Governance Of The British Methodist Church
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The organisation of the Methodist Church of Great Britain is based on the principle of
connexionalism Connexionalism, also spelled connectionalism, is the theological understanding and foundation of Methodist ecclesiastical polity, as practised in the Methodist Church in Britain, Methodist Church in Ireland, United Methodist Church, Free Methodi ...
. This means that British Methodism, from its inception under
John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...
(1703–1791), has always laid strong emphasis on mutual support, in terms of
ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...
, mission and finance, of one local congregation for another. No singular church community has ever been seen in isolation either from its immediately neighbouring church communities or from the centralised national organisation. Wesley himself journeyed around the country, preaching and establishing local worshipping communities, called "societies", often under
lay Lay may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada *Lay, Loire, a French commune *Lay (river), France *Lay, Iran, a village *Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community People * Lay (surname) * ...
leadership. Soon these local communities of worshipping
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
formalised their relationships with neighbouring Methodist communities to create "circuits", and the circuits and societies contained within them, were from the very beginning 'connected' (hence the distinctive Methodist concept of the "Connexion") to the centre and Methodism's governing body, the annual Conference. Today, societies are better known as local churches, although the concept of a community of worshipping Christians tied to a particular location, and subdivided into smaller
cell groups The cell group is a form of church organization that is used in many Christian churches. Cell groups are generally intended to teach the Bible and personalize Christian fellowship. They are always used in cell churches, but also occur in parachu ...
called "classes", remains essentially based on Wesley's societies. Other Methodist Churches which were established by British Missionaries are also modelled on the structure of the British Church.


Historical origins


The first circuits, 1746

The earliest preachers under
John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...
were itinerant, and preached around an area from a home base. The "circuit", or "round" as they were first named, was therefore the natural name for the area they covered. At first they were named after their founder of main itinerant preacher. For example, ' John Bennet's Round', or the 'Circuit of William Darney's Societies'. The first official list dates from 1746. # London (including
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
,
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
,
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
,
Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has diverse company headquarters buildings whi ...
, Egham, Windsor, Wycombe); # Bristol (including
Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...
,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
,
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...
,
Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...
,
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...
); # Cornwall # Evesham (including
Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...
, Leominster,
Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...
, and from
Stroud Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the Five ...
to Wednesbury); # Yorkshire (including
Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
,
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
,
Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...
,
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
,
Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...
,
Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
); # Newcastle # Wales Within that area a number of "societies" would be formed. During the 18th century, John Wesley did not intend establishing churches in a new denomination. His vision was for a revival movement ''within'' the Church of England. The societies would be a gathering of people who met for Bible study, prayer, mutual encouragement, and preaching. Usually, this was during the week so that they could attend services in the
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
. The earliest circuits covered a very large area, but gradually shrank as the number of societies increased.


Milestones in Wesley's early Methodism

The first Wesleyan Methodist society was formed in 1738, the first Methodist building was
The Foundery The Foundery (or Foundry), in Moorfields, was the first London foundry for casting brass cannon for the British Board of Ordnance. The building subsequently served as the first Wesleyan Methodist Church (Great Britain), Wesleyan Methodist house o ...
acquired in 1739, and the first class meetings were in 1742. The first (Wesleyan) Methodist Conference took place at the Foundery in June 1744. The known first plan (of preaching appointments) was made by Wesley in London in 1754. The first recorded quarterly meeting (the usual business meeting of the circuit) was at Todmorden Edge Farm,
Todmorden Todmorden ( ; ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Upper Calder Valley in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. It is north-east of Manchester, south-east of Burnley and west of Halifax, West Yorkshire, Hal ...
, on 18 October 1748. John Wesley drew on existing structures, especially those used by the
Moravians Moravians ( cs, Moravané or colloquially , outdated ) are a West Slavic ethnographic group from the Moravia region of the Czech Republic, who speak the Moravian dialects of Czech or Common Czech or a mixed form of both. Along with the Silesi ...
, who had been so instrumental in his own spiritual development. At their
Herrnhut Herrnhut ( Sorbian: ''Ochranow''; cs, Ochranov) is an Upper Lusatian town in the Görlitz district in Saxony, Germany, known for the community of the Moravian Church established by Nicolas Ludwig, Count von Zinzendorf in 1722. Geography It is ...
colony he witnessed gatherings for testimony and mutual edification, select bands, classes, conferences on doctrine, open air preaching, preaching by laymen, itinerant preachers, and orphan homes. Most of these features had, indeed, been anticipated by the
Waldenses The Waldensians (also known as Waldenses (), Vallenses, Valdesi or Vaudois) are adherents of a church tradition that began as an ascetic movement within Western Christianity before the Reformation. Originally known as the "Poor Men of Lyon" i ...
in the 16th century, between whose organisation and that of the Moravians and Methodists there are striking, though probably accidental, resemblances.


