Penn Ecumenical Council. What we are
What is it? What does it do? How does it work?
The Covenant is between the four churches in Penn; St. Bartholomew’s, Springdale Methodist, St. Michael’s R.C and Penn United Reformed Church.
Penn Ecumenical Council began in 1984 to promote Christianity in Penn through co-operative word and action; after many years of informal co-operation between the four principal Christian churches in Penn they agreed both locally and regionally, to raise the relationship to a more formal level and promise not to do apart what they can do more usefully together in worship, study and mission.
At the first Covenant Service the regional and local leaders of each of the four churches formally signed the Penn Covenant document, which is on display in each of the churches, a copy of which follows this resume of the PEC’s principal activities each year.
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The Ecumenical Council is made up of 4 lay representatives from each church, plus their clergy. Penn Christian Centre also sends an Observer (as their constitution does not allow them to be a member of the Covenant) but they work closely with us on a variety of initiatives.
The Council usually meets four times a year to organise its activities, plus an Annual Meeting to nominate the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer elected each year at the Annual Renewal Service, held at the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
The 4 churches identified three main activities appropriate for all to be able work together on.
Worship - Study - Mission.
Worship –
The PEC arranges joint events to mark the major festivals in the Christian year, a Good Friday evening service, the Sunday beginning Christian Aid Week, and to promote the work of Christian Aid in May, the Sunday of One World Week in October and Advent Sunday; these rotate to each of the 4 churches. Also there are informal Penn Praise services on Saturday evenings about 4 times each year, offering more relaxed styles of worship. Each Monday the clergy and others meet for morning prayers (open to all) and the clergy are also invited to preach and lead worship in the others’ churches. The Monday prayers rotate around the four churches. At the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in January, the PEC holds the Covenant Renewal Service when the new Chairman is installed (usually a lay person). An Open Meeting is now held in September to give more time for the people of the 5 churches to discuss the work of the PEC and make proposals for future topics and activities.
Study –
An Ecumenical Lent Course is arranged annually and with occasional study days are an important opportunity to meet people from different denominations in an informal setting. They are not designed to be intellectual exercises, but times to study and share our common interest in the gospel message and how to better live the Christian based life God wants for us. Many lasting friendships have begun as a result of these meetings.
Mission –
The PEC offers many joint opportunities for mission, including the Links, who welcome new people to their locality and act as a Christian contact point in each street, an informal prayers for healing service on 1st Monday each month at Springdale, Christian Aid collection, Pancake Tuesday Bash for the young at heart, Keep Fit and a Poetry Group, Puppets in Penn performing in churches and schools, giving a Christian message through drama, Christmas and Easter card distribution by the Links scheme, supporting “Drop the Debt” and “Make Poverty History” campaigns, sending representatives to the Wolverhampton InterFaith Group, WaterAid fundraising support projects, open-air services and occasional marches of witness. The PEC actively supports FairTrade at Ecumenical Services.
The list is inspiring and gives everyone a chance to further the Christian message of peace and co-operation to all ages.
WaterAid is an international scheme to provide clean water for those in the Third World. The PEC’s 20th Anniversary project was to raise £3,000.00 to help a village in Ghana, but within 9 months £6,500.00 had already been raised by members of the five churches and a cheque was presented to WaterAid at the Covenant Service on 22nd January 2006 in St Barts Church.
Review of Activities –
A five yearly review of the Covenant was undertaken in 2006 for the sponsoring body, Black Country Churches Engaged and since then the Council has been working through the aims set out in the Review.
Progress was delayed due to the changes in clergy personnel in the years 2005/6/7, but it is now on course.
The Four Church leaders and the Bishiop of Stafford Revd Gordon Mursell at the 25th anniversary celebrating the PEC Covenant.
