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In the Liverpool District of the Methodist Church

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In the Liverpool District of the Methodist Church THE ECCLESIAL REALITY OF FRESH EXPRESSIONS “DOING CHURCH DIFFERENTLY” IN THE LIVERPOOL DISTRICT OF THE METHODIST CHURCH by CHRISTINE MARGARET DUTTON A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Urban Theology Unit, Sheffield Department of Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham March 2017 1 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT In the light of the Mission-Shaped Church report (2004) and the foundation of the joint Anglican/Methodist Fresh Expressions Initiative (2005), churches were encouraged to seek ‘fresh expressions of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church’. The ecclesial reality of four case studies of new forms of worshipping communities across Methodist Churches in the Liverpool District was examined and analysed in relation to the official statements of the Methodist Church and the Fresh Expressions Initiative, questioning the rhetoric of “church for the unchurched”. Operating at the interface of ethnography and ecclesiology, this thesis employed ethnographic and negotiated research methods in order to establish why, in an age of declining church attendance, people are choosing to join groups that are doing church differently. From the evidence, I draw out characteristics of hospitality, participation and flexibility indicative of a grassroots experience of church. The thesis discovered, through detailed ethnographic research the ecclesial reality of these new Methodist groups, and presents previously unpublished evidence from grassroots participants. In listening to the voices of participants and their experience the research challenges the narrow understanding of a ‘Mission-Shaped Church’ and considers whether the ecclesial reality of the grassroots groups in this study bring a broader and more nuanced understanding of new ecclesial realities to the Methodist Church and the Fresh Expressions Initiative. 2 Acknowledgements With thanks to all who have believed in, encouraged and supported the work of this thesis: The communities at Somewhere Else, Liverpool, Knit and Natter, Hope Farm Methodist Church, Ellesmere Port, New Song Café, Warrington, and Cafe Church @Oomoo, Elm Hall Drive Methodist Church, South Liverpool The staff and students at the Urban Theology Unit, especially my supervisors Dr Ian K. Duffield and Dr Robin Pagan The staff and students at Luther King House, Manchester The Ecclesiology and Ethnography Network The Chester and Delamere Forest Methodist Circuit The congregations at Christleton Methodist, Rowton Methodist and Wesley Methodist Church, Chester for their patience, care and prayer while I have sought to balance ministry and research Revd Neil Stacey Sue Brown Ian and Margaret Dutton John, Sophie and James Forsdick Charles Forsdick 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements INTRODUCTION p. 20 PART ONE “DOING CHURCH DIFFERENTLY” IN THE METHODIST LIVERPOOL DISTRICT: TOWARDS THE RESEARCH PROJECT CHAPTER 1 THE RESEARCH CONTEXT: DOING CHURCH DIFFERENTLY 1.1 Introduction p. 26 1.2 A brief historical overview p. 28 1.3 My terminology of “doing church differently” and “typical” church p. 33 1.4 A chronological perspective on common terminology used to designate “doing church differently” p. 33 1.4.1 Fresh expressions 1.4.2 Emerging church 1.4.3 Para church/Parallel church/Alternative church 1.4.4 New ways of being church 1.4.5 Fresh ways of being church 1.4.6 Emergent church 1.4.7 Which terminology is currently dominant with the Methodist Church 1.4.8 Conclusions on terminology 1.5 Methodist Church official statements and understanding of fresh expressions p. 53 4 1.5.1 Vision of FX in the Methodist Church 1.5.2 Changing Church for a Changing World: Fresh Ways of Being Church in a Methodist Context 1.5.3 Fresh Expressions in the Mission of the Church 1.6 How does the Liverpool District endorse “doing church differently”? p. 59 1.7 Conclusion p. 60 CHAPTER 2 WHAT DOES “DOING CHURCH DIFFERENTLY” ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN? THE RESEARCH QUESTION AND GOALS 2.1 Introduction p. 61 2.2 The Research Question p. 61 2.3 Research Goal 1: To understand why people are connecting with groups which are “doing church differently” p. 63 2.4 Research Goal 2: To discern what are the chief characteristics of groups “doing church differently” p. 65 2.5 Research Goal 3: To investigate