Hotline
Welcome to the 2003 edition of
Assembly Hotline. Keep up to date with the events and background to the
General Assembly as it meets in Portsmouth from July 5th - 8th.
[ Saturday News ] [ Sunday News ] [ Monday News ]
Monday 7th July
Now is the time for people who say they believe in Jesus Christ to
really mean it. That was the challenge placed before Assembly by former
overseas development minister Clare Short in her keynote speech on Monday
evening.
Read more here.
Bishop of Reading
Monday 7th July
Assembly endorsed an emergency resolution on the controversy surrounding
the appointment of a new Bishop of Reading:
This Assembly has heard today of the withdrawal of Canon Jeffrey
John from his appointment as Bishop of Reading. We realise that this is a
time of great anguish for our friends in the Church of England and her
ecumenical partners. Our prayers are with all those who have been hurt,
and our hope is that by God’s grace this conflict may lead to a wider
understanding of God’s love for all people.
It was not, stressed the General Secretary, an attempt to interfere in
the life of the Church of England but rather to be with them, feel with them
and pray with them.
 Joel
Edwards
Monday 7th July
'Cheer up - a little' was the
message from Joel Edwards, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, to
Assembly. For all the difficulties facing the Church today, we have a faith
that works and have opportunity to make a tangible difference to people
through the power of God. People have high expectations of the church
- we are the people who are expected to carry out
acts of kindness which reveal the love of God but we also have a
responsibility to proclaim the uniqueness of Jesus -
to say without triumphalism, with humility and clarity, with grace and
servanthood, that salvation is to be found in no other name but that of
Jesus. ‘There has not been speech like that in the last three days’ the
Moderator confessed at the end of a speech which was as much a sermon and
which inspired Assembly to an enthusiastic ovation.
Read more here
Scottish Initiative for Unity
(Resolutions 2 & 3)
Monday 7th July
Assembly backed the decision of the Synod of Scotland to accept the
recommendations of the Scottish Initiative for Church Unity and, despite the
rejection of the scheme by the Church of Scotland, agreed that the Church
would continue to pursue the goal of unity in Scotland with any partners who
were similarly willing.
Read Resolutions 2 and 3
here and
here.
Number of Ministers
(Resolution 7)
Monday 7th July
Assembly accepted a motion from the ministries committee which responds
to the Church’s financial difficulties in three ways. First by reiterating
the call, first made in 1992, for all members to give 5% of their take home
pay to the church. Secondly, in future, the total number of ministers paid
will vary in direct proportion to the total number of members - rising or
falling by the same percentage as any change in membership. Finally, synods
and districts/area councils are encouraged to develop new and flexible forms
of ministry adapted to the present needs of the church at the local level.
Read the text of Resolution 7
here.
Millennium Development Goals
(Resolution 17)
Monday 7th July
Assembly committed the Church to support an initiative by the United
Nations to eliminate the worst excesses of poverty and hunger throughout the
world by the years 2015. In addition, the Millennium Development Goals, seek
to achieve a variety of aims which would improve children’s access to
education, reduce infant and maternal mortality and improve the conditions
of those without access to safe drinking water and of slum-dwellers. To the
original motion from Church and Society, Assembly added an amendment
reaffirming support the cancellation of the unpayable debts of the poorest
countries.
Read the the original un-amended text of Resolution 17
here.
 Faith Schools Resolution
(Resolution 16)
Monday 7th July
Assembly had two versions before it of a motion on the subject of faith
schools. The original motion, tabled by the Church and Society Committee,
expressed reservations about the potential role of faith schools in
undermining mutual understanding and dialogue in a multi-cultural society.
However a private members’ resolution sought to replace it with one which
affirmed the role of faith schools, though recognizing the danger that it
was possible that a minority might contribute to religious or racial
intolerance. The motion also called upon churches to seek links with local
schools, to support Christian teachers and to encourage others to consider
teaching as a vocation. After a vigorous debate, Assembly opted by a
substantial majority for the second form of the motion.
Read the text of Resolution 16 here.
 Council for World Mission
Monday 7th July
The Revd Dr Des van der Water, brought Assembly the greetings of the
Council for World Mission. As the Council’s general secretary he described
the changes in the life of CWM which had seen it change from a channel for
mission from Europe to the rest of the world to a new situation where
‘mission is from everywhere, to everywhere’. A rapidly changing world
required new modes of mission and these CWM was actively seeking to promote.
The task of mission must be approached in Christian humility rather than
triumphalism and in solidarity with those who suffer, open to be changed. We
needed to speak the language of God’s love to those who were desperate to
hear it today.
Dr van der Water congratulated the URC on the boldness of its decision to
re-examine its life and witness and urged it to continue.
Anglican Methodist Covenant
(Resolution 18)
Monday 7th July
The Assembly had an early chance to appreciate the quality of next year’s
Moderator when the Revd Sheila Maxey, soon to retire as Secretary for
Ecumenical Relations, was invited to bring her broad knowledge of ecumenical
affairs to bear on the question of the Church’s response to the current
moves towards a covenant between the Anglican and Methodist Churches. She
outlined for Assembly the broad programme of consultation which had taken
place at all levels of the Church and which had resulted in the present
resolution. The resolution welcomes the moves towards a covenant between
Anglicans and Methodists and commits the church to explore the possibility
of the United Reformed Church entering into a similar covenant with them.
The resolution goes on to affirm the agenda for further work and study set
out in the document
Conversations on the Way to Unity (para 73). It also notes our concerns
over the issues of the openness of all ministries to both men and women in
the Church of England and our difficulties with its relationship to the
state as the established church. The motion drew wide support, including
that of the representatives of the Methodist Church and the Church of
England at Assembly. The resolution was carried unanimously.
Read the text of Resolution 18
here.
 Refugees & Asylum Seekers
Monday 7th July
Introducing Resolution 27, on refugees and asylum seekers, the Revd
Andrew Prasad reminded Assembly of the long tradition of the British Isles
as a haven for those seeking refuge from oppression and persecution.
Countless ethnic groups had found a safe home here and had contributed
immeasurably to the richness of British society. He called on the church to
stand out against the selfishness and racism which too often surfaced with
each new group arriving on these shores. A number of speakers pointed out
that support for refugees and asylum seekers must go beyond grand statements
if it was have any reality. The benefit system imposed insecurity and
poverty on vulnerable new arrivals; many needed practical support in
adapting to their new environment and in dealing with bureaucracy. Assembly
heard the message and adopted an amendment to the original motion calling
for the members and churches to join with others in active local and
national campaigning on the issues. Resolution 27 was carried unanimously.
Read the original text of Resolution 27
here.
|
Clare Short