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Contents PART ONE Introduction 3 Mission Council General report 2012-14 5 Mission Council membership 34 Assembly-appointed posts 35 Role of the synod moderator 38 Powers in pre-union trusts 44 Changes to the Structure 49 Membership of governance bodies 51 Changes to the standing orders 58 Synod moderators’ report 70 Scottish independence referendum 2014 76 Ministry and mission fund giving 77 Non-stipendiary ministry age limit 78 PART TWO Forward looking reports 81 Assembly arrangements 82 Children’s and youth work 83 Communications and editorial 88 Education and learning 91 Equalities 95 Faith and order 102 Finance 128 General secretary nominating group 129 Ministries 130 Mission 132 Nominations 137 Retrospective reports 153 Assembly arrangements 154 Children’s and youth work 155 Communications and editorial 157 Education and learning 160 Statistics of students in EM1 170 Students sent by synod 171 Equalities 173 Faith and order 175 Finance 179 Ministries 181 Accreditation 184 Church related community work programme 186 Maintenance of the ministry 187 Retired ministers’ housing 188 Mission 190 Pastoral reference and welfare 205 Church changes 207 PART THREE Information papers 215 PART FOUR RESOLUTIONS 229 United Reformed Church • General Assembly 2014 • 1 United Reformed Church General Assembly, Cardiff 2014 Introduction Dear friends, General Assembly 2014 will address some very big questions: What is the Spirit saying to the United Reformed Church? Do we still embrace an ecumenical vision and vocation as our founders did? Is it time to establish a new order of ministry? How can church meetings be revitalised so that they fulfil their purpose as a place for the believers to discern the mind of Christ for their life and mission? What is our Christian attitude and response towards mental illness? And not least, what do we understand to be the nature of marriage? I pray that our time together in Cardiff will result in new clarity about our future direction, priorities and witness. In the meantime, there are some practical things to say about this Book of Reports. We are experimenting with a new format. Responding to the request we’ve received from many people for more reading and preparation time, each Assembly committee was asked to report on its activities from the close of the last Assembly to December 2013, and that material was posted on the URC website at the beginning of March. The committees then wrote us a second report which described their current priorities – work in progress – together with the resolutions they bring for Assembly decisions. Both sets of reports are published in this book. Each of the reports in the forward-looking section has a cover sheet which tells you whom to contact if you have questions, sets out the resolution(s) clearly, summarises the main points, and answers the questions about financial impact and how the proposed work will affect relationships with external partners. The Assembly arrangements committee will be very interested to have your feedback on this style of presentation. We offer you this book as the working materials for Assembly as it meets to listen for the voice of the Spirit. Those of you who will not be coming to Cardiff are welcome to join us online as key debates are streamed for your viewing. We ask the whole Church to join with us in prayer. This will be my last Assembly as general secretary – let’s make it a good one! Yours in Christ, United Reformed Church • General Assembly 2014 • 3 ten statements of our mission purpose mission our of statements ten Statement 1: Spirituality and prayer We will grow in our practice of prayer and spirituality, nurturing strength for our witness to Jesus Christ, and developing our discernment of where God is and what God is calling us to do by reading and studying the Bible and through the power of the Holy Spirit. for Mission Framework Statement 2: Identity The URC will be a Church where every local congregation will be able to say who they are, what they do and why they do it. Statement 3: Christian Ecumenical Partnerships We will be more confident in our identity, valuing the treasures of our tradition, discerning when to seek ecumenical partnerships, and when and how to seek the further unity of the Church. Statement 4: Community partnerships We will be a Church that is more active in the life of local neighbourhoods. Statement 5: Hospitality and diversity We will be a Church committed to becoming even more welcoming and hospitable, and embracing all people equally. Statement 6: Evangelism We will be more confident to engage in evangelism, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God with friends, families and strangers, through story and action. Statement 7: Church growth We will be a growing Church with an increasing membership. Statement 8: Global partnerships We will be a Church that is an active partner in God’s global mission with other Churches around the world. Statement 9: Justice and peace We will be a Church committed to peacemaking and reconciliation that keeps faith with the poor and challenges injustice. Statement 10: The integrity of creation We will be a Church that has taken significant steps to safeguard the integrity of creation, to sustain and renew the life of the earth. 4 • United Reformed Church • General Assembly 2014 Mission Council Mission Council Mission Council: General report 2012-14 Basic Information Contact name and Roberta Rominger email address [email protected] Action required For information Draft resolution(s) Matters subject to resolution are presented in separate papers. Summary of Content Subject and aim(s) To report to General Assembly on the work of Mission Council 2012-14. Main points Key Mission Council discussions and decisions are reported, together with actions taken on behalf of General Assembly (sections 4 and 5) and implementation of previous Assembly decisions (section 6). Previous relevant Cited within the paper as appropriate documents Consultation has taken Not applicable place with... Summary of Impact Financial Not applicable. External Not applicable. (e.g. ecumenical) United Reformed Church • General Assembly 2014 • 5 Mission Council Mission Council Mission Council Mission Council report 2012-14 1. Introduction 1.1 Mission Council supports and furthers the work of the United Reformed Church between meetings of the General Assembly. It consists of the officers of Assembly, the synod moderators and three representatives from each synod, together with the conveners of Assembly committees, the chair of the United Reformed Church Trust and three Fellowship of United Reformed youth (FURY) members, including the FURY moderator. Its task is to take a comprehensive view of the work of the United Reformed Church, to decide on priorities, and to encourage the Church at all levels in its engagement with the world. The scope of this engagement ranges from the local to the international arena and includes relationships with ecumenical partners in the UK and overseas. 1.2 Mission Council acts on behalf of General Assembly on matters which require action between meetings of the Assembly. Some of this work arises from decisions of the Assembly which are referred to Mission Council for implementation. Section 4 records this activity. Sometimes there are matters requiring a decision which must be taken before the General Assembly is due to meet. Such decisions are reported to the following Assembly and are contained in section 5 of this report. 1.3 Mission Council also acts on its own behalf, taking advice from its advisory groups (e.g. human resources advisory group, ministerial incapacity and discipline advisory group) which report to its meetings and which may bring resolutions. It may also instigate work, appointing a special task group or asking several Assembly committees to cooperate in undertaking a piece of work on its behalf. It is often asked to be a sounding board for committees as they shape new policies for the approval of General Assembly. These actions and discussions are reported in the remaining sections. 2. Overview of the period July 2012 to March 2014 2.1 Since the last General Assembly, Mission Council has met on four occasions. The theme of the Assembly moderators, ‘Living Conversations’, has set the tone for searching discussion of the Church’s future and the host of issues challenging its common life. The faith and order committee has played a key role in posing questions about possible future scenarios and which distinctive elements of the United Reformed Church’s life and witness remain part of God’s calling to us. If this report records fewer decisions than usual, it is because Mission Council spent much of its time in discernment mode grappling with enormous questions and seeking the guidance of the Spirit. 2.2 The October 2012 meeting received a report from the general secretary which brought together the issues raised in a host of reviews undertaken in the previous 18 months. Noting that each group had begun with a focussed task and that each had identified larger issues requiring attention, she presented a list which allocated work to various Assembly committees. She also proposed the formation of a medium term strategy group to oversee and coordinate the responses from the committees and to take forward outstanding proposals from the reviews, significantly the review of the role of the synod moderator which had been remaindered at the close of the General Assembly. This was agreed. 2.2.1 The medium term strategy group has kept a strong link with the faith and order committee throughout the 18 months of its life. The faith and order committee has repeatedly challenged Mission Council to distinguish between first and second order issues, each requiring a different kind of approach.
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