Member Churches of Churches Together in England (CTE) are denominations, networks or councils of churches at the national level. This page outlines the procedure for membership of Churches Together in England by a national church or association of churches.
Before beginning this process, please also read the information on the pages: Member Churches information, including Good practice for Member Churches. CTE does, of course, expect all members to be compliant with all statutory regulations, especially those relating to safeguarding.
Member Churches of Churches Together in England commit to the shared pilgrimage towards greater unity in Christ.
Our membership process
1. A Church or Association of Churches shall make a formal written application for membership, sponsored by two of the existing Member Churches.
2. The Trustees of CTE will appoint from within the existing membership a Scrutiny Group composed of members from at least three of the Member Churches, and may include representatives from the sponsoring Churches. The Scrutiny Group shall be charged with the task of entering into dialogue with the applicant Church, establishing an understanding of its ecclesiology and common life, and reporting in written form to a subsequent meeting of the Enabling Group.
3. In its decision the Enabling Group will normally consider four basic criteria which will be the basis of the Scrutiny Group’s report, namely:
a) The applicant Church’s demonstrable ability to subscribe to or manifest faith in accordance with the Basis and Aims of Churches Together in England.
b) The applicant Church’s ability to demonstrate evidence of ecumenical engagement and commitment, through (for example) partnership in mission locally, good relationships between partner ecumenical leaders at local, intermediate and national levels, active participation in Churches Together groups and a sensitivity to the perceptions of ecumenical partners about their own particular emphases and practices.
c) The applicant Church’s demonstration of being organised on at least an English national level.
d) The acceptance by the applicant Church of the implications of the ‘churches together’ model of ecumenical engagement, including its willingness to contribute to the costs of the ecumenical instruments.
4. If the Enabling Group decides to accept the new member, this decision must be ratified in writing by the Member Churches within four months of the date of the Enabling Group. 75% of the votes received in writing (including by email) by that date would need to be in favour, provided not less than 51% of the membership have voted. That decision will then be reported to the next Enabling Group.*
To discuss the possibility of membership, please contact CTE’s General Secretary.
* Amendment approved by the Enabling Group in March 2017 and circulated to Member Churches 23 May 2017.