LEPs come in a variety of forms, but each is a situation where more than one Christian denomination is working together under a formal agreement. These formal agreements are ‘sponsored’ by an Intermediate Body which has responsibility for supporting, encouraging and monitoring them.
LEPs include places where local churches share their congregational life or share buildings or covenant with each other within chaplaincies and other situations.
We want to start an LEP
Why Local Ecumenical Partnerships? (available here) is a basic, user-friendly, introduction to LEPs.
Together in Ministry (available here) is another brief leaflet for those considering or starting ministry in Local Ecumenical Partnerships.
Much more detail is in Constitutional Guidelines (see below) but one of the first things you must do is write an Ecumenical Vision Statement to state your aim. Click the link and the agenda which pops up will help you.
We need some information
Travelling Together is an amazingly comprehensive and informative handbook by Elizabeth Welch and Flora Winfield. The links enable you to download the complete book.
Sponsoring Bodies are responsible for reviewing LEPs. Click the link for all the help and advice you need — and more! In particular, you may find the Art of Review collection helpful (see documents on our Reviewing LEPs page).
A comprehensive overview of LEPs, explaining what they are, the different kinds, how they are formed etc is found in the Constitutional Guidelines. This is a very helpful, practical page containing most of the overall information you might ever need. It has been approved by CTE’s Member Churches. All new and revised Single Congregation LEP constitutions need to be based on the new Model Governing Document which can be found at the bottom of this page.
Finance in LEPs can be a minefield! A Harmony of Church Finance attempts to chart a safe way through the maze.
If your LEP has a shared building, then this page is the gateway to more documents, friendly and technical.