how the groups who are “doing church differently” understand themselves as ecclesial realities p. 65 2.6 Research Goal 4: To analyse the way in which the groups “doing church differently” relate to the “typical” Methodist Church p. 66 2.7 Research Goal 5: To situate these groups who are “doing church differently” within the world of Fresh Expressions p. 66 CHAPTER 3 METHODS AND APPROACHES 3.1 Introduction p. 68 Part A: Methodological Approaches 3.2 Ecclesiology and ethnography p. 69 5 3.2.1 “Looking at” and “living in” 3.2.2 Participant observation 3.2.3 Interviewing 3.2.4 Thick description 3.3 Negotiated methods p. 75 Part B: Fieldwork Research Methods 3.4 The rationale for a case study approach p. 76 3.5 Survey results p. 76 3.6 Rationale for case study selection p. 76 3.6.1 Geographical and practical considerations 3.6.2 Range of examples 3.6.3 Leadership 3.6.4 Ethical considerations 3.6.5 Day and frequency of meeting 3.7 Selected research methods for research goals 1-3 p. 80 3.7.1 Documentation 3.7.2 Questionnaires 3.7.3 Semi-structured interviews 3.8 Selected research methods for Research Goals 4 and 5 p. 82 Part C: Self-reflexivity and the Research Question 3.9 How my own position has influenced the research question? p. 82 3.9.1. Geographical situation 3.9.2 Methodist structures 3.9.3 “Doing church differently” in the context of the Liverpool District of the Methodist Church 3.9.4 Being an Insider 3.9 Conclusion p. 85 6 PART TWO FOUR CASE STUDIES: THE RESEARCH PROJECT CHAPTER 4 CASE STUDY 1: SOMEWHERE ELSE, LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE METHODIST CHURCH 4.1 Introduction to chapters in part two p. 88 Part A: Somewhere Else Background and Research Methods 4.2 Introduction to Somewhere Else p. 88 4.2.1 History of Somewhere Else 4.3 Research methods for Somewhere Else p. 90 4.3.1 Negotiated methods 4.3 2 Participant observation 4.3.3 Time line 4.3.4 Questionnaire 4.3.4.1 Practical considerations 4.3.4.2 Transient congregation 4.3.4.3 Literacy 4.3.4.1 Ethical issues around possible exclusion 4.3.5 Documentation 4.3.6 Semi-structured interviews Part B: Somewhere Else: Thick Description 4.4 Thick description of Somewhere Else p. 97 Part C: Somewhere Else: Evidence and Data 4.5 Evidence from research methods in respect of research goals 1-3 p. 99 4.5.1 Composition of Somewhere Else 4.5.1.1 Membership and attendance at Somewhere Else 4.5.1.2 Age profile at Somewhere Else 7 4.5.1.3 Gender profile at Somewhere Else 4.5.1.4 Transient nature of those who attend Somewhere Else 4.5.1.5 Carers 4.5.1.6 Ecclesiastical tourism 4.5.2 Research Goal 1: To understand why people are connecting with Somewhere Else 4.5.2.1 A place of acceptance 4.5.2.2 A sense of purpose 4.5.3 Research Goal 2: To discern what are the chief characteristics of Somewhere Else 4.5.3.1 Hospitality 4.5.3.2 Participation 4.5.3.3 A place to learn and grow 4.5.3.4 Flexibility 4.5.4 Research Goal 3: To investigate how Somewhere Else understand themselves as an ecclesial reality 4.5.4.1 Leaders’ perspectives 4.5.4.2 Participants’ perspectives 4.6. Conclusion p. 115 CHAPTER 5 CASE STUDY 2: KNIT AND NATTER, HOPE FARM METHODIST CHURCH, ELLESMERE PORT Part A: Knit and Natter Background and Research Methods 5.1 Introduction to Knit and Natter p. 116 5.1.1 History of Knit and Natter 5.2 Research methods for Knit and Natter p. 118 5.2.1 Negotiated methods 5.2.2 Participant observation 5.2.3 Questionnaire 5.2.4 Semi-structured interviews 8 Part B: Knit and Natter: Thick Description 5.3 Thick description of Knit and Natter p. 122 Part C: Knit and Natter: Evidence and Data 5.4 Evidence from research methods in respect of Research Goals 1-3 p. 124 5.4.1 Composition of Knit and Natter 5.4.1.1 Membership and attendance at Knit and Natter 5.4.1.2 Age profile at Knit and Natter 5.4.1.3 Gender profile at Knit and Natter 5.4.1.4 Previous church connection 5.4.2 Research Goal 1: To understand why people are connecting with Knit and Natter 5.4.2.1 Looking for a place to belong 5.4.2.2 Therapeutic knitting 5.4.2.3 Looking for a place to share their skills 5.4.3 Research Goal 2: To discern what are the chief characteristics of Knit and Natter 5.4.3.1 Practical expression of faith 5.4.3.2 Use of a niche interest as a starting point for Christian engagement 5.4.3.3 A place to listen and be listened to 5.4.4 Research Goal 3: To investigate how Knit and Natter understand themselves as an ecclesial reality 5.4.4.1 Leaders’ perspectives 5.4.4.2 Participants’ perspectives 5.5 Conclusion p.
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