The beginnings of class meetings

The Wesleyan societies were composed of "bands", which were meetings of 5 to 10 like-minded people seeking
Christian perfection Christian perfection is the name given to theological concepts within some sects of Christianity that purport to describe a process of achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. The ultimate goal of this process is union with God characterized by ...
, and considered the inner core of the societies. John Wesley drew up rules for these in December 1738. Some of the early societies were known by the name of the person in whose home they met, such as 'Mr. Fox's Society', and 'Mr. Ingham's Society'. The origin of the "class" was partly accidental. By 1742, John and Charles Wesley had about 1100 Methodists in London for whom they felt a pastoral responsibility, but could not keep in touch with them and continue their other work. While in Bristol, John Wesley met some members of the society there. One, Captain Foy, suggested that every member give a penny a week until a debt there be paid. When someone objected due to the poverty of many, he offered that 11 of the poorest be grouped with him, he would collect the subscription, and make up any shortfall if any could not pay. Soon afterwards, on hearing that someone was not living as he should, Wesley realised that the group of 12 for collection of money was the basis of a group for weekly meeting for prayer, Bible study, and mutual encouragement. A class book was kept recording their attendance and their contribution to the funds. When membership rolls started being used to record names of those attending, the very early ones begin with a list of class members. Members were defined as those who had been baptised, received instruction in Methodist governance, and at a special service, were received into "full membership". Others in the congregation were called simply "adherents", and although they supported the activities of the Church as fully as members, they did not enjoy voting rights. Each class was headed by a class leader. One function of the class leader is that the "class ticket", a quarterly membership ticket for Methodists, be given to his class members, and withheld from those whom they judged unworthy of being called Methodists. The ticket is the membership card for Methodists. Wesley did not claim the class as essential or of "divine institution", but as wise for practical regulation of Methodists.


Methodist structures

The following is a summary of the main units.


Connexion

The old-fashioned spelling of ''
connexion Connexion is a variant spelling of connection and may refer to: Technology and Internet * Connexion by Boeing, an in-flight online connectivity service * Connexions (now called OpenStax CNX), a repository of open educational resources started at ...
'' reflects Methodism's origins in the 18th century, when the term was used generally, in e.g. political, commercial and religious contexts, to refer to the circle of those connected to some person or group, and to the relationship thus created. But it was the particular character of the connexion John Wesley maintained with his members, his societies and his itinerant preachers that gave the term its technical significance in Methodism. All were in connexion primarily with him and thence with each other. The term came to be in some senses equivalent to 'denomination' and, later, to 'Church', and connexionalism was descriptive of a particular principle and pattern of church life which emphasized the
interdependence Systems theory is the interdisciplinary study of systems, i.e. cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or human-made. Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context, defined by its struc ...
of the constituent parts (over against independency). All circuits and districts are ultimately subject to the
annual Conference A conference is a meeting of two or more experts to discuss and exchange opinions or new information about a particular topic. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always decisions, are the main pu ...
. After Wesley's death, schisms and resultant branches of Methodism in Britain meant that there were multiple connexions, each with its own conference, before the connexions were united in 1932. Whilst the various branches differed in the balance of authority accorded to the various levels of church government, all accepted some form of connexionalism. This was manifested in "a common bond of discipline and usage for the societies with transferable membership, and the itinerant ministry of those 'in full connexion' with the Conference and stationed by the Conference". Methodist ministers are still "received into full connexion" prior to being
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
. Supporting the annual conference, the Methodist Council meets three times each year. The 2022 Conference agreed to establish a new body, the Connexional Council, which will replace the Methodist Council and the former Strategy and Resources Committee.


