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The role of the Ecumenical Committee is to foster ecumenical development in the life of the United Reformed Church:

Committee Members

Convener: Revd Bob Andrews

Secretaries: Revd Sheila Maxey (Secretary for Ecumenical Relations), Revd Philip Woods (Secretary for International Relations)

Members: Revd Dr Peter Arthur, Revd David Fox, Ms Bethan Galliers, Mrs Jackie Marsh, Revd Richard Mortimer, Revd John Rees, Revd Elizabeth Welch, Revd Barrie Scopes (Convener of the Overseas Exchange Sub-Committee)

Representatives of other committees: Revd Peter Brain, Revd Jonathan Dean, Dr Iain Frew, Revd Fleur Houston, Mrs Rosemary Johnston, Revd Tony Ruffell, Revd David Tatem

Representatives of other churches: Canon David Goldie (Church of England), Revd Keith Reed (the Methodist Church), Revd Gabrielle Ellis (Presbyterian Church of Ireland)

works with a broad understanding of partnership in mission. The partners range from the other United Reformed Church committees represented on the Ecumenical Committee to our partner churches in the Council for World Mission, in the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland and other such bodies. The partners also range from the networks of United Reformed Church World Church representatives and Ecumenical Officers to the other churches in our three nations with whom we are in close conversation about what hinders and what enhances more effective partnership.

1.2 Unity is basic to this committee’s understanding of partnership in mission - that unity in diversity to be found at the first Pentecost. The Church and the world are crying out for that unity in Christ which can hold different cultures and confessions together in love and trust and respect. This committee’s work is a small contribution on behalf of the United Reformed Church to that unity in reconciled diversity

1.3 One of the challenges facing this committee is the constantly changing pattern of these many kinds of partnerships in mission. The committee’s work is to respond to the changes, sometimes initiate the changes, and always to watch out for the implications and the opportunities.

2.1 The Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland is undergoing its first major review. The United Reformed Church response supported the devolution of many areas of shared work, such as youth work, home mission and some social responsibility work, to the ecumenical instruments in the three nations. However, as a church in three nations with strong links with Northern Ireland, it also bore witness to the value of the four-nation partnership with its diversity of inter-church dynamics. Raymond Clarke, a United Reformed Church elder, was the reviewer and is to be congratulated for his careful listening, shrewd analysis, and sheer hard work.

• campaign for the remission of debt of the poorest countries,

• work together on youth work, theological education, strategic planning of mission and deployment of ministry,

• pray for the other churches as part of the regular Sunday intercessions,

• develop relationships with the New Churches,

• discuss the question of establishment ecumenically

In April, at their bi-annual consultation, the United Reformed Church ecumenical officers discussed with Revd Bill Snelson, the new General Secretary of Churches Together in England, how the United Reformed Church could play its full part in this moving on as one. In January, Churches Together in England published an excellent handbook for local churches working together, entitled Together Locally (£4.95 plus p&p from our bookshop). Revised Constitutional Guidelines for Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) have also been produced.

2.3 Churches Together in Wales (CYTUN), as a result of review, is appointing a Development Worker for Local Ecumenism.

2.4 The United Reformed Church as a member of ENFYS (the Commission of Covenanted Churches in Wales) is involved in discussions to create an ecumenical bishop in East Cardiff. Under the ENFYS umbrella, the United Reformed Church is an observer in the Church of Wales - Methodist talks.

2.5 The United Reformed Church also continues to support the work of the Free Church Council of Wales and especially its setting up of English Language, Welsh language and bilingual Community ministries. It is now an active observer, both in plenary sessions and in committees, at the discussions to set up one United Free Church.

2.6 The Scottish Congregational Church / United Reformed Church Liaison Committee has encouraged the two churches to get to know each other better by attending each other’s various councils, sharing resources, meetings of staff and some pulpit exchange. Members of the Mid-Scotland District visited Scottish Congregational Church Area Councils to talk about the United Reformed Church (the proposals for union are in the report from Mission Council).

