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Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness

The purpose of the Discipleship, Stewardship & Witness Committee is:

to enable the local church to capture the vision of God’s mission for itself and to plan its life accordingly

to encourage growth in faith among people of all ages

to support the work of elders and the work of district council in its oversight of the local church

to encourage the local church to share the gospel and to participate ecumenically in evangelism

to challenge members in their stewardship and witness

to stimulate district councils and synods in the development of their own strategies for mission

to support the work of the Windermere Centre and the Rural Consultan

Committee Members

Convener: Revd Elizabeth Caswell Secretary: Revd Bill Wright, Convener of Stewardship Sub-committee: Revd Julian Macro, Mrs Jean Antcliffe, Miss Tina Arthur, Mr Jim Wilkinson, Revds Bob Day, David Tatem and Roger Whitehead.

1.1 The Committee has been strengthened this year by the addition of Tina Arthur, and by the presence of Julian Macro. Unfortunately Jean Forster had to resign part way through the year because of family responsibilities. At this Assembly we say farewell to Jim Wilkinson and Roger Whitehead who have both given freely of their time and enthusiasm. In particular the Committee wishes to place on record its indebtedness to Roger who was secretary until our autumn meeting.
His tremendous knowledge of the ecumenical mission scene, and his sheer hard work will be sorely missed.

2.1 It was not possible to appoint a new staff secretary to succeed Muriel Garrow, but we were delighted to accept Bill Wright’s offer to fill his existing Advocacy post and the Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness staff post at the same time. We hope to make a new appointment before Bill’s term of service finishes in March 1999.

3.1 The Committee has met three times since last Assembly, and has also organised a residential conference. Our main concerns have been to complete work undertaken on behalf of Mission Council on Local Leadership, and to organise and follow-up a conference on District Visits to local churches. The convener and secretary have also been involved in running the Millennium Task Group.

4.1.1 In September a conference on District Visits was held at Willersley Castle in Derbyshire. Over half the district councils were represented, and it proved to be a useful time of reflection on the varied styles and purposes of such visits.

4.1.2 A leaflet summarising the discussion has been produced and may help districts which are wanting to re-think this aspect of their work. In particular it is interesting to see how some districts see a visit primarily as a means of exercising oversight and expressing pastoral care, whilst others have moved to a position of using such visits to encourage the development of mission strategy. We are grateful to East Midlands Province for helping to organise the conference, and for sharing their Provincial strategy.

4.1.3 Another help to the district in its exercise of care may be the work done on the subject of Interim Moderators. A substantial piece of research and advice has been drafted, and will be available on request; a summary leaflet has also been produced in the ‘They’ve asked me to be…’ series.

4.1.4 Refreshing the Elders Meeting comes from the pen of Peter McIntosh, and we warmly commend this new publication to all who value the work of the Elders Meeting.

4.2 The Committee’s concern for people of all ages has focused this year on our joint project with the Church and Society Committee on Ageing. A digest of the research done is now available and further work has begun on worship materials, which a small group is undertaking on our behalf.

4.3 It is a matter of disappointment that thus far very few districts have used the District Vision Workshop. There are people in each Province prepared to visit Districts to assist in running such a workshop.

5.1 Report of the Windermere Centre

5.1.1 The work of the Windermere Centre continues to thrive. With the departure of Sue Wilkinson (formerly Kendall) as Administrator in 1997 after eleven years of valued service, the Centre staff and the Advisory Group undertook a thorough review of the organisation and staffing of the Centre. A part-time Treasurer/Book-keeper was appointed and the post of Locum Director was created within existing budget. The Revd Denise Megson was appointed part-time to this post in October 2997, and the benefit is already apparent in ensuring cover at the Centre and freeing the Director to concentrate more on pastoral ministry, wider contacts and policy matters.

5.1.2 Occupancy at the Centre in 1997 was satisfactory with a total of 4,880 bednights, and financial targets were met. A further two rooms were converted to provide en-suite facilities, and two other rooms have been modified to improve facilities for the physically-disadvantaged. Planned refurbishments have included new lighting and re-carpeting.

5.1.3 A key objective of the Centre remains the equipping of congregations and their members to minister effectively to and with our rapidly-changing communities and society. The programme reflects this in a spectrum from theological discovery and analysis to skill training where this cannot be appropriately provided at Provincial or District level. Opportunity is provided for congregations to devise and affirm local church priorities. An emphasis on reflection, healing and reconciliation provides for the vulnerable in our churches and society - people who are often the victims of change, either personally or institutionally. The Hannah Fund continues to make it possible for financial assistance to be provided for visitors, and we are grateful to the many individuals and organisations who continue to provide donations to the Fund. The Centre continues a role which provides a forum outside the formal structures of the Church for key contemporary issues to be examined in depth, and has been the setting for the formation of a number of informal networks.

