FAQs
Frequently asked questions about CTE
What is Churches Together in England (CTE)?
Churches Together in England is the national ecumenical instrument supporting and encouraging churches from a wide range of traditions to work together in unity.
With churches drawn from the Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Orthodox and Lutheran traditions, as well as Free Churches, Quakers and others, we unite one of the broadest range of national churches in the whole of Europe.
Our vision is to create the space in which fruitful collaboration and mutual understanding can grow, so that we as churches work more closely together in our great task of sharing in God’s mission and making the gospel of Christ known in our nation.
Our strapline is: One in Christ Jesus, engaged in God’s mission, empowered by the Spirit.
How does CTE support and encourage churches to work together in unity?
Nationally, Churches Together in England brings together 51 national Member Churches from many diverse traditions. Together we unite around CTE’s statement of belief.
Locally, churches from a wide range of traditions are working together in many different ways, and there are local Churches Together groups all across our nation. Some local congregations also share church buildings and worship together, leading to some 900 Local Ecumenical Partnerships.
County (or ‘intermediate’) bodies draw together local Churches Together groups and other local expressions of Christian unity, working ecumenically at an intermediate level. CTE offers a range of resources, training and staff support to Ecumenical Officers, particularly those working at a county level.
CTE also works alongside three National Agencies, as well as more than 60 Bodies in Association – a wide range of voluntary groups and charities whose work has an ecumenical dimension, working with Christians of many different traditions.
Demonstrating our commitment to mission, CTE has a staff member dedicated to evangelisation and mission, encouraging fruitful collaboration as we share together in God’s mission. We also have a staff member dedicated to Pentecostal, Charismatic and multi-cultural relations, and another responsible for supporting church unity at the county level (Intermediate Ecumenism). Our communications team also actively share stories of church unity right across the nation. Find out more about our staff here.
Who are the Member Churches of CTE?
The CTE family is made up of 52 national Member Churches, drawn from the Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Orthodox and Lutheran traditions, as well as Free Churches, Quakers and others. Together we unite around CTE’s statement of belief.
Who are the Bodies in Association of CTE?
A wide range of organisations and networks draw Christians of different church traditions together around common causes, projects and interests. These are the Bodies in Association (BIA) with Churches Together in England – currently a group of more than 60 organisations.
Read more about Bodies in Association.
View the full list of Bodies in Association in our directory.
Where can I find information about joining as a Member Church or Body in Association?
You can find out more about joining as a CTE Member Church on our page ‘Joining CTE as a Member Church’.
Information about joining as a Body in Association can be found on the Bodies in Association information page.
Where can I find information about CTE Member Churches and church school admissions?
For information about church school admissions and CTE Member Churches, visit our School admissions page.
How can I contact CTE’s staff?
CTE is served by a small staff team who aim to support and resource the wide range of ecumenical relationships across our nation – in person, through training, and by providing resources, information and good news stories on our website.
CTE staff come from a wide variety of church traditions and backgrounds. Demonstrating our commitment to mission, CTE has a staff member dedicated to evangelisation and mission, encouraging fruitful collaboration as we share together in God’s mission. We also have a staff member dedicated to Pentecostal, Charismatic and multi-cultural relations, and another responsible for supporting church unity at the county level (Intermediate Ecumenism). Our communications team also actively share stories of church unity right across the nation.
How can I get involved?
To stay informed about the latest unity stories and news across England, we’d encourage you to sign up to our monthly e-newsletter, CTe-News.
If you’re involved in church unity at a local, city or county level, we’d encourage you to get in touch with the County Ecumenical Officer in your area. Most counties across England have a County Ecumenical Officer (with many and varied titles) whose job is to enable unity and mission in their area. Find out more in our section on unity at a County level.
You can also find out more about unity at a local level, accessing a range of stories and resources.
And for resources and stories on specific ways of working together, such as work with the elderly, homeless, arts or sports, visit our Mission section.
Who does CTE work in partnership with?
CTE works alongside a range of other church unity bodies within England, across the UK and globally.
How is CTE governed?
Our trustees are drawn from across CTE’s Member Churches and oversee legal and governance issues, including the submission of CTE’s Annual Reports and Accounts to the Charity Commission. Trustees also monitor our strategic plan and uphold the values and reputation of the organisation.
CTE’s Enabling Group brings together CTE’s Member Churches twice a year, alongside representatives from Intermediate Bodies and Bodies in Association (see the full list of representatives at the bottom of the 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.
Where can I find your latest annual reports/charity accounts?
CTE’s Annual Reports and Accounts to the Charity Commission can be found under the section More about CTE.
Where can I find stories of how churches are working together across England?
We want to celebrate where churches are collaborating together, showing God’s love and making the gospel of Christ known in our nation.
To stay informed about the latest unity stories and news across England, we’d encourage you to sign up to our monthly e-newsletter, CTe-News.
You can also:
- Visit our Stories section to find a range of examples of church unity across England – nationally, at the county level and locally. You can even filter content according to various topics.
- For stories on how churches are working together in specific ways, such as with the elderly, homeless, arts or sports, visit our Mission section.
Where can I find information on CTE events?
Access information about CTE events and other events relating to church unity in our Events section.
Where can I find resources for church unity at a local level?
You’ll find a range of resources, stories and information on local church unity in our Local unity section.
This includes information on unity at a local level, the local toolkit A Flexible Framework for Local Unity in Mission, a range of useful information pages, tips on How to get started locally and information on Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs).
For resources and stories on specific ways of working together, such as work with the elderly, homeless, arts or sports, you can also visit our Mission section.
Where can I find resources for church unity at a county/intermediate level?
A unique feature of church life in England, paralleled nowhere else in the world, has been the development of a network of Intermediate Bodies – mostly corresponding to counties or large cities. These umbrella ecumenical bodies encourage and support churches of different traditions as they seek to work, worship and witness together.
Access a range of resources and stories in our section on unity at a County level.
Visit our Ecumenical Officers section for information on training and events for National, County and Denominational Ecumenical Officers.
Where can I find information on Local Ecumenical Partnerships?
Access our Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) section for a range of information and resources.
What are CTE’s current vacancies?
Visit our vacancies page to see the latest job vacancies from CTE and beyond.
Who do I contact if I still have a question?
If you are unable to answer your query through our website search facility or A-Z quick links page, please do contact a member of the CTE staff team.