BACKGROUND PAPER

RESOURCING MISSION OFFICE

The Methodist Property Office is located in Central Buildings, Oldham Street, Manchester, and has responsibility for a major part of the work of the Resourcing Mission Office.

The Property Office staff consists of 17 members of the Connexional Team who carry out the regulatory function required by Methodist Standing Orders in giving support and guidance to local Churches, Circuits and Districts in the development of property projects (schemes) and in giving approval for those projects to go ahead once all necessary requirements have been met. The staff are supported by the Connexional Property Committee and in fact give such approvals to schemes on behalf of the Committee.

The regulatory nature of property scheme approvals requires a particular concentration in staffing numbers for that work. However, 3 further members of staff process grant applications for the support of ministry and provide resources and guidance in relation to those projects. There are also particular responsibilities for some aspects of ecumenical work.

These two functions are to some extent separate as each currently reports to its own Committee. However, the overall operation of the Resourcing Mission Office is managed as one integrated function serving managing trustees throughout the Connexion.

CONNEXIONAL PROPERTY COMMITTEE

The Connexional Property Committee is appointed by and is responsible to the Methodist Council. It meets three times annually and has oversight of the work in the Methodist Property Office, receiving reports on all aspects of the work including staffing, financial and issues relating to the implementation of the requirements of Standing Orders. Major policy issues are a matter for the Methodist Council or the Conference with some local policy decisions being left to the Committee.

Whilst property scheme approvals are given in the name of the Connexional Property Committee and on its behalf, for practical and operational reasons that responsibility is delegated by the Committee to the Connexional Property Secretary and Deputy. All approvals are reported retrospectively to the Committee which can then raise relevant questions about procedure, policy or approvals.

The Committee has appointed a small Support Group composed of members of the Committee to act as a ‘sounding board’ for the officers between meetings of the Committee.

The role of the Connexional Property Committee is included in a wide-ranging review currently taking place of the Methodist Council and related committees. At the same time every part of the Methodist Church is invited to shape its own work in the light of the Priorities for the Methodist Church adopted by the Conference this year. The post of Chair of the Connexional Property Committee may therefore change significantly in the next two to four years.

CHAIR OF THE CONNEXIONAL PROPERTY COMMITTEE

This is a voluntary post open to ordained and lay members of the Methodist Church.

The appointment is not time limited and requires a commitment of about 7-8 days each year.

Awareness of the policy priorities of the Methodist Church, an understanding of governance issues and Methodist Connexional structures and processes plus broad experience of chairing meetings are considered essential.

Knowledge and experience of change management and of developing and processing property schemes are desirable.

The Chair’s responsibilities extend to the Support Group and occasional Conferences and Seminars which are planned and organised by the staff in the name of the Committee.

The new Chair will fill one of ten posts, provided for in the constitution of the Committee, for persons with “appropriate qualifications”. Those posts are currently filled by persons with a professional background, for example, as an Architect or Building Surveyor or in finance or having carried responsibility for property matters within Methodism for example, as District PropertySecretary or similar post.

Our Calling:

WORSHIP • LEARNING AND CARING • SERVICE • EVANGELISM

The Church exists to:

Increase awareness of God’s presence and to celebrate God’s love

Help people to learn and grow as Christians, through mutual support and care

Become a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice

Make more followers of Jesus Christ

(Adopted by Conference 2000)
Priorities for the Methodist Church:

In partnership with others wherever possible, the Methodist Church will concentrate its prayers, resources, imagination and commitments on this priority:

To proclaim and affirm its conviction of God’s love in Christ, for us and for all the world; and renew confidence in God’s presence and action in the world and in the Church

As ways towards realising this priority, the Methodist Church will give particular attention to the following:

  • Underpinning everything we do with God-centred worship and prayer
  • Supporting community development and action for justice, especially among the most deprived and poor - in Britain and worldwide
  • Developing confidence in evangelism and in the capacity to speak of God and faith in ways that make sense to all involved
  • Encouraging fresh ways of being Church
  • Nurturing a culture in the Church which is people-centred and flexible

(Adopted by Conference 2004)

For the full text of 'Priorities of the Methodist Church' go to and look at News and Conference Reports