The following text is the Covenant signed between our two Churches on 23rd January 2005

1. We, the members of Chapel Allerton Methodist Church and St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, reaffirm our belief that the visible unity of the life and mission of all Christ’s people is the will of God; but that this does not mean uniformity but legitimate diversity.

2. We acknowledge the authority of Scripture and the truth of the Apostles’ Creed and in so doing, we affirm our faith in God as Father who is the Creator, in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and in the Holy Spirit who continues God’s work in the world today.

3. We rejoice in our traditions and wish to remain loyal to them but recognise that our diversity can occasion unnecessary divisions, which are a hindrance to mission. We repent of all that is sinful in our past histories and present attitudes.

4. We therefore make this commitment to God and to each other in faith and we covenant to seek that visible unity that God wills, even though in our pilgrimage together we cannot now foresee the form it will eventually take.

5. We therefore commit ourselves and our Churches:

a. To move through co-operation to clear commitment to each other, in search of the unity for which Christ prayed and in common evangelism and service to the world.

b. To engage in joint worship, prayer and study so that we may know and value each other and seek God’s will for his people.

c. To work together in pastoral, social and evangelistic outreach into our community.

d. To publicise and promote our Church life and worship by joint means wherever possible.

6. We propose to implement this covenant through:

a. A ‘Joint Forum’, which will be a steering committee for the covenant, preparing for shared events and activities, and considering our existing and future co-operation. It will be comprised of four elected lay members of each church together with their clergy, and will have power to act on those matters which the two churches have authorized it to carry out on their behalf. The ‘Joint Forum’ will exist to serve our two churches and is not an organisation in its own right.

b. We recognise that this covenant could not continue without the active support of the clergy. Therefore, when a clerical appointment is to be made to either of the participating churches, the statutory Church Council of that church will be responsible for informing the relevant appointing authority, as will the retiring clergy member, in order to ensure a sympathetic appointment.

c. This covenant should be formally renewed whenever a new clerical appointment is made to either of the participating churches.

d. We ask that two consultants be appointed by the West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council to monitor our progress and to offer help and advice.

“Our earnest desire is to become more fully, in His own time, the one Church of Christ, united in faith, communion, pastoral care and mission. Such unity is the gift of God. We affirm our openness to this growing unity”.