"We do so in a spirit of penitence for all that human sinfulness and narrowness of vision have contributed to our past divisions, believing that we have been impoverished through our separation and that our witness to the gospel has been weakened accordingly, and in a spirit of thanksgiving and joy for the convergence in faith and collaboration in mission that we have experienced in recent years."
1) One another's churches as true churches belonging to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ....
2) In both churches the word of God is authentically preached, and the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist are duly administered and celebrated.
3) Both our churches confess... the apostolic faith revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the ecumenical creeds.
4) One another's ordained and lay ministries are given by God...
5) Both our churches embody the conciliar, connexional nature of the church and that communal, collegial and personal oversight (episkope) is exercised within them.....
6) There already exists a basis for agreenment on the principles of Episcopal oversight as a visible sign and instrument of the communion of the Church in time and space....
We commit ourselves:
1) As a priority to work to overcome the remaining obstacles to the organic unity of our two churches.... We look forward to the time when the fuller visible unity of our churches makes possible a united, interchangeable ministry.
2) To realize more deeply our common life and mission.......
3) To continue to welcome each other's baptized members to participate in the fellowship, worship and mission of our churches.
4) To encourage forms of eucharistic sharing... in accordance with the rules of our respective churches.
5) To listen to each other and to take account of each other's concerns, especially in areas that affect our relationship as churches.
6) To continue to develop structures of joint or shared communal, collegial oversight.... on the way to a fully united ministry of oversight.
What next?
1) The Covenant needs to be approved by the Methodist Conference and the General Synod in a series of stages.
2) This will involve discussion and debate throughout the two churches.
3) Ecumenical partners, especially the United Reformed Church, will be invited to respond.
4) A structure will be needed for carrying forward the work to the next stage.
5) The Common Statement recommends that when that point is reached, priority should be given to the question of the interchageability of diaconal, presbyteral and Episcopal ministries.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Taken from a leaflet prepared for the Joint Synod of the York and Hull District Methodist Church and Diocese of York. It does not bear the authority of the General Synod or the Methodist Conference.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________