The Uniting Church in Australia Reports and Working Papers ADELAIDE, 15 – 21 JULY 2012 UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA, ASSEMBLY President-elect: Rev Dr Andrew Dutney BA, PhD, EdD General Secretary: Rev Terence Corkin BA, Bth, BLegS 25:TC:JB April 10 2012 To: All members of the Thirteenth Assembly Greetings from the Office of the Assembly, It is now just three months to the Assembly and there has been a great deal of work going on behind the scenes preparing for this significant meeting. In the Adelaide office the Administrator, Mrs Gwenda Kerley, has been continuing to respond to inquiries, process travel refunds and undertaking liaison with the venue operators. Here at 222 Pitt St we have been bringing together the reports and proposals that you have now received in this, the major, mailing of the 13th Assembly. Many of you have also been preparing for the Assembly. However some members have a bit more to do – and soon! Have you registered using the web registration facility that was mentioned in the initial mailing? We cannot meet you at the airport or arrange suitable accommodation if you do not register. made your flight bookings? Remember you will not be able to recover the full cost of your fare if you go above the allocated amount for your travel. Please book now to avoid disappointment or embarrassment. If you have booked, have you advised the 13th Assembly Office in Adelaide of your details by re-entering the web registration process and completing the travel information? In this mailing you are receiving over 200 pages of reports from the Assembly Standing Committee and Agencies as well as important background information and the first batch of proposals. Please do not leave it until you are on the plane to the Assembly to read these papers. Your full participation in the Assembly requires that you be well prepared by reading the materials before your arrival. Over half the participants are receiving their material on disc. Assembly papers are printed on recycled paper. We are aware that we use a great deal of paper for our church meetings and the use of recycled paper and electronic distribution of materials is a conscious effort to conserve natural resources. You can contribute to conserving natural resources by making sure that you bring all your papers with you. There is no provision for extra copies to replace those left at home by members. Members who have attended previous Assemblies may notice that there are far fewer proposals in the papers than on some other occasions. Proposals that come before an Assembly generally fall into one of three categories: Matters on which the Assembly has determining authority eg Regulations, doctrine, government, discipline, worship, etc and other decisions that shape the work undertaken by the Assembly in the next triennium – generally at a policy level. Where the Assembly needs to speak to third parties eg governments, partner churches, etc. Where the Assembly offers guidance or encouragement to the church as one Council speaking to others. The reduced number of proposals reflects a serious attempt to help the Council focus on its key responsibilities, and to create space within the agenda for us to spend more time in worship and Bible study and in addressing the big picture. However if you are concerned that there are not enough proposals please rest assured that there will be more proposals coming – some to amend the proposals you have received in this mailing, and others taking up new items of business. About one month prior to the Assembly meeting there will be another mailing. It will include additional nominations and any new proposals that have been received. PLEASE NOTE: if you change your address, are travelling for an extended period before the 13th Assembly or you cease to be a member of the 13th Assembly it is your responsibility to advise the 13th Assembly Administrator. The 13 th Assembly Administrator, Mrs Gwenda Kerley, can be contacted at gkerley@sa.uca.org.au . Once we get this mailing out we will go live with the 13 th Assembly website. It will be accessible through http://www.assembly2012.uca.org.au/ . I encourage you to refer to it from time to time for important information that comes to hand, and to direct members of your congregation and presbytery to use it so they can see what is coming up and the decisions that have been made. I am very much looking forward to joining you at the 13th Assembly. Each Assembly meeting is unique but one of the regular comments made about them is how wonderful it is to recognise that we are part of such an active and effective church engaged in many and varied ministries across this nation and in partnership with others around the world. I hope you are looking forward to