Through the years Methodism has maintained some consistent characteristics. Yet, it continues to be a church with tensions. Tensions are created in trying to blend the virtues of a worshipping community with the needs of society. Tensions are created in deciding whether to have a broad mission or a narrow mission. Tensions are created when relationships with the Church of England are discussed. Tensions are created in determining what role to play in ecumenical activities. With these and other tensions everywhere evident in the church today, John and Charles Wesley would easily recognize the movement they began.

Ten years ago the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops initiated international conversations between the Anglicans and the Methodists. The purpose of the dialogue was to pursue unity between the two groups. The primary questions most often raised involved ordination. "The United Methodist Newscope" recently announced that the Lambeth Conference has issued a statement "that the ministry of those already ordained in the church should not be called into question."

In 1996, the World Methodist Council accepted the results of that conversation, titled, Sharing in the Apostolic Communion" Professor Geoffrey Wainwright of Duke University who chairs the Committee on Ecumenism of the World Methodist Council has reported that the "Anglican bishops now recommend that Anglican-Methodist relations continue in various geographical regions and, where appropriate, churches of the two communion should develop mutual agreements."

One of the primary issues facing Methodism in the world today is what some call ecumenism. We might also simply call it Church Unity. "There is one God, one faith, one baptism." How can that be misunderstood? The church should not reflect the segregation, even within Methodism, that exists today. I believe that the first step to unity is for the United Methodist Church in the United States to "unite" with the Methodist Church in England. It should not be too difficult for the General Conference to seek a broader Conference which included The Methodist Conference in England. The machinery is easily and readily in place for such a union.

Once these two Conferences come together the next logical step will be to bring together Methodists in other parts of the world. In time, a World Methodist Conference should be a reality. (It happened on a smaller scale in South India. It can happen in a similar way throughout the world.)

Many things can and have been said about John Wesley, not all of them complimentary. However one thing that cannot be over stated is what Robert F. Wearmouth calls "his greatest achievement... collective activity." Wesley taught people how to work together. With all its discipline, self-control, and even self-sacrifice, Methodism has taught the value of group dynamics. Can we today not re-new our commitment to "collective activity?"

Wesley's followers were organized into groups called "Bands," which came together in "Classes;" the classes came together in "Societies;" the societies came together into "Circuits;" which in turn were grouped into "Districts." All the districts came into one whole called the "Connexion." The connexion should include not only British Methodists but the Societies (Churches), Districts, and Conferences in the United States and their counterparts in other parts of the world. The "Connexion" can and should expand. The "Connexion" makes the whole enterprise work for service to society and the glory of God.