv) to represent the combined churches of Eastleigh
In particular, Churches Together in Eastleigh shall seek
(a) to enable the churches, as pilgrims together, to develop growing
relationships, to seek a common mind, and to make decisions together.
(b) to encourage churches to worship, pray, and reflect in the light of its mission
- each church sharing with others the treasures of its tradition
(c) to enable the churches to respond to the needs of society and to witness to
the Gospel together
(d) to enable the churches to live and share the Gospel, to evangelise together
and to take further steps toward fuller unity.
(e) to encourage churches to do things ecumenical, rather than separately,
whenever possible
Churches Together in Eastleigh in association with Churches Together in Hampshire
and the Island.
Membership of Churches Together in Eastleigh shall be open to
(a) any local church in the area which affirms the Basis and commits itself to
promote the aims of Churches Together in Eastleigh
(b) any local church which on principle has no credal statements in its tradition
and therefore cannot formally subscribe to the statement of faith in the
Basis, provided that it satisfies 75% in number of those full member
churches which subscribe to the Basis that it manifests faith in Christ as
witnessed to in the Scriptures and is committed to the aims and purposes of
Churches Together in Eastleigh, and that it will work in the spirit of the Basis.
(c) any association, network, or movement which brings together Christians of
different denominations in the area for purposes congruent with the Basis
and Aims of Churches Together in Eastleigh.
The officers of Churches Together in Eastleigh shall be a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman,
and Honorary Treasurer and an Honorary Secretary (plus a Minute
Secretary) to be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
A Steering Committee comprising of the officers, plus 1 minister and 2 church
members will be chosed at the Annual General Meeting.
The Forum meetings will be open to all church members with clergy/ministers and up
to three others from each participating church having "voting rights".
There will be at least 3 Forums annually. The 3rd meeting shall be the Annual
General Meeting at which the annual reports are submitted.
Each participating church/member body shall pay such an annual sum to Churches
Together in Eastleigh as shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting.
The Constitution and any subsequent amendment to it requires the approval of 75%
of the member churches, acting through their normal decision-making bodies.
It is intended that Churches Together in Eastleigh shall reflect the developing life of
the Christian Churches as they continue their pilgrimage together. From time to time
(every 5 years) a Review Group shall be appointed by the members’ churches in
consultation with the County Ecumenical Officer/Churches Together in Hampshire
and the Island to report on the progress of the pilgrimage and to make proposals for
desirable change.
Adopted AGM, 19th July 2005