5.1.4 The Directory and Advisory Group are working within the framework of a Development Plan for the second decade of the Centre’s life, and seeking new opportunities and ways of further serving the Church in all its rich diversity. Yet we recognise that none of this would be possible were it not for the dedication of our staff and the loyalty of our visitors old and new to our ‘Home in the Lakes’. To them, and the increasing number of Windermere Contact people in local congregations, we say a heartfelt ‘thank you’.

5.2 Report of the Rural Consultant

5.2.1 The Rural Consultant, the Revd Michael Cruchley, continues to serve the United Reformed Church and the Methodist Church through his work.

5.2.2 The Countryside today. People living in rural Britain are experiencing a rapid rate of change to their community. Government plans to devolve a good deal of responsibility to the Regional Development Agencies will mean that rural areas no longer have ‘ring fenced’ support through the Rural Development Commission. The RDC has been a great champion of rural life and has exerted great influence for good in pressuring successive governments to take rural issues seriously. In future it appears that support for rural life will need to be fought for in the debates in the regions, and there is need for churches, and especially their leaders, in the regions to share together vision for rural life and press for it to be taken seriously. We will need to develop closer links with others who share a ‘kingdom agenda’ even if they do not have a theological content to that concept.

5.2.3 Housing. Over the past year or so various statements have been made about the need for a large number of new houses to be built. One estimate suggests 4.4 million new residences, and many of these will probably be in rural areas, and the church(es) need to be alert to considerable population growth in rural areas.

5.2.4 ‘Culture’. In 1997, and in March of this year, large rallies and marches have been held in London about the changes being ‘forced’ on rural lifestyle. Whilst the organisers have portrayed the ‘threat to our way of life’, much of the debate has been about hunting. However, alongside this there have been many serious points about the apparent ‘suburbanisation’ of our countryside. It seems that many of those moving into rural areas want the countryside to look like a suburban park and not to see it as a place of work as well as a place of residence. The Arthur Rank Centre is arranging an International Conference on the twin themes of Rural Culture and Rural Spirituality. Michael is co-ordinating this conference, and it is hoped that the report of the Conference will give indicators of action that the churches might follow as they address rural issues in the future.

5.2.5 Visits. Michael Cruchley continues to be available to visit churches, District Councils and Synods to share in consultations on the mission of the church in rural communities.

5.2.6 ‘Briefing’ papers. In the last year, Michael has been involved in the production of a series of briefing papers about BSE and its impact on farmers and about the ‘Beef crisis’. These have concentrated on the pastoral issue of care for those directly involved in the farming industry, but further work is being done on the scientific issues. Some guidance notes for those leading Harvest Festival services were also offered. They were made available in late August through District Councils, and it is intended that a sheet will be available again this year. It will look at prospects for the harvest and address some of the urgent issues about agriculture. It will be sent to District Secretaries at the end of August,
but individuals may like to contact Michael direct to get a copy. (phone him at the Arthur Rank Centre - 01203 696969 ext. 393).

5.2.7 Statistics. Each year Michael reviews the statistics of the rural churches, as defined for him by District Secretaries several years ago. The 1998 Year Book statistics indicate that there is a decline in membership in our rural churches, but that it is at a lower rate than elsewhere. It appears to be a feature of small and rural churches that they have a level of continued commitment that is an example to the whole church.

6.1 The theme for 1997 was ‘Mind the Gap’ - looking at gaps in our church and personal life from all angles. We were helped in our thinking by two Peters - the lively Peter McIntosh who so ably took the role of theme leader, and Peter Poulter who led the worship. Attendance was again up - 220 this year. The working sessions, so well organised by their leaders, were diverse, ranging from discussion
to art, from Bible study to needlework. The input from the children’s groups was appreciated by all. The week also included trips to Dovedale and a National Trust property, a visit from John Waller (and David Jenkins as a bonus!), Scottish dancing (held inside due to the inclement weather) and a quiz evening. Warm fellowship and good food, work as well as play, were characteristics of the week.

6.1.2 With the committee structure and membership now evolving, we thank those whose vision and leadership ensured the continuance of this conference week where people can relax, share their problems and find renewed spiritual strength to enable them to return to their churches to carry on the work of spreading the good news.

