Being good neighbours : placing Methodist manses for ministry

The role and contribution of manses to mission and ministry in contemporary Methodism are largely ignored or taken for granted. This situation may have arisen because manses are primarily private spaces, providing a home for ministers and their families. Such a focus limits consideration of decisions on where best to place manses and the implications for community ministry. This paper examines the locations and neighbourhoods of manses in England, and considers whether and in what ways they allow or constrain mission and ministry. Findings indicate that most manses are not well placed to address Methodist priorities towards communities experiencing poverty and social marginalization.