Anglican - Methodist Unity

The first small step towards the two Churches working more closely together came in 1984 when the Village Ecumenical Group set up a United Remembrance Service, and a Christmas Carol Service. This was the first time that the different congregations had come together for regular joint acts of worship.

As few years later the Bible Study Group, which the Methodist Church had begun in the mid 1970s, became more ecumenical. At about the same time the churches began to organise the annual Christian Aid collection.

During the next ten years nothing much changed, but in 1998 something unexpected happened which was to have a long lasting effect. During a storm with hurricane force winds about a quarter of the chapel roof was ripped off, landing in a neighbouring garden. Hearing about the situation that the Methodist congregation found themselves in, St. Peter’s immediately offered the use of the parish church.

With Anglican services at 9.30am, the building would be empty for the Methodists to have their service at 11.00am. This resulted in both congregations coming together in the churchyard, but unfortunately heading in opposite directions.

After the roof was replaced and other repairs carried out services resumed at the chapel and the Anglicans once again had St. Peters to themselves. The whole incident resulted in a great deal of thinking, praying and talks between the two Churches. The experience of the Methodist congregation waiting at the church door for the Anglican congregation to vacate the building had highlighted the ridiculous situation of Christians working together, being members of the same village organisations, and attending the same homegroups, but moving apart for worship.

In 2000 it was decided to hold regular joint services each month. To enable this to take place the Methodist Church changed the time of its service from the traditional 11.00am to 9.30am. As the Rector of Bratton Fleming was also responsible for another three parishes, and had another service to take immediately after the one at St. Peters, it would have proved very difficult to change the time to 11.00am. This was the first major change to take place, and one which showed a great commitment towards unity on behalf of the Methodist Church. 

The joint services began early in 2001, with both congregations coming together on the first Sunday of the month at St. Peters for a Family Service. On the third Sunday of each month the congregations again cam together for Holy Communion at the Methodist Church. This time it was the Anglican congregation to make the change from the traditional chalice to receiving the wine in small glasses.

During the time that the two Churches have worked, prayed, and worshiped together, it has become apparent that both have much in common, and only a small number of differences. With Bratton Fleming being a relatively small village of approximately 1000 inhabitants, it meant that most people in one congregation already knew most of those in the other.

On 1^st April 2004 the events that had taken place during the previous three years were formalised as both Churches signed a Covenant to form a Local Ecumenical Partnership. Instead of signifying the intention of the two Churches to work together, the Covenant merely reflected what was already happening.  However, a big change was due to take place later in the year.

At the end of 2003, members of the Methodist Church made the momentous decision to close their church in 2004, and to join with the Anglicans in worshiping weekly at   St. Peters. The date chosen was 24 July, which coincided with the 150th anniversary of the building of the chapel and Methodist work and witness in Bratton Fleming. For some this was a very difficult decision, as the chapel had been their spiritual home for most, if not all, of their lives. The anniversary, which took place on 24 July 2004 was understandably a time of mixed feelings, sadness over the loss of a building which had served the village for 150 years, and one of excitement of jointly moving forward into the 21^st century with the Anglican Church.

 

August 2004 saw the two congregations coming together each Sunday for worship. It was unanimously agreed that the service on the third Sunday in the month should continue as a ‘Methodist Service’ led by a Methodist minister, or local preacher.

On 1^st November 2006 as a special service held in Exeter Cathedral to celebrate the third anniversary of the signing of the national Covenant between the two Churches, the two Churches from Bratton Fleming made local history by signing a Sharing Agreement. This formalised the coming together of the two Churches in Bratton Fleming, to become St. Peter’s Anglican-Methodist Church, the first in Devon.

The old chapel may be closed and converted into two dwellings, but fond memories will remain. Upon its closing the Communion Table was placed in the Sanctuary of St Peters, where it is used as a Credence Table. The cross from the chapel which was made by Harold Parkin, a church member, also now hangs in the Sanctuary.