That jolly invention of the last decade of the last millennium: clustering.  That thing that lots of Baptists don't like cos it means talking to other people, being a teeny weeny bit connexional rather than foot-stampingly independent.  I've always thought it was a good idea, but never been that sure it works all that well.  And of course being Baptists clustering is whatever you want it to be - or not, that's the whole point.

Our little cluster works about 50%, that's to say half of the church assigned to it are active within it.

Our little cluster works about 75%, that's to say that when we have cluster meetings, or cluster services or cluster pulpit swaps most of those 50% will be involved (100% for pulpit swaps, less for services and meetings)

Our little cluster works 100%, that's to say, of those who are active within it, we are there for each other and will lend each other our buildings and people (ministers and musicians) if needed.

I was thinking last night about the opening words I use for weddings and funerals (I don't 'do' sentences as I walk in, not only do I not like it (it was not evident in my early experience of free church funerals and I have heard too many droning vicars) I actually find silence more profound and meaningful) which are along the lines of 'on behalf of Dibley Baptist Church and with thanks to D+1/D+2 for their hospitality, I welcome you to...  Such words won't appear in any published liturgy but I think they express - to me, to us, to others - something really important about our cluster, about church, about God even.

I should mention that our local Methodist and Anglican churches have also lent us their buildings for funerals, and I use a similar greeting on those occasions.

Now and again someone comments (favourably) on this situation, and how nice it is to see churches working together.  It is.  Clustering is a funny old thing, but when it works, it's good.