Other Links

you are in : General Assembly > Assembly Records 2003 > Saturday, 5 July 2003 First Session

general assembly

THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

Minutes of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church 2003

Saturday, 5 July 2003 First Session

Constitution of Assembly

At 4.00 pm. members of Assembly met in the Guildhall, Portsmouth. The Moderator, the Revd John Waller, constituted the Assembly with prayer, the place and the time having been duly appointed.

Induction of Moderator

The Revd D Alasdair Pratt, Moderator-elect, was inducted as Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church. He signed the Assembly Bible and was presented with an inscribed copy of the Bible by the retiring Moderator of Assembly.

Thanks to the Retiring Moderator

The thanks of the Church were expressed by the Moderator to the Revd John and Mrs Margaret Waller.

The Chaplain, the Revd Carolyn Smyth led the worship of the Assembly and the Moderator then addressed the Assembly.

The Roll of Assembly was placed on the table.

Moderator: Revd D Alasdair Pratt

Clerk: Revd James Breslin

General Secretary: Revd Dr David Cornick

Deputy General Secretary: Revd Raymond Adams

Moderators of Synods:

I Revd Peter Poulter

II Revd Peter Brain

III Revd Graham Cook

IV Revd Arnold Harrison

V Revd Malcolm Hanson

VI Revd Elizabeth Welch

VII Revd Elizabeth Caswell

VIII Revd David Miller

IX Revd Adrian Bulley

X Revd Roberta Rominger

XI Revd Nigel Uden

XII Revd Peter Noble

XIII Revd John Arthur

Conveners of General Assembly Standing Committees:

Assembly Arrangements Mr William McVey

Church and Society Revd Martin Camroux

Communications and Editorial Revd Graham Cook

Doctrine, Prayer & Worship Revd John Young

Ecumenical Revd John Rees

Equal Opportunities Revd Wilfred Bahadur

Finance Mr Eric Chilton

Inter-Faith Relations Mrs Daphne Beale

Life and Witness Revd Brian Jolly

Ministries Mr John Ellis

Nominations Revd Principal Stephen Orchard

Pastoral Reference Revd David Jenkins

Racial Justice Revd Andrew Prasad

Training Revd John Proctor

Youth & Children’s Work Revd Kathryn Price

Synod Clerks:

I Dr Peter Clarke

II Mr George Morton

III Mr Donald Swift

IV Mr John Seager

V Mrs Irene Wren

VI Mr Simon Rowntree

VII Mr Kenneth Woods

VIII Revd Rosalind Harrison

IX Mr Graham Rolfe

X Revd Martin Hazell

XI Mrs Christine Meekison

XII Revd Colin Richards

XIII Revd Kenneth Forbes

Additional Synod Representatives:

I Miss Sara Goodfellow

II Mrs Janet Eccles

III Revd John Oldershaw, Ms Sandra Wellington, Mrs Jean Cook

IV Revd Simon Swailes, Mrs Val Jenkins

V Revd David Miller, Mrs Ann Ball, Mrs Barbara Turner

VI Revd Simon Helme, Miss Sarah Hopkins, Mrs Ann Sheldon

VII Revd Victor Ridgewell, Mrs Penelope Davies-Brown, Mr Philip Wade

VIII Revd Peter Henderson, Mr Peter Scott, Mr John Saunders

IX Revd David Bedford, Revd Stephen Thornton, Mrs Veronica Taylor

X

XI Revd Peter Southcombe, Mr Gilbert Anderson, Mr Desmond Colechin

XII Revd Dr Robert Pope, Mrs Elizabeth Richards, Ms Helen Stenson

XIII Revd Mary Buchanan, Revd Dr John Clark, Revd John Humphreys, Revd Paul Jupp,

Miss Ismay Mackenzie, Ms Helen Mee, Dr James Merrilees, Mrs Christine Paterson, Dr Philip Theaker

Synod Treasurers:

I Mr David Hayward

II Dr Brian Woodhall

III Mr Andrew Martlew

IV Miss Margaret Atkinson

V Mr Donald Buxton

VI Revd Roger Woodall

VII Mr Clifford Patten

VIII Mr Gordon Latham

IX Mr Graham Gage

X Miss Valerie Ham

XI Mr Brian West

XII Mr Patrick Hickey

XIII Mr James Maguire

Theological College Representatives:

Mansfield College Revd Dr Walter Houston, Mr David Morgan

Northern College Revd Janet Berry, Mrs Ruth Browning

Queens Foundation Revd Dr Michael Jagessar, Mr Andrew Birch

Scottish United Reformed & Congregational College Revd John Dyce

Westminster College Revd Dr Janet Tollington, Mrs Lucy Brierley

Youth Representatives: Miss Amanda Wade, Miss Rosemary Simmons

Assembly Members from Other Churches in the United Kingdom:

