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Convener: Revd Frank Beattie         Secretary: Revd John Steele

Revds Peter Ball, Eddie Boon, Ken Forbes, Suzanne Hamnett, Angela Hughes, Peter McIntosh, Bob Warwicker, Mrs Jenny Carpenter, Mrs Rita Joyner, Mrs Alison Lowe, Mrs Sheila Thatcher,

1 Personalia

1.1 Since last assembly Mrs Tina Rook and Mr David Williams have both left the committee for personal reasons. The disappointment of their departure has been tempered by the fact that we have been able to welcome the Revd Angela Hughes into our midst. The Revd Ken Forbes has been confirmed as a member of the Committee and we are delighted that he feels able to combine this work with his responsibilities within the Synod of Scotland.

1.2 The secretary of the Committee, the Revd John Steele, continues to keep the plates spinning. We are indebted to him for the way he represents us beyond the confines of the United Reformed Church, for his skill in working collaboratively within Church House and for his sense of humour. Daphne Munson, John’s PA, is a vital cog in the wheel and we would wish to record our indebtedness to her.

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

2.1 Within weeks of the Growing Up report being launched at the 1999 General Assembly, the Committee met at the Windermere Centre and began to ask how the report could best become part of the life of each local church. We were conscious, that without a supporting programme, the initiative could be lost. At last year’s Assembly, we promised study materials to complement the report and to make its challenge more accessible to each member. We are delighted to report that the booklet will be introduced at the Assembly. We commend it to the church with the prayer that the Holy Spirit will use it to stimulate people and churches to grow up into Christ and to grow up to our responsibilities to:

tell out the Good News, teach the faith to all believers, tend the vulnerable, work for the transformation of unjust structures and to treasure the earth, which is the Lord’s.

2.2 Cell Church

Church life is never static. For this reason the Committee invited a few United Reformed Church ministers, who are leading congregations to explore the meaning of cell principles for the local church, to spend some time with us. Each of those who shared their experiences with us was convinced that the cell church model could work well within our conciliar structures. What we discovered, we now offer to the whole church.

Several hundred congregations of many different denominations in this country have already followed the Cell route. Around the world some of the fastest-growing congregations are built on Cell principles.

Cell Church is a way of being the Church that harnesses the resources of the large group while exploiting the relationships that can be built up only through small groups. Its advocates describe it as the Church with two wings: the large, celebration meeting wing and the more intimate, Cell Group meeting wing.

The main interest from the point of view of conventional church structures is the small group. In these days when relationships count far more than dogma, small groups provide the opportunity for those outside the Church to meet with church members in homes. Here our Christian faith is caught rather than taught.

In a non-threatening environment believers share their Christian experience in a natural setting and show the love of God both by caring in practical ways for their neighbours and by praying for their needs. By meeting in homes these weekly Cells avoid the need for costly buildings. They can start in new neighbourhoods and respond to changing patterns of living. Meeting times can be varied according to the needs of those who are being invited .

The Cells provide the means to involve every member in ministry to their neighbours. They focus, not on intellectual ability, but on the practical application of Christian principles. These Cells also encourage gifts of leadership by training on-the-job and, as a result, allow more leaders to emerge.

The small groups follow the principle of biological cells, growing by the assimilation of new members until more leaders have been prepared and the Cell is ready to multiply.

Cell Church is a way of empowering all members of the church to play their part in growing. Each individual has the opportunity, indeed, the responsibility, to grow in discipleship and to play their part, no matter how small, in making God’s love visible. It does much to redress the balance weighted unhealthily in favour of reliance on ordained professionals and puts the life of the church back where it belongs: in the hands of all the members under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, who said, ‘… I will build my church ...’ – Matthew 16: 18

The Committee is proposing a Cell Church Consultation at Windermere 25 - 27 February 2002. There will be opportunity there to hear how the concept is working within the United Reformed Church and to engage in an exploration of the subject. Is this for you? You know the restrictions on Windermere as well as the rest of us. If you would like to be part of this ‘first’, you may make a provisional booking with the Windermere Centre.

3.1 Church Membership In partnership with the Training Committee, we have begun an initiative to create new materials for church membership.

So far, we have reviewed many worthy treasures of the past, (some still in faithful use) sampled those from other churches and looked at some of the ‘home grown’ creations recommended to us.

A small team of people representing key interest groups and concerns will undertake the work and we are grateful that former moderator David Jenkins has agreed to serve as editor and co-ordinator.

