Governance is the term used to describe how an organisation is operated, how it is overseen and held accountable for good practice and decision making in keeping with law, and with the aims/object of the organisation. It covers administrative activities such as:
Organisation - Establishing a body of trustees, and ensuring they are adequately qualified and trained, and they are accountable for the decisions they make.
Compliance - Making sure all relevant legislation is followed, such as GDPR, and Health and Safety regulations.
Finance - Keeping full and accurate accounts, maintaining the payroll of employed staff, and ensuring all Charity Commission regulations are followed and annual returns are submitted.
Safeguarding - Administering the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks on all relevant roles within the Circuit, overseeing the Safer Recruitment processes, and ensuring Safeguarding legislation, denominational policies and procedures, and best practice guidance is followed.
Property Management - Maintaining all properties (manses, chapels) and dealing with building projects etc.

The amount of legislative and organisational responsibilities required of organisations today are arguably far more complex for Circuits to navigate than in previous times. The result of this is that many Circuits are struggling under the burden of governance and management, with energy, time and focus diminishing for our prime purpose of mission and mutual encouragement. A brief look at the Superintendent's Handbook shows just how much of the detail and expectations of the role focus upon 'running' the organisation. Additionally, the number of church members involved in managing trusteeship for church and for Circuit is disproportionately large for the size of the organisation.

This section of the framework comprises two main components. Firstly, it is necessary to consider the structure of the Circuit itself. A brief look at the Superintendent's Handbook shows just how much of the detail and expectations of the role focus upon 'running' the organisation. This is where conversations revolve around the concept of the Bridge Circuit and how that model of operation might assist us in the Goole and Selby Circuit.
Secondly, we need to explore the way the local churches are organised. The Goole and Selby Circuit currently includes 20 churches, each with its own Church Council/Trustees Meeting, and a range of roles and responsibilities needing to be fulfilled, including the need for a Minister to chair the meetings. We want to explore ways in which we can restructure how Church Councils/Trustee Meetings are run, in order to reduce some of the administrative burdens, and so release people to undertake the main mission of the church.
It should be emphasised that the term explore is central to this process, recognising that changes
require time and careful consideration. There are no hidden agendas or preconceived plans; any  formal recommendations concerning new governance approaches will arise through open dialogue, mutual understanding of key issues, and collective discernment of how God is leading us forward. This conversation is NOT about 'closing churches', it is about streamlining how we function to avoid repeat activities that these days could be approached in different ways. The aim is to enable more focus on mission and worship, and fewer people needed for all the 'governance' roles.

Many Circuits and Districts around the Methodist Connexion are exploring new ways of approaching how their areas 'function', and how governance can be done well, but in a way that is proportionate to the size and needs of their organisation. Key to this is releasing church to be church without focus of time and effort being primarily absorbed by 'running the organisation'. Some Districts have amalgamated, as have Circuits - recognising that this a way to streamline governance processes and the number of people needed as trustees. The Yorkshire North and East District has gone a slightly different route; by establishing a new Circuit (Bridge) whose role is primarily to be a governance body within which local methodist areas (circuits) can operate. Basically, this Circuit oversees, manages, and provides governance so that those who join the Circuit are freed to focus on their local mission. If Goole & Selby chose to join into this approach, rather than being a circuit/charity in our own right, we would be a Mission Area of the Bridge Circuit.

The Bridge Circuit was created in 2023 as a new expression of Circuit within the Yorkshire North and East District. The Bridge Circuit is all about providing excellent governance and operational management so that as much time, energy and passion can be released for mission. The Bridge Circuit is available for existing circuits to join so that rather than 'running' the organisation, they are released from governance burdens to re-focus on local mission and ministry. Circuits that join the Bridge Circuit become known as a 'Mission Area'. Each Mission Areas has at least one Minister who supports the church communities to explore and develop local worship, events, activities and initiatives that share, declare and live out the gospel of God's love in Christ.

There are currently five Mission Areas in different places around the District and each focus on developing the mission and ministry of the church in their own communities. They are Beverley (East Riding of Yorks), Bridlington (East Yorks Coast), Pateley Bridge (Nidderdale, North Yorks) and Wolds Edge (East Yorks Wolds) and Ripon & Lower Dales.

It is recognised that the Bridge Circuit can't keep growing as the number of trustees (representatives from the Mission areas) increase as each circuit joins. However, because of its popularity, the Bridge team has begun discussions about its development and the creation of another Bridge-style Circuit.

The Circuit Leadership Team (CLT) have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bridge Circuit. Through this agreement, Sue Cutting and Thomas Rattigan provide assistance with financial and property matters. Sue has assumed the role of Circuit Treasurer and, together with Margaret Adderley, oversees the management of circuit manses and vacant chapels to maintain efficient stewardship of assets. Thomas is reviewing other property issues within the circuit. Additional support from the Bridge Circuit may be available if needed. This work is a provided to us at an agreed annual cost.