2.7 The Scottish Churches Initiative for Union (SCIFU) has produced its interim report (see Appendix 3) which includes a common statement of faith, an account of the various ministries in a united church, and the structures proposed. Church meeting, the eldership, episcopacy and the Methodist circuit have all been honoured in this report. The Ecumenical Committee in consultation with the Mid-Scotland District will respond to the report.

2.8 Action for Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS) has received the Congregational Federation into membership.

2.9 The Free Churches’ Council is the new name (with a new logo) of the old Free Church Federal Council. The Ecumenical Committee is delighted to report that the United Reformed Church General Secretary, Revd A G Burnham has been elected Moderator of the Free Churches’ Council and will take office in March 1999. This means that he will also then become one of the presidents of Churches Together in England.

2.10 The United Reformed Church - Methodist Church partnership continues to grow. Because of the developing nature of all our ecumenical relationships over the last few years, the committee recommends that the annual meeting of staff from the two churches be discontinued (see Resolution 34). At the same time, in consultation with the Methodist Committee for Local Ecumenical Development, it has redefined the remit and greatly strengthened the composition of the Methodist/United Reformed Church Liaison Committee. The Liaison Committee’s work is mostly in response to demand.

It has produced;

• A Getting to Know You pack (£1.25 including p&p) for Methodist and United Reformed Church local churches. It is hoped to add a Baptist section to the next edition.

Two provinces have held induction courses for ministers in such LEPs. The doctrine committees of the two churches have set up a working group on ecclesiology. The Liaison Committee continues to try to formulate helpful financial advice.

2.11 United Reformed Church - Church of England relations were deepened by two years of informal conversations which reported in Autumn 1997. It was decided not to pursue these conversations until the future of Methodist - Church of England talks and our part in them was known.

2.12 The Church of England - Methodist partnership.

2.12.1 At its November General Synod the Church of England overwhelmingly supported the proposal contained in the report Commitment to Mission and Unity that it enter into formal conversations with the Methodist Church. The view of the Methodist Church will not be known until Conference meets in June 1998. The report sees this as a partnership in mission within the wider partnership of Churches Together in England and alongside the many other partnerships, some of which are particularly close. Those close relationships with the United Reformed Church, the Moravian Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Baptist Union are recognised in the proposals by inviting each to send an active observer to the conversations. The United Reformed Church’s special position is also recognised in an invitation to tri-lateral informal talks on the two issues we raised - the shared ministry of the elders and the apostolicity of the whole Church.

2.12.2 The Ecumenical Committee was disappointed that the request made by last year’s General Assembly that the United Reformed Church be a full participant in any formal talks was not granted. It agreed, however, that the United Reformed Church would play as full a part as it could if the Methodist Conference supported the above proposals.

2.13 United Reformed Church - Presbyterian Church of Ireland partnership is expressed in this committee through the attendance of a representative once a year. The committee would like to pay tribute to the representatives who have attended over the years and to welcome Revd Gabrielle Ellis who is currently the representative. She has already brought us fresh insights into her context and contributed to our discussions.

3 Guidelines, advice and information

3.1 Besides the regular leaflets News from the Ecumenical Committee, and Ecumenical Filings, which are sent to the appropriate District and Synod office holders, the Ecumenical Committee produced;

• Reformed expectations - guidelines on what Reformed elements the United Reformed Church would expect to find in any LEP (congregational partnership) in which it was involved.

All these are available, free, from the Ecumenical Committee display or from the office.

4.1 Council for World Mission

4.1.1 In June 1997 the Council for World Mission held its biennial Council meeting in Botswana under the theme ‘Community of Blessing’. There we were challenged by our theological resource persons to see that our actions matched our words. As Mercy Odynwe put it ‘How does your God walk match your God talk?’ - referring to Micah 6:8. This challenge takes on practical effect for the members of the Council for World Mission as we prepare to share with each other our mission strategies at the next Council meeting in Samoa in 1999 and submit ourselves to much greater mutual scrutiny.