The new materials will clearly need to meet a number of criteria, and be accessible in both electronic and print format. It is hoped they will be piloted in early autumn 2002 with a view to being available from Assembly 2003.

3.2 To support the work of the Windermere Centre. In 2000 the Windermere Centre once again provided a whole variety of courses, events and experiences to help many people enrich faith and life in one way or the other. Over one thousand four hundred people came through the place during that year (which is a lot of laundry!) Much prayer, worship, teaching, training, reflection, appraisal, exploration, re-affirmation, challenge, healing and renewal took place! Church secretaries, Synod Treasurers, Pastoral conveners, District secretaries, women in ministry, ministers in ministry, committees, work parties, elders, church members, adherents, whole congregations, first timers, old hands, young, middling and mature - all hopefully enjoyed and benefited from this small miracle that exists within the life of our denomination. In the first half of 2000 the Director was often elsewhere ministering as Moderator of General Assembly, and his return to the Centre was marred by illness (thankfully now healed). It is a tribute to the Centre administrative and domestic staff, its Management Committee and Advisory Group, as well as to the Revd Denise Megson who acted as locum, that the life and work of the place continued to flourish.

Revd Frank Cochrane completed his appointment as Centre Management convener and we warmly thank him for his care and service to the centre during his years of dedicated service, and wish John Willis much blessing as he takes up the role. The denomination has developed considerably since the centre opened in 1986, and the context of its life and service has therefore also changed. En-suite rooms are seen as a must (and now over one third of our rooms provide that facility). Training is done now at Synod and local level to a degree that was not the case 15 years ago, and the needs and expectations of the church have moved on.

Scotland has another place to call home since our new denomination wonderfully came into being on April 1st, 2000. Windermere is suddenly much nearer to some that it ever was before. We can be thankful for this place, for the vision of those who brought it into being, and the ways in which people’s prayers and encouragements continue to sustain its life.

3.3 Holiday Forum The United Reformed Church Holiday Forum theme for 2000 was, ‘Ready for Action’, which looked at how the church faces the challenge of the new millennium. Paul Quilter and Rosemary Johnston ably led over 200 people for six days on a journey as pilgrim people who were living under various aspects of God’s power (e.g., creative, fire, team). The final day brought the theme together, as the conference considered how Christian living could make a difference in the world. There were light-hearted and serious times, times to be creative and time for thought, time for play and time for prayer.

The theme of Holiday Forum 2001 is, ‘Life for a Change’, led by Stephen Thornton, and will aim to build on the Growing Up report and on the ways in which faith can be communicated with fun. The dates are 18-24 August. Booking forms and information can be obtained from Caroline Sturtridge, 27 Cavendish Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 2JN.

4 To challenge members in their stewardship and witness;

4.1 Many of our churches can testify to the effectiveness of the TRIO (The Responsibility Is Ours) programme. We are grateful to the members of the Stewardship sub-committee for up-dating the programme following a number of changes in the law. The new TRIO will be available by the time Assembly meets. If yours was one of the first churches to use this stewardship programme, maybe the time is right to re-visit it. Churches in the Synod of Scotland have been waiting for this revision and we commend it to them. The full account of the work of the Stewardship sub-committee appears later in this report.

5 To encourage the local church to engage with its community in evangelism, if possible ecumenically;

5.1 The report, ‘Growing Up to the Ministry of Evangelists’, appears as an appendix in this book of reports and is the subject of two resolutions to Assembly.

5.2 ‘Share Jesus’ Life and Witness took a bold step on the United Reformed Church’s behalf last July.

Rumour had it that Methodist evangelist Rob Frost and his team (organisers of ‘Easter People’ and the ‘Hopes & Dreams’ musical productions) were planning significant new developments in their work. The Methodist Church was to ‘station’ Rob to serve an ecumenical charitable company limited by share. His ministry was to be placed in an explicitly ecumenical environment for the purpose of greater effectiveness in mission. Parts of the United Reformed Church knew something of Rob’s work but there had never been any formal connections. Might there now be an opportunity for us to become more closely involved?

That opportunity came exactly a year ago when the United Reformed Church was formally invited to be part of the ecumenical board to oversee the development of Rob Frost’s work. We now find ourselves in partnership with 20 or so denominations and agencies on a board of management which includes 6 designated trustees. The company name is ‘Share Jesus’ (after the popular regional missions) and our meetings so far have given us insight into this exciting but demanding national and international evangelistic concern.

One spin-off from this is our involvement in the development of a christian response to new-age spirituality, and we look forward to other possibilities emerging in due course.