Baptist Union of Great Britain Revd Kathryn Morgan

Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales Mgr William Steele

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Dr David Goodbourn

Churches Together in England Revd John Bradley

International Ministerial Council of Great Britain Mrs Agatha Baptiste

Methodist Church Revd Martyn Skinner

Moravian Church Revd Jan Mullin

Presbyterian Church in Ireland Revd Colin McClure

Presbyterian Church of Wales Revd Neil Kirkham

The Church of England The Right Revd David Hawtin

The Church of Scotland Mrs Christine Tait

United Free Church of Scotland Revd John McFie

Union of Welsh Independents Revd Kevin Davies

Assembly Members from Churches outside Britain and Ireland:

Evangelical Church of the Pfalz Revd Martin Henninger

Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women Mrs Ruth Clarke

Kiribati Protestant Church Revd Bureieta Karaita

Mission Convent Church of Sweden Revd Krister Andersson

National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lebanon Revd Ma’n Bitar

Presbyterian Church in Myanmar Revd Dr Lai Thuama

World Convention of the Churches of Christ Mr Lyndsay Jacobs

Presbyterian Church USA Ms Sara Lisherness

Chaplain (URC) to HM Forces in Britain: Revd Michael Meachin

Council for World Mission Revd Dr Desmond van der Water

Past Presidents, Chairmen and Moderators:

Ms Gwen Hall, Revd Norman Birnie, Revd Arthur Macarthur, Revd John Johansen-Berg,

Revd Martin Cressey, Mrs Rosalind Goodfellow, Revd John Francis, Revd Richard Murray,

Revd Bernard Waterton, Revd Bentley Webster, Revd Dr Peter Arthur, Revd George Sharpe,

Revd Dr David Thompson, Revd Victor Smith, Revd Alasdair Walker, Revd Dr Philip Morgan,

Revd David Dale, Mr Ray Heritage, Revd Cyril Franks, Revd Edmund Banyard, Revd Keith Forecast,

Revd Graham Cook, Revd Malcolm Hanson, Mrs Ruth Clarke, Revd Donald Hilton, Revd Dr Jack McKelvey,

Revd John Reardon, Revd David Jenkins, Mrs Wilma Frew, Revd Peter McIntosh, Revd William Mahood,

Revd Elizabeth Welch, Revd John Waller

District Representatives: (There are no names appointed to fill District vacancies cf. Resolution 10 pg. 21 Assembly Record 1978)

Synod I

A: Revd Jason Askew, Revd Janet Calderley, Revd Ronald Forster

Miss Alison Beecroft, Mrs Joyce Calcraft, Mr Steven Forster

B: Revd Kay Alberg, Revd Peter Heckels, Revd Peter Main, Revd Terry Oakley, Revd David Walton

Mr Ronald Golightly, Mrs Eileen Heckels, Mrs Eileen Livingstone,

C: Revd Andrew Coyne, Revd Ruth Crofton, Revd Daniel Meister, Revd Colin Offor

Mrs Daphne Clarke, Mr Alan Dixon, Mrs Margaret Dixon, Mr Matthew Prevett

E: Revd John MacKenzie, Revd Alistair Smeaton

Mrs Rosalind Fearon, Mrs Jean Howarth

Synod II

A: Revd Helga Cornell, Revd Brenda Willis, Revd Ronald Wilson, Mrs Pamela Baines, Mr Steven Cook,

Mr Gordon Eccles

B: Revd David Spence, Mrs Elizabeth Fletcher, Mrs Irene Kendall, Mrs Jennifer Liddell

C: Revd Robert Pickering, Revd Marta Sugar Damo, Revd Sally Thomas, Mr Alan Barnes,

Mr George Grime, Mr E Ledger

D: Revd David Fraser, Revd Brenda Moore, Revd Michael Thomason, Mrs Sheila Brain, Mr John Rea,

Mrs Sue Wilkinson

E: Revd Alan Morris, Revd Ruth Wollaston, Mr Allan Dawes, Mr G Ollerenshaw, Mrs Arline Ollerenshaw

F: Revd Dr Donald Firth, Mrs Elizabeth Firth, Revd Gary Gotham, Revd Brian O’Neill,

Revd Peter Sharp, Mrs Barbara Lancaster, Mr Ben Morrell, Mr Michael Williams

G: Revd Martin Truscott, Revd Rosemary Tusting, Mrs Margaret Beasley, Mrs Kathleen Lacy

