'Regrouping for mIssion' - a personal view as to why it did not work.
Having recently attended a conference in Coventry about 'being missional today', it seemed appropriate to reflect upon my experience of how the Methodist church in the UK re grouped for mission. I do so through the prism of one circuit, or should I say the eight which became one. It will have been a very different experience for others in various parts of the country. When Methodism undertook a programme to regroup its resources, there was for me a sense of excitement, at last we were taking seriously getting our act together. To become an outward looking church. All over the country many circuits moved quickly to amalgamate, with a number of church closures to stream line the work, though not enough!!. This was undertaken I believe in the hope it would free up precious resources of people, property and money. Following on from this was the hope we might reinvest in sharing the message of Christ Jesus in ways yet to be discovered. But what did really happen? Caught up ...