Post by JEM on Jan 21, 2008 1:31:48 GMT
Churches Together in Saffron Walden Covenant
This first version, is the covenant signed on Jan 22nd 2006
It should have been reviewed in 2011 and re-signed in January 2012
but there was a delay occasioned by a decision completely changing the 2006 words negotiated through several drafts over 2 years
The new shorter version that leaves some important things out and adds some theological clauses left the Society of Friends, sometimes known as the Quaker Church, one of the 5 congregations that began this organisation on 1946 deciding that they could not agree to the new wording and rightly insisted on having an additional paragraph added.
********************************************************
So this is the 2006 version
/////////////////////////////
We, the churches of Saffron Walden and District, give thanks to God for the unity we experience among us in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whilst acknowledging our past differences, we rejoice that we now work together in the spirit of love and mutual understanding.
We recognize and value that each church has its own distinctive witness and tradition.
We continue to honour these traditions and stand before one another in charity and pray for greater reconciliation and an ever-deepening appreciation and understanding of each church’s role as it contributes to the whole body of Christ.
We commit ourselves in love and charity:
To make known to people within the local area through actions and words the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To declare our unity as Christians in this community in whatever practical ways possible.
To maintain our common practices of worshiping together, and to seek to develop these times of worship further.
To seek to maintain, wherever possible, effective levels of communication, utilize our common resources and co-ordinate our individual activities to avoid unnecessary duplication.
To continue to serve and listen to the local community,
to become more aware of its needs and aspirations and to develop and continue our co-ordinated programme of service and outreach to it.
We, as members of the Churches Together in Saffron Walden, undertake to renew this covenant at an annual service, and to review and renew it in five years’ time.
Signed 22.01.06
Saffron Walden United Anglican Parish Church ( includes Ashdon, Hadstock, Littlebury, Littlebury Green, Little Walden, Saffron Walden, Sewards End, & Wendens Ambo)
Saffron Walden Society of Friends,
Saffron Walden United Reformed Church
Saffron Walden Baptist Church
Saffron Walden Methodist Church
Saffron Walden Evangelical Church Gold Street
Saffron Walden Roman Catholic Church
Saffron Walden New Life Pentecostal Church
Saffron Walden Salvation Army Corps.
########################################
Below is the new version due to be signed in January 2013 which appeared on their web site in 2012.
We, the Churches of Saffron Walden give thanks to God for the unity we share in Jesus Christ
We commit ourselves in the power of the Holy Spirit
to value each church's distinctive contribution
to make known through our words and action the gospel of Jesus Christ
to collaborate, when appropriate, in witness and service
to worship God, the Holy Trinity, together
Although the Religious Society of Friends does not accept any formal creedal statement, it is a welcome and equal member of Churches Together in Saffron Walden
We, as members of Churches Together in Saffron Walden, undertake to renew this covenant at an annual service, and review it in five years time.
########################################
Since the original wording signed up to in 2006 was agreed there have been three significant events that have strained that sense of unity
1. The change in wording of the Covenant
2. The addition of the clause concerning the Society of Friends which the New Life Church felt undermined the Covenant in consequence of which they in 2012 resigned from CTSW
3. The decision of the Society of Friends, nationally and locally to approve same sex marriage in defiance of what the Bible, the Word of God, teaches, and to express this in the local newspapers without consultation with, or the courtesy of warning the other member churches in advance.
Given the historical position of the Society of Friends it is not surprising that they took issue with the new version.
The Friends position is their traditional one stemming from their founder George Fox [ 1621-1691 ] who reacted against all theological and institutional expressions of Christianity and maintained that every man was enlightened by the Divine Light of Christ. Ecclesiastical systems whether Catholic or Protestant, Established or Nonconformist were anathema to him and his followers who “ceased from the teachings of all men and their words, and their worships, and their temples, and all their baptisms and Churches, and met together often and waited on the Lord and felt His word in our hearts to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God” Those were from his own hand.
On the matter of same sex marriage, The Church of England, Gold Street Brethren Evangelical Church through a letter to the local papers by an Elder, and the New Life Church have made clear that they are opposed to such a form of marriage.
While the other Churches do not appear to have made a statement on the matter, many Christians in the other churches are
opposed to such an idea, and feel they are on a collision course with CTSW and may stay aloof from it in future.
Although in truth that has always been the case with the Council of Churches and CTSW as not all members of the congregations of the churches approve of ecumenical relations or support CTSW events .
It took long years to get all the Churches onto one Council and the first time this occurred was in 1980 with the reformation of the Bible Society Action Group and after the closure of the Saffron Walden & District Free Church Federal Council all the town churches and Ashdon Parish and Baptist Churches joined the Council of Churches which in 2002 became CTSW.
About that time the idea of a signed Covenant was raised but then filed away in a folder forgotten, until John Maddams of the Baptist Church became General Secretary and proposed that action be taken.