Synod III

A: Revd Albert Holroyd, Revd Timothy Jackson, Revd Kirsty Thorpe, Mr Robin Hodgkins,

Mr Richard Lathaen, Mr Peter Linsey, Mr Robert Pritchard

B: Revd Vernon Broomfield-Payne, Revd Kenneth Summers, Mrs Pamela Pigott, Miss Emma Pugh,

Mr C Woodside

C: Revd Jonathan Morgan, Miss Emma Taylor, Mr Ian Taylor

D: Revd Brian Clarke, Revd Susan Flynn, Revd Glenys Wilkinson, Mrs Hilary Bell,

Mr Christopher Cookson, Mr John Wilkinson

Synod IV

A: Revd David Coote, Revd George Holborn, Revd David Purse, Mr Mark Buxton, Mrs Eileen Holborn,

Mr James Sharp

B: Revd Stephen Collinson, Revd David Hudston, Revd Richard West, Mr Philip Baiden,

Miss Jean Russell, Mrs Angela West

C: Revd Angela Hughes, Revd Brian Hunt, Revd Dr David Whiting, Mr Paul Robinson,

Mr Ronald Sweeney, Mrs Lesley Whiting

D: Revd Alan Evans, Revd Stella Hayton, Revd John Hayton, Mrs Helen Eteson, Mrs Audrey Evans,

Mrs Muriel Wood

E: Revd Gillian Brown, Revd John Jenkinson, Miss Ina Barker, Mrs Margaret Morgan

F: Revd George Courtney, Revd Timothy Key, Mr Hugh Moran

Synod V:

A: Revd David Legge, Revd Peter Meek, Revd Paula Parish West, Mr Norman Greville,

Mr Christopher Hackett, Mrs Anthea Jackson

B: Revd David Morris, Revd Maxwell Shepherd, Mrs Susan Lincoln, Mr Geoffrey Milnes,

Ms Gemma Timson, Mrs Eileen Williams

C: Revd Ann Campbell, Revd Henry Gardiner, Revd Reginald Rooke, Miss Hazel Bond,

Mrs Joan Cook, Mr Philip Laws

D: Revd Elizabeth Byrne, Revd Jacqueline Gavin, Revd John Maitland, Mr Christopher Gavin,

Mrs Sally Maitland, Mrs Jennifer Morgan

E: Revd Maureen Buxton, Revd John Filsak, Revd Christopher Ford, Mrs Louise Gee,

Miss Margaret Hodson

F: Revd Prof Alan Sell, Mrs Margaret Gateley, Mr Paul Gateley

Synod VI:

A: Revd Peter Christie, Revd Timothy Clarke, Revd Patrick Taylor, Revd Marion Thomas,

Mrs Dorothy Hewitson, Mr Geoff Harrison, Mrs Christine Christie, Mr James Hewitson

B: Revd David Cassidy, Revd Shirley Mountcastle, Mrs Isobel Jacob, Mrs Brenda Cassidy

C: Revd Robert Brown, Revd Mary Howe, Revd Noel Sharp, Mrs Grace Alcorn, Mr Terence Blake,

Mr W Robson

D: Revd Pauline Rate, Revd Heather Whyte, Mrs Melanie Frew, Mr John Potter

E: Revd Richard Becher, Revd Irene Bound, Revd Martha McInnes, Revd Kevin Jones,

Miss Rachel Greening, Miss Isobel Simmons, Mrs Christine Marlow, Mrs Elizabeth Whitehorn

F: Revd Rowena Francis, Revd Marion Hartwell, Revd Graham Spicer, Mr John Desmond,

Mrs Dorothy MacDonald, Mrs Margaret Marshall

Synod VII:

A: Revd Rudolph Dixon, Revd Richard Mortimer, Revd Robert Waldron, Mrs Rhona Burns,

Mr Philip Burns, Mrs Lisa Wilkinson

B: Revd David Bunney, Revd Nicholas Mark, Revd Christopher Wood, Mr Michael Barnes,

Mrs Margaret Evans, Mr Andrew Royal, Mr John Woodman

C: Revd Lorna Bantock, Revd Harold Bignell, Revd Kenneth Ellis, Mrs Heather Brown,

Mrs Mary Stanhope, Mr John Tyler

D: Revd Birgit Ewald, Revd Lynn Fowkes, Revd Geoffrey Wright, Mrs Enid Gear, Mrs Monica Penny,

Mr Stephen Thompson

E: Revd Alan Ashton, Revd Peter Ball, Revd Carole Pearl, Revd A Gordon Smith, Dr Pamela Cressey,