6 To enable each church to engage with its local community in partnership and service; by gathering ideas and experience, including best practice, and advocating these to the local church; by monitoring and assessing relevant government policy and advising the local church accordingly;

6.1 Church Life Profile The United Reformed Church responded well in recognising the potential of this national church survey as a tool for mission.

As well as coverage in Reform, and letters to all our churches inviting them to take part in the survey in April, the United Reformed Church invested in a random sample of over 10% of our churches across the denomination, with a positive response rate from them of 63% and a similar number of churches who were not part of the sample opted in. The organisers tell us that pro rata there were far more United Reformed Church local churches who opted in than from any other denomination.

The first results of the profile will be available in November, and it will be for us to assess their value and significance. We are in discussion with the Methodist and Anglican churches about a shared post of a researcher who will assist us in interpreting our data in terms of mission opportunities. In the meantime, denominations are considering their continued support of this work over the next five years.

6.2 To enable ongoing reflection on issues related to the Community of Women and Men in the Church

Joint Co-ordinators: Revds Bob Day and Rowena Francis
Members: Lindsey Sanderson, Zam Walker, Gillian Yates

A small group has prepared and circulated through established women’s group mailings and certain synods a resource pack on domestic violence for use within the churches. It includes ecumenically produced material. Violence is an issue high on the agenda following the World Council of Churches Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women, and is ongoing as we move into the Decade to Overcome Violence. By offering resources on issues relating to the community of women and men for use in small groups, worship and church meetings, it is hoped that churches will become more aware, and gain confidence in dealing with them. The pack is available from Life and Witness.

6.3 To support the work of the Rural Officer/Consultant Jenny Carpenter writes: The farming crisis has continued to be the dominant concern of the Arthur Rank Centre. The Rural Stress Action Plan, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF) is being overseen by the Rural Stress Information Network, based at the Centre. With its help and advice, many more local groups have been set up to address the needs of farmers, haulage contractors and others who are suffering from the collapse of the farming economy. The Agricultural Chaplains’ Association has been formed to enable networking, training and support for those who are in the front line of support themselves.

At the time of writing this report, the foot and mouth outbreak is causing great concern to rural communities in every part of these islands. Christian people from town and country have demonstrated their solidarity with those facing the loss of their livelihoods, by giving generously to the charities whose aim is to offer financial help, along with practical advice.

Churches were again challenged to pray for the needs of the agricultural community around Rogationtide (20 May). Those who wish to declare their solidarity with the farmers and to pray for their concerns are encouraged to join the Green Ribbon Campaign. Ribbons will be available on church stands at agricultural shows and at the major regional events entitled ‘Celebrating the Rural Church’ which, over the spring and summer, will mark 10 years since the ‘Faith in the Countryside’ Report. The exhibition to mark this will, it is hoped, be on show at General Assembly.

6.3.1 Rural Ministry Support Project. A 3 year research project funded by the Jerusalem Trust has been running since October 2000 to ascertain needs of those in rural ministry and to enable them to be met more effectively. A questionnaire was sent out to 1000 people (lay and ordained) in leadership roles in rural churches and the results collated. A seminar to present the findings and make recommendations for new resources was planned for early June.

6.3.2 Rural White Paper. The long awaited rural white paper was published in November 2000. The role of some village churches in making available their buildings for other purposes eg IT training, mother and toddler groups, counselling, clinics, police base, shop or post office, was highlighted, but there was little sense of the central role of churches in developing community and addressing people’s spiritual needs. The Churches Rural Group made submissions in advance of the White Paper and subsequently. The opportunity was created for Rural Bishops and other Church Leaders to meet Michael Meacher, the DETR Minister for the Environment, at the end of January. He was extremely receptive, and anxious to hear Church thinking and proposals for future action.

6.3.3 Related Workbook. The summer 2001 edition of Country Way, Arthur Rank Centre’s magazine on Life and Faith in Great Britain, is planned to include a workbook for rural churches picking up issues from the White Paper and calling local churches to study and action. This should prove an accessible resource for our rural and market town churches. The fact that it will be common to all denominations will make it possible for churches to work on it ecumenically, and with the knowledge of their parish or town council. District Councils are asked to encourage its imaginative use.

6.3.4 Rural Ministry Courses are offered in May and November for those newly appointed to Rural situations. Jenny Carpenter is available to any District Council which wants to consult her about appropriate rural strategy and to lead worship or training days with a rural focus. She is also available to the Synods.