• Reognised that the time was right for the United Reformed Church to reduce its financial contribution to the Council for World Mission,

• Reiterated the partnership principles of the Council for World Mission and ‘asks the United Reformed Church not to be timid in asking for support from the common pool of the Council for World Mission’s financial and personnel resources for its work of ministry and mission at home and abroad.’

This represents a significant opportunity for us to equip ourselves for the work of God’s mission in this age.

4.2 World Alliance of Reformed Churches

4.2.1 In August 1997 the 23rd General Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches was held in Debrecen, Hungary. Over nine hundred Reformed Christians from around the world gathered for the event, representing the 211 member churches in 104 countries. Together they explored the theme, ‘Break the Chains of Injustice’ (Isaiah 58:6), reflected on the last seven years work of the Alliance, and prepared the groundwork for the next seven years. In the elections the United Reformed Church was honoured when the Revd Elizabeth Nash was elected as Moderator of the Department of Co-operation and Witness, one of the honorary officers of the Alliance who will oversee the development and execution of its programmes.

4.3 World Council of Churches

4.3.1 In preparation for the World Council of Churches Assembly, to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe in December 1998, the committee responded to a draft of Towards a Common Understanding and Vision of the WCC, a seminal paper which will set the future direction of the World Council of Churches.

4.3.2 In September the World Council of Churches marks its 50th Anniversary and local churches around the world are being encouraged to celebrate the event with a service of ecumenical recommitment on Sunday 20th September. Material for this has been circulated through the United Reformed Church Provincial and District World Church network. At the same time congregations are requested to take up a collection for the World Council of Churches Jubilee Fund which will be used for ‘the important tasks of reconciliation, healing and community-building’. The committee encourages all United Reformed Church congregations to support both these initiatives, wherever possible ecumenically.

4.4 World Convention of the Churches of Christ/Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council

4.4.1 Since union with the Churches of Christ it has been the practice to leave the maintenance of our relations with the wider Churches of Christ/Disciples family to those former members of the Churches of Christ. However, it is the whole of the United Reformed Church that belongs to this wider family which, quite naturally, includes other united churches. To that end the decision was taken in 1996 that, along with the Fellowship of the Churches of Christ, we would host the four-yearly World Convention of the Churches of Christ here, in Brighton, in 2004.

4.4.2 In August 2000 the World Convention will be held in Brisbane, Australia. Unlike other international church gatherings this event, which attracts upwards of 4,000 people, is aimed at congregational level participation - a unique opportunity for any church member to experience the thrill of a world church event at first hand. Preparations are in hand to organise a group to attend from the United Reformed Church. Perhaps you could sponsor someone from your church or district to attend?

4.4.3 In line with this new approach the committee has also agreed that the United Reformed Church should make a modest annual financial contribution to the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council as an expression of our support for their work in bilateral dialogues with the world’s main Christian confessions.

4.5 Second European Ecumenical Assembly

4.5.1 Held just before last year’s General Assembly, this event in Graz, Austria, brought together over ten thousand Christians of all traditions (Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox) around the theme ‘Reconciliation: Gift of God and Source of New Life’. It was a bold, even prophetic initiative, for Europe’s peoples and churches are far from reconciled with each other. However, our mission is to proclaim a gospel of hope and throughout the event stories were told of people working for healing and reconciliation in their communities. British participants in the event took part in a follow-up meeting in Coventry in September.

4.6 Conference of European Churches

4.6.1 Straight after the Second European Ecumenical Assembly, the Conference of European Churches held its own Assembly in Graz and began to apply the lessons and insights learnt to its own work for the next six years. The event was somewhat marred by tensions between large state churches and smaller minority churches reminding us that ecumenical work is more than just addressing theological differences, or discovering the will to engage in God’s mission together, but also about taking on issues of power and privilege. In September, the Revd Dr Keith Clements (a British Baptist) took over as the General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches and later in the same month the European Ecumenical Commission for Church and Society voted at its Assembly to merge with the Conference of European Churches, to become the Conference of European Churches Church and Society Commission.

