FOUR Methodist ministers from York will fly to South Africa tomorrow to investigate the possibility of setting up a formal link between the churches in the York and Hull District and those in the Cape Town District.

The four, who will fly from Heathrow, are the Rev Dr Stuart Burgess, chairman of the York and Hull District of the Methodist Church, the Rev Colin Smith, minister at Acomb in the York South Circuit, the Rev Graham Jones, chaplain at the University of York, and the Rev Richard Andrews, director of community theology at York St John College.

Talks of a link between the two Methodist districts follow the setting up of formal links between the York Diocese of the Church of England and the Cape Town Diocese and come at a time when members of the Methodist Church and the Church of England in this country are being asked to vote on a covenant between the two denominations.

Mr Smith said he was looking forward to going and the Methodists in Cape Town seemed "quite excited" about the visit.

They will spend eight days travelling around Cape Town, meeting the Methodist bishop, Andrew Hefkie, and looking at the work of the church in what is a large and diverse district.

Mr Smith is particularly interested in development issues, particularly work with the victims of poverty and AIDS.

Mr Jones and Mr Andrews have a particular interest in educational matters.

Updated: 08:44 Friday, March 14, 2003