Having been asked last year to look at Elders training material, we were pleased when the Training Committee took the initiative, with some Life and Witness involvement on the writing panel. The work is almost complete and the course is to be piloted during the coming year, with an expected launch at next year’s Assembly.

8 To stimulate district councils and synods in the development of their own strategies for mission.

Over the past two years, the committee has, from time to time, asked synods to appraise us of their initiatives in mission. Whilst no-one would expect the picture to be uniform, it is encouraging to note how each synod has responded to the challenge to mission contained in the Growing Up report. It is probably true to say that as a church we have become much more aware in recent years, of the benefits to the Kingdom of sharing our resources. Both the secretary and the convenor of the committee have accepted invitations to visit synods to help stimulate thinking in the formation of strategies for mission.

Stewardship Sub-Committee

Sub-Committee Members

Convener: Mr Keith Webster Secretary: Revd John Steele

Members: Mr Frank Dale, Mrs Sheila Yates, Mrs H Anne Mitchell

1 Introduction

1.1 The Sub-Committee has a continuing aim of developing and promoting ways in which the church, at all levels, can exercise real stewardship of the gifts entrusted to it. These gifts, whether financial or individual skills must be identified, nurtured and used effectively to support the life of the church. This can range from the day to day ‘housekeeping’ to the high profile mission activity, not losing sight of the fact that everything that is done in some way supports the implementation of God’s mission for the church as a whole.

2  TRIO

(The Responsibility Is Ours)

2.1 Since there has been a continuing demand for TRIO, work was undertaken to review and update the current material to take account of the various changes that have occurred since TRIO was first launched. This work is complete and the updated version of TRIO is now available.

2.2 The work continues to develop a successor to TRIO. The aim is to produce a successor programme which will help churches as they look at their mission initiatives and their wider role within the local community. Such a programme should also be set in the context of ‘Growing Up’, and not only give guidance on raising resources to support mission but also help local churches use the available resources effectively and efficiently.

3 GEM (Giving Enables Mission)

3.1 GEM, which is a full stewardship programme, continues to be used by churches that have carried out a Vision Workshop or similar programme. The programme is still available from United Reformed Church Bookshop at £25, which includes copies of the necessary literature and acetates for presentation.

4 Gift Aid

4.1 Following the introduction of Gift Aid, and clarification of the tax legislation, a new leaflet has been prepared setting out the continuing benefits of both regular, planned giving, and the associated tax advantages, together with the beneficial impact of the one-off donations. In addition a model Gift Aid declaration is now available

5 Ecumenical

5.1 Through the Convener the Church is represented on the Churches together in Britain and Ireland Stewardship Network. This provides an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about developments in the approaches to stewardship in other denominations.

6 People 

6.1 During the year we have had some membership changes. Sue Wilkinson resigned from the committee - and her work in the advocacy of stewardship has been greatly appreciated - and Anne Mitchell was welcomed as a new member.

Resolution 26 - Commitment to Evangelism

General Assembly, recognising the urgent missionary challenge facing the church at the beginning of the 21st century and affirming the importance of evangelism for the Church and its ministry at every level, acknowledges the need to identify those in lay and ordained ministry who have the gift of evangelism.

1.1 One of the most significant things to emerge from the Decade of Evangelism has been a refocusing on mission and evangelism/ evangelisation, and this has had implications for all the national churches. The Growing Up proposals in 1999 put this sharply into context for the United Reformed Church in relation to the Five Marks of Mission. That same year, Assembly took the positive step of passing resolution (30) placing evangelism/evangelisation and local engagement in mission at the heart of the church’s life.

1.2 Resolution 26 restates the United Reformed Church’s commitment to evangelism and, believing that the Holy Spirit still calls and equips some to be evangelists, encourages the church to rejoice with those among its members who have this gift.

See Appendix 4 Growing Up to the Ministry of Evangelists.

Resolution 27 - The Ministry of Evangelists

General Assembly directs the Life and Witness Committee to initiate discussions with other committees of the Church, so that together they might recommend ways of releasing men and women to exercise their ministry as evangelists, and suggest ways of supporting them in their ministry.

2.1 Life & Witness continues to be approached with questions about how those with evident evangelistic gifts might be recognised and employed in certain local church situations, and we are aware of a number of interesting developments in this area, mainly amongst ministers. But for the most part, the United Reformed Church remains vague and uncertain about evangelists.

2.2 Although the whole of the church is entrusted with the evangelistic task, our paper Growing Up to the Ministry of Evangelists and this accompanying resolution focuses on the need to release, resource and support those, both lay and ordained, who have specific gifts and graces in evangelism, for service in the church.