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Enabling Group

CTE’s Enabling Group brings together CTE’s Member Churches twice a year, alongside representatives from Intermediate Bodies and Charities and Networks in Association.

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The Enabling Group brings together CTE’s Member Churches twice a year, alongside representatives from Intermediate Bodies and Charities and Networks in Association (see the full list of representatives at the bottom of this page).   

The group has the task of nurturing ecumenism in England (encouraging churches to work together), and provides a space for churches to discuss issues of common concern. It also considers matters of CTE governance, and is the place where the Trustees of CTE report to Member Churches and are offered direction for the future. CTE’s formal AGM takes place during the autumn meeting of the Enabling Group.

The Enabling Group meets twice a year, usually overnight and alternating between Hertfordshire and Derbyshire. It is served by CTE staff Mike Royal, Doral Hayes and Ben Cross, with Lorraine Shannon providing administrative support.

Enabling Group web area

Members of the Enabling Group can see papers etc in their private area of the website. CTE’s Lorraine Shannon can help with any problems. 

Membership of the Enabling Group

Representatives of Member Churches

  • Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles & Ireland – Boniface Carroll
  • Apostolic Church UK – Ivan Parker
  • Apostolic Faith Mission International Ministries – Charles Chipere
  • Apostolic Pastoral Congress – Philip Tagoe or Charles Kachitsa
  • Armenian Orthodox Church – Hovakim Manukyan or Shnork Bagdassarian
  • Assemblies of God – Stuart Keir
  • Baptist Union of Great Britain – Hilary Treavis
  • Calvary Church of God in Christ – Clevere Fenty or Geoffrey Folkes
  • Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (3) – Paul Hendricks, Jan Nowotnik, Mary McCaughey
  • Church of England (3) – Jeremy Morris, Tim Norwood
  • Church of God of Prophecy – Barry Hutchinson or Tedroy Powell (CTE President)
  • Church of Scotland (Presbytery of England & The Channel Islands) – Mike Binks
  • Churches in Communities International – Trevor Howard
  • Congregational Federation – Yvonne Campbell or Alan Kennedy
  • Coptic Orthodox Church – Archbishop Angaelos of London or Michael Lambros
  • Council of African and Caribbean Churches UK – Fidelia Onyuku-Opukiri
  • Council of Lutheran Churches – Meelis Süld
  • Council of Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches – Archbishop Angaelos of London The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of the Council
  • Elim Pentecostal Church  – Dominic De Souza
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of England – George Samiec or Jon Ehlers
  • Fellowship of Churches of Christ – Dan Yarnell
  • Free Church of England – John Fenwick or Bob Stephen
  • Free Churches Group – Paul Rochester
  • Ground Level – Richard Bradbury
  • Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East – Awraham Youkhanis or Tony Malham
  • Ichthus Christian Fellowship – To be advised
  • Independent Methodist Churches – Bill Hampson
  • International Ministerial Council of Great Britain – Sheila Douglas or Michael Boatey
  • Ixthus Church Council – Costakis Evangelou or Chris Zacharia
  • Joint Council of Churches for All Nations – Esme Beswick or Desmond Greaves
  • Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (Indian Orthodox Church) – Tiji Thankachan or Saji Varghese
  • Mar Thoma Church in Europe – Noble Mathew or Thomas George
  • Methodist Church (2) – Steven Cooper and David Chapman (alt: Leão Neto)
  • Moravian Church – To be advised
  • New Testament Assembly – Sean Samuel or Ann-Marie Spence
  • New Testament Church of God – Malcolm Cummins or Brian Robinson
  • Oecumenical Patriarchate – Alexander Fostiropoulos
  • Order of St Leonard – Alan Dickinson
  • Pioneer – Billy Kennedy or Linda Ward
  • Presbyterian Church of Ghana in England – Abamfo Atiemo or Joseph Oduro
  • Redeemed Christian Church of God – Akpo Onduku or Marcus Chilaka 
  • Religious Society of Friends (Quakers in Britain) – Elaine Green
  • Ruach Network of Churches – Penny Francis or John Francis
  • Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) – Stephen Platt
  • Salvation Army – Paul Robinson or David Evans
  • Serbian Orthodox Church – Goran Spaic
  • Seventh-day Adventist Church (observer) – Samuel Ouadjo or Eglan Brooks
  • Synod of German-Speaking Lutheran, Reformed, and United Congregations in Great-Britain – Martin Liebscher
  • Unification Council of Cherubim & Seraphim Churches (Europe Chapter) – Jare Oyewole or Richard Fasunloye
  • United Kingdom World Evangelism Trust – Simon Iheanacho
  • United Reformed Church – Philip Brooks or Lindsey Brown
  • Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland – Tom Bell or Jeremy Cook
  • Wesleyan Holiness Church – David Whyte
  • Wesleyan Reform Union – Alina Taylor

Member Churches pay the expenses of their representatives, unless they serve as CTE Trustees.
 
If a representative is unable to attend a particular meeting, s/he is welcome to send a substitute. Some Churches appoint alternatives who also receive papers and circulars. Except where noted, normally only one person from each Church attends the meetings.

From CTE’s Rules

  • “Enabling Group” means the Members of the Charity meeting together in General Meeting (1.5)
  • Each member has one vote except the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church each of which shall be entitled to three votes. The Methodist Church shall be entitled to two votes. (2.1.1)

Ten members elected by the Intermediate Ecumenical Bodies, in their regional groupings

The date in brackets indicates when the term of office began/was renewed.

  • East Midlands: Jonathan Smithurst (January 2019)
  • Eastern Region: Caroline Hutchings (August 2023)
  • London: Vacant
  • North East: Coryn Stehouwer (January 2024)
  • North West: Anton Muller (March 2015)
  • South East (North): Vacant
  • South East (South): Grace Keal (August 2020)
  • South West: Paul Snell (June 2019)
  • West Midlands: Robert Mountford (April 2020) or Emma Wright (January 2024)
  • Yorkshire: Nick Shields (May 2019)

Two members elected by the Charities and Networks in Association

At their January 2019 meeting, it was agreed that normally their representatives would serve for three years (renewable). The date in brackets indicates when the appointment was first made.

  • John Cooper (October 2022)
  • Cathy Limebear (January 2021)

The Moderator and Deputy Moderator of the next CTE Forum

  • Forum Moderator: Anton Muller
  • Deputy Forum Moderator: Olivia Amartey

 The Convenor and Deputy Convenor of the Enabling Group

  • Convenor: Rowena Loverance (Trustee)
  • Deputy Convenor: Lurliene Miller (Joint Council of Churches for All Nations and Trustee) 

The Honorary Treasurer of the charity

  • Rasaq Ibrahim

The General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

The Trustees of the Charity – please click for the list

Other CTE staff please click for the list

Papers are sent for information to CTE’s Presidents.

Churches Together in England is an Incorporated Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee (Company Registered No. 5354231, Charity Registered No. 1110782)