Cardiff East Local Ecumenical Partnership
From its beginning, Christchurch has always been involved with other local churches – generally as part of a local “council of churches”. In 2005, however, Christchurch was one of the group of churches that wanted to move beyond simply the occasional shared activity, to find greater ways of expressing our unity as the body of Christ.
So the Cardiff East Local Ecumenical Partnership was established, by the signing of a Covenant between All Saints’ Cyncoed, All Saints’ Llanedeyrn, Christchurch, the Church of the Resurrection in St Mellons, Cyncoed Methodist Church, Pontprennau Community Church, Rumney Methodist Church, St David’s Ecumenical Church in Pentwyn, St Dyfrig’s Church in Llanrumney, St Edeyrn’s Church, and St Mellons Parish Church.
The objectives of the partnership include the following, all aiming to increase the churches’ commitment to each other and to working together:
- To move through co-operation to clear commitment to each other, in search of the unity for which Christ prayed and in common evangelism and service to the world.
- To engage in joint worship, prayer and study so that we may know and value each other and seek God's will for His people.
- To work together in pastoral, social and evangelistic outreach into our community.
- To publicise and promote our Church life and worship by joint means wherever possible.
- To sustain an Ecumenical Ministry Team for regular prayer, study, consultation and appropriate action.
The greatest achievement of the Local Ecumenical Partnership is the Maelfa Shop and drop-in centre. This provides a place for people to come and meet with others, have a cup of tea, buy second-hand goods, and get advice on any problems they are having. Recently the Cardiff Foodbank outlet and the Speakeasy sessions have given it a sharper outreach focus.
The Partnership has a management group, the Cardiff East Ecumenical Mission Council. Each church in the Local Ecumenical Partnership has three representatives: the Minister and two lay members who are elected at the AGM.
