FAQ

You may have questions about the upcoming newly merged district. We have tried to answer the most common questions here but if you have others please email us on info@wmmethodists.org.uk and we will do our best to answer them.

Will I need to travel further to meetings?

It depends where you live, but on average we don't anticipate longer distances. As the boundary between the two Districts cuts diagonally through the new District there will not be a massive increase, if any.Travel will not be further than Hereford to Nuneaton or Leominster to Stone. In addition to this, many meetings will take place online. We are mindful of our eco commitments and are looking to locate an office / meeting space in a central location which is more easily accessible by public transport than is the case for our current offices. In this sense we hope that travel will actually be more enjoyable and better for the environment than is currently the case.

What benefits does a merger give that can't be achieved by simple cooperation, as happens at present with safeguarding?

The newly formed district will be better positioned to offer the support, encouragement and challenge that is required to work towards our vision. The scale of the new single district will mean more team-working, more expertise and less parallel processes. For teams and individuals already working across the boundary it will mean a simplification – for example the safeguarding team will only need to report to one DPC. Geographically, it will encourage travel by public transport and map more easily onto the west midlands combined authority with a centre of gravity in the Wolverhampton & Birmingham urban mass. Finally, the opportunity to start with a blank slate, review our priorities and take the best of what is currently happening will be a helpful process in itself.

Will District assessments for circuits be any lower?

The task group undertake that the district element of the circuit assessments will not increase except for inflation. The papers to the Synods include an outline budget for 2024-27 for the general expenses of the district. Mission and Ministry staff are not included in this as they are funded from the DAFs rather than the circuit assessments. It is unlikely that assessments will be much lower unless a greater percentage of district costs are met by the DAF. However, if the DAF is used in this way there would then be less money for grants for your mission projects.

How will the finances pan out? Will one district end up subsidising the other?

The resourcing is similar across the two districts so there will no "subsidising" in that sense. Much of the resourcing (such as how much we receive into the DAF, is calculated on a member or number of staff basis which will not change).The new District Secretary post would be funded for the first five years by the connexion as a transitional support grant. Income from the sale of one of the existing manses could be set aside to fund this post for future years.

Will the support for circuits and churches- eg in property, mission – be diluted?

No, rather the hope is that the best that is offered in each individual districts will be available across the new District.So, the level of support will at least be maintained at current levels and it will be more specifically targeted.

How will stationing be affected?

It is not anticipated that the stationing process will be affected. The District Chair will continue to run the process alongside a lay representative. With the additional support of the District Secretary the District Chair will be released from some duties and have a greater capacity to focus on stationing and take on the load from the two combined districts.

Will support for presbyters and deacons be reduced?

No, rather it is hoped that with a bigger district team with a diversity of skills and expertise it is hoped that the support will be at least maintained, and be more targeted.

Will there be any redundancies among lay employees?

The geography of the new district and its pattern of senior leadership may mean some of the current roles will need to be redesigned but this will be done in conversation and full consultation with staffand no redundancies are planned as a result of this process. Formal TUPE processes will be followed but until the outcome of the Synod and Conference votes are known these cannot be started.

Will my church receive extra pressure to close?

No, the district has no power to close local churches or force circuits to reorganise. In fact, the new District is explicitly focused on enabling churches to flourish. With the additional support and expertise, it is hoped that less churches may close in the long run as a result of the formation of the new District.

Will this mean my circuit finds it more difficult to get a match in stationing?

No. In addition to the answer given above about the stationing process, this merger is us playing our part in relieving the pressure when it comes to the shortage of presbyters. By reducing the number of separated chairs from two to one, we release a full-time presbyter to be available for stationing elsewhere.

Will my circuit be forced to merge?

No, the District has no power to force circuits to merge. However, we do hope that the removal of the boundary between the two existing Districts will open up new possibilities as and when circuits wish to explore mergers or reorganisations.

How will the new district support EDI / JDS?

EDI / JDS is currently a priority in both district and has already been identified as a key priority for the new district. In the current model, with only a district chair as the key leader, it is difficult to get representation. In the new model there will be a greater role for deputies / assistants and the new role of District Secretary. This new collaborative arrangement will make it easier to get diversity of representation in the senior leadership. The new district will continue work with the circuits and churches to champion EDI.

Will the difference in level of ministerial staffing be equalised across the two districts?

It is true that Birmingham has a higher ministerial staffing level per member than Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. However, when you adjust for part-time appointments and remove the Queen's appointments the difference is not as great as it might initially seem. Within the new District we would be working within the same constraints as the existing two Districts which cannot simply redeploy ministers or, indeed, decide how individual circuits spend their money. Circuits define and fund appointments in consultation with the District Chair and ultimately ministers have to be willing to come and fill any appointment. So, when it comes to Circuit assessments, there will be full equality across the new District in how the assessment is calculated. The levels of staffing are dependent on local decisions in Circuits and Churches, and the stationing process.

How will the new District be better for rural churches?

The new West Midlands District will be committed to championing rural mission and ministry. To this end we would hope to appoint a rural officer and also ensure that any decisions around location of synods and other meetings do disproportionally take into account those travelling from a rural context.

If you have a question please email info@wmmethodists.org.uk.