Dr Alan Rickard, Mrs Joan Turner, Mrs Jean West

F: Revd Thomas MacMeekin, Mr Gordon Lee

Synod VIII:

A: Revd Roger Cornish, Revd Patricia Whittaker, Mrs Pearl Pearson, Mr Frank Whittaker

B: Revd Robert Jennings, Revd Richard Pope, Mrs Jean Baker, Mrs Jean Potter

C: Revd Nicholas Adlem, Revd Jacqueline Knight, Revd Philip Wagstaff, Miss Susanna Adlem,

Miss Peggy Cooke, Mr Gareth Curl

D: Revd Sandra Pickard, Revd Kathryn Taylor, Mr Alexander Watson, Mrs Doreen Watson

E: Revd Michael Hodgson, Revd Norman Whitaker, Mrs Sheila Elliss, Ms Sarah Lane

F: Revd Hazel Martell, Revd Janos Nagy, Revd Dr Hazel Starritt, Revd Angela Steele,

Miss Josie Carpenter, Mrs Anne Fletcher, Mr John Haddrell, Mr Rob Thackray

G: Revd Alan Finch, Mrs Barbara Madge

H: Revd Hazel Allen, Mrs Eileen Robinson

J: Revd Jennifer Davies, Mrs Margaret Skyrme.

Synod IX:

A: Revd David Langford, Revd Dr Donald Norwood, Revd J Clive Sutcliffe, Miss Nikki Andrews,

Mr Peter Mann, Mrs Sheila Mann, Dr John Mellor, Mrs Joyce Sutcliffe

B: Revd George Bembridge, Revd Simon Thomas, Miss Jill Cole, Mrs Christine Hardwick,

Mr David Taylor, Mr Graham Thatcher

C: Revd Judy Henning, Revd Peter Norris, Revd David Williams, Mrs Jean Antcliffe, Miss Iona Hine,

Mrs Pat Moore

D: Revd Tom Bayliss, Revd Pat Hall, Revd Robert Macaulay, Revd David Netherwood,

Miss Megan Bedford, Mr Gordon McCallum, Mr Philip Stanley, Mrs Lynne Upsdell

E: Revd Peter Flint, Revd Michael Hill, Revd Michael Hopkins, Revd Julian Macro,

Mr Colin Ferguson, Miss Jo Howard, Mr Peter Pay, Mr David Rooke

Synod X:

A: Revd Ronald Garner, Revd Naison Hove, Revd Maurene O’Hagan, Revd Rodney Woods,

Mr Allan Down. Mrs Pauline Eyles

B: Revd Peter Colwell, Revd Elizabeth Davies, Mrs C Jacobs

C: Revd Bridget Powell, Revd Michael Shrubsole, Revd Erna Stevenson, Miss Elizabeth Boyes,

Mr David Eldridge, Mrs Janet Reid

D: Revd Meryl Court, Revd Allan Smith, Revd Neil Thorogood, Revd Jane Wade, Mrs Sandra Ackroyd,

Mr John Hornby, Mr Donald Vallance, Ms Suzie Wade

E: Revd Hugh Graham, Revd John Macaulay, Revd Christine Willis, Dr Paul Ashitey,

Miss Andin Fonyonga, Miss Fleur James, Mr R Willis

F: Revd Samuel Cyuma, Revd John Danso, Revd John Edwards, Mrs Helen Clapp, Mr Noel Espuet,

Mr Emmanuel Kpikpi

Synod XI:

A: Revd Dr Richard Goldring, Revd Ceri Lewis, Revd Alexander Mabbs, Mrs Jeanette Chamberlain,

Miss Avril Hiscock, Mr David Howell, Mr Romilly Micklem, Mrs Jenny Snashall

B: Revd John Bremner, Revd David Joseph, Revd Ranald Macdonald, Revd Susan White,

Mr James Barbour, Miss Jill Campbell, Mr John Keddie, Mr Matthew Moreton

C: Revd Robert Bushby, Revd Martyn Coe, Revd Andrew Prasad, Revd David Thomas,

Mrs Marion Bayley, Miss Elizabeth Moss, Mr Peter Richardson, Mr Peter Sheehan

D: Revd Edmund Boon, Revd Brenda Russell, Revd Richard Wells, Mr Richard Blackwell,

Miss Helen Honess, Miss Pamela Tolhurst

E: Revd Harold Lanham, Mr Jim Catherall, Mrs Anne Catherall, Mr Terry Cooke-Davies,

Mr Kenneth Meekison, Miss Kristina Monkhouse

F: Revd Michael Davies, Revd Howard John, Revd Charles Mather, Miss Rosalie Bungard,

