Why form a federation?

Federations offer a viable alternative to a full merger, bringing real benefits while protecting the local needs.

Despite the clear advantages, many circuits feel that the cost of belonging to a large circuit is too high a price to pay for what is gained; the loss of local control and sensitivity is too significant. A federation can bring many of the advantages of a larger unit but, essentially, the circuits remain autonomous. Only those elements of work that could benefit from working in a larger unit need to be shared, and even these are still subject to the individual circuit’s authority. The federation is owned and controlled by its constituents: a principal known as “Subsidiarity”.

Federations are much easier to create than larger circuits. Their nature can change or evolve over time, responding to changing needs and building on what is proven to work. It is also easy to dissolve a federation or to change the constituent circuits, ensuring that it need only exists as long as it is providing a useful service, and in the shape that is most useful.

Federations do not need to be formed on a strict geographical basis, but could link circuits that have a common interest or style. It is also possible for a circuit to belong to more than one federative group, or for a single church to work in a federation that does not involve the rest of its circuit.