THAT velocipede is what catches the eye, doesn't it, and the laid-back chap riding it is the Rev Adam Wells, ecumenicalist and Arsenal fan. The machine is officially an Anthrotec, the pennant flying behind it says something about sharing a ride and sharing a smile though it is hard to suppose how it might be a tricycle made for two.

Since there is no crossbar, even a croggy is a non-starter.

The trailer, which might reasonably be imagined to contain all his worldly goods and half next door's as well, actually carries the hi-tech necessities of morning worship at All Saints church on Newton Hall, Durham. The case across the back holds the minister's guitar.

A non-driver, he averages 300 close-to-the-ground miles a month on church business, claims a record 321, and reckons to touch 35mph downhill. "Everyone in Durham knows this thing, no one bats an eyelid any more," he insists.

The minister's life cycle is simply a trike or treat diversion, of course. The real road down which today's column seeks to travel makes pedalling the Anthrotec seem like child's play.

It has been the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, churches reminded yet again of the scripture about a house divided against itself not standing.

If it is the way, as so many fervently hope, there has been a great deal of dilly-dallying on it.

All Saints, long since, just went ahead and united.

Newton Hall was once said to be Europe's largest private housing estate. The church history notes that it was once nicknamed Valium Valley, though doubtless there were other soubriquets also.

Four people, including Ann and Albert Toal who wrote the history, attended the first Methodist house group meeting in 1963. In December 1967 the Methodist church was officially opened; three years later the homeless Anglicans moved in.

When the church opened, the Methodists and the Church of England were talking nationally about union. Thirty five years later, they still are.

At All Saints, Adam Wells - Methodist superintendent of the Durham circuit - works seamlessly alongside David Pickering, a Church of England priest. There is one congregation, one set of service books, one faith.

At first it was a Local Ecumenical Experiment, then a Local Ecumenical Project and finally a Local Ecumenical Partnership, or LEP for short. It works.

"The leaders do seem to take an awfully long time to get anywhere," concedes Albert Toal, "but I suppose it's better to think and pray about it than to use excessive force."

Adam Wells says that whilst some may still regard themselves as Anglican or Methodist, there is a much greater sense of just belonging to All Saints.

"Anglican colleagues have asked if people are mine or David's, but they don't belong to either of us. We are sharing our riches.

"People these days are far less bothered about the denomination of the church than what the life of the church is like."

We'd last joined them in April 1995, Carlin Sunday, absurdly supposed that Adam Wells bore a resemblance to Emlyn Hughes, noted that Anglican/Methodist talks might be resuming.

"I think we've changed since then. There's a greater breadth of leadership," said the minister.

Last Sunday's 10.30am followed a nine o'clock communion service. An overhead projector message reminded the 80 or so present that it was Christian Unity week.

Uniquely, near the front as at Timothy Hackworth juniors, this was an overhead projector on which we could read the writing. For those yet more greatly myopic, there are both hymn books and a large print hymn sheet - belt, braces and binder twine as well.

Manifestly they'd been thinking about those with other limitations, too.

There's also a projector covered in a sort of ecclesiastical dust sheet, beneath which we half expect the minister to disappear, like him in Half A Sixpence.

These days, however, almost everything is controlled by a lap-top box of tricks at the minister's right hand. He still needs a page turner when playing the guitar, though; technology hasn't yet solved that one.

The service is lively, church members immensely friendly, lots of young mums and lively little 'uns and much community involvement.

Churches, says Mr Wells in his address, should be focusing on the things they hold in common and not those which divide them. "The Christian community isn't about us all being the same, it's about us being one in Christ."

Thereafter he's off to lunch and then on his trike for the afternoon service at Nettlesworth, sacrificially missing Arsenal v West Ham on the television.

The Anglicans and Methodists are again talking. A "covenant", a sort of pre-nuptial agreement, may even be signed later this year.

It's still a long way from formal union but may be a small step, nonetheless. All Saints. Newton Hall, conversely, there's a giant LEP for mankind.

All Saints Church, Carr House Drive, Newton Hall, Durham. Principal Sunday services 9am, 10.30 and 6pm.

Centenary celebration

The final centenary event at Harrowgate Hill Methodist Church in Darlington takes place on Friday February 7 (7 30pm) when the Rev Howard Mellor of Cliff College is guest preacher.

There's also an "Agape" communion and faith supper - "as only Methodists can," says senior steward Brian Simpson - a Memory Lane photographic display and a chance to buy centenary souvenirs.

A model of the proposed new church hall and community centre will also be on display. The column launched centenary proceedings nine months ago.