District

Districts are geographical units, typically one to three counties in extent. There are thirty districts across Great Britain—including two overlapping districts in Wales, one English-speaking and one
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
. The governing body is called a
synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...
. The Methodist Church formally defines the nature and purpose of the district as being:


Circuit

A circuit is a grouping of local churches under the care of one or more
ministers Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
. They number about 360 (),Methodism in Numbers – Statistics at a Glance (2020 edition)
Methodist Conference. May 2020.
and this figure is declining as more circuits amalgamate. The circuit is the main functional unit of Methodism, in that a large number of activities are organised at this level. Ministers are appointed ''firstly'' to the circuit and then secondly to the
pastoral care Pastoral care is an ancient model of emotional, social and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. The term is considered inclusive of distinctly non-religious forms of support, as well as support for people from rel ...
of local churches. This means ministers will ordinarily preach and lead worship each Sunday in any church on the circuit but during the rest of the week they exercise
pastoral charge A pastoral charge (from the word ''pastor''), in Methodist churches, consists of one or more congregations under the spiritual leadership of a minister or ministry team. In the United Methodist Church a charge is organized under and subject to the ...
over a subset of churches in that circuit. Preaching appointments for both ministers and (lay)
local preacher A Methodist local preacher, also known as a licensed preacher, is a layperson who has been accredited by the Methodist Church to lead worship and preach on a frequent basis. With separation from the Church of England by the end of the 18th century ...
s are organised by the circuit and advertised on a preaching plan issued every three months by the leader of the circuit, the superintendent minister.


Local church

Also called "societies" in certain formal contexts (although an increasingly antiquated name),Larger than Circuit
Methodist Church Conference 2016
the term "local church" can refer to both the
congregation A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship. Congregation may also refer to: *Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administra ...
as well as the particular building it meets in. Membership is always tied to the local church, where members meet together for worship and
fellowship A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...
. Each congregation is led by a presbyter in charge—also referred to as "the minister". there were almost 170,000 members of 4,110 churches.


Class

A class is a group of Methodists, normally about twelve, under the guidance of a class leader. In the 20th century it became less common for classes to actually meet together, but many local churches have home fellowships, Bible studies groups, and cell groups by other names. Under the church's Constitutional Practice and Discipline (CPD), where the number of registered local church members falls below six over four successive quarters, the formal "local church" ceases to be recognised as such and is often treated as a "class" subject to the oversight of another Methodist Church or leader.


