Almost 100 intermediate ecumenical representatives, working across English counties or cities, gathered together at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick from Tuesday 29 September to Thursday 1 October 2026. These included denominational representatives from national Member churches: Assemblies of God; the Baptist Union; the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales; the Church of England; Churches in Communities; the Congregational Federation; the Council of Lutheran Churches; the Methodist Church; the Oecumenical Patriarchate; the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Quakers; the Salvation Army; the United Reformed Church and for the first time we were joined by a representative from the Wesleyan Holiness Church.
These representatives serve across England from Cumbria to Cornwall. We also welcomed ecumenical colleagues from Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and a visitor from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark.
The theme of the conference Ecumenism: Belief, identity and belonging was particularly timely with contemporary concerns about societal polarisation and the rise of Christian Nationalism. Churches Together in England Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations Min Shermara Hoyte shared Kingdom over Nation which offers theological and pastoral resources to help church leaders navigate conversations around Christian Nationalism.
Read Min Shermara’s introduction to Kingdom over Nation.
Christians in Politics Andy Flannagan also spoke about the challenge of Christian Nationalism. His talk is in two parts
Download Andy’s poem ‘We have always needed scapegoats‘.
On the final day of the conference, Christian Aid’s Head of Church and Community Fundraising and Engagement, Pete Moorey, spoke about how ecumenical structures can offer a radical welcome.
Delegate reports
CTE invited three first time attendees to this conference to share their thoughts on the event:
Dawn Thomas, Wesleyan Holiness Church, based in Birmingham
The Ecumenical Representatives Conference was a first for me, and it was a truly enriching experience. I arrived feeling excited and optimistic, and from the moment I arrived I was welcomed with warmth and kindness, which continued throughout. It was a great opportunity to connect with others and develop a deeper understanding of ecumenism.
The theme for this year’s conference was “Belief, Identity and Belonging.” I enjoyed how interactive the sessions were as it gave us opportunities to hear different perspectives and to also learn from each other. It was great to experience Night Prayer led by The Quaker tradition. On the second day, two sessions on responding to Christian nationalism particularly stood out. Both Shermara Hoyte and Andy Flannagan shared valuable, insights into the challenges surrounding nationalism and patriotism. What they shared equipped me with a deeper understanding of how Christians can navigate these challenges and how to also appropriately respond.
As my understanding of ecumenism grew, I reflected on the importance of unity in Christ. Seeing different church traditions represented was a great reminder that we are all part of the same body, reinforcing the importance of Christian unity and building relationships across traditions.
Throughout the three days, I had the opportunity to not only network but to also fellowship with others, it was great to be able to have time and space to meet new people. It was a transformative experience that challenged me, broadened my perspective, and encouraged me to think about what it means to live out our unity as the body of Christ. I’m looking forward to attending the next one!.
Clark Seanor, from the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Oxfordshire
I attended the All Ecumenical Representatives conference as a young person’s representative for Quakers. I think that I will still be reflecting on the conference for a long time to come. I continually felt as though I was meeting Christ in the people that I met there, again and again, in our similarities and our differences. Getting a greater level of first-hand experience with the diversity of expressions of faith we had among us was invaluable. It made me think about how the mutual understanding and respect I felt might be carried beyond the walls of the conference and out into the world.
One thing I would like to have heard more about is how churches may be forging connections with people outside of their faith communities with whom they feel a sense of sharing a common cause, at least in part. In discussions of ways to address Christian Nationalism, we considered our roles in helping those oppressed by it as well as ways to reach out to those who were drawn to it. I would have also liked to hear more about outreach and collaboration with those who are not part of church communities but may be involved with topics such as migration and climate justice.
Rev Kimberley Mannings, Denominational Ecumenical Officer, Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
It was a joy to attend the CTE All Ecumenical Representatives Conference as a Church of England DEO for the Diocese of Liverpool. Being only a few weeks in post, it was invaluable receiving wisdom from colleagues across the breadth of the Church, as well as connecting with local ecumenical colleagues, including those I had not previously had the privilege of meeting.
As a parish priest, I’m fortunate to minister in a town which has ecumenism at its heart, but attending this conference, it was a gift to see a glimmer of the sheer breadth and joy of ecumenism alive and well across the wider Church. Indeed, one of the most moving moments for me was in the very first session when representatives took turns standing up to indicate their denomination and locality, stretching even as far as Denmark!
The seminars on Christian Nationalism were also very powerful, being both challenging and disturbing in equal measure. I learnt so much about the unique challenges which colleagues face in their localities, and I’m sure many of us felt inspired afresh to ensure that our churches are at the forefront of telling a different story, dripping in the truth that can only be found in Jesus, amidst a sea of false narratives. After these seminars, I decided to join the optional afternoon walk, which felt like the Emmaus Road, our hearts burning within us as hopes and dreams were shared. I cannot wait to get stuck into the Kingdom work of togetherness for Him.
The All Ecumenical Representatives Conference 2027 will be from 28 to 30 September at The Hayes Conference Centre, Hayes Lane, Swanwick, Derbyshire DE55 1AU.
Read more about previous Ecumenical Officers/Representatives conferences.