Overview
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland has three different types of membership and two classes of associate membership. Members include the National Ecumenical Instruments (NEIs), national churches, and Christian organisations.
CTBI’s primary purpose is to support the churches of Britain and Ireland on our shared journey towards visible unity in Christ. We do this in a range of ways including regular meetings and events on different themes, providing a range of networks and working groups for in-depth engagement around areas that are shared strategic priorities, engaging in research and wider partnerships. We work in close partnership with the national ecumenical instruments for England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to ensure that our British-Irish engagement meets unmet needs and adds value. Our wider membership of agencies and Bodies in Association helps connect member churches to faith-based organisations working in relevant areas.
Please see membership applications for details about the process for becoming a member.
Admission to Church Schools
If you are looking for information relating to church membership contained within school admission policies please see our notes on admissions to Church Schools.
National Ecumenical Instruments
Each nation has its own ‘churches together’ organisation:
- Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS)
- Churches Together in England (CTE)
- Churches Together in Wales (CYTUN)
- Irish Council of Churches (ICC) (Associate Member)
National churches
- Apostolic Pastoral Congress
- Armenian Orthodox Church
- Baptist Union of Great Britain
- Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
- Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
- Cherubim & Seraphim Churches (Unification Council of) [Europe Chapter]
- Churches in Communities International
- Church in Wales
- Church of England
- Church of God of Prophecy
- Church of Ireland
- Church of Scotland
- Congregational Federation
- Coptic Orthodox Church
- Evangelische Synode Deutscher Sprache in Grossbrittannien (German Speaking Congregations)
- IMCGB (International Ministerial Council Of Great Britain)
- Independent Methodist Churches
- Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference
- Joint Council of Churches for All Nations (JCCAN)
- Lutheran Council of Great Britain
- Mar Thoma Church
- Methodist Church
- Methodist Church in Ireland
- Moravian Church
- New Testament Assembly
- New Testament Church of God
- Oecumenical Patriarchate Archdiocese of Thyateria & Great Britain
- Presbyterian Church of Wales
- Redeemed Christian Church of God
- Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
- Religious Society of Friends in Ireland
- Romanian Orthodox Church
- Salvation Army
- Scottish Episcopal Church
- Serbian Orthodox Church
- Undeb Yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg (Union of Welsh Independents)
- United Free Church of Scotland
- United Reformed Church
Agencies
Agencies are self-governing charities, accountable to the churches and constitutionally linked to Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. They undertake work on the churches’ behalf that, for the most part, the churches are not doing separately for themselves.
- CAFOD
- Christian Aid
- Christian Enquiry Agency
- Churches’ Media Council
- One World Week
- Roots for Churches
- Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
Bodies in Association
Independent ecumenical organisations can join as Bodies in Association with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
Bodies in Association:
- Have aims and basis consistent with those of the ecumenical instruments.
- Have a broad presence, not confined to one locality or region, within at least one of the four nations of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
- Have an inclusive membership, welcoming people from all denominations and traditions represented among the churches.
- Have proper constitutional arrangements and accountable leadership.
- Are among the leading organisations in their field.
The Bodies in Association at present are (external links):
- Action by Christians Against Torture
- Association of Interchurch Families
- Bible Society
- BRF
- Christian Education
- Christians Abroad
- Christians Aware
- Christians on Ageing
- Church Action on Poverty
- College of Preachers
- Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Embrace the Middle East
- Faith in Europe
- Faith in Later Life
- Fellowship of Reconciliation
- Fellowship of St Alban and St Sergius
- Focolare Movement
- Friends of the Holy Land
- Green Christian
- Guild of Health and St Raphael
- International Ecumenical Fellowship
- Iona Community
- Irish School of Ecumenics
- JustMoney Movement
- L’Arche
- The Living Stones of the Holy Land Trust
- MODEM
- National Day of Prayer and Worship
- Operation Noah
- Pais Movement
- Prison Fellowship of England and Wales
- Sports Chaplaincy UK
- ROC Angels
- Rural Missions
- Society for Ecumenical Studies
- Student Christian Movement
- Together for the Common Good
- YMCA
- Womens World Day of Prayer Movement