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THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

Minutes of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church 2006

Sunday 9th July First Session

Worship was conducted by the Chaplain.

Mersey Synod

The Mersey Synod made a presentation of its life and work.

Church and Society Committee

The report of the Church and Society Committee was presented by the Convener, the Revd Martin Camroux.

The Revd John Johansen-Berg moved adoption of Resolution 17:

Resolution 17
Peacemaking: A Christian Vocation

General Assembly adopts the Report ‘Peacemaking: A Christian Vocation’ and commends it for study by Synods and local congregations, and as a helpful guide for church leaders who may be called upon for comment on the ethical considerations relating to war and peace.

The Revd Robert Weston, seconded by the Revd Michael Hopkins,  proposed that the resolution be

now put.   Carried by the required two thirds majority.

Resolution 17 was carried.

The Moderator thanked the Revd Martin Camroux for his service as Convener, and welcomed the recently appointed Secretary for Church and Society, Mr Stuart Dew.

Ecumenical and Overseas Guests

The Moderator welcomed:

The General Secretary named those ministers who were celebrating ministerial jubilees during the year.
 

Those celebrating the 50 years (1956 Ordination)

Those celebrating 60 years (1946)

Geoffrey BECK

Harry BEEBY

Anthony GREEN

Thomas JONES

Norman MCPHERSON

Raymond NORMAN

Henry STARKEY

Stanley WILTON

Those celebrating 70 years (1936)

Frank BROWN

Those celebrating 75 years (1931)

Kathleen HENDRY

Those present were greeted by the Moderator, and received the warm applause of the Assembly.

Reception of New Ministers and CRCWs

Synod Moderators introduced Ministers and Church Related Community Workers who had been ordained or commissioned since the previous meeting of the General Assembly.  Each of those present was greeted in turn and received by the Assembly with applause.

Northern Synod (Moderator: Revd Peter Poulter)

Yvonne Tracey (in absentia)
Blyth/East Northumberland Ecumenical Area

North Western Synod (Moderator:  Revd Peter Brain)

Richard Bradley
Hope Denton & Trinity Audenshaw (UM) Pastorates

Mersey Synod (Moderator: Revd Howard Sharp)

Peter Lyth
Churchtown and Hampton Road URCs

Yorkshire Synod (Moderator:  Revd Arnold Harrison)

Alison Termie
Spen and Calder Enterprise (SPACE)

East Midlands Synod (Moderator: Revd Terry Oakley)

Kay Cattell
Marlpool and Selston URCs

South West Synod (Moderator:  Revd David Grosch-Miller)

Ian Robert McDonald
Southernhay, Exeter

Wessex Synod (Moderator:  Revd Adrian Bulley)

David Moss: Dorset District/West Moors Group

Lucy Brierley: Woking URC

Clare Callanan: Reading & Oxford District/Faringdon United Church

Alison Dalton (CRCW): Longham, Skinner Street & Parkstone URCs, Poole

Thames North Synod (Moderator: Revd Roberta Rominger)

Elizabeth Shaw (in absentia)  Eastcote and Northwood Hills

Southern Synod (Moderator: Revd Nigel Uden)

John Cook Bexley: Bexleyheath and Welling URCs

David Morgan: Trinity URC, Bromley & Bromley Town Centre Chaplain

National Synod of Scotland (Moderator:  Revd John Humphreys)

Craig Jesson: Airdrie Park and Coatbridge URCs

In presenting the newly ordained ministers from the Wessex Synod, Mr Bulley made particular mention of the Revd Colin Harley who, but for his tragic death only weeks after ordination, would have been presented at this Assembly.

The Moderator greeted the new Ministers and CRCWs.

Training Committee

The Convener of the Training Committee, the Revd John Humphreys, moved adoption of Resolution 39:

Resolution 39
Lewis & Gibson Scholarship Rule change

General Assembly resolves to amend the Lewis and Gibson Scholarship Regulations, approved by Resolution 40 of General Assembly 2000, by inserting a new regulation (vi) as follows, and numbering (vi) to (x) as (vii) to (xi):

(vi) Scholars shall be elected for one year at a time, and, subject to satisfactory reports on their progress being received by the Electors, may be re-elected for a total period not exceeding four years.

Resolution 39 was carried.

Assembly Worship

The Assembly joined in worship, during which the Sacrament of Holy Communion was celebrated.

The act of worship included the commemoration of the following ministers and missionaries of the United Reformed Church who had died since the previous General Assembly.

Ministers who had served at home and as missionaries overseas and had died since Assembly 2005:

DEACONNESS

Agnes PURDIE

MISSIONARIES

Owen ABEL

Margaret RILEY

Dorothy TODMAN

Anne WALKER

Sunday July 9th 2006 Second Session