UK Methodists
welcome
Covenant report

TORQUAY (England) -- The annual Methodist Conference has received the first report from the Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) on the Anglican-Methodist Covenant.


The Covenant was signed in November 2003 between the Methodist Church in Britain and the Church of England, and the JIC report is the first opportunity the churches have had to review progress in the implementation of the Covenant since then.


The JIC report - entitled "In the Spirit of the Covenant" - contains examples of the ways in which, in every part of both churches, there is lively and positive working together.


The Rev David Deeks, General Secretary of the Methodist Church, said:
"The aim of this report is both to celebrate what the Covenant has already achieved, and to stimulate discussion, prayer and action on what more our churches and peoples can do together.


"We will continue to explore what the Covenant means, and to find ways that we can work together with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Church of England."
The JIC will make a further report to both the Methodist Conference and the General Synod of the Church of England in 2008. -- Methodist Church House, London.

Sixty-one United
Methodists
in US Congress

NASHVILLE -- The number of United Methodists serving in the current 109th Congress remains at 61, unchanged from the 108th Congress.


The United Methodist Church also remained in third place among all religious groups represented in the Senate and House of Representatives.


The lawmakers will be working with an administration in which the President, Mr George W. Bush, and Vice-President, Mr Dick Cheney, are United Methodist.
There are 13 United Methodists in the Senate and 48 in the House. Republicans outnumber Democrats 38 to 23. -- United Methodist News Service.