4.7 Leuenberg Church Fellowship

4.7.1 1998 marks the 25th anniversary of the Leuenberg Agreement which brings together 98 Protestant churches in Europe. Through the Agreement Lutheran, Reformed, United and Hussite churches grant one another ‘pulpit-and-altar fellowship’ and are committed to common witness and service in the world. The United Reformed Church is one of the founding churches and participates fully in the life and work of the Fellowship. To mark the anniversary the Leuenberg Church Fellowship organised a symposium in Strasbourg in March on the theme ‘Protestantism as a Force Characterising Life and Society in Europe.’ Increasingly the Leuenberg Church Fellowship is seeking to be the voice of Protestants in Europe.

5.1 In March the annual consultation of Provincial World Church Secretaries and European Link Co-ordinators took place in Windermere. Lessons learnt from the development of the European Link Co-ordinators network are now being applied to our network of provincial and district World Church contacts. Through these networks are circulated information on our European and World church involvement and in particular URC Eurolinks and URC Worldlinks which are designed to be photocopied for wider circulation throughout the church. After major international church gatherings we produce a one-page report which is similarly circulated and we are actively promoting Inside Out, the Council for World Mission’s successor to News Share. The office maintains a speakers list of all the people who represent the United Reformed Church at international meetings or otherwise have shared in the life of the church outside this country.

6.1 From an initial discussion on how we might improve the promotion and advocacy of our involvement with the world church, and picking up concerns and ideas from other committees of the church, the ‘Belonging to the World Church’ proposals (see Resolution 35) began to take shape. They are the product of much work in the committee and consultation with others, including the Council for World Mission. The committee is pleased to offer them to the church for consideration and action.

7.1 Founded as a college to train missionaries, St Andrew’s Hall has increasingly been used by the United Reformed Church as a resource for offering scholarships to our overseas partners to send people here to learn English, or undertake a short course in either mission studies, Christian education or church management. The college is jointly sponsored by the United Reformed Church, the Council for World Mission and the Baptist Missionary Society. In 1997 the Council for World Mission announced its intention to end its block grant to the college at the end of the 1998/99 academic year and to move the Training in Mission Programme which it runs at the college each autumn to another venue outside of Europe. The Baptist Missionary Society regularly fails to fill all its places at the college and is reviewing its long-term involvement. Currently it is only committed to funding St Andrew’s Hall up until August 2000.

7.2 In April 1998 a new principal, the Revd Dr Chris Wigglesworth (from the Church of Scotland), and a new Director for Educational Programme Development, the Revd Pat Nimmo (United Reformed Church) take up appointments with a brief to determine whether there is a future for the college or not. Mindful of the situation both appointments are time limited to the end of the 1998/99 academic year.

7.3 In light of these circumstances, whilst filling all our places through our scholarship programme, it was felt that the United Reformed Church should also examine its involvement. To that end, in conjunction with the Training Committee, a small group has been asked to review our needs in respect of our use of St Andrew’s Hall and to report back by September so that decisions might be taken about our continuing involvement with the college.

7.4 The committee, however, is keen to maintain the scholarship programme. Recognising that this is what our block grant to St Andrew’s Hall primarily funds it has been agreed to end this grant in 1999 and allocate an equivalent sum for the funding of scholarship places.

8.1 The committee was pleased to welcome the Revd Bob Andrews as their new Convener, recognising the enormity of the task given the breadth of the committee’s agenda. At this Assembly we say farewell to Revds David Fox and Elizabeth Welch, both of whose periods of service come to an end. We will miss their thoughtful and incisive contributions.

1.1 In 1992 the Methodist Conference and the United Reformed Church Assembly agreed on a number of steps to take as the relationship between the two churches developed. (See Conference Agenda p.633ff and General Assembly Reports p.87ff).

These steps were:

2 During the last five years, there have been many developments in the relationship which now make it appropriate to review these steps. Among these developments have been:

• in Wales, participation in ENFYS (The Commission of Covenanted Churches) and in The Working Group for one United Free Church;

• in England, the conversations of both the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church with the Church of England.

