|
|
|
THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Minutes of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church 2002 Friday, 5 July 2002 First SessionThe Chaplain conducted opening worship; Bible study was led by the Revd Glyn Jenkins.
The Moderator welcomed Councillor Andrew Paterson JP, Depute Convener of Fife Council, and invited him to address the Assembly.
The Moderator welcomed those who were attending Assembly for the first time and introduced the people on the platform.
The Convener of the Assembly Arrangements Committee, the Revd Alasdair Pratt, presented the Order of Business and drew attention to the list of errors and omissions in the Book of Reports and additional items of business which had been included in the Order Paper.
'The Agenda Before Us'
The General Secretary addressed the Assembly, reviewing changes which had taken place in church and society over the 30-year history of the United Reformed Church. He highlighted several items on AssemblyÕs agenda, relating them to the current needs of the church and its mission. Racial Justice
The Moderator invited the Revd Raymond Singh to present the report of the Racial Justice Committee.
The Assembly expressed appreciation for the report.
Equal Opportunities
The Moderator invited the Revd Nanette Head to present the report of the Equal Opportunities Committee. Members of the Committee presented a conversation in which challenges facing the church were highlighted.
Mrs Head responded to questions, noting in response to one that consideration would be given to the possibility of providing signing during a future Assembly.
The Moderator thanked Mrs Head for her hard work and commitment as she retired as Convener of the Equal Opportunities Committee.
The Revd Elizabeth Welch took the chair. Church and Society
On behalf of the Church and Society Committee, the Revd Martin Camroux, Convener, moved adoption of Resolution 49:
Resolution 49 End of Life Issues
General Assembly, noting that the work of the group set up to look at issues relating to the end of life in response to the resolution of Assembly 2000 has completed its work, welcomes the material it has produced for use in the churches. Mr Camroux responded to a number of questions, after which the Assembly voted.
Resolution 49 was carried.
Synod Resolutions
The Revd Murdoch MacKenzie, on behalf of East Midlands Synod, moved adoption of Resolution 1:
Resolution 1 Voluntary religious service and employment
General Assembly calls upon Her Majesty's Government to encourage employers to allow their employees working for faith communities in a voluntary capacity to be permitted paid leave on those occasions when those responsibilities fall within working time.
The resolution was formally seconded by Mrs Irene Wren.
The Revd Bill Young moved an amendment:
"recognise that some of their employees may undertake pastoral work for faith communities in a voluntary capacity, and to allow these employees to work flexibly and without loss of earnings on the occasions when those responsibilities unavoidably fall within working time."'
The amendment was seconded by Mrs Ann Sheldon.
Following discussion and reply by Mr Young, the amendment was carried, and debate resumed on the substantive resolution:
"General Assembly calls upon Her Majesty's Government to encourage employers to recognise that some of their employees may undertake pastoral work for faith communities in a voluntary capacity, and to allow these employees to work flexibly and without loss of earnings on the occasions when those responsibilities unavoidably fall within working time."
Having heard the debate, Mr MacKenzie sought the Assembly's permission to withdraw the resolution so that further thought could be given to the matter in the light of comments made. He expressed his intention to bring a further resolution on the issue to a future meeting of the Assembly.
The Assembly agreed that the resolution be withdrawn.
The Revd David Williams, on behalf of Wessex Synod, moved adoption of Resolution 5:
Resolution 5 Remand Prisoners
General Assembly asks Her Majesty"s Government to ensure that all prisoners found not guilty of the charges against them or who are found to have no case to answer should receive pro-rata compensation for their period on remand regardless of any previous convictions. The Resolution was formally seconded by the Revd D Michael Thomas.
Mr Williams responded to a number of questions, and Resolution 5 was carried.
The Revd John Waller resumed the chair.
Finance Committee
The Moderator invited Mr Graham Stacy, Convener, to present the report of the Finance Committee.
Mr Stacy presented the Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2001, and moved adoption of Resolution 29:
Resolution 29 Accounts
General Assembly adopts the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2001. In reply to a question Mr Stacy reported that the Auditors of the accounts were RSM Robson Rhodes and apologised for the fact that this information had been omitted from the Independent Auditors' Report on page 129 of the Book of Reports. Mr Stacy having responded to a number of further questions the Moderator called upon the Assembly to vote.
Resolution 29 was carried.
Mr Stacy moved adoption of Resolution 30:
Resolution 30 Ministry and Mission Fund
General Assembly gratefully acknowledges the giving of the churches in 2001 to the Ministry and Mission Fund.
Mr Stacy stressed the importance to the church of the giving to the Fund. He referred to a question which had been raised at the Assembly in 2001 concerning the distribution of contributions among the synods. A group had been set up to examine the matter. It had reported to a consultation of district treasurers in February that "the present sharing among synods is reasonable and no formula would achieve a fairer result". The treasurers had accepted this conclusion.