List of districts and circuits

Superscriptions indicate a
local ecumenical partnership In England and Wales, a local ecumenical partnership (or project) is a partnership between churches of different denominations. First piloted in 1964, over 850 now exist to promote unity between different Christian denominations. The missiolo ...
(LEP) with one or more other denominations: (B) Baptist; (C) Church of England; (Co) Congregational; (E) Scottish Episcopal Church; (I) Welsh Independents; (M) Moravian; (P) Presbyterian Church of Wales; (S) Church of Scotland; (U) United Reformed Church; (W) Church in Wales ** ** *Newcastle upon Tyne District **Bede Circuit; Chester-le-Street Circuit; East Durham Circuit; Lindisfarne Circuit; Newcastle upon Tyne Central & East Circuit; Newcastle upon Tyne West Circuit; North Shields & Whitley Bay Circuit; North West Durham Circuit; South East Northumberland Ecumenical Area; South West Tyneside Circuit; Sunderland Circuit; Tynedale Circuit *Nottingham and Derby District **Alfreton (Watchorn) Circuit a.k.a. Borders Mission; Ashbourne Circuit; Derby Circuit; Grantham & Vale of Belvoir Circuit; Mid Derbyshire Circuit; National Forest East Circuit; Newark & Southwell Circuit; Nottingham East Circuit; Nottingham North Circuit; Nottingham South Circuit; Nottingham Trent Valley Circuit; Sherwood Forest Circuit; South Derbyshire Circuit; Trent & Dove Circuit **''Nottingham Central Mission'' operates independently *Northampton District **Amersham Circuit; Banbury Circuit; Buckingham, Bicester & Brackley Circuit; Chipping Norton & Stow Circuit; High Wycombe Circuit; Hinckley Circuit; Kettering & Corby Circuit; Leicester (Trinity) Circuit; Leicester (West) Circuit; Loughborough Circuit; Market Harborough Circuit; Melton Mowbray Circuit; Milton Keynes Circuit; Nene Valley Circuit; Northampton Circuit; Oxford Circuit; Peterborough Circuit; Rugby & Daventry Circuit; Stamford Circuit; Vale of Aylesbury Circuit; Wantage & Abingdon Circuit; Witney & Faringdon Circuit *Plymouth and Exeter District **Bude & Holsworthy Circuit; Exeter, Coast & Country Circuit; Ilfracombe & Barnstaple Circuit; Plymouth & Devonport Circuit; Ringsash Circuit; South Devon Circuit; South Molton & Ringsash Circuit; South Peverton & Crewkerne Circuit; Taunton Deane & Sedgemoor Circuit; Tavistock Circuit; Teignbridge Circuit; Tiverton & Wellington Circuit; Torbay Circuit; Torridge Circuit; West Devon Circuit; West Somerset Circuit **''Plymouth Methodist Mission'' operates independently *Sheffield District **Barnsley Circuit; Bolsover & Staveley Circuit; Chesterfield Circuit; Doncaster Circuit; The Peak Circuit; Rotherham & Dearne Valley Circuit; Sheffield Circuit; Trinity Circuit *Southampton District **Basingstoke & Reading Circuit; Bridport & Dorchester Circuit; Christchurch & Wimborne Circuit; East Solent & Downs Circuit; Isle of Wight Circuit; Kennet & Test Valley Circuit; Meon Valley Circuit; Poole Bay Circuit; Portland Circuit; Salisbury Circuit; Southampton Circuit; Weymouth Circuit; Winchester, Eastleigh & Romsey Circuit; Yeovil & Blackmore Vale Circuit; *Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District **The Black Country Circuit; Brownhills & Willenhall Circuit; Cannock Chase Circuit; Dudley & Netherton Circuit; Gornal & Sedgley Circuit; Kidderminster & Stourport Circuit; Shropshire & Marches Circuit; Stafford Circuit; Telford Circuit; Vale of Stour Circuit; Walsall Circuit; Wolverhampton Circuit *Yorkshire North and East District **Beverley Circuit; Bridlington Circuit; Driffield-Hornsea Circuit; Goole & Selby Circuit; Hull Centre & West Circuit; Nidd Valley Circuit; North Yorkshire Coast Circuit; Pateley Bridge Circuit; Pocklington & Market Weighton Circuit; Ripon & Lower Dales Circuit; Ryedale Circuit; South Holderness Circuit; Tadcaster Circuit; Thirsk & Northallerton Circuit; York Circuit *Yorkshire West District **Aire & Calder Circuit; Airedale Circuit; Bradford North Circuit; Bradford South Circuit; Calderdale Circuit; Denby Dale & Clayton West Circuit; Huddersfield Circuit; Leeds North & East Circuit; Leeds South & West Circuit; North Kirklees & Morley Circuit; Settle Circuit; Skipton & Grassington Circuit; Wharfedale & Aireborough Circuit; ;Notes a. The
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Circuit became part of the then London South West District in 1997, and is now a circuit in the South East District. The Methodist/Church of Scotland LEP in
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
is also part of the South East District.
b. On 1 September 2017, the four former districts in
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
were reduced to three: Yorkshire North and East, Yorkshire West and Sheffield.


Titles and officeholders

The people involved in Methodist organisation are as follows. Early Methodism, as organised by Wesley, had "local preachers" and "travelling preachers". A local preacher was a layman appointed to preach within his own circuit. A travelling preacher, or "minister" (specifically, a presbyter) in modern Methodism, is appointed by Conference to serve for a limited time in a circuit and then move around the country to any other circuit where Conference may send him. In Wesley's time, this could be as little as a few months. As Methodism became more settled as a denomination, this was from one to four years, now typically five to ten years. In recent years, some circuits may also have lay pastors. The non-pastoral work is done by "church stewards" and "circuit stewards". These are appointed to various functions, such as treasurer, or property steward, etc. to look after various practical needs. Usually these are voluntary workers, but some situations also require paid staff.