The Curate of the Parish Church, the Rev Lee Batson, took on what became a 2 year task of negotiation with the churches and a wording was agreed by all the churches including the Society of Friends, and the Covenant was duly signed on Jan 22nd 2006
########################################
The Churches Together in Saffron Walden Constitution
********************************************
CTSW has now had 3 Constitutions but
a new Constitution replacing the earlier one was approved in 2011 and may be viewed on www.ctsw.org.uk
This first version, is the covenant signed on Jan 22nd 2006
It should have been reviewed in 2011 and re-signed in January 2012
but there was a delay occasioned by a decision completely changing the 2006 words negotiated through several drafts over 2 years
The new shorter version that leaves some important things out and adds some theological clauses left the Society of Friends, sometimes known as the Quaker Church, one of the 5 congregations that began this organisation on 1946 deciding that they could not agree to the new wording and rightly insisted on having an additional paragraph added.
********************************************************
So this is the 2006 version
/////////////////////////////
We, the churches of Saffron Walden and District, give thanks to God for the unity we experience among us in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Whilst acknowledging our past differences, we rejoice that we now work together in the spirit of love and mutual understanding.
We recognize and value that each church has its own distinctive witness and tradition.
We continue to honour these traditions and stand before one another in charity and pray for greater reconciliation and an ever-deepening appreciation and understanding of each church’s role as it contributes to the whole body of Christ.
We commit ourselves in love and charity:
To make known to people within the local area through actions and words the gospel of Jesus Christ.
To declare our unity as Christians in this community in whatever practical ways possible.
To maintain our common practices of worshiping together, and to seek to develop these times of worship further.
To seek to maintain, wherever possible, effective levels of communication, utilize our common resources and co-ordinate our individual activities to avoid unnecessary duplication.
To continue to serve and listen to the local community,
to become more aware of its needs and aspirations and to develop and continue our co-ordinated programme of service and outreach to it.
We, as members of the Churches Together in Saffron Walden, undertake to renew this covenant at an annual service, and to review and renew it in five years’ time.
Signed 22.01.06
Saffron Walden United Anglican Parish Church ( includes Ashdon, Hadstock, Littlebury, Littlebury Green, Little Walden, Saffron Walden, Sewards End, & Wendens Ambo)
Saffron Walden Society of Friends,
Saffron Walden United Reformed Church
Saffron Walden Baptist Church
Saffron Walden Methodist Church
Saffron Walden Evangelical Church Gold Street
Saffron Walden Roman Catholic Church
Saffron Walden New Life Pentecostal Church
Saffron Walden Salvation Army Corps.
########################################
Below is the new version due to be signed in January 2013 which appeared on their web site in 2012.
We, the Churches of Saffron Walden give thanks to God for the unity we share in Jesus Christ
We commit ourselves in the power of the Holy Spirit
to value each church's distinctive contribution
to make known through our words and action the gospel of Jesus Christ
to collaborate, when appropriate, in witness and service
to worship God, the Holy Trinity, together
Although the Religious Society of Friends does not accept any formal creedal statement, it is a welcome and equal member of Churches Together in Saffron Walden
We, as members of Churches Together in Saffron Walden, undertake to renew this covenant at an annual service, and review it in five years time.
########################################
Since the original wording signed up to in 2006 was agreed there have been three significant events that have strained that sense of unity
1. The change in wording of the Covenant
2. The addition of the clause concerning the Society of Friends which the New Life Church felt undermined the Covenant in consequence of which they in 2012 resigned from CTSW
3. The decision of the Society of Friends, nationally and locally to approve same sex marriage in defiance of what the Bible, the Word of God, teaches, and to express this in the local newspapers without consultation with, or the courtesy of warning the other member churches in advance.
Given the historical position of the Society of Friends it is not surprising that they took issue with the new version.
The Friends position is their traditional one stemming from their founder George Fox [ 1621-1691 ] who reacted against all theological and institutional expressions of Christianity and maintained that every man was enlightened by the Divine Light of Christ. Ecclesiastical systems whether Catholic or Protestant, Established or Nonconformist were anathema to him and his followers who “ceased from the teachings of all men and their words, and their worships, and their temples, and all their baptisms and Churches, and met together often and waited on the Lord and felt His word in our hearts to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God” Those were from his own hand.
On the matter of same sex marriage, The Church of England, Gold Street Brethren Evangelical Church through a letter to the local papers by an Elder, and the New Life Church have made clear that they are opposed to such a form of marriage.
While the other Churches do not appear to have made a statement on the matter, many Christians in the other churches are
opposed to such an idea, and feel they are on a collision course with CTSW and may stay aloof from it in future.
Although in truth that has always been the case with the Council of Churches and CTSW as not all members of the congregations of the churches approve of ecumenical relations or support CTSW events .
It took long years to get all the Churches onto one Council and the first time this occurred was in 1980 with the reformation of the Bible Society Action Group and after the closure of the Saffron Walden & District Free Church Federal Council all the town churches and Ashdon Parish and Baptist Churches joined the Council of Churches which in 2002 became CTSW.
About that time the idea of a signed Covenant was raised but then filed away in a folder forgotten, until John Maddams of the Baptist Church became General Secretary and proposed that action be taken.
The Curate of the Parish Church, the Rev Lee Batson, took on what became a 2 year task of negotiation with the churches and a wording was agreed by all the churches including the Society of Friends, and the Covenant was duly signed on Jan 22nd 2006
########################################
The Churches Together in Saffron Walden Constitution
********************************************
CTSW has now had 3 Constitutions but
a new Constitution replacing the earlier one was approved in 2011 and may be viewed on www.ctsw.org.uk