Introducing Churches Together in England
Dr Ian Watson, County Ecumenical Officer for Norfolk and Waveney, explains what the national Christian organisation Churches Together in England (CTE) is all about.
As I go about my business of County Ecumenical Officer across our wonderful county I am conscious that many Christians are not familiar with, or only vaguely aware of, Churches Together in England (CTE). Here, I take the opportunity to briefly outline what it is, the purpose of the organisation, and who is involved. The core purpose of my role is to help connect CTE (the national ecumenical instrument) with our local effort for Christian Unity, which is exercised through Churches Together in Norfolk and Waveney (NWCT - an intermediate body of CTE), as well as our local Churches Together Groups and Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs).
Inaugurated in 1990, CTE is the national ecumenical instrument supporting and encouraging churches from a wide range of traditions to work together in unity. Members of CTE can be churches and denominations with a national presence, Unions of churches, or Association or Councils of churches with a national presence. CTE currently has more than 50 national Member Churches. These are drawn from the Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Orthodox and Lutheran traditions, as well as Free Churches, Quakers and others, the intent is to unite one of the broadest range of churches in the whole of Europe.
Member churches share the basis of CTE, which is their statement of belief, and it goes as follows:
Churches Together in England unites in pilgrimage those Churches in England which, acknowledging God’s revelation in Christ, confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures, and, in obedience to God’s will and in the power of the Holy Spirit commit themselves:
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to seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another in the Church, which is his body; and
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to fulfil their mission to proclaim the Gospel by common witness and service in the world
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to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The general manager of CTE is Bishop Mike Royal who is supported by a small team of staff. By the way, Bishop Mike will be in Norfolk later this year when he delivers the sermon on Christ The King in Norwich’s Anglican Cathedral at 3.30pm 24 November 2024. He is coming to support the senior church leaders of NWCT who will be committing publicly to a new Declaration of Commitment to Christian Unity. All Christians, from all traditions across Norfolk and Waveney, are more than welcome to attend this joyful event.
CTE is represented by 6 Presidents from the major traditions of its Member Churches. They are:
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Archbishop Justin Welby - CTE Anglican President and The Archbishop of Canterbury
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Bishop Tedroy Powell - CTE Pentecostal and Charismatic President, and National Overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy UK
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Cardinal Vincent Nichols - CTE Catholic President and The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster
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Bishop Paulina Hlawiczka-Trotman - CTE President for the Fourth Presidency Group and Head of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain
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Rev Canon Helen Cameron - Moderator of the Free Churches Group
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His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas - CTE President for the Orthodox Churches, and Archbishop of the Oecumenical Patriarchate (Diocese of Thyateira and Great Britain)
As well as the 50+ national member churches there is the Charities and Networks in Association with CTE, which includes a range of 91 different organisations. Although these do not form part of the churches’ official structures, as voluntary associations of Christian movements within the Church they are recognised and valued for their participation in mission and ecumenism; that is, Christians working together. The areas of focus of the Charities and Networks in Association are wide-ranging, and include:
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church life, mission and Christian apologetics public affairs
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justice and peace
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environment and sustainable development children and schools
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students and young People Christian discipleship and formation health, social and pastoral care community building
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prayer and spirituality
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dialogue and ecumenical learning international concerns and development
Finally, CTE works hand in hand with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). Member churches of CTE are eligible to be members of CTBI.
For more information on CTE please do not hesitate to contact me - County Ecumenical Officer