We would become a Mission Area, and only a small number of our current trustee group would hold any circuit trustee responsibilities in the way 50-60 people do at present. When we come together for meetings these would focus on growth, worship and mission, sharing ideas, and supporting one another.
The Circuit finances, property and legal responsibilities would be handled for us by the Bridge Trustees and paid staff team. Tasks such as Circuit property consents, annual reporting to the Charity Commissioner, auditing would be the Bridge's responsibility to fulfil.
We would be part of a network of mission areas seeking to support one another with grants and shared experience in missional development.

There are currently two models of multi-site church suitable for a Methodist context: the 'hub church' model and the 'sectional' model. In the 'hub church' model, several (probably smaller) churches become classes of a larger church. In the 'sectional' model, several churches join together to become one church council whilst being church communities (as now) on several sites.
More details on these models can be found on the Methodist website.

An example of a church using the 'sectional' model is Wolds Edge Methodist Church, which meet at several locations including Bubwith, Holme on Spalding Moor, Melbourne, Newton, Pocklington, Sancton, and St John's, Market Weighton. They are all part of one single church council, who act as a trustee body for the 'One Church'. Each site congregation has a fellowship and planning team to look after the day-to-day life of the church - and its mission & worship in the local community. The one church council is responsible for governance of all, and the local church communities have delegated powers to ensure the local sites function easily. The finances of all are consolidated into the one church council, with arrangements made to ensure that each chapel retains use of its own money and has practical banking arrangements. Processes are put in place to make it easy for each church community to respond to local property or financial matters as needful. Each local church retains its own identity as part of the larger network (church council).
For example if we were largely One Church (see ecumenical note below) we could be known as Goole & Selby Methodist Church in Eggborough/in Sherburn/in Gilberdyke etc.

Other models and approaches to restructuring will be considered in upcoming meetings.

Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) usually have their own constitution, which affects how trustees govern the church and limits certain restructuring options. However, this does not mean that they are not 'in the story' of any local restructuring. Indeed it is important to maintain and develop our 'oneness' as church in the area. We will explore how to best to nurture our continuing strong relationships by, for example ensuring shared fellowship and mission meetings wherever possible, providing shared administrative services to help ease the LEP's burden of governance and management and pursuing collaborative work. We would also, intentionally maintain open dialogue and foster mutual understanding and shared missional and worship priorities as we do now.

This is not an easy question to answer!
Our language is important here, as the word 'Church' is often used to describe a building - 'we go to church...' - when in fact 'Church' as translated from Greek into English in the Bible ('Ekklesia' - 'called out ones') refers to people, to a community of Christian believers - It is important to distinguish between the 'Church', referring to these local faith communities, and the 'chapel', which
denotes the physical building.

The building is intended as a physical space set aside to serve the needs of the local faith community and the mission within the local community. When these buildings offer a place for faith rooted added value to the community, every effort can be made to maximise its potential.
If the buildings become a challenge or burden, to the Ekklesia it is for them - the local Church - to discern appropriate next steps. The Circuit will always provide support to assist Churches making decisions about their future.

As with the answer above, it is important to distinguish between the 'Church', referring to the local faith community, and the 'chapel', which denotes the physical building. The local Church Council is responsible to consider both what God is calling them to pursue and what they may need to pause or stop, acknowledging that endings are sometimes necessary for new beginnings in God's work.

A specific building is not always necessary for God's church to be an active presence in a location. Maybe we actually have more than 20 churches... after all how many informal fellowship groups, prayer groups, Bible studies are occurring beyond a chapel building, in homes or in public places such as residential homes?
In Pocklington, for instance, structural issues led to the closure of the main worship space, but the Ekklesia - the local church congregation - remains active in the community and now gathers in an alternative nearby facility.

Possibly not - what do you think?
It has certainly been said at our gathering events that we have enough resources to fellowship and worship together in perhaps four venues.
That may not of course mean that the other buildings should be closed as faith rooted community mission spaces.

Who do we mean by an 'outsider'?
In both current models of multi-site church governance cited earlier, some members of each local church that becomes part of the multi-site Church form this new Church Council. The church council is a new 'us'. There is no 'take-over', and no-one is an outsider.

This council is responsible for governance matters concerning the member churches as the 'Managing Trustees', while mission and ministry activities within each local church-site remain under their own direction. There is also a need and opportunity for people to manage local banking and property maintenance matters.

Although the Goole and Selby Circuit encompasses a considerable geographic area, the Bridge Circuit possesses significant expertise in overseeing multi-site trusteeship and coordinating mission activities across even larger distances. Their experience offers valuable insights that can inform the development of effective collaborative working mechanisms. Many circuits that are re-shaping local church governance to be multi-site church, like Wold's Edge Church and in Thirsk &
Northallerton, are widespread.