6.1.3 This year, from 15th to 21st August 1998, the theme will be ‘Taking the Strain’. Led by Janet Wootton, we will look at how the Bible helps with the pressures of daily life. Worship will be in the hands of Philip Nevard, with his wife, Lythan, taking care of the music.

6.1.4 Plans for 1999 are well in hand. We shall celebrate the 50th anniversary of Forum - both by what we do and in the form of an exhibition for which we welcome memorabilia from former Forum-goers. Our theme leader is Murdock McKenzie.

7.1 The Committee is grateful to the Revd John Hall who is acting as a consultant on Mission Projects. Over the next few months he will be updating information on mission projects and church ‘plants’ in the United Reformed Church.

7.2 The United Reformed Church is a denomination of small churches, and the Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness Committee are concerned about how support is offered to them. A consultation at Windermere did not prove to be the right way forward, and so the Committee is hoping to hold some ‘pilot’ consultations in conjunction with Provinces. The Revd Stuart Scott from Birmingham has just completed a sabbatical study on this subject and is sharing his insights with the committee. The Revd Michael Cruchley is co-ordinating this work for the committee and he would welcome comments and reports on work already done in different areas.

7.3 Discussions are taking place with the Ministries Committee and the Training Committee on the Theology of Ministry.

7.4 We hope to share in some further exploration of the concept of church membership, especially as it relates to faith development, young adults and the church, and the reluctance of people generally to make long-term commitments.

8.1 The Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women has now drawn to a close, and the life of SPIN, which was this denomination’s response to the Decade, also ends at this Assembly. We wish to celebrate the achievements of SPIN in raising awareness, supporting positive change and encouraging the Church to face difficult and controversial issues.

8.1.1 Although much has been achieved it would be foolish to be complacent. The Committee will seek to ensure that the Church remains aware of those issues that threaten to diminish people - women or men, younger or older.

9.1 1998 is the year of the launch of the ‘Open Book’. A series of Roadshows has informed people of the thinking behind this attempt to engage the Bible with contemporary culture, and culture with the Bible. Churches (and individuals) can register their interest and obtain a pack with ideas for different ways of exploring the major themes of Identity, Justice, Freedom, Forgiveness and Hope.

Sub-Committee Members

Convener: Revd Julian Macro Secretary: Revd Bill Wright, Miss Janet Turner, Revds David Netherwood and Stephen Thornton, Messrs Tom Hamilton, Geoff Wood, Marshall Wood and Keith Webster.

1.1 Though we have ceased to be a Task Group of Mission Council and become a sub-committee of Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness the focus of our work remains unchanged. We seek to enable local churches to capture a vision of what God is calling them to be and do and to help them release the resources to turn the vision into reality. The Vision Workshops, TRIO and GEM have been central to that task.

2.1 Although what actually takes place is a ‘workshop’ we have encouraged churches to find a more attractive name. ‘Discovering God’s Purpose’ has been used by some while others have borrowed the title ‘Dare to Dream’ which CWM used to celebrate 200 years of the London Missionary Society. An increasing number of workshops has been led by Provincial Officers, but where this has not been possible the Secretary has led them. It has been gratifying to see the life of churches take on a greater sense of purpose and to see enthusiasm renewed.

3.1 GEM is a full Stewardship programme which is designed to challenge members of the congregation to release the resources of Time, Gifts and Money so that churches can begin to realise the vision captured in workshops. The programme costs £25 which includes copies of the necessary literature and the acetates for the presentation. The fact that the Assembly time table in 1997 did not allow time to make a GEM presentation lessened the initial impact the programme has had and consequently the uptake has been slow. However, as churches have begun to use the programme so news of its existence has begun to spread. GEM is intended for churches which have had a Vision Workshop, or carried out a similar exercise to capture a clear sense of purpose. Churches which only want to improve their financial situation should use TRIO.

4.1 TRIO continues to be in demand, with a number of churches using it for a second time after a gap of some years. We cannot over emphasise the need to challenge congregations on an annual basis after using TRIO. The TRIO Follow Up (price £2.50) is designed to make congregations aware that just as the cost of living increases year by year for families and individuals, so too does the cost of running the church.

5.1 The leaflet, designed to encourage individuals to give serious consideration to the church when making a Will, has been well received and further copies are available from the Bookshop at Tavistock Place.

