Minutes
Sunday
Second Session
6th July 2003
The Assembly Clerk presented the minutes of Saturday 5th July. The
Assembly approved the minutes subject to minor corrections.
Synod Presentation
Mersey Synod made its presentation.
Mission Council
The Mission Council report was presented by the Revd John Waller.
The Revd Adrian Bulley, on behalf of the Mission Council, moved adoption
of Resolution 10:
Resolution 10
Task Group on Authority in the United Reformed Church
General Assembly agrees to make the following changes to the Standing
Orders of the Assembly with effect from the close of the annual meeting of
the Assembly in 2003:
Alter the title of Standing Orders section 5 to read:
“Motions on Status or Closure of Debate’
and add a new paragraph 5a:
“A member of Assembly may deliver to the General Secretary not less than
21 days before the date of the meeting of the Assembly a notice in writing
of a motion that the General Assembly, for the better consideration of a
specified resolution and its related documents, goes into a committee of the
whole Assembly. Provided that the Moderator, Clerk and General Secretary
together decide that this rule may appropriately be applied in the case of
the said resolution, the motion shall be presented immediately following the
opening speeches in support of the primary motion. For such a motion to be
carried, two thirds of the votes cast must be given in its favour. Committee
procedure enables members to speak more than once and exploratory votes to
be taken on particular points or suggested changes. The number and length of
speeches shall be at the discretion of the Moderator. After discussion in
committee and decision on any proposed changes the Clerk shall draw the
attention of the Assembly to any changes to the original text which have
been agreed.
The Moderator shall then declare the committee stage to be ended, and the
Assembly shall proceed to hear a closing speech from the mover of the motion
under discussion and proceed to a vote on the motion, subject to any further
motion under Standing Order 5. The decision of the Moderator with the Clerk
and the General Secretary on the application of this Standing Order shall be
final.
Re-number the existing paragraphs 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d as 5b, 5c, 5d and 5e
respectively, and in the new 5e, amend the first reference to ‘5a, 5b and
5c’ to read: ‘5b, 5c and 5d’ and the second reference to ‘5a, 5b and 5c’ to
read: ‘5a, 5b, 5c and 5d’.
Resolution 10 was carried.
Yardley Hastings Task Group
(continued)
Discussion resumed with clarification of the wording of the amendment to
Resolution 12A:
Clause e): add, ‘if by January 2005 the utilisation and budgets have not
made very significant development towards their target levels then 12B will
apply.’
Following a point of order, the Moderator ruled the amendment out of
order.
The Revd Wilf Bahadur proposed that the resolution be now put, and
various members of the Assembly indicated their willingness to second.
After summing up by the proposers, the Moderator invited the Assembly to
cast its votes in favour of Resolutions 12A, 12B and 12C in turn.
Resolution 12B fell, and the Moderator invited the Assembly to cast its
votes in favour of Resolutions 12A and 12C.
Resolution 12A fell, and Resolution 12C became the substantive Resolution
12:
Resolution 12
Yardley Hastings
General Assembly reaffirms its declaration that ‘the prime venue for work
with children and young people is the local church in community, within the
context of a national strategy and the provision of supportive resources’
(resolution 2002:41a), and to this end:
a) calls upon the Youth and Children's Work Committee to use the model of
the Ginger Group teams and work with others in drawing up plans for the
development of a team to become a resource to local churches, District/Area
Councils and Synods in the stimulation and support of youth and children's
ministry, such a team to be appropriately managed and supported, and based
in a central location or locations
b) instructs the Youth and Children's Work Committee and General
Secretariat to work with the Centre Management Committee, the local church
and the Northamptonshire District Council to implement the closure of the
National Youth Resource Centre Yardley Hastings and cessation of use of the
Yardley Hastings United Reformed Church buildings by the General Assembly of
the United Reformed Church.
Resolution 12 was carried.
Following the vote, the Moderator led the Assembly in prayer.
