Other
Resolutions
Training Committee
Resolution 35
Partnership within the Hind Process
General Assembly,
recognising that the Training Committee is working within a climate of
considerable change,
a) encourages the
Committee to continue in constructive partnership with the Church of England’s
training review ‘Formation for Ministry within a Learning Church’ (known as ‘the
Hind process’) and its subsequent implementation, and
b) emphasises the
need for the Committee to safeguard
i. the aims and
parameters of its own programmes in any arrangements to subsume them in new
ecumenical provision; and
ii. the financial
resources and commitments needed to sustain them.
1.1 As noted in the
Training Committee report to General Assembly 2004, “all our training is done
ecumenically and in many ways we are dependent on the Church of England”
(para.3.2.4.10). In March 2000 the Church of England embarked on a review of the
structure and funding of its ordination training under the leadership of Bishop
John Hind. The resulting report, with the significant title ‘Formation for
Ministry within a Learning Church’, proposed a radical restructuring. It was
finally adopted by the General Synod of the Church of England in July 2003. The
General Synod also agreed to an implementation programme. The entire process is
familiarly known as ‘Hind’.
1.2 Because of our close
involvement with the Church of England through our use of their regional courses
to train those preparing part time for the ministry of Word and Sacraments, the
United Reformed Church – along with the Methodist Church – was invited to
participate in the implementation programme, with the possibility that other
denominations might become involved in due course. The contribution made by our
representatives has been appreciated by the Church of England. The January 2004
report of the Regions Task Group noted, “the group’s work has been greatly
assisted by Methodist and United Reformed Church representation on the group
itself”. United Reformed Church representatives are involved in a number of the
task groups working on the various aspects involved in preparing for the full
implementation of Hind.
1.3 Our representatives
have reported back to the Training Committee through an informal reference Group
that has met as necessary. The full Committee has also been kept abreast of Hind
thinking and planning as it has developed both across England and in the
regions.
1.4 The time has now come
when our partner churches seek a more substantial response to Hind, in
consequence of which the Training Committee believes that a more formal
recognition by General Assembly of what is happening is appropriate and
required. The Training Committee notes that the principles underpinning
the Hind process (integrated training for the whole people of God) coincide
creatively with the principles for a learning church which the Committee has
offered the Catch the Vision Steering Group.
1.5 In presenting this
resolution, Training Committee acknowledges that General Assembly is being asked
to support the involvement of the United Reformed Church in a process, which is
far from complete, and within which, in some areas, the Church of England itself
is struggling with the implications of Hind.
1.6 To assist the
development of the new Regional Training Partnerships (RTP’s) which are a key
element within the Hind proposals, Training Committee agreed at our meeting in
February 2005 to contribute, where appropriate, £1,000 towards the start up
costs of each RTP. This will come from within the current training budget for
2005 and is an amount comparable to that being given by the Methodist Church.
Training Committee expects that this will not cost more than £11,000, and is
offered as support in regional negotiations with the Church of England and
Methodist Churches.
1.7 At this stage,
Training Committee is not able to provide any assessment of the overall cost of
our involvement in the Hind developments. Nor are we in a position to know
whether there will be a cost at all. In the absence of financial detail,
Training Committee stresses that any expenditure beyond the agreed budget for
training will be subject to the normal scrutiny and procedures of the church.
1.8 In seeking the
agreement of General Assembly, Training Committee underlines the fact that Hind
does not look to a uniform pattern amongst the regions, but seeks flexibility
whilst yet securing a number of essential core values. Partly because of this,
and partly because there is considerable variation in the strengths of the
partner churches across the regions, Training Committee anticipates that there
will be some variation in the ability of the United Reformed Church to respond
in identical ways in all the regions.
1.9 Nonetheless, the
Committee believes that the process will be damaged if the United Reformed
Church does not formally commit itself to work constructively towards a mutually
beneficial outcome. It also believes that such a commitment, related to a
particular and important aspect of our life, authenticates the statements of
ecumenical intention made by previous General Assemblies.
Private resolution
sponsored by the Conveners of the Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministry
Committee, Nominations Committee and Equal Opportunities Committee.
Resolution 36
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
General Assembly
instructs the Nominations Committee to monitor the appointments of Synod
Moderators, Assembly Appointed Staff, Westminster College Staff and the
conveners of Assembly Committees in order to seek a balance in those groupings
which matches the balance in other nominations of:
a) an equal
number of men and women
b) at least 10%
representation from minority ethnic groups.
Proposer: Revd Dr Stephen
Orchard
Seconder: Revd Andrew
Prasad
1.1 Following the
resolution on Nominations and Equal Opportunities, proposed from Mission
Council, Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministry, Nominations and Equal
Opportunities conveners felt it would be helpful if there were encouragement to
look at other groupings of appointments and to seek balance in those. All the
appointments in this resolution are normally treated as one-off appointments,
but if the United Reformed Church is going to further its Equal Opportunities
objectives then it will need to take action on structural discrimination. This
resolution is not about positive discrimination but it does seek affirmative
action through encouraging the United Reformed Church to ensure appropriate
balance in its appointments.
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