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Appendix 9
Report of the URC’s Multi-Racial, Multi-Cultural Development Programme
1
Management
1.1 The objectives of
the programme were agreed as follows:
a) To help the United
Reformed Church at every level to be more open and integrated culturally
and racially.
b) To explore the task of
mission in our Multi-cultural society.
c) To foster awareness of
issues of racism and racial justice in congregations and councils of the
United Reformed Church.
1.2 The arrangements for the post and the management of the programme have been the responsibility of a Management Committee representative of various committees together with people with particular insights into the issues involved.
1.3 Databases have
been established to facilitate communication with minority ethnic
ministers, ordinands, members and adherents, with the Advocates and with
multi-cultural congregations across the church.
2
Visits
2.1 Between 1997 and 1998,
considerable time was spent observing and analysing the
multi-racial/cultural nature of the URC in its local, district and
synodicial structures. Visits were made to the twelve synods and
discussions were held with local congregations, district council meetings,
synods and key individuals, groups and committees. Draft Reports of the
visits have been circulated within the respective synods for comments and
amendments.
2.2 The visits and reports
cover a range of issues related to the URC’s programme, including:-
• Contextual analysis and strategic planning.
• Manifestation of racism
and the level of participation of minority ethnic persons in the life of
the church.
• Mission.
• Relationships with
other minority ethnic Christians, people of other faiths and
community-based racial justice programmes.
• Participation in the
promotion of racial justice in the wider society.
3
Events
3.1 A number of
conferences, courses and meetings were held including
• Training for a newly
established network of Racial Justice Advocates meeting together twice a
year. The advocates have begin work in several synods, notably in
promoting Racial Justice Sunday. • Meetings with minority
ethnic ministers and lay persons. Of particular concern is the racist
behaviour directed at black members in multi-cultural congregations and
the rejection of minority ethnic ministers by some congregations.
• Consultations and
meetings with synodical Moderators, staff at Church House, young people in
the URC and theological institutions that train URC ministers. There has
been an improvement in the number and quality of applications for Church
House posts following a decision to advertise in minority ethnic papers.
• Meetings with some General Assembly Committees to explore the relationship between the committees and the Multi-racial, Multi-cultural Development Programme. Of particular concern is the lack of representation of minority ethnic persons on most Assembly Committees. There is also a need for committees to reflect on the impact of their work on minority ethnic persons.
4
Consultation
4.1 The programme has benefited from consultations with ecumenical colleagues in Britain and overseas including:
• The Methodist Church
Racial Justice Office
• The committee for
Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns [CMEAC]
• The Catholic
Association For Racial Justice [CARJ]
• The London Baptist
Association’s Racial Justice Programme
• The African and
Caribbean Evangelical Alliance [ACEA]
• The Churches’
Commission for Racial Justice [CCRJ]
• The world Council of
Churches’ Programme to Combat Racism [PCR]
• The Caribbean
Conference of Churches [CCC]
• The Racial Justice
Office of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands.
These consultations have been important sources of information and opportunities to identify areas for ecumenical collaboration. All these discussions have taken place in the context of a current broader debate about racial justice in British society.
5
Future
5.1 In light of the initial
expectations and on the basis of the work being done, the Management
Committee were unanimous, and Mission Council agreed, that the United
Reformed Church continue with a major programme around racial justice
which would hold to the same aims set out above.
5.2 The elements of the
continuing racial justice programme should be to:
a) Develop the advocacy
work across the church, recruiting, training and supporting some advocates
in each synod.
b) Oversee the availability
of regular racism awareness training for URC leaders, Assembly staff,
committees etc. and to ensure racism awareness training is an element in
URC ministerial and other training programmes.
c) Encourage, strengthen
and empower minority ethnic URC members and leaders in the practice,
application and manifestation of their faith and to promote adequate
resources for projects involving minority ethnic people and groups within
the church and society.
d) Collaborate with the
Ecumenical Committee and its officers in the development and welcome of
“single ethnic congregations”.
e) Liase with Assembly
Committees in monitoring the participation minority ethnic members in all
the committees and councils of the church.
f) Represent the United
Reformed Church on ecumenical and civil bodies.
6 Previous Statements
6.1 Declaration on Racism,
passed at Assembly 1987
The United Reformed
Church believes that all people are created in God’s image, free and
equal in his sight.
Racism results where
prejudiced attitudes of superiority over others are combined with the
power to shape society.
Western civilisation is,
and has long been, seriously flawed by racism.
British society nurtures
racism through assumptions, stereotypes and organisational barriers which
deny black people a just share of power and decision-making.
The Church displays
racism by failing to adapt so that black people can fully share in its
life, its outreach and its decision-making.
There is cause for
celebration in church and society when black and white people learn to
co-operate, share power and make decisions together and where new forms of
community life are thus discovered. The United Reformed
Church commits itself to challenge and equip all its people to resist
racism within themselves, within the church and within society as a whole
and to train people and devote resources to this task.
The United Reformed
Church pledges itself, as it shares in action against racism, to monitor
and review at regular intervals what progress is being made in church and
society.
6.2 Other Assembly
Resolutions
General Assembly passed resolutions on racism in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1987 and 1994. For example:
6.2.1 1978: The Assembly
endorses the Affirmation in the British Council of Churches statement on
Racism and urges all members to make a public stand against racism in all
its forms and in support of the reconciliation which is so integral a part
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
6.2.2 1981: The Assembly expresses its
opposition to the British Nationality Bill and urges HMG to withdraw it,
and it calls upon churches to make their views known to their MPs; to work
actively to combat racism; to contribute to the Project Fund of CRRU.
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