Organisation
Woughton Parish is located in Milton Keynes, UK and has been an LEP (Local Ecumenical Partnership) since 1976, sponsored by the Church of England, Methodist, United Reformed Churches. We were joined by the Baptist Union in 2000.
The Parish is well established, has a strong commitment to ecumenism, provides an enjoyable and stimulating environment and is recognised as a good example of a multi-worship centre LEP.
The Church buildings of the sponsoring denominations are all shared, with the various parish congregations each including members of those sponsoring denominations and other denominations. A significant number have come to faith within the parish and have been confirmed into all of those denominations.
Each congregation within the LEP has its own local Church Council and handles its own affairs within the Strategy and Policy laid down by the Woughton Ecumenical Council (WEC), which comprises representatives from all congregations and the Ministerial Team.
WEC has responsibility for total parish finances, buildings and overall strategy. It is the body through which the Parish is represented on outside bodies, the most important church body being the Milton Keynes Mission Partnership, which is the umbrella organisation for all the churches working together in Milton Keynes.
Ministry within the parish is very much a partnership between lay people and ordained ministers. For example, WEC has a lay person as its Chair, while the leader of the clergy team is deputy-Chair.