Moderator 2004 – 2005
The Revd Rosalind Harrison, Convener of Tellers for the election of the
Moderator of the General Assembly, reported that 457 ballot papers had been
received, one of which had been spoilt. She announced that the Revd Sheila
Ruth Maxey had been duly elected as Moderator of the General Assembly for
2004 – 2005. The Moderator greeted Mrs Maxey on the Assembly’s behalf.
Nominations Committee
The Revd Principal Stephen Orchard presented the report of the
Nominations Committee.
Principal Orchard moved adoption of Resolution 26:
Resolution 26
Nominations
General Assembly appoints Committees and representatives of the Church as
set out on pages 83 to 90 of the Book of Reports subject to additions and
corrections contained in the Supplementary Report before Assembly.
Resolution 26 was carried.
The Moderator greeted Mr Andrew Micklefield, YCWT North Western Synod.
Principal Orchard moved adoption of Resolution 32:
Resolution 32
Nominations
General Assembly re-appoints Revd Elizabeth June Caswell to serve as
Moderator of the Eastern Synod for a further term of 5 years from 1st
February 2004 until 31st January 2009.
Resolution 32 was carried.
Dr Orchard moved adoption of Resolution 33:
Resolution 33
Nominations
General Assembly appoints Revd Howard Sharp to serve as Moderator of
Mersey Synod for seven years from 1st February 2004 until 31st January 2011.
Resolution 33 was carried.
The Moderator greeted the Revd Elizabeth Caswell.
Assembly Arrangements
The report of the Assembly Arrangements Committee was presented by the
Convener, Mr William McVey. Mr McVey thanked the Revd. George Thomas for his
long service as Convener of Tellers. The Moderator greeted Mr Thomas.
Mr McVey moved adoption of Resolution 15:
Resolution 15
General Assembly 2005
Assembly agrees that the General Assembly in 2005 will meet at the
University of Warwick from 2nd-5th July.
Resolution 15 was carried.
Assembly Worship including Holy Communion
The Moderator, assisted by the Chaplain, presided as the Assembly
celebrated the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The sermon was delivered by the
immediate past Moderator, the Revd John Waller.
Commemoration of Ministers and Missionaries
The act of worship included the commemoration of the following ministers
and missionaries of the United Reformed Church who had died since the
previous General Assembly:
Ministers who had served at home and as missionaries overseas and had
died since Assembly 2002
Ralph Leonard ACKROYD
Kenneth Mackenzie ANDERSON
Samuel Frederick ANSA-ADDO
Ernest George ASHDOWN
Derek John Davey BAKER
Raymond Oliver BALMER
Thomas BARRY
Gordon Paul BREEZE
Charles Richard BRUFORD
Karl Carlyle BURDETT
Frances E. CHAMBERS
James Albert CUMMING
Colin Ewart GUNTON
John Emrys DAVIES
Glyn EDWARDS-BEYNON
David Glyn, EVANS
Florence Emily FROST-MEE
Wilfred GEORGESON
Thomas John HOPKINS
Michael Fortescue HUBBARD
William HUGHES-EDWARDS
Anthony William Jestyn JEFFREYS
Robert Owen LATHAM
Aubrey David LEWIS
Thomas Caryl MICKLEM
Lorraine MYCROFT
Dudley Stuart NOEL
Mary OSBORN
Roy PARKINGTON
John Miles PARKINSON
John Anthony PUGH
Winston Stanley REED
Kenneth SMART
James R. SHANKS
Thomas Charles STIFF
Rachel STORR
Marjorie Gwendolene TARRY
Arnold John TODMAN
Winifred Phyllis WENYON
Walter Alexander WHITEHOUSE
Raymond Lawrence WHITTLE
Albert Elias WILLIAMS
Walter John WYATT
Missionaries
Mary Kate WILLIAMS (nee HALL)
Jennie BEIGHTON
Margaret Marchant SOMERVELL
Nancy PARTRIDGE (nee BROWN)
Irene Edith CURTIS (nee ELMY)
Florence Elizabeth HUNT (nee MOLE)
Wilfred GEORGESON
The Assembly adjourned. |
