How do we start the process?

Pray.  Seek assurance as well as guidance, while keeping the focus on the calling of God’s people in your area.

Ask.  Seek advice from your District Development Enabler and other District Officers on the best way to develop your relationship with other circuits. They should be able to offer you more information, and may be able to work with you in developing a way forward.

Talk.  Meet with the other circuits, informally and formally. Invite them to events, especially when concerned with vision or planning for the future. Make sure things are as open and friendly as possible, and don’t forget that circuits are social units as well as organisational: meeting over a meal can be really useful.

Vision.  Identify how mission could develop within the wider group. A vision event or a Circuit Review can be helpful, perhaps run jointly with your neighbours.

Negotiate.  Decide what elements could be shared initially, and what needs to be kept separate.

Agree.  Draw up a simple Compact to guide the relationships, and offer it to the District for recognition. Keep it short and flexible: it’s not a constitution!

Celebrate.  Gather together somewhere big and mark the start of your journey together with an act of worship.

Build.  Get on with working for the kingdom, using the best of the gifts that you can all offer together.

Your District Development Enabler, has a significant role to play in helping The Methodist Church restructure to enable mission to be more effective. They can be helpful in making initial contact with potential partners, or identifying those that have needs that relate to you own. Many circuits feel that an external facilitator helps this process significantly, and the DDE may be able to work closely with you through the process, or identify others who could support you according to your needs.