|
|
|
|
THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Minutes of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church 2004
Tuesday July 6 2004 First Session.Opening worship was conducted by the Chaplain; Bible study was led by the Revd Janet Tollington.
Nominations
Principal Orchard, on behalf of the Nominations Committee, moved adoption of Resolution 46:
Resolution 46 Synod Moderators
Assembly appoints the following panel for the appointment and review of Synod Moderators:
Revd Craig Bowman Mrs Helen Brown Revd Lesley Charlton Dr Jean Silvan Evans Mrs Janet Gray Mr Alun Jones Mr Simon Rowntree Mr Ron Todd Revd Cecil White Mrs Irene Wren
Resolution 46 was carried.
Ministries
Mr John Ellis, on behalf of the Ministries Committee, moved adoption of Resolution 29:
Resolution 29 Reinstatement of Ministers
General Assembly approves the following procedure regarding applications for reinstatement to the Roll of Ministers of the United Reformed Church.
a) Ministers who have been removed from the Roll of Ministers by resignation or by Assembly decision, and who wish to apply for re-instatement, shall in the first place consult the Moderator of the Synod of the area where they reside. The application procedure may not normally commence until five years have elapsed from the date their name was removed from the Roll.
b) The Secretary for Ministries shall be informed by the applicant, who will be advised of the procedure to be followed.
c) The Secretary for Ministries will notify the relevant Synod officer where the applicant resides of the application, and will ask the Synod and District/Area Council to arrange an interview with the applicant. The Secretary for Ministries will ask the Synod that the following documents be obtained by them:
i) A personal statement from the applicant which covers: • the
reason(s) for the deletion or resignation, and a reflection on • an
outline of the applicant’s personal development and journey of • current employment; • the
reasons for seeking reinstatement, including their current
ii) At least two personal references in support of the applicant. iii) A commendation from the applicant’s local church. iv) A
statement from the Moderator of the Synod where the applicant v) A medical report.
d) The Synod will forward these papers (except the medical report) to the District or Area Council where the applicant now resides, and ask them to interview him/her and report their observation as to his/her suitability for re-instatement.
e) It should be noted that where the applicant has moved into a different Synod or Area/District since their name was removed from the Roll, the Synod handling the application will seek the observations of the present Moderator of their previous Synod, and of their previous District. The purpose of this enquiry is to place the present application in the context of the exercise of the applicant’s last ministry.
f) All these papers (except the medical report) will be sent to the Ministries Committee of the Synod where the applicant now resides, who will interview him/her, and report to the Secretary for Ministries.
g) All these documents, including the medical report at this stage, will be made available to the Accreditation Sub-Committee, which will interview the applicant. Following this final interview the Sub-Committee will decide whether or not to re-instate. The Secretary for Ministries will inform the applicant and his/her Synod of the decision as soon as possible.
h) On receipt of the decision of the Accreditation Sub-Committee, it shall be open both to the applicant and to the Synod to request a further hearing by the Ministries Committee. This hearing will be before a group from the Ministries Committee composed of members who have had no previous involvement with the reinstatement request. Such an application must be made to the Secretary for Ministries not more than 21 days after the date of the notification of the decision of the Accreditation Sub-Committee to the applicant. There shall be no appeal from the decision of the Ministries Committee.
The Revd Roberta Rominger moved the following amendment:
General Assembly approves the following procedure regarding applications for reinstatement to the Roll of Ministers of the United Reformed Church.
a) Ministers who have been removed from the Roll of Ministers by resignation or by Assembly decision, and who wish to apply for re-instatement, shall in the first place consult the Moderator of the Synod of the area where they reside. The application procedure may not normally commence until five years have elapsed from the date their name was removed from the Roll.
b) The Secretary for Ministries shall be informed by the applicant, who will be advised of the procedure to be followed.
c) The Secretary for Ministries will notify the relevant Synod officer where the applicant resides of the application, and will ask the Synod and District/Area Council to arrange an interview with the applicant, with the instruction that those appointed to interview the applicant should be people who have had no previous direct involvement with him/her.The Secretary for Ministries will ask the Synod that the following documents be obtained by them:
i) A personal statement from the applicant which covers: • the
reason(s) for the deletion or resignation, and a reflection on • an
outline of the applicant’s personal development and journey of • current employment; • the
reasons for seeking reinstatement, including their current
ii) At least two personal references in support of the applicant. iii) A commendation from the applicant’s local church. iv) A
statement from the Moderator of the Synod where the applicant v) A medical report, together with a psychiatric evaluation if appropriate.