Structure

Methodism holds in principle 'the
priesthood of all believers The priesthood of all believers or universal priesthood is a biblical principle in most Protestant branches of Christianity which is distinct from the institution of the ''ministerial'' priesthood ( holy orders) found in some other branches, incl ...
', which is a Protestant doctrine that all true Christians have equal access to God, and Church offices are functional rather than hierarchical. So while this list implies a chain of authority, it is of function rather than rank.


President and Vice-President of Conference

The president of conference is a presbyter, with the vice-president being a layperson or
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
. The one exception was layman William Hartley, elected President of the Primitive Methodist Conference in 1909. Nominations are invited each year for president and vice-president. Each is voted upon and designated a year ahead. Each nomination needs to be signed by five ministerial and five lay members of the Representative Session of the Conference. Nominations are collected during the first three days of that Session and displayed for 24 hours before a vote is taken. Voting is by
single transferable vote Single transferable vote (STV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which voters cast a single vote in the form of a ranked-choice ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vote may be transferred according to alternate p ...
. Voters do not choose one name only but mark all the names in order of preference. In this way if their first choice is not elected, they may influence the voting for an alternative. The Conference resolves at the beginning of the Representative Session that the president designated the previous year be elected and similarly for the vice-president-designate. Each holds office for one year.


Chair of the District

A minister who is appointed to take administrative responsibility, along with pastoral responsibility for the ministers, for a district. This is undertaken as if a normal appointment to serve in a circuit, and the term of service is typically some 5 to 10 years.


Superintendent and circuit ministers

The senior minister on any circuit is the superintendent (sometimes informally shortened to "super"), who may be the only minister, though the current trend for amalgamation of circuits makes this rare. The superintendent will also have pastoral responsibility for at least one of the local churches on the circuit, with pastoral responsibility for others being allocated to the other ministers.


Deacons

Ministers within the Methodist Diaconal Order (MDO) are referred to as deacons. A warden is appointed by the Conference from among the deacons to exercise oversight over the MDO, and there is now also a deputy warden.


Local preachers

Local preachers are accredited laypeople who preach and lead worship services in any church on the circuit to which they may be appointed. In Wesleyan Methodism it was not usual practice for local preachers to administer the
Lord's Supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...
(Holy Communion), but in
Primitive Methodism The Primitive Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination with the holiness movement. It began in England in the early 19th century, with the influence of American evangelist Lorenzo Dow (1777–1834). In the United States, the Primiti ...
(1811 to 1932 in Britain) the local preachers did administer sacraments. Local preachers continue to serve an indispensable role in the Methodist Church, with the majority of church services led by laypeople, but special authorisation is required to preside over Communion.


Meetings

The "Circuit Meeting" (originally the "Quarterly Meeting") is the main governing body of the circuit, and consists of all ministers living in the circuit, circuit officers, and officers and elected representatives of the various churches in the circuit. The circuit officers are officially responsible for the running of a circuit; they are collectively responsible for finances, though almost invariably one of them will be appointed treasurer. The preachers (local preachers and ministers) also hold a quarterly "(Local) Preachers' Meeting" that governs worship and preaching issues. The "Church Council" is held twice per year or as required to govern the business of individual churches. Officers of the church council will include a secretary and treasurer.


Other countries

Some Methodist churches in countries outside Britain have retained the circuit system; others have not, or never had it. Where Methodist churches have entered national united churches (such as the
Church of South India The Church of South India (CSI) is a united Protestant Church in India. It is the result of union of a number of mainline Protestant denominations in South India after independence. The Church of South India is the successor of a number of Pr ...
or the
United Church of Canada The United Church of Canada (french: link=no, Église unie du Canada) is a mainline Protestant denomination that is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in Canada and the second largest Canadian Christian denomination after the Catholi ...
, the circuit system has generally disappeared or been greatly modified even if it existed before. The US
United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...
does not at present operate on a circuit system, though something like it is reappearing in places. The Methodist Church of New Zealand has a circuit system, but refers to its circuits as
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
es.