Mrs Sheila Charlesworth, Mr Chris Fosten

G: Revd Kenneth Lynch, Revd Jean West, Mr Desmond Curry, Miss Clare Franklin, Mr John Gunning

Synod XII:

A: Revd Brian Acty, Revd Peter Nunn, Mrs Irene Clarkson, Mrs Maureen Jones, Mr Trevor Suddick

B: Revd Nigel Douglas, Revd David Marshall-Jones, Revd Michael Smith, Mrs Margery Davies,

Mrs Glenna Paynter

C: Revd Dilys Brace, Revd Alison Davis, Mr Allen Powell, Mrs Janice Proctor, Mrs Jean Silvan Evans,

Mrs Coral Smith

D: Revd William Stanyon, Mr William Jones, Mr Jonathan Price

E: Revd Dr Julie Hopkins, Revd Nannette Lewis-Head, Mr William Copp, Mrs Cynthia Jones

F: Revd Michael Cruchley, Revd Dilys Davies, Revd Charles Gaskell, Mr Alwyn Batley,

Mrs Elizabeth Tadd

Synod XIII:

A: Revd Janet Adamson, Revd George Sykes, Mrs Doris Caldwell, Mr Terence Dobson

B: Revd Ian Baillie, Mr Patrick Smyth

C: Revd Alan Paterson, Mr D Hay, Miss Elizabeth King, Mr Ronald McKillop

D: Revd Stephen Brown, Mr Brian Walker

E: Revd Daniel Cheyne, Revd John Clark, Mr David Barr

F: Revd Connie Bonner, Mr Clive Bonner

RECEPTION OF VISITORS AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS FROM OTHER CHURCHES

Local Visitors were introduced by Revd Adrian Bulley, Moderator, Wessex Synod:

Southern Division of the Salvation Army Major Ian Barr

Southampton District of The Methodist Church Revd Thomas Stuckey

Representing the Bishop of Winchester The Ven. Adrian Harbidge

Representing the Roman Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth Canon Brian Scantlebury

Visitors and Assembly members from Churches in the United Kingdom and overseas were introduced by the Revd John Rees, Convener, Ecumenical Committee. Those present were received by the Moderator:

Church of England The Right Revd David Hawtin

Church of Scotland Mrs Christine Tait

Rt Revd Prof Ian Torrance

Revd Dr Iain Barclay

United Free Church of Scotland Revd John McFie

Presbyterian Church in Ireland Very Revd Dr Russell Birney

and Mrs Arline Birney

Revd Colin McClure

Presbyterian Church of Wales Revd Neil Kirkham

Union of Welsh Independents Revd Kevin Davies

The Methodist Church Revd Martyn Skinner Revd Peter Sulston

Congregational Federation Mr Graham Adams

Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales Mgr William Steele

International Ministerial Council of Great Britain Mrs Agatha Baptiste

Churches Together in England Revd John Bradley

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Dr David Goodbourn

Baptist Union of Great Britain Revd Kathryn Morgan

Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women Mrs Ruth Clarke

Moravian Church Revd Jan Mullin

The Rt Revd Prof Ian Torrence responded to the welcome on behalf of those from the Churches in the United Kingdom.

Congregational Christian Church in Samoa Revd Henry Iputau and Mrs Maressa Iputau

Church of South India Mrs Jasmine Jebakani

Council for World Mission Revd Dr Desmond van der Water

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Church/PCG Revd Francis Amenu

Evangelical Church of the Pfalz Revd Martin Henninger

Kiribati Protestant Church Revd Bureieta Karaita

Mission Convent Church of Sweden Revd Krister Andersson

National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lenanon Revd Ma’n Bitar

and Mrs Bitar

Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Revd Jen-Ho Chang

and Mrs Chang

Presbyterian Church USA Ms Sara Lisherness

Presbyterian Church in Myanmar Revd Dr Lai Thuama

World Convention of the Churches of Christ Mr Lindsay Jacobs

World Exchange Programme students:

Mr Hylton Dunkley

Mr Hewitt Holmes

Mrs Lorna Letts

Mr Obren Thomas

Ms Khereen Wilson

Mrs Maria Cristina Borges

The Revd Dr Lai Thuama responded to the welcome on behalf of the Overseas Visitors.

The Moderator then greeted and welcomed the Revd Arthur McArthur, first General Secretary and third Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, and spoke of his long and distinguished service to the Church. The Assembly stood to greet Mr McArthur with acclamation.

The Assembly adjourned.

Saturday 5 July 2003 Second Session