being part of this unique experience in the life of the Uniting Church. We are in for a great time of fellowship around the Scriptures and the Eucharist; times of inspiration and challenge as we hear from our Bible Study leader, Rev Luna Dingyan from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Cato Visitor Professor Kirsteen Kim, a renowned missiologist; and other overseas guests as we explore the life overflowing that the Gospel offers. In the time remaining until the Assembly I invite you to be prayerful for the meeting of the Assembly. Particularly bear in mind the President - elect, Rev Dr Andrew Dutney, and others who carry various responsibilities. I also encourage you to call your home congregation to prayer so that we might be united in finding the purpose of Christ for his church, and be open to receive the leading which we believe will come as we convene as the national Council of our church. My prayer is that this will be a time when the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is among us all. Grace and Peace, Terence Corkin General Secretary 2 The Uniting Church in Australia The Thirteenth Assembly Reports and Working Papers CONTENTS A AGENDA AND TIMETABLE A1 Order of Business and Timetable A2 Daily Agendas (distributed at Assembly) B REPORTS B1 Business Committee B2 Retiring President B3 General Secretary B4 Standing Committee B4A Assembly Finances B5 Beneficiary Fund B6 Christian Unity Working Group B7 Church Polity Reference Committee B8 Defence Force Chaplaincy B9 Frontier Services B10 Historical Reference Committee B11 Ministerial Education Commission B12 Reception of Ministers B 13 Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress B 14 UC Adult Fellowship B 15 Uniting Care Australia B 16 UnitingWorld B17 Uniting Faith and Discipleship B18 UnitingJustice Australia B19 Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry B20 Theology and Discipleship B21 Christian Education B22 Relations with Other Faiths The Thirteenth Assembly Reports and Working Papers – Contents 1 B23 Synod Reports C PROPOSALS D ELECTIONS AND NOMINATIONS D1 Ballots and Nominating Procedures D2 Profiles of President-elect nominees D3 Profiles of other nominees D4 Nomination form E MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY F MINISTERIAL MATTERS G MEMBER INFORMATION H MISCELLANEOUS H1 Pastoral Procedures re Allegations of Sexual Misconduct H2 Vilification and Harassment Policy H3 Guidance for the Church’s Faithful Thinking H4 The Nature of Doctrine and the Role of the Assembly H5 The Cato Visitor H6 Evaluation Form I MANUAL FOR MEETINGS J DAILY NOTICES © Produced by the National Secretariat, Uniting Church in Australia PO Box A2266, Sydney South, NSW 1235, Australia Phone 02 8267 4204 Fax 02 8267 4222 E-mail assysec@nat.uca.org.au Website: http://assembly.uca.org.au _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 The Thirteenth Assembly Reports and Working Papers - Contents THIRTEENTH ASSEMBLY – INDICATIVE TIMETABLE 15 – 21 JULY 2012 ADELAIDE This indicative timetable represents the business agenda as at April 2012. It will be subject to change as particular proposals are placed in the Agenda. Detailed daily timetables will be provided in Adelaide for each day of the Assembly. Sunday 15 th July Day Venue Time Session 1 1 Sunday 2.30 Welcome to Country (Grand Chancellor Plenary Hall) 2.40 Worship (Plenary Hall) Report of the Business Committee Plenary Hall 2.55 Essential Business Proposals 1 - 10 Ministerial Matters Plenary Hall 3.20 Orientation to Assembly processes 5.00 Close Session 2 Adelaide Entertainment 7.30 Assembly Opening Service and installation of the President Centre Monday 16 th July 2 Monday 7.00 Breakfast Session 3 Plenary Hall 9.00 Opening Worship and HC 10.00 ASC Report 10.30 Morning Tea Session 4 Plenary Hall 11.00 ASC Proposals 12.15 Welcome to Overseas Guests 12.30 Lunch Session 5 Retiring President’s Report Plenary Hall 2.00 Appreciation of the ex President 2.40 ASC Proposals 3.15 Formal Reception of Assembly Agency Reports 3.30 Afternoon Tea Session 6 Small group 4.00 Community Working Groups considering proposals meeting areas 5.30 Close Session 7 Plenary Hall 7.30 UAICC Report and any proposals 8.30 Prayer and close _________________________________________________________________________________________ Timetable of the Thirteenth Assembly – The Uniting Church in Australia A1 - 1 Tuesday 17 th July 3 Tuesday 7.00 Breakfast Olie’s Room Grand 8.00 Communion (optional) Chancellor Session 8 Plenary Hall 9.00 Worship and Bible Study (Rev Luna Dingyan) 10.00 Review of the General Secretary 10.30 Morning Tea Session 9 Plenary Hall 11.00 Facilitation Group report on community working group feedback 11.30 NCYC 2013 11.40 Introduction of the nominees for