Case history – the Wetton and Longnor Methodist Circuit

The place of the circuit in Methodism can be understood from a specific example, the Wetton and Longnor Methodist Circuit providing an example from rural Methodism. The diagrammatic map of the Leek area shows the number of "preaching stations" and chapels in existence during the 18th and 19th centuries, both Wesleyan and Primitive. (This is not exhaustive, but shows information at the time of drawing.) Some of the places were cottages or farmhouses, and not the final location of a chapel. The diagram includes a reference to a preaching plan of 1798. It is easier to describe the origins of the Wetton and Longnor Circuit by reference to the "family tree," which shows the sequence by which the north of England was divided into Circuits of smaller areas as the number of Methodists grew. This had the advantages of both reducing the time spent in traveling, and ensuring that the work load of the Travelling Preachers was manageable. In 1870, the Wesleyan Leek Circuit was divided to form the Wetton and Longnor Circuit. A new
manse A manse () is a clergy house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and other Christian traditions. Ultimately derived from the Latin ''mansus'', "dwelling", from '' ...
was built at Wetton to house the minister. The Methodist Union of 1932 brought new chapels from the Primitive Methodists. In some cases, such as at
Warslow Warslow is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about north of Ashbourne. Although in the county of Staffordshire, the village lies close to the Derbyshire border, and has a Stockport pos ...
, this meant having two buildings in the same road a couple of hundred yards apart. The P.M. building was the more suitable, so the Wesleyan building was eventually sold. In 1962, for example, there were 10 societies in the Circuit. These were Wetton,
Alstonefield Alstonefield (alternative spelling: Alstonfield) is a village and civil parish in the Peak District National Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands district of Staffordshire, England about north of Ashbourne, east of Leek and south of Buxton. ...
, Hartington.
Butterton Butterton is a small village in the Staffordshire Peak District of England (). It overlooks the Manifold Valley and Ecton Hill, which rises 1,212 feet above sea level. Butterton lies 5 miles east of Leek and roughly 8 miles from Alton Towers th ...
,
Warslow Warslow is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about north of Ashbourne. Although in the county of Staffordshire, the village lies close to the Derbyshire border, and has a Stockport pos ...
, Longnor, Rewlach,
Sheen Sheen may refer to: Places * Sheen or West Sheen, an alternative name for Richmond, London, England ** East Sheen ** North Sheen ** Sheen Priory * Sheen, Staffordshire, a village and civil parish in the Staffordshire Moorlands, England * Sheenb ...
, Newtown, and
Hollinsclough Hollinsclough is a small rural village in the county of Staffordshire in the English Midlands. It is within the Peak District National Park. Location and geography Hollinsclough is on the upper reaches of the River Dove, at one end of a level a ...
. Rewlach, for example, was a chapel in a remote location associated with one farmhouse and little else. Yet even in the 1990s, not long before closure, it still attracted enough people to fill the building for harvest festival. The only chapel still open as a place of worship is Hollinsclough, which celebrated its 200th anniversary at Easter 2001.Hollinsclough Anniversary photos
/ref> Modern population trends, and economic pressures, led to the end of Wetton and Longnor as a separate Circuit. In 1969, it ceased and the various chapels were allocated to neighbouring Circuits of Leek, Ashbourne and Buxton. It is not only Methodist chapels that have closed. Many village schools have also closed during the same time.


See also

*
Penitent band In Methodism, inclusive of the holiness movement, a penitent band is a group of Christians that meets on Saturday night to keep themselves away from temptation and confess their sins. Saturday was the day that the founder of Methodism, John Wesley ...
* Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church *
Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
,
Deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residenc ...
and
Diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
– the organisational units in the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
*
Ecclesiastical polity Ecclesiastical polity is the operational and governance structure of a church or of a Christian denomination. It also denotes the ministerial structure of a church and the authority relationships between churches. Polity relates closely to ...
*
List of Methodist churches This is a list of notable Methodist churches, either of notable congregations or of notable buildings or other places of worship. This very limited list reflects historically interesting sites, and omits most of the very largest Methodist congreg ...


References


External links


The Connexion
- The Methodist Church
Districts, circuits and other Methodist organisations
{{Methodism footer Methodism in the United Kingdom Circuit History of Methodism Church organization