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THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Minutes of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church 2005
Monday, 4 July 2005 Second SessionThe Assembly met in groups to discuss the Catch the Vision report.
Synod Moderators introduced Ministers and Church Related Community Workers who had been ordained or commissioned since the previous meeting of the Assembly. Each of those present was greeted in turn and received by the Assembly with applause.
Northern Synod (Moderator: Revd Peter Poulter)
Revd Elaine Brown Gateshead Group Revd Gordon Brown Gateshead Group Revd Jan Maxwell North West Durham Group Revd Margaret Johnson Industrial Chaplain, Port of Tyne Revd Barry Welch Ashington and Widdrington
North Western Synod (Moderator: Revd Peter Brain)
Revd Ann Hufton Furness Revd Sarah Moore Darwen Ecumenical Partnership Revd Marion Tugwood Goyt Valley Pastorate Revd Dr Mark
Houghton SW Manchester District (in
Mersey Synod (Moderator: Revd Howard Sharp)
Revd David Coaker
St John’s and Elmwood Avenue, Revd Jenny
Morgan Hamilton Memorial, Prenton Revd John
Bradbury Earle Road and Liverpool City Revd Ruth Dillon Stoneycroft,
Oakvale and
Yorkshire Synod (Moderator: Revd Arnold Harrison)
Revd Geoff Ellis Leeds District (In absentia) Revd Sarah
Hall St Andrew’s, Sheffield and
East Midlands Synod (Moderator: Revd Terry Oakley)
Revd Jenny Yule Sinfin Moor Revd Keith
Morrison Castle Hill and Doddridge Revd Peter
Blackband Arnold, Burton Joyce and The
West Midlands Synod (Moderator: Revd Elizabeth Welch)
Revd Stuart
Turner Winson Green and Wilton Road, Revd Peter Hurter Rugby and Brinklow
Eastern Synod (Moderator: Revd Elizabeth Caswell)
Revd Heather
Kent Harwich Road and Christchurch,
Wessex Synod (Moderator: Revd Adrian Bulley)
Revd Anne Bray Bitterne Revd Gordon Connell Portsmouth Road, Guildford Revd Alison Toplas Worplesdon
Thames North Synod (Moderator: Revd Roberta Rominger)
Revd Sheena Dickson South Oxhey Revd Clare Davison Highams Park, Forest Group Revd Philip Turner Hitchin Revd Mark Woodhouse Adeyfield, Hemel Hempstead Revd Ann Woodhurst Hornchurch and Upminster Revd Viv Randles Wembley Park (in absentia) Revd Janet
Llywellyn Clapton Park and Dalston (in
Southern Synod (Moderator: Revd Nigel Uden)
Revd Alan
Seymour Folkestone and Hythe (in Revd Susan Powell South East London District Revd Ernest Yu Wimbledon Trinity Revd Christine Jeffries Folkestone and Hythe
National Synod of Scotland (Moderator: Revd John Humphreys)
Revd Dr Irene John Carluke
The Moderator greeted the new ministers and CRCWs.
The General Secretary named those ministers who were celebrating ministerial jubilees during the year.
Ordained 1935 Ian LATTO William SIMPSON
Ordained 1945 Boris ANDERSON Derrick BARBER Ernest BRITTAIN Howard BYERS Bryan DAWSON Harold JOHNSON David RICHARDS John RUTHERFORD Lorna STANFIELD
Ordained 1955 Nelson BAINBRIDGE Earnest CRUCHLEY Marshall EDWARDS Peter EVANS Clifford FRY James GARFITT Roger HALL Stanley JONES Frederik KAAN Thomas MACKAY Raymond MOODY Bernard MORRELL Elisabeth NEALE Lewis NEEMS Frank NUNN James SPARKES Allan SPEIGHT David STAPLETON John STURNEY David WELBROCK Desmond BENDING
Those present were greeted by the Moderator, to the warm applause of the Assembly.
The Revd Elizabeth Welch took the Chair.
The Clerk presented the minutes of the First Session, Sunday 3rd July. The Assembly approved the minutes.
Catch the Vision
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 38:
Ministry and Mission Fund
General Assembly instructs the Treasurer to conduct a review of the Ministry & Mission Fund and report to the 2006 Assembly.