6.1 We have re-written this pamphlet which is designed to help people who are considering becoming the Treasurer of their local church and among other things have taken account of the changes brought about by the Charities Act 1993.

1.1 For several years the United Reformed Church has been thinking about how best to provide local leadership of churches. In some Provinces ideas floated in the ‘Patterns of Ministry’ report have been tried; others are keen to explore new forms of leadership but would like a sense that the Church is acting as a whole rather than piece-meal.

1.2 There are clearly many questions raised by the thought of ‘local leaders’:

• How would they differ from elders?

• How would they relate to ordained ministers?

• Doesn’t ‘local leadership’ describe precisely what we expect of non-stipendiary ministry?

• Is this a ‘back-door’ into ministry for people who would otherwise not be accepted?

• Will this lead to a change in role for ordained ministers?

• Isn’t the church secretary usually regarded as the lay leader in the local congregation?

• Would we be thinking about this at all if there were not a shortage of ‘real’ ministers?

• What are the implications for ecumenical situations?

1.3 We often quote the phrase in the Basis of Union which refers to ‘the ministry of the whole people of God’. Perhaps we need to reflect on those words, and what they mean. Ministry is service, and we are all called to it, for every church member has a ministry to exercise. In the local setting we discover among the members of the church many different gifts, and the church is enriched as more and more people are enabled to use their gifts in a creative and satisfying way.

1.4 One gift, among many, is the gift of leadership: this may include the ability to be a focus of the church’s unity, to represent and arbitrate, to discern and draw out other people’s abilities, to bring order and mutual respect. Down the centuries the church has recognised that though there may be many spiritual and pastoral leaders acting together (the eldership) nevertheless it is a human instinct to look for one person who will personify that oversight, and that person has usually been the local minister.

1.5 But what do we do when the local minister lives ten miles away and is looking after four churches? We do one of two things: either we expect that minister and the elders somehow to carry on regardless; or we begin to think about personal leadership in a more flexible way. We stop worrying about titles and status, and we think about the job that needs doing and the gifts that are available. We stop thinking that it’s either ordained ministry or local leadership, and we start to practice teamwork. We stop hankering after a pattern of ministry which, if we are honest, has often dis-abled the majority of believers in their own spiritual growth, and we look for an appropriate model of leadership for today - true to our Biblical understanding, and true to our needs.

1.6 Suppose, then, we simply give ourselves permission to experiment, and see what happens …..

And suppose we agree some guidelines which will help us to experiment without hurting too many people in the process …..

And suppose we remember that the wider leadership offered by ministers of the word and sacraments will still be there, a key part of the whole process, and a vital calling to which we should ask the Lord to draw people….

2.1 The task in general is to be a focus for the unity of a particular local church. The specific tasks of the local leader will, however, vary according to local circumstances, personal gifting, and other gifts present in the life of a congregation.

2.2 The team in any situation will include the elders, worship leaders, children’s and youth workers, and others in leadership. There will be an ordained minister who relates to the team, offering support and oversight.

2.3 The ordained minister may relate to several congregations, but will be available to assist the prophetic and sacramental ministry which keeps the local church within the church universal.

2.4 The wider church through the District Council will help to identify local needs and appropriate leaders, and will manage a simple system of appointment and review, and a job description.

2.5 The job description will clarify what is being asked of this particular local leader at this time, and will set out realistic expectations and demands. It will list such practical details as the tasks to be undertaken, the support offered, expenses paid, and training to be done.

2.6 The training will be tailored to suit the individual and the local context. It will be organised by the Province, and will not take the local leader away from the sphere of ministry.

2.7 The ministry will be seen as belonging to the whole people of God, among whom some function in particular forms of leadership for a time, as part of the whole.

2.8 These are the key elements of our understanding of local leadership. Below are the guidelines which may help during the process of experimentation and development.

Affirming the United Reformed Church’s commitment to the ministry of the whole people of God, Assembly determines that local church leadership will be exercised:

1 in conformity with the Basis of Union,

2 according to needs and gifts identified by Church Meeting and District Council,

3 by those who are members in good standing of their own churches, whose gifts have been recognised and who have been appointed by the local church and District Council,

4 for an agreed period of service, accordingto a clearly defined Agreement and Job Description, approved by all parties,

5 under the authority of the District Council which, in consultation with the Province, is ultimately responsible for all aspects of local leadership including training, support and review,

6 with a title chosen in relation to the work being undertaken,

7 in partnership with those exercising ordained ministry,

8 rooted in the local eldership, and in collaboration with others exercising lay ministries in the local church,

9 by those who have made a commitment to take part in in-service training,

10 by those who have been affirmed in a Service of Recognition conducted by the District Council.

