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Spring2001

Three ecumenical resolutions for a missionary church in today's world

A.    To expand the range and deepen the nature of the Christian common life and witness in each local community
B.   To proclaim more clearly, in word and deed, that in Christ we are one World Church family living in a world which God loves, and to celebrate the rich diversity of cultures, languages, church traditions and religious faiths within each local community and world-wide.
C.   To persevere in the search for the visible and organic unity of the Church through church-to-church conversations on matters of faith and church order so that sinful, and sometimes death-dealing, divisions may be healed and the Christian message of reconciliation be proclaimed with integrity.

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The report of the informal conversations between the Church of England, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church.

The report will probably recommend:

building in practical ways on the two main areas of convergence - government by councils/synods and the pastoral principles of good lay leadership, including eldership.

further work together and with other partners on the continuing divisive issues - all of which stem from differing understandings of the nature of the Church and therefore of baptism, membership, ordination, and being in faithful continuity with the first apostles.

that, given the extent of shared ecumenical life between the three churches, the United Reformed Church should, wherever possible, be included in the Methodist/Church of England initiatives described in their publication Releasing Energy. 

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It was recognised that enthusiasm for the spirit of the programme had led to more being attempted than the available human resources could deliver.  This ambitious and exciting programme will focus for the present on:

• The Overseas Training Opportunities for Ordinands and CRCWs.  September 2002 is the realistic start date.

• In-service Training Opportunities
  The BWC/CME grants system to be established forthwith.

• Global Partners' two-way visits
  To be managed by the synods, but with financial support and advice

Stop press:  Revd Dale Rominger is the new administrator of the programme.

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The committee is planning two, very different, consultations.
Mission consultation
29 October - 1 November 2001

• Building on Growing Up,  and asking the question What is the mission of the United Reformed Church in todayÕs world?

• Main speaker: Dr Preman Niles, General Secretary of CWM.

• Representatives from synods, theological colleges with the conveners or secretaries of the Assembly programme committees.

Younger ecumenists' consultation
Friday 12 - Sunday 14 April 2002

• To hand on the ecumenical torch to another generation.

• To discover what that means to them.

• Two under 40s from every synod,

• if possible one lay, one ordained.

News of people

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News of people

Revd John Rees will represent the United Reformed Church at the Methodist Conference.
Revd Eric Allen will continue to represent us on the Church of England/Moravian Contact Group.
Revd John Danso will continue to represent us on the International Ministerial Council of Great Britain.
The representatives on CWM Council, meeting in Taiwan in June 2001 will be:  Mrs Olive Bell, Mr Neil Platt, Revd Ken Forbes, Revd Philip Woods. Avis Reaney is a member of the finance sub-committee of the Churches Commission on Mission.

Mrs Hillian Durell and Revd Derek Wales will represent the United Reformed Church at the Assembly of the Leuenberg Fellowship in Belfast in June.  Revd Fleur Houston will attend as an observer.

Revd John Rees represented the United Reformed Church at an international consultation hosted by the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan in January.

Revd John Smith will represent the Ecumenical Committee on the United Reformed Church Advisory Group on Faith and Order.

Revd Elspeth and Dr Ewan Harley have offered one year of service to the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa.

Mrs Helene McLeod is serving the Protestant churches in Central America for one year through World Exchange.

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Sharing our resources

The Ecumenical Institute, Bossey: a full scholarship for the Bossey Graduate School for one student, for the next five years, will be offered to a partner church with fewer material resources.

The Norman Goodall fund will be used (until exhausted) to enable a younger URC minister to attend the Bossey Graduate School.

WCC Women's Ecumenical Leadership Training Programme: a United Reformed Church woman with significant ecumenical responsibilities will be sponsored to the leadership training programme in November 2001, and £1000 will be offered to assist a woman from a poorer church.

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland: in future, the United Reformed Church will make one undesignated block grant, covering the former CTBI asking, plus our grants to the commissions for Mission, Racial Justice and Inter-faith Relations, as well as the Living Spirituality Network and the Black Christian Concerns Officer.  This change is to demonstrate that we believe it is for the ecumenical body (on which we are represented) to decide how the money is spent.

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The committee membership

Bob Andrews (Convener), Mary Buchanan, Darnett Whitby-Reid, Phillip Jones, Jackie Marsh, Richard Mortimer, Elizabeth Nash, John Rees, John Smith (Scotland), Stuart Jackson (Wales).

Representing other committees:

Carole Ellefsen-Jones, Alistair Ellefsen-Jones, Hugh Graham, Suzanne Hamnett, Rosemary Johnston, Raymond Singh, John Crocker (Convener of the International Exchange Sub-Committee).

Representing other churches:

David Campbell (Presbyterian Church in Ireland), Colin Buchanan - alternate, Elizabeth Fisher (Church of England), Peter Sulston (Methodist Church)

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Sheila Maxey, Secretary for Ecumenical Relations [ecumenical@urc.org.uk]

Philip Woods, Secretary for International Relations [international@urc.org.uk]

Veronica Singh, Personal Assistant to Secretary for Ecumenical Relations
[veronica.singh@urc.org.uk]

Doris David, Personal Assistant to Secretary for International Relations.

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