The ecumenical instruments have developed a great deal of inter-departmental co-operation and staff from both churches regularly meet together, in common interest groups, with their colleagues from the churches.

3 With this background, the appropriate committees of both churches have reviewed the work of the Liaison committee. It is proposed that it be strengthened to take responsibility for encouraging greater co-operation at all levels between the churches, in particular those mentioned above in a) and c) and any matters to be carried forward from d) (see below paragraph 4).

4 The meeting of officers of the two churches in the formal way described in d) is no longer necessary. Both churches have undergone reorganisation ending the offices of Methodist Divisional General Secretaries and United Reformed Departmental Secretaries. The Secretary of Conference and the General Secretary meet frequently at a variety of ecumenical meetings and, whenever necessary, privately, consult over matters affecting the two churches. The Ecumenical Secretaries also meet frequently and are themselves the officers of the Liaison Group. The meeting which has taken place every year has become a formality, covering ground already well known to those who take part. Conference and General Assembly are therefore invited to release the Secretary of Conference and the General Secretary of the United Reformed Church from the direction to arrange this meeting, in the assurance that its purpose is now fulfilled in other ways and that the relationships between the two churches will not be impaired in any way by its discontinuance.

1 The United Reformed Church is part of the world church in many ways. Through our membership of the Council for World Mission (CWM), the World Council of Churches (WCC), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), the World Convention of the Churches of Christ (WCCC) and the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council we both give to and receive from the global Christian community. However, this rarely impacts local congregations. This is especially true since we ceased having missionaries on furlough undertaking speaking tours. That those days have passed reflects our contemporary understanding of world mission. Together with other churches around the world we are partners in God’s global mission. To this end we send and receive personnel, share together our financial resources and learn from one another fresh insights into God’s missionary calling. However, we have still to grasp fully the new opportunities this presents us and exploit the potential that exists for enriching local church life and witness through our belonging to the world church.

2.1 For centuries Christians from this country took the gospel to foreign lands. Today the striking missionary challenge is to present the gospel confidently and meaningfully here. Many of our overseas partners are steeped in the tradition of being ‘missionary’ churches. Alive and vital they display a self-confidence that is sadly lacking in much of the church in this country (witness the comments of those who have served with us from our overseas partners outside of Europe). We should be learning from them that we might rediscover our missionary calling and, interpreting what we find, seek fresh approaches to God’s mission here. We need to be challenged by our Christian sisters and brothers from other cultures on attitudes that we take from society which are not gospel or Kingdom values and which hinder our mission. At very least, we should allow their enthusiasm, commitment, courage and vision to inspire us and energise our sense of purpose.

2.2 Alongside this is another contemporary challenge - globalisation. The church being both global and local is uniquely placed to speak to this phenomenon. The increased control of wealth and power across the world by a few individuals and large corporations needs challenging, most especially where the needs of people are ignored and the environment is mercilessly exploited. Working with our church partners, sharing stories and experiences, we can make connections and begin to try and understand the forces that are at work behind the term ‘globalisation’. As the Christian community, we too can be global players, but we need to learn from one another and to work much more closely together. Our world church partnerships make this possible.

• take seriously the global challenges facing us and find ways of responding together as Christians called to care for God’s world.

3.1 God’s purposes are global. They encompass the world, seeking to bring healing to the nations, reconciliation and peace with justice. They speak to our sin and failure, offering love and forgiveness; liberation from the past and new opportunities for tomorrow. They offer a vision of wholeness, of shalom - people at one with God, with each other and with the creation. They call us into partnership, to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.

3.2 Each generation has to make these purposes their own. To see in the signs of the times where God’s mission lies for them. To interpret afresh Jesus’ understanding of the kingdom and in their own words and actions to witness to these things that others might believe and share in the new life they offer.

3.3 The fruits of previous generations’ missionary activity provide the foundations for our response to today’s challenges. Partnerships transcending the world enable us to think and act globally; to make connections; to link local and international experience; to learn from and share with one another; to challenge others and to be renewed ourselves.