1.1 Churches in England are observing the 1990’s as a Decade of Evangelism. There are two more years to go, but already there is an emerging consensus about some fundamental perceptions;

• the local church and its members are universally seen as the primary agent of faith-sharing,

• faith-sharing cannot be separated from other parts of Christ’s mission (e.g. caring, nurturing believers),

• evangelism and particular evangelising projects can often bring together Christians of different denominations and theological traditions; this is true at national and local level,

• the tasks of evangelism and evangelisation are inextricably linked, the individual and the social cannot be separated.

•  

2.1 The ways in which we use words can be confusing; for the purpose of clarity we offer the following definitions of how terms are used in this document:

As Christians we are called to service we seek to speak ‘the silent language of love’ alongside other people,

Witness - Christians should be able to explain ‘the hope that is within us’ by telling their own personal faith stories,

Evangelism - sharing the good news of Jesus in such a way that people are able to respond in faith and commitment,

Discipleship - , growing in understanding and practice of faith, usually through relating to other Christians,

Evangelisation, discerning spiritual truths relevant to the contemporary world and in partnership with others engaging those forces which dehumanise and destroy,

Mission - all of these are facets of God’s mission: God who gave himself to the world in Jesus Christ seeks to reconcile all things to himself.

3.1 The principle agent for mission is the

local church and its members;

gathered as a community for worship,

caring for one another,

serving in the world individually and as a fellowship,

actively challenging all that dehumanises and destroys.

3.2 An evangelising church;

listens to the Holy Spirit and the community in which it is set,

grows in understanding and practice of the faith,

shares the gospel story, which has the power to transform individuals and institutions,

provides an opportunity for response.

3.3 The Committee invites local churches to consider the implications of the above by:

3.3.1 developing personal and corporate prayer life which interacts with the community;

3.3.2 reflecting on the care and service of individual Christians and local churches and on

• how far such service should and does make Christ visible

• how far it provides opportunities for speaking about Jesus

• how far it helps Christians to discern the good news of Jesus Christ, and so leads us on to an informed critique of our lives, the church’s priorities and community values;

•  

3.3.3 contemplating what growth in Christ means in practical ways for the Christian fellowship;

3.3.4 finding ways in which Christians can learn to speak comfortably about their faith, learn to share together their experiences of Christian discipleship and can be provided with occasions for faith sharing;

3.3.5 examining how the worship of the church reflects the experience of the worshippers and the community and engages with issues of concern to them so that God’s voice may be heard;

3.3.6 identifying those within the fellowship who have the gift of helping others to faith in Jesus, and encouraging them in this; and finding ways in which they can learn and develop their gift.

4.1 Many churches have found ‘Alpha’ courses have helped church members and enquirers to develop their understanding of the Christian faith, and their readiness for commitment. ‘Emmaus’ is a similar course with a greater emphasis on the church community.

4.1.1 There are other materials available including Hitchhikers Guide to the Gospel, Developing Discipleship, Let’s explore the United Reformed Church, and particular parts of Training for Learning and Service. The Open Learning Centre provides a unit of study on Evangelism.

4.1.2 Southern Province and Wessex Province have both developed their own courses which could usefully be shared across the denomination.

5.1 The task of the wider church is;

• to stimulate, encourage and enable the local church to evangelise,

• to share stories of what has been done,

• to encourage theological reflection about the gospel and ways of enacting and proclaiming it,

• to reflect on trends in society and their implications for evangelism,

• to support regional and nation-wide evangelistic initiatives, both denominational and ecumenical,

• to remind the churches that the United Reformed Church at every level is committed to work with other churches and Christian agencies wherever possible.

5.2 Provinces can help churches to think about evangelism into the next decade by;

• encouraging the use of good quality training materials,

• making an evangelism enabler or development worker available.

•  

5.3 District Councils can help churches by;

• having a District vision workshop,

• encouraging churches to identify people with the gifts of evangelism and evangelisation, and providing training, support and opportunities,

• developing District visits as occasions for stimulating mission planning,

• providing opportunities to exchange experience of faith sharing,

• considering networking members in similar occupations/situations to talk together about living an authentic Christian life at work, leisure or in other particular circumstances.