Resolution 38 was carried.
Under Standing Order 3(a), the Revd Dr David Thompson moved the Resolution:
‘General Assembly refers back Resolution 40 to Mission Council’
Seconded by the Revd John Bradbury.
The General Secretary responded.
Following debate, Dr Thompson responded and a vote was taken:
The Resolution fell.
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 40.
Catch the Vision
General Assembly resolves, that there shall be one level of council between the General Assembly and the local church.
The Revd John Johansen-Berg moved an amendment to Resolution 40, that the words ‘subject to any legal constraints’ be included after ‘General Assembly resolves’.
Seconded by the Revd Alistair Smeaton.
The amendment was carried.
Resolution 40 Catch the Vision
General Assembly resolves, subject to any legal constraints, that there shall be one level of council between the General Assembly and the local church.
Following debate, the General Secretary responded and a vote was taken.
Resolution 40 was carried by more than the required two-thirds majority.
The General Secretary proposed that: ‘In accordance with Paragraph 3(1) of the Structure, Resolution 40 be referred to Synods and District Councils with the 31st March 2006 as the final date for responses to the General Secretary as to whether or not this constitutional amendment be proceeded with.’ The Assembly agreed.
The Revd Dr David Thompson formally moved the resolution:
‘General Assembly refers back Resolution 41 to Mission Council’
Seconded by the Revd John Bradbury.
The General Secretary responded.
Following debate, the Revd Dr David Thompson responded, and a vote was taken.
The Resolution fell.
The General Secretary moved adoption of Resolution 41.
Catch the Vision
General Assembly resolves, that as from General Assembly 2007, there shall be one level of council between the General Assembly and the local church, the thirteen ‘new Synods’.
The Revd John Johansen-Berg moved an amendment to Resolution 41, that the words ‘subject to any legal constraints’ be included after ‘General Assembly resolves’.
This was seconded from the floor.
The Clerk moved that the amendment be now put. Assembly agreed.
The amendment was carried:
The Revd Keith Argyle proposed the amendment:
delete: ‘the thirteen new Synods’.
add: ‘Existing synods to be charged to split into new synods appropriate to local circumstances and served jointly by existing Moderators and professional staff.’
Seconded by Mr Robert Harvey.
Dr Orchard moved that the amendment be not put.
Seconded by the Revd Peter McIntosh.
The Assembly agreed that the amendment be not put.
After lengthy debate, the Moderator temporarily suspended discussion on Resolution 41.
The report of the Inter-faith Relations Commitee was presented by the Convener, the Revd Dr John Parry. Members of the Coventry inter-faith group were welcomed:
Mrs Jameela Qu’reshi Sister Cherry Steinberg The Revd Jean Clark
Mrs Qu’reshi addressed the Assembly.
The Moderator greeted the Revd Andrew Johnston, representing CWM and offered best wishes on behalf of the Assembly to David Jonathan.
Catch the Vision
Debate on Resolution 41 resumed.
The following amendment was proposed by the Revd Keith Riglin:
delete: “the 13 ‘new synods;'”
add: “ ‘new’ synods, the number and bounds of which to be determined after discussion within the church’s 13 existing synods.”
Seconded by the Revd Roberta Rominger.
Following debate, the General Secretary responded and a vote was taken.
The amendment fell
Following debate, the Revd David Bedford proposed that the resolution be now put, seconded by Sarah Powell.
The motion failed to achieve the required two thirds majority, and therefore fell.
After further debate Revd Clare Downing proposed that the resolution be now put, seconded by the Revd Brian Jolly. Assembly agreed by more than the required two thirds majority.
The General Secretary responded, and a vote was taken:
Resolution 41, as amended, and having achieved more than the required two thirds majority, was carried.
Resolution 41 Catch the Vision
General Assembly resolves, subject to any legal constraints, that as from General Assembly 2007, there shall be one level of council between the General Assembly and the local church, the thirteen ‘new Synods’.
The General Secretary proposed that: ‘In accordance with Paragraph 3(1) of the Structure, Resolution 41 be referred to Synods and District Councils with the 31st March 2006 as the final date for responses to the General Secretary as to whether or not this constitutional amendment be proceeded with.’
The Assembly agreed.
The Assembly adjourned.
Monday 4 July 2005 Third Session
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