(Reverse the order of (d) and (e)
d) It should be noted that where the applicant has moved into a different Synod or Area/District since their name was removed from the Roll, the Synod handling the application will seek the observations of the present Moderator of their previous Synod, and of their previous District. The purpose of this enquiry is to ensure clarity regarding the reason why the applicant’s name was removed from the Roll.
e) The Synod officer will forward these papers (except the medical report) to the appointed interviewers of the District or Area Council where the applicant now resides, and ask them to interview him/her and report their observations to the Synod Officer as to his/her suitability for re-instatement.
f) All these papers (except the medical report) will be sent to the interviewing panel of the Synod where the applicant now resides, who will interview him/her, and report to the Secretary for Ministries.
g) All these documents, including the medical report at this stage, will be made available to the Accreditation Sub-Committee, which will interview the applicant. The Sub-Committee will have the right to seek the advice and participation of an outside expert if specialist understanding would help them in their judgement. Following this final interview the Sub-Committee will decide whether or not to re-instate. The Secretary for Ministries will inform the applicant and his/her Synod of the decision as soon as possible.
h) For each of the interviews in (e) (f) and (g) the convener of the interview panel shall notify the applicant in advance of the main concerns raised and issues to be discussed.
i) On receipt of the decision of the Accreditation Sub-Committee, it shall be open both to the applicant and to the Synod to request a further hearing by the Ministries Committee. This hearing will be before a group from the Ministries Committee composed of members who have had no previous involvement with the reinstatement request. Such an application must be made to the Secretary for Ministries not more than 21 days after the date of the notification of the decision of the Accreditation Sub-Committee to the applicant. There shall be no appeal from the decision of the Ministries Committee. Seconded by the Revd David Parkin.
The Proposer indicated willingness to accept the amendment.
The amendment was carried.
The Revd Malcolm Hanson moved adoption of the following amendment:
add:
e) Within this process consideration should be given to the views and needs of the congregations where the applicant has served and renumber following paragraphs accordingly’’
Seconded by Mrs Irene Wren
The Convener indicated willingness to accept this amendment.
The amendment was carried
After discussion, Resolution 29, as amended, was carried.
Resolution 29 Reinstatement of Ministers
General Assembly approves the following procedure regarding applications for reinstatement to the Roll of Ministers of the United Reformed Church.
a) Ministers who have been removed from the Roll of Ministers by resignation or by Assembly decision, and who wish to apply for re-instatement, shall in the first place consult the Moderator of the Synod of the area where they reside. The application procedure may not normally commence until five years have elapsed from the date their name was removed from the Roll.
b) The Secretary for Ministries shall be informed by the applicant, who will be advised of the procedure to be followed.
c) The Secretary for Ministries will notify the relevant Synod officer where the applicant resides of the application, and will ask the Synod and District/Area Council to arrange an interview with the applicant, with the instruction that those appointed to interview the applicant should be people who have had no previous direct involvement with him/her. The Secretary for Ministries will ask the Synod that the following documents be obtained by them:
i) A personal statement from the applicant which covers:
• the reason(s) for the deletion or resignation, and a reflection on
• an outline of the applicant’s personal development and journey of • current employment;
• the reasons for seeking reinstatement, including their current
ii) At least two personal references in support of the applicant. iii) A commendation from the applicant’s local church. iv) A statement from the Moderator of the Synod where the applicant resides, or an equivalent officer in an overseas church, where appropriate. v) A medical report, together with a psychiatric evaluation if appropriate.
d) It should be noted that where the applicant has moved into a different Synod or Area/District since their name was removed from the Roll, the Synod handling the application will seek the observations of the present Moderator of their previous Synod, and of their previous District. The purpose of this enquiry is to ensure clarity regarding the reason why the applicant’s name was removed from the Roll.