5.4 The Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness Committee can help by;

• evaluating mission projects and exploring ecumenically new forms of being church,

• considering ecumenically what ‘growth’ and ‘success’ mean for mission,

• thinking through what discipleship will mean in the next decade, and so how Christians can be helped to grow in Christ, and what the implications are for the local church,

• exploring whether membership is a useful concept in an age in which people do not join or belong,

• learning from the experience of those on the frontiers (e.g. CRCWs, industrial missioners, Christians in the Media and Science),

• discerning through ‘the Open Book’ how the gospel can speak to areas of economics, politics and corporate ethics,

• talking to other denominations about a College of Evangelists which would authenticate and support those with a gift of evangelism.

6.1 Evangelism is not a method: it is Believing, Belonging, Becoming.

6.1.1 Believing in Christ so that He shapes every part of living; so the evangelist needs to be evangelised too,

6.1.2 Belonging to Christ’s people in order to share, help, learn and grow; so the church needs to be evangelised too,

6.1.3 Becoming what Christ wants us and all humanity to be; so the structures of our society need to be evangelised too.

7.1 The Committee has considered several requests and studied several papers suggesting that the United Reformed Church ought to recognise those with the gift of evangelism through some sort of Order or Commissioning of Ministry.

7.2 The Committee’s understanding is that every local church should be seeking to identify those within its fellowship who have the gift of talking about Jesus. They need to be encouraged to use their gift in ways that evoke a response of faith. It will be appropriate to help them learn and reflect on their own faith; there are courses, books and programmes available to help them.

7.3 It may be that some Christians could suitably exercise their gift of talking about Jesus in a wider context. They should be offered training which would not take them away from the work they are doing, and they should be offered relevant on-the-job development of appropriate skills including biblical training and how to work collaboratively. A number of suitable courses already exist (such as the Open Learning Centre’s evangelism unit) and individuals should be encouraged to use them.

7.4 The Committee has heard many pleas from local churches for help with outreach, and surveys in three provinces have shown conclusively that a person is preferred to a ‘pack’. However, there has been no indication that churches would like there to be more evangelists available to conduct services and missions and engage with local people outside the church. The committee therefore does not consider it opportune to recommend the creation of an order of evangelists as an additional category of ministry at this time. However, it will explore the idea of ‘Apologists’. These would be elders or members who would receive some training in theology, contemporary issues, inter-personal communications skills, storytelling and parables; they would be available to districts for use in churches at meetings to talk about the Christian faith.

7.5 The Committee points out that it is possible for a serving minister or a lay person to be freed by the councils of the Church to use his/her gifts of evangelism in the wider church, and encourages Districts and Provinces to experiment in this way. This has the advantage of providing a framework of accountability; it uses existing schemes of training; and it does not typecast or marginalise those who are appointed.

7.6 The Church of England is in the process of establishing a ‘College of Evangelists’ to recognise and oversee those seeking to exercise their gift of evangelism nation-wide. The Committee, with equivalents in the Baptist Union and Methodist Church, is talking with the Church of England about whether this might become an ecumenical College, recognising those with a calling to evangelise beyond their own local church. This would go a considerable way to recognising evangelists within the United Reformed Church.

7.7 Although the Committee is not at present recommending the recognition of the ministry or office of the evangelist as a separate or distinct ministry, it values evangelists exercising their call within our own and other traditions; many local churches testify to how the Holy spirit has used such people to bring others to faith.

1.1 The Committee’s attention had been drawn to the failure of many local churches to keep adequate Baptismal records. Random enquiries suggest that many congregations might not keep proper records, yet church secretaries and ministers are often asked to certify that a person has been baptised. The committee agreed that it is vital that local churches keep an accurate record of Baptisms.

1.1 As the life of SPIN comes to a close it is important that the United Reformed Church’s commitment to this area of work is not lost. The Church also needs to take account of the very different way in which women’s issues have been taken seriously through the women’s Union of the Congregational Union of Scotland.

1.2 We therefore propose setting up a network which will continue to relate to the General Assembly through the Discipleship, Stewardship and Witness Committee, and will also work with the Women in Ministries Network and the Women’s Union of the Congregational Union of Scotland. Mission Council will be involved in reviewing the Network’s work, and in recommending further developments in the light of changing circumstances.

1.3 The network will be called ‘The Community of Women and Men in the Church’, as this is the chosen title for this area of work within the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland, and using the same description will keep us in step with our ecumenical partners.

2. A full report from the last SPIN AGM will be found in the Information Section of this book of reports.

Copyright © 1998, United Reformed Church

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