The world has changed, but will the church keep up? This seminal report from the Church of England evaluates the changing religious landscape and introduces exciting new forms of church that speak directly to their diverse mission contexts. The Archbishop of Canterbury's Council on Mission and Public Affairs collaborated to research and produce the Mission-Shaped Church report in 2004, and Seabury Books is the new North American Publisher.

For Such a Time as This takes a radical look at the ministry of Deacons in the Church. It brings biblical, theological and ecumenical perspectives to bear on a ministry that many believe has not yet realised its full potential. Diakonia is reinterpreted in the light of recent biblical research as fundamental commissioning for ministry - one that expresses the essential nature of the whole Church and underlies all ordained ministry. Deacons are seen as go-between or link persons in the mission space between the Churchs liturgy and the needy world. This report of a Working Party of the House of Bishops, set up by the General Synod, also comments on the implications for lay ministry and proposes a concrete job description or ministerial profile for a renewed diaconate, one that is not merely transitional to the priesthood. The Report argues that the Diaconate comes into its own at times of social change and cultural crisis and that the time is now right to renew the diaconate for the sake of mission.

Ministerial training and enabling lay discipleship have become key strategic issues as the Church seeks to respond to new challenges in its mission and ministry. This major report was commissioned and endorsed by the Archbishops' Council and produced by a working party chaired by Bishop John Hind. It reviews the training needs of the clergy in the context of the learning needs of the Church as a whole. Proceeding from the conviction of the diversity of God's gifts to the Church, it seeks to: raise the standard of the initial training of the clergy; promote the patterns of lifelong learning; strengthen lay theological education; co-ordinate the work and resources of our existing ministerial training institutions and other potential partners; promote ecumenical partnership in the training enterprise; and secure the best value for the Church s expenditure in training. With these aims the review offers a broad strategy for the development of training to be implemented regionally and locally in the coming years.

The histories of the Church of England and the Methodist Church have been linked together for 250 years. In the 1970s, a proposal for unity failed narrowly. Now relationships between Methodists and Anglicans are stronger than ever, locally, regionally and nationally. Both are committed to the search for unity. What holds them apart? This official report of the Formal Conversations that began in 1999 sets out the common ground that has been rediscovered. It shows the strength of theological agreement, but also points out significant differences that require further work. Conscious of both the opportunities and the unresolved issues, the two churches asked the Conversations to draw up an agreement that would enable them to take a significant step towards future unity. The talks gave priority to mission and evangelism and paid special attention to diversity. This report proposes a national covenant, made up of mutual acknowledgement and mutual commitment. It should consolidate at the national level the many local and regional covenants that already exist and so prepare the ground for the next vital stage on the road to unity.

Ministerial training and enabling lay discipleship have become key strategic issues as the Church seeks to respond to new challenges in its mission and ministry. This major report was commissioned and endorsed by the Archbishops' Council and produced by a working party chaired by Bishop John Hind. It reviews the training needs of the clergy in the context of the learning needs of the Church as a whole. Proceeding from the conviction of the diversity of God's gifts to the Church, it seeks to: raise the standard of the initial training of the clergy; promote the patterns of lifelong learning; strengthen lay theological education; co-ordinate the work and resources of our existing ministerial training institutions and other potential partners; promote ecumenical partnership in the training enterprise; and secure the best value for the Church s expenditure in training. With these aims the review offers a broad strategy for the development of training to be implemented regionally and locally in the coming years.

The Archbishops' Commission on the Organisation of the Church of England has carried out a more comprehensive review of the national institutions of the Church than has ever before been undertaken. Its recommendations are far-reaching and, if implemented, would radically change the ways in which the Church of England operates. This would involve a redefinition of how episcopal leadership and synodical governance can work most effectively together in resolving policy and resource issues at the national level, a change of working culture, and much closer integration at the national level and with dioceses. The report sets out clearly the theological principles which led the Commission to its conclusions, describes briefly the existing central structures and goes on to outline the proposals for a new National Council for the Church of England.