Page "Methodism" Paragraph 29

In the 1960s, the Methodist Church of Great Britain made ecumenical overtures to the Church of England, aimed at denominational union.

Formally, these failed when they were rejected by the Church of England's General Synod in 1972 ; conversations and co-operation continued, however, leading in 2003 to the signing of a covenant between the two churches.

From the 1970s onward, the Methodist Church also started several Local Ecumenical Projects ( LEPs, later renamed Local Ecumenical Partnerships ) with local neighbouring denominations, which involved sharing churches, schools and in some cases ministers.

In many towns and villages there are United Churches which are sometimes with Anglican or Baptist churches, but most commonly are Methodist and URC, simply because in terms of belief, practice and churchmanship, many Methodists see themselves as closer to the United Reformed Church than to other denominations such as the Church of England.

In the 1990s and early 21st century, the British Methodist Church was involved in the Scottish Church Initiative for Union, seeking greater unity with the established and Presbyterian Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the United Reformed Church in Scotland.