3.4 We live in a global culture. Our cities are international centres with communities drawn from many ethnic groups, cultures and faiths. Our rural communities now compete with rural communities across the world for markets which not so long ago could have been taken as granted as theirs. Around the world we are partners in God’s mission with churches whose own life reflects the individual strands of the multifaceted society in which we minister. Together we face the common challenge of a global economy and global news and entertainment media. Working together and learning from one another we can gain the perspective and form the networks that help us understand God’s purposes in this age and enable us to proclaim and live a gospel that speaks to our time.

3.5 What follows are programme proposals aimed at building into the life and witness of the United Reformed Church a new awareness of belonging to the world church that we might better fulfil our calling to be witnesses to the ends of the earth, partners in God’s mission, responding to the challenges of today.

4.1 In these proposals there is a presupposition that these developments should be organised on a reciprocal basis so that our partners might also draw more fully on our experiences and understand better the challenges facing churches in the post-industrial world.

4.2 The proposals are ambitious. Equally, the challenges are great. To that end these proposals are aimed at raising our awareness, vision and confidence that we might be emboldened to respond with the same zeal that sent our forebears across the world to proclaim the ‘glorious gospel of the blessed God.’

• Four weeks on a placement.

• One week concluding seminar.

6.1 Seeking to enrich the whole life of the church through our world church partnerships we would initiate with the Council for World Mission events that bring together lay people from the United Reformed Church and our partner churches to learn from one another and experience at first hand the richness and variety of the world church. Such events might be aimed at elders, choirs and church musicians, youth and children’s workers, Bible study leaders, etc. Ideas for such events could be developed bilaterally with our Council for World Mission partners around the world. Over time this could be built up into an annual programme of world church lay training opportunities.

7.1 In recent years the United Reformed Church has experienced difficulty in recruiting young people for some of the international opportunities which are available to them. We need a new approach.

• Ensuring that there was a world church dimension in other aspects of FURY’s work, including the FURY Assembly.

7.3 To encourage the development of international opportunities for young people it would be helpful to create a budget line to this effect in the youth budget.

7.4 The main vehicle for raising children’s awareness of and sense of belonging to the world church is Pilots. The creation of a full-time Pilots Development Officer post with, amongst other things, the responsibility for developing ‘new projects which will involve and interest children in development issues, in their membership of the world-wide church, and with their partnership with other young people in CWM’ will open up new opportunities for children.

• One week in a pastorate in their host province.

• Three weeks travelling around the province speaking, preaching, leading Bible studies, etc.

• Participation in a concluding consultation.

8.2 Wherever possible the local programme would involve our ecumenical partners in this country, many of whom have the same overseas partners as us and would welcome the opportunity to hear and learn from our visiting speakers.

9.1 To encourage understanding of the significance of our world church partnerships we would also give opinion formers within the life of the church an opportunity to experience this at first hand. Each year there would be an exposure visit to one of our Council for World Mission partners outside Europe for newly appointed Provincial Moderators, Assembly-appointed staff, Provincial World Church Secretaries, and Conveners of some if not all Assembly Committees. Part of this experience would include organising a return visit by the partner church.

9.2 Similarly to extend these opportunities to those already serving the church we would adopt and promote a policy on overseas travel during sabbaticals and in other areas of in-service training (including for lay staff). A simple policy might be that where the sabbatical or other training programme has received the support of the Provincial Training Officer or other relevant person and it includes overseas travel it would automatically be eligible for an additional grant to take account of the extra costs involved.

10.1 We should consider offering a research fellowship in each of our theological colleges, for study of an aspect of contemporary UK church life in the world context, with a view to developing our understanding and practice of mission here. Insights gleaned through these studies would be shared in such ways that might influence the development of the church’s life and witness.

11.1 We would review our scholarship programme whereby we invite people from our overseas partners to study here, with a view to integrating it more with our own training programmes and offering more opportunities for sharing in United Reformed Church life.

