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AGENCIES
These are organisations who represent and work for the Churches in particular areas of concern and interest.
An Agency is a body to which a Church or Churches delegate executive responsibility, and which therefore carries out work on behalf of the Churches which mandate it. Agencies have constitutions, approved by their sponsoring Churches, which describe their accountability and management. Agencies work as ecumenical partners with Churches Together in England, but they are not answerable to the Enabling Group for their ways of working or their agenda.
Agencies are instruments through which the Churches nationally work together. (They should not be confused with "Bodies in Association" which are interdenominational associations of Christians working for particular purposes, and are members of Churches Together in England.)
The Agencies pre-date the formation of Churches Together in England in 1990, but have asked for recognition. In some cases this has meant a change in their ways of working. For example Christian Aid and CAFOD are working increasingly closely with one another.
The Enabling Group receives reports from the Agencies, and Agencies may ask for items to go on the Enabling Group Agenda. The Enabling Group has representatives on the Board/Management of an Agency (sometimes a member of CTE staff).
Agencies also provide written reports to the Churches Together in England Forum, and use the Forum as an opportunity to communicate with the various spheres of Church activity in England.
Executive staff of the Agencies are in close contact with the General Secretary. Churches Together in England aims to assist the Agencies in communicating with County Ecumenical Officers and commending the Agencies' work to intermediate and local ecumenical bodies.
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