e) Within this process consideration should be given to the views and needs of the congregations where the applicant has served.’
f) The Synod officer will forward these papers (except the medical report) to the appointed interviewers of the District or Area Council where the applicant now resides, and ask them to interview him/her and report their observations to the Synod Officer as to his/her suitability for re-instatement.
g) All these papers (except the medical report) will be sent to the interviewing panel of the Synod where the applicant now resides, who will interview him/her, and report to the Secretary for Ministries.
h) All these documents, including the medical report at this stage, will be made available to the Accreditation Sub-Committee, which will interview the applicant. The Sub-Committee will have the right to seek the advice and participation of an outside expert if specialist understanding would help them in their judgement. Following this final interview the Sub-Committee will decide whether or not to re-instate. The Secretary for Ministries will inform the applicant and his/her Synod of the decision as soon as possible.
i) For each of the interviews in (e) (f) and (g) the convener of the interview panel shall notify the applicant in advance of the main concerns raised and issues to be discussed.
j) On receipt of the decision of the Accreditation Sub-Committee, it shall be open both to the applicant and to the Synod to request a further hearing by the Ministries Committee. This hearing will be before a group from the Ministries Committee composed of members who have had no previous involvement with the reinstatement request. Such an application must be made to the Secretary for Ministries not more than 21 days after the date of the notification of the decision of the Accreditation Sub-Committee to the applicant. There shall be no appeal from the decision of the Ministries Committee.
Assembly Arrangements Committee
Mr William McVey presented the report of the Assembly Arrangements Committee.
The Moderator greeted Mr Hilary Gunn, who is to retire after seventeen years of service as Office and Personnel Manager at Church House. Mr Gunn was applauded warmly by the Assembly.
The Revd Alasdair Pratt took the Chair.
Mr McVey presented the Report of the Assembly Arrangements Committee. After responding to questions and comments Mr McVey, on behalf of the Committee moved adoption of Resolution 15:
Resolution 15 General Assembly 2006
General Assembly agrees that the General Assembly in 2006 will meet at the University of Exeter from 7th-10th July.
The Assembly agreed
Mr McVey moved adoption of Resolution 16:
Resolution 16 General Assembly Representation
General Assembly resolves, from the close of General Assembly 2004, to change the representation of district councils (ministerial and lay in equal numbers) from, “one representative per eight churches or part thereof plus one per 800 church members or part thereof” to “one representative per twelve churches or part thereof plus one per 1,200 church members or part thereof”.
After debate, it was proposed that this Resolution be deferred to the next Assembly...
The proposal fell.
The General Secretary moved that the Resolution be now put
Seconded by the Revd Janet Tollington The Assembly Agreed
Resolution 16 was carried.
The Moderator resumed the Chair
Mission Council
Mr Eric Chilton presented the budget for 2005 and, on behalf of Mission Council, moved adoption of Resolution 9:
Resolution 9 Budget for the year 2005
General Assembly accepts the budget for the year 2005, set out in Appendix (7) to the Book of Reports.
After brief debate, Resolution 9 was carried.
Assembly Commissions
The General Secretary reported on Assembly Commissions held during the past year. This report is appended to the Record.
Catch the Vision
The General Secretary on behalf of the The Steering Group continued the Catch the vision Report Report, and moved adoption of resolution 44:
Resolution 44 Catch the Vision
Assembly instructs the Steering Group to prepare appropriate worship material for local churches considering the ‘Catch the Vision’ report, and to include the prayer of commitment in paragraph 2.2.2.
After debate, it was proposed that Resolution 44 be not put..
The proposal fell
After futher debate, Resolution 44 was carried.
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 42:
Resolution 42 Catch the Vision
General Assembly requests the Life and Witness Committee to consider the ways in which the local church should be structured in the United Reformed Church, and to bring a report to the 2006 Assembly.
Resolution 42 was carried.
Minutes
The Clerk moved that:
Assembly receives the minutes of Monday 5th July and approves the insertion of the minutes of its closing session into the full minutes after review and any necessary correction by officers of Assembly. Assembly agreed.