12.1 The United Reformed Church belongs to a volunteer programme for all ages over eighteen known as World Exchange. As we have encouraged local churches to consider European partnerships, similarly we would promote World Exchange, encouraging districts and local churches to sponsor someone to give a year as a volunteer to a church overseas. Through the volunteer such districts and churches could reasonably expect to receive news of local church life, etc. and thus develop a more personal world church dimension in their own programmes for a couple of years (from just before the volunteer departs and into the year after s/he returns). Ideas of how this might be done are already available.

13.1 Having defined a policy for our European visitors to Assembly (1996) we should now consider a more intentional approach to our visitors from outside Europe. This might include a willingness to pay the travel costs of those who would otherwise be unable to attend. However, if we take such a step we should also consider how such visitors could be better used during the Assembly.

13.2 As now we can count on the International Relations office to arrange at least one fringe meeting. To this should be added two slots in the Assembly programme where we can hear from one partner outside Europe and one of our European partners.

13.3 Additionally, consideration should be given to according our official international visitors speaking rights, to encourage them to contribute to Assembly debates, sharing insights from their own church’s experience.

14.1 Through the World Convention of the Churches of Christ there are opportunities for congregational level participation in an international church gathering. The Conventions occur every four years and bring together some 4,000 members of Disciples, Churches of Christ and United congregations from all around the world for a varied programme of workshops, visits, keynote speakers and worship. The next one is in Brisbane, Australia in August 2000, and the following one we are hosting in Brighton in July/August 2004. These events are an exceptional opportunity for ordinary church members to encounter the excitement and thrill of a world church gathering. Preparations are in hand to recruit a group to go to Brisbane and as with World Exchange we will be proposing that this is an opportunity where congregations and districts might sponsor someone to attend and report back on the experience. In 2004, of course, it is hoped that even more people will avail themselves of this opportunity and thereby introduce awareness of and continuing participation in this event across a wider section of the United Reformed Church than is the case at present.

• URC Eurolinks.

• CWM Inside Out (the successor to News Share).

• Information about the annual Window on the World conference at Swanwick (an existing opportunity for people to learn about the world church at first hand).

• Speakers lists.

• Other relevant material as it becomes available.

• the United Reformed Church’s world church unexpended income fund.

16.2 In developing its approach to supporting the mission programmes of its member churches, the Council for World Mission is laying increasing stress on personnel exchange. Through the short-term exchange of people ideas can be shared, good practice learnt and existing challenges seen in a fresh light. Accordingly, CWM is increasing the funds available to support experience enlargement programmes which involve exposing people to the life and work of the church in other countries.

16.3 Since the inception of the United Reformed Church, funds related to the work of the English Presbyterian Mission have been used by the World Church and Mission Department and its successor, the Ecumenical Committee, to support our involvement with the world church. However, it has become apparent that the funds have grown much faster than our use of them, to the extent that we have now accumulated around £1 million of unexpended income. From the outset a proportion, currently around £40,000, has been used as an annual subvention to the Committee’s budget and in the years 1997-1999 a further £50,000 is being remitted annually to the general funds of the church. The World Church and Mission Fund (as it is known) is dedicated to ‘any purpose connected with the United Reformed Church, dealing with its relationships with the Church overseas, under the direction of the Ecumenical Committee.’

16.4 It is anticipated that the total cost of these programme proposals when everything is fully up and running will be around £200,000 per annum, most but not all of which will be new expenditure and some of which will be receivable in Council for World Mission grants. This includes the provision of additional support staff in the International Relations office who will be responsible for implementing these programmes. It is clear that from the world church unexpended income fund and with the grants that are available from CWM, we can support the development of this programme.

The Ecumenical Committee have considered a more detailed paper which gives preliminary estimates of the costings involved and information on how the programmes would be administered. At their meeting in January they enthusiastically endorsed these proposals and forwarded them to Mission Council who warmly commended them.

17.2 If approved by General Assembly the Ecumenical Committee would begin implementing these proposals this autumn with a view to the first pilot programmes being run in 1999/2000.

