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Rev Dr Langley Mackrell-Hey, Summary of research findings undertaken through the University of Durham DThM, 2000-2016

The purpose of my research

…was to explore how presbyters can best oversee fresh expressions. These findings do not represent the official position on the Methodist Church but summarise my own reflections and research findings resulting from six years of study with Durham University. These are available under the ‘research tab’ above. The remaining sections contain reports that were cited within the research, are freely available from the Methodist Church in Britain website, but are collated here for ease. Please note that some sections of the thesis are embargoed, because participants were assured that their comments would remain confidential.

At present, the Methodist Church continues to reflect on the questions that fresh expressions pose for church order and discipline. These insights are offered as a contribution to this work. The research methodology focused on three areas;

• Carrying out a literature review to explore the synergy and disparity between Fresh Expressions Tradition and Methodist Experience.

• Exploring how Methodist practitioners regard CPD (Constitution, Practice and Discipline), with particular reference to aspects of CPD that are already proving difficult to implement within the wider Church.

• Conducting a range of case studies to examine how fresh expressions were operating in practice and identify areas of tension between orthodoxy and orthopraxis.

Literature Review and initial
considerations for Oversight

Accessible parts of the Thesis:

Abstract and Acknowledgements

Intro, Method, and Thesis Outline

The full consultation on CPD, and the case studies are embargoed: I am however able to provide more detail on request.

Conclusion and Recommendations
for further action

Thesis Appendices

Consultation on Oversight

Sample Quantitative Survey 2

Sample Quantitative Survey 1

Probing Questions

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

The Consultation: By the close of the consultation, forty-five individuals had taken part, including thirty ministers:

• Twenty-six presbyters, three presbyter-ordinands and one deacon, (twenty-one males, nine females).

• Of these, ten occupied District leadership roles (five combining this with circuit responsibilities). Five were Methodist supernumeraries who still contributed to circuit life, and four were ecumenical partners; Anglican, Baptist, United Reformed Church, and Free Church.

• The remaining fourteen participants were non-ordained (four males, ten females). Four of these were District leaders.

• As part of my ongoing ministry, I also attended a VentureFX support group which gave rise to a continuing dialogue with two presbyter-pioneers.

In total the consultations resulted in:

• Thirty-two submissions of written material (either e-mail responses or annotated forms)

• Twenty short research conversations, and twenty-eight follow up interviews.

The participant age range (apart from the supernumeraries) was between forty to sixty years. Apart from one Black-British participant, the remainder were White-British. This demographic reflected the comparatively low numbers of female ordained and/or ethnic minority leaders within the learning regions covered by three Districts. The consultation ceased at the point where new insights were proving difficult to find.

Case Studies and follow-up interviews: The case study work comprised an initial qualitative survey, ethnographic participation-observation, informal conversations, an online quantitative survey, and follow-up interviews. In total I studied:

• Thirteen fresh expressions across two centres.

• Thirty-six observations within two primary case study centres.

• Twenty-two observations within the surrounding satellite projects.

• Twenty-eight research conversations or formal interviews across the whole.

The scope of the research