Address to the Throne
The Revd Alasdair Pratt, the immediate past Moderator, presented the Address to the Throne:
To the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty
The General Assembly of the United Reformed Church now meeting at the University of Glamorgan in Trefforest sends loyal greetings to Your Majesty. We give gratitude to God for all the service you have rendered to our nation during the fifty-two years of Your Majesty’s reign.
The situation in Iraq continues to provide a backdrop to our proceedings. While we still question the wisdom and morality of the invasion of the country last year we welcome recent moves towards the establishment of an independent, democratic state. We pray that this will soon enable the Iraqi people to enjoy the peace, stability and security for which they have yearned for so long.
We also remain troubled by the so-called ‘war on terror’ and are unconvinced that it can succeed without a concomitant war on injustice. Our conviction is that lasting peace and stability are more likely to flow from a dismantling of the structures which perpetuate injustice or division than from violence and aggression.
Many of our churches participate enthusiastically in our overseas aid and development programme, Commitment for Life, which supports vital work in several ‘third world’ countries. One of these, Zimbabwe, remains one of the most troubled regions of the Commonwealth, and a delegation from the United Reformed Church recently visited projects we support there and shared with the wider Church their reflections on the situation.
Our commitment to justice inspires us to campaign for • significant changes to the rules governing multilateral trade; • remission of the debts which burden many of the world’s poorest countries; and • an increase in the proportion of GDP we give as a nation to the developing world.
Last year in our Assembly we pledged our commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and this year we have been reminded of the tremendous opportunities to make progress toward these Goals that will present themselves next year when the UK hosts a Summit of G8 leaders and assumes the presidency of the European Union. The United Reformed Church will play a full part in the campaigns co-ordinated by charities, agencies and churches in 2005 to see real advances made towards eliminating the evil of material poverty and starvation from the two-thirds of the world where they are still features of every day life.
In this country, many of our churches provide an invaluable means of support, encouragement and help in their local community. Particularly where people experience alienation, hostility and discrimination, churches can offer material and spiritual resources to enable them to cope and even to reverse the process. To assist churches to engage in their communities we have produced a resource pack and video, ‘Assets for Life’, which we pray will be widely used by our own and sister churches. ‘Assets for Life’ was formally launched at our Assembly by the Rt Hon John Battle MP, the Prime Minister’s envoy to the churches and faith communities.
Just as Jesus announced that he had come to bring ‘good news to the poor’ so we seek to be in prayerful and practical solidarity with all who suffer want in this world of plenty. With other people of faith we believe passionately that all men, women and children are of equal worth and dignity in the sight of God and should have every opportunity to reflect in their lives their status as people created in God’s image. This leads us to stand particularly alongside those seeking asylum in the UK who, for fear of the consequences, cannot return to their home.
We pray for the continued health and strength of Your Majesty as you give leadership and service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
We have the honour to remain your Majesty’s faithful and loyal subjects.
Revd Sheila Maxey Revd Dr David Cornick Moderator General Secretary
The Assembly approved the address
Moderator Elect
The Moderator-elect, the Revd Dr David Peel, addressed the Assembly.
Vote of Thanks
Mr Bill Robson thanked the National Synod of Wales for its welcome and hospitality, and assured members of a warm welcome to the West Midlands Synod in 2005.
The Moderator thanked those who had been involved in the administration of the Assembly.
The General Secretary thanked the Moderator for her conduct of the Assembly’s business.
Closing Worship
The General Secretary formally announced that the Assembly had completed its business and would adjourn to meet as agreed at the University of Warwick on 2nd July 2005 or at such other place or on such other date as may be necessary.
Appendix 1 Report of Assembly
Commissions
|
Dates of Sessions Saturday 3 July 2004 First Session
Saturday 3 July 2004 Second Session
Sunday 4 July 2004 First Session
Sunday 4 July 2004 Second Session
Sunday 4 July 2004 Third Session
Monday 5 July 2004 First Session
Monday 5 July 2004 Second Session
Monday 5 July 2004 Third Session
|