Mr George Faris proposed the following amendment
"add the words:
The amendment was seconded by Mrs Doreen Watson.
The Convener indicated his willingness to accept the amendment. The Moderator invited the Assembly to vote and the amendment was carried.
Mr Stacy responded to a number of questions, and the Moderator invited the Assembly to vote on the substantive resolution:
General Assembly gratefully acknowledges the giving of the churches in 2001 to the Ministry and Mission Fund and the work of local church, district and synod treasurers.
Resolution 30, as amended, was carried.
Mission Council
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 19:
Resolution 19 Changes to the Structure: Grouping
General Assembly agrees to ratify its decision of July 2001 to make the following changes to the Structure of the United Reformed Church;
Paragraph 1(1)
1(1)(b) Where two or more local churches together, and in consultation with the district council, decide that their mission will be more effective if they share resources and ordained ministry, they may, on the recommendation of the district council and the decision of the synod, form an association known as a group of churches with a structured relationship and a constitution governing the way in which they relate to one another as to the sharing of both resources and the ordained ministry. Each church within the group shall retain its own identity, and its church meeting and elders' meeting shall continue to exercise all their functions in relation to that church, save that, so long as the constitution shall so declare, decisions relating to the calling of a minister (see paragraph 2(1)(vii)) may be taken by a single group church meeting at which all the members of each of the constituent churches in the group shall be eligible to attend and vote. 1(1)(c) Where two or more local churches together, and in consultation with the district council, decide that their mission will be more effective if they share ordained ministry (but not other resources), they may, on the recommendation of the district council and the decision of the synod, form an association known as a joint pastorate, with a structured relationship with respect to the provision of ordained ministry only and a statement of intent governing the way in which they relate to one another in relation to the sharing of ordained ministry. Each church within the joint pastorate shall retain its own identity, and its church meeting and eldersÕ meeting shall continue to exercise all their functions in relation to that church, save that, so long as the statement of intent shall so declare, decisions relating to the calling of a minister (see paragraph 2(1)(vii)) may be taken by a single joint pastorate church meeting at which all the members of each of the constituent churches in the joint pastorate shall be eligible to attend and vote.
Paragraph 2(1)(vii)
(Where two or more churches have formed a group or joint pastorate in accordance with paragraph 1(1)(b) or (c) above on the decision of synod under its function 2(4)(A)(iv), the church meetings of each church may, with the agreement of the synod on the advice of the district council and so long as the group constitution or the statement of intent as appropriate shall so provide, join together as a group or joint pastorate church meeting for the purpose of calling a minister, in which case this function shall be exercised by the group or joint pastorate church meeting.)
Paragraph 2(3)(c)
Paragraph 2(3)(A)(ii)
Paragraph 2(3)(A)(iv)
Paragraph 2(4)(c) There being no debate, the Moderator called upon the Assembly to vote.
Resolution 19 was carried.
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 21:
Resolution 21 Ratification of Section O changes
General Assembly agrees to ratify its decision of July 2001 to make the changes to Part I of the Section O Process for Ministerial Discipline which are contained in Part I of Appendix 3 to these Reports. There being no debate, the Moderator called upon the Assembly to vote.
Resolution 21 was carried.
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 22:
Resolution 22 Changes to Part II of Section O
General Assembly agrees to make the changes to Part II of the Section O Process which are contained in Part II of Appendix 3 to these Reports. There being no debate, the Moderator called upon the Assembly to vote.
Resolution 22 was carried.
The General Secretary reported that those responsible for the oversight of the Section O Process had agreed that their secretary, Mr Hartley Oldham, should seek to meet with all Assembly Commissions and Appeals Commissions once their composition was known, in order to go through the procedures with them. Mr Oldham would not discuss any aspects of the case under consideration; indeed he would not even know the name of the minister concerned. The General Secretary also reported that a training session for members of the Commission Panel had been arranged for November 2002.
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 23:
Resolution 23 Section O oversight
Assembly agrees that responsibility for the continued oversight of the Section O process shall be given to Mission Council, working through a Section O oversight group. The Revd Dr David Thompson asked that the group consider whether Church Related Community Workers, ministers of other churches engaged in the service of the United Reformed Church, and lay people occupying offices comparable to ministers, could or should be subject to the Section O Process. The General Secretary indicated that the group would consider these questions. The Moderator called upon the Assembly to vote.
Resolution 23 was carried.
Election of Moderator of Assembly 2003-2004
The Clerk explained the voting procedure.
The Moderator led the Assembly in prayer and the vote was taken.
Assembly adjourned.
Friday 5 July 2002 Second Session
|
Dates of Sessions
Thursday 4 July 2002 First Session
Friday 5 July 2002 First Session
Friday 5 July 2002 Second Session
Saturday 6 July 2002 First Session
Saturday 6 July 2002 Second Session
Sunday 7 July 2002 First Session
Sunday 7 July 2002 Second Session |