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G > Assembly Committees and their Tasks
Committees of the General Assembly The
task of committees is to carry out the policy of the Assembly and to
advise the Assembly on matters which may need its decision. Many of them also relate to local churches and other councils
of the church: the remit of
each committee is included to help readers know which is the appropriate
committee to contact if they have a suggestion or question. A
full list of the current members of all the committees is published each
year in the Record of General Assembly. Mission Council This acts as a co-ordinating committee. The Moderator of Assembly is in the chair. Each Synod has four representatives, including the Moderator of the Synod. The Conveners of all the Assembly standing committees (except the Pastoral Reference Committee) are members, as are the officers of Assembly and certain other people. The purpose of the Mission Council is to enable the Church, in its General Assembly, to take a more comprehensive view of the activity and policy of the Church to decide more carefully about priorities and to encourage the outreach of the Church to the community. Its service is directly towards the Assembly, but its concern is with the whole Church and all its members, so it will seek to be aware of the pains and joys, the adventures and hopes of the whole body. Assembly Arrangements
This Committee plans and budgets for General Assembly.
Church and Society This Committee seeks to serve local churches, district councils and synods, ecumenical and appropriate secular bodies, in raising awareness, sharing information and encouraging reflection and action on matters of justice and peace, healing and reconciliation. It seeks to represent the concern of the church for such matters to government and others with power over the life of people in these islands, acting ecumenically wherever possible. It is responsible for Commitment for Life (including the 1% appeal) and will promote such other programmes as will help the above aims. Communication and Editorial This Committee is responsible for the setting and maintenance of standards of all publications. It acts as the Editorial and Management Board of REFORM, and is responsible for media relations. Doctrine, Prayer & Worship The purpose of the Doctrine, Prayer and Worship Committee is:
(a) to lead the Church in its continual study of theology, enabling it to reflect upon and express the doctrines of the United Reformed Church;
(b) to participate in and respond to ecumenical and inter-faith discussions on doctrinal matters;
(c) to advise the Assembly, its officers and committees on questions of doctrine;d
(d) to listen to the concerns of local churches, district councils and provincial synods about public worship and personal devotion;
(e) to develop programmes and material which will encourage the growth in faith and spiritual experience of those involved in the life of the Church;
(f) to encourage by such means as may be appropriate at national level the greater participation of all ages and both sexes in the worship, prayer and work of the Church as it serves the mission of God;
(g) to respond to requests for national materials and consultations;
(h) to share ideas for the prayer and worship life of local congregations with and from the national and world Church and to develop ecumenical collaboration in the area of faith and order and spirituality;
(i) to publish regular and occasional worship materials for the use of the church, including the Prayer Handbook, Orders of Service for Public Worship and Hymnody;
(j) to oversee the network for Silence and Retreats.
Ecumenical
The role of the Ecumenical Committee is to foster ecumenical development in the life of the URC:
a) in response to the Basis of Union (para.8)
The United Reformed Church has been formed in obedience to the call to repent of what has been amiss in the past and to be reconciled. It sees its formation and growth as part of what God is doing to make his people one, and as a united church will take, wherever possible and with all speed, further steps towards the unity of all God's people.
b) in relation to other churches and the wider community - in these islands, across Europe, and throughout the world.
The committee will seek to ensure that wherever the United Reformed Church meets in worship, council or committee, it is working in partnership with Christians in the locality, the World Church and the whole human family. Tasks Among the tasks of this committee is listening to those with experience of the World Church, including other Christian traditions in Britain and Ireland, and to those with experience of current affairs and of other faiths. The Committee will maintain official United Reformed Church links with overseas churches and world and regional ecumenical organisations, in particular the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Conference of European Churches. It will guide the United Reformed Church's participation in the Council for World Mission. Through it official contact will be made with British and Irish ecumenical bodies. It is responsible for the United Reformed Church's involvement in St Andrew's Hall. The work of selecting, training and caring for missionaries and overseeing exchange of personnel will be undertaken by the International Exchange Sub-Committee. Equal Opportunities
The role of the Committee is to: a) develop detailed equal opportunities policies
b) have oversight of training programmes in equal opportunities
c) monitor the implementation of the equal opportunities policy
d) report annually to the General Assembly on the implementation of the policy. Finance The Committee is responsible for the general financial oversight of funds administered for the benefit of the United Reformed Church nationally under the overall authority of the General Assembly, for ensuring that proper procedures are in place for the maintenance of accounting records, the safe custody of assets and the preparation of financial statements, for giving financial advice to other councils of the church as appropriate, and for taking such decisions with regard to the finances of the Church as are necessary within the policies set by General Assembly. Inter-faith relations The task of the Committee is:
Life & Witness The Committee's task is:
Ministries The Committee is responsible for the ministry of word and sacraments, church-related community workers and lay preachers. It is concerned with central care and conditions of service, chaplaincies in industry, higher and further education and in the armed forces and 'special category' ministry. It has concern for the pastoral support of ministers, church-related community workers and lay preachers, including supervision, appraisal, self-evaluation and counselling. It is assisted by four sub-committees. (i) ACCREDITATION SUB-COMMITTEE
Maintaining the Roll of Ministers, this sub-committee accredits those applying for inclusion after training or coming from other denominations. It is concerned with numbers and recruitment and it oversees the work of the national Assessment Board, whose convener is an ex-officio member of the committee. (ii) CHURCH-RELATED COMMUNITY WORK MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE
It is responsible for managing the Church-related Community Work programme under the terms agreed in the Church-related Community Work Covenant. (iii) MAINTENANCE OF THE MINISTRY
Advises on the level of stipend and ministers' conditions of service through the Plan for Partnership. It is also concerned for pensions through its associated Pensions Sub-Committee. (iv) RETIRED MINISTERS HOUSING
Works in association with the URC Retired Ministers' Housing Society Ltd. Nominations This Committee nominates to Assembly the names of people to serve as conveners and secretaries of all Assembly committees, and as members of those committees. It also suggests names of URC representatives on other bodies. It recommends the people to make up appointment groups for moderators of synods and Assembly appointed staff. Pastoral Reference The purpose of the Pastoral Committee is to consider the cases of ministers which are referred to it by Mission Council, synods, district councils, or their committees or by moderators of synods. (See GA 1999 reports p.122). By a Welfare Sub-Committee, it also deals with all welfare and emergency matters including the use of welfare funds. Because of the nature of many of the cases, it is a confidential committee which reports in general terms only, directly to the General Assembly. Training The Committee will encourage and enable the integration of the training of the whole people of God and to this end will seek to influence the philosophy and methodology of learning; the core content of courses; and the deployment of resources. It gives direct support to, and acts in partnership with Doctrine, Prayer and Worship; Life and Witness; Church and Society, and Youth and Children's Work Committees and synods and districts, as they respond to the needs of local churches in training matters. It collaborates with Ministries Committee in the training of ministers of word and sacraments, CRCWs and Lay Preachers. It also gives oversight to the YLTO and YCWT programme. Youth and Childrens Work This Committee supports, encourages and promotes work among children and young people, including the policy for the YLTO and YCWT programme, giving oversight to Pilots, the National Youth Resource Centre at Yardley Hastings, and relates to Fury Council. It also ensures that its concerns are fully taken into account in Doctrine Prayer and Worship, Church & Society, and Life and Witness Committees, facilitating the involvement of young people in all the councils of the Church.
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