17.3 These proposals represent a significant change in our approach to raising and sustaining world church and mission awareness. They will clearly take time to implement and assess for effectiveness. Accordingly, if agreed, it is suggested that each individual programme be reviewed within five years of the time it is up and fully running. In the meantime the Ecumenical Committee will report on progress in its annual report to General Assembly.

Committee Members

Convener: Revd Barrie Scopes, Secretary: Revd Philip Woods

Revd David Helyar, Revd Ken Graham, Revd Mia Hilborn, Mrs Muriel Sleigh, Mrs Virginia Becher, Revd Bob Andrews (Convener, Ecumenical Committee), Revd Sheila Maxey (Secretary for Ecumenical Relations).

1 The Overseas Exchange Sub Committee has continued to care for people who go from and come to the United Reformed Church.

2.1 Revd Andrew Midian and his family returned to Papua New Guinea in December 1997. They spent the autumn term at St Andrew’s Hall reflecting on their experience in Britain and preparing for their return to work in Papua New Guinea. Andrew gave a very thoughtful report to the Committee concerning his service at Estover, Plymouth. Mr Johnson Jesudoss returned to South India after completing his three year term in Milton Keynes where he made a challenging contribution to the work of the Peace and Justice Centre.

2.2 Revd John Samuel Ponnusamy’s work as a theological educator in Northern College is being appreciated. Revd Emmanuel Frimpong has continued to serve as Ghanaian Chaplain and Revd Marjorie Lewis-Cooper has already begun challenging the United Reformed Church as the Church’s Multi-racial/Multi-cultural Development Worker.

2.3 A new appointment is being made in May when the East Midlands Province will welcome Revd Prince Dibeela from the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa’s Botswana Synod as its Mission Enabler for three years.

2.4 One of the five posts which we have for bringing people from other Council for World Mission member churches to help us in mission is vacant. Here is an opportunity for a province or district to identify a need and use a person in an imaginative way.

3.1 During the year the United Reformed Church has provided scholarships to enable the following people to pursue Selly Oak College courses at St Andrew’s Hall:

Revd Do-Hyeong Lee, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea.

Mr Rondinho Antonio Bento, Presbyterian Church of Angola.

Revd Laszlo Kallay, Reformed Church of Romania.

Ms Borbala Medveczky, Reformed Church in Hungary.

Revd Helge Klassohn, Evangelische Kirche der Union (EKU).

Revd Milos Vavrecka, Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren (ECCB).

Mr Jaroslav Kolafa, ECCB.

Revd Christa Heinke, EKU.

Revd Jarmila Reznickova, ECCB.

Revd Andreas Schorlemmer, EKU.

4.1 The United Reformed Church is a sponsoring body of Scottish Churches’ World Exchange, which now goes by the name World Exchange. Offering opportunities for short-term service overseas (usually one year) World Exchange will consider any adult, young or old for its placements. Some United Reformed Church people are being considered for service this year, and the connections which the United Reformed Church had with churches in Europe through its own former volunteer programme are being maintained.

5.1 The following volunteers from abroad have been serving the United Reformed Church:

Chao-Wen Chen, Presbyterian Church of Taiwan, at Yardley Hastings.

Aiky Ralison, FJKM, at Penhrys.

6.1 The number of missionaries serving through the Council for World Mission continues to decrease. Revd David Vincent returned at the end of 1997. Revd Derek Kingston and his family are returning in the summer of 1998 to settle in Britain. Martin and Ta’ara Vickerman are expecting to remain only one more year in Samoa. Alison Gibbs has been settling into a new post in Zambia. There are opportunities for service in CWM member churches, but hardly any United Reformed Church people are enquiring about them.

7.1 The Overseas Exchange Sub Committee is carrying out a review of the Ghanaian Chaplaincy. Various organisations in Britain have been consulted. A consultation with representatives of Thames North Province and Southern Province is planned for early May. The Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana are being fully involved in the review both through correspondence and in discussions with the Secretary for International Relations when he visited both churches in October 1997. A further round of talks with both churches is proposed as part of the final stage of the process.