London Four Scottish churches took "a few, first steps on the way to union" as they published in mid-January several recommendations for a united church. The Scottish Church Initiative for Union, which began work in 1996, proposed, among other things, that the four form so-called "maxi" parishes, in which parishes would work together under one leadership body and be grouped together in regions under a bishop and regional council. It also proposed a national council that would be "the chief locus of authority." The four churches participating are the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), the Scottish Episcopal (Anglican) Church, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland and the United Free Church are observers.