Process for the removal from the roll following a disciplinary case
1. The Lord Jesus Christ continues his ministry in and through the Church, the whole people of God called and committed to his service and equipped by him for it. To equip his people for this total ministry the Lord Jesus Christ gives particular gifts for particular ministries and calls people to exercise them in offices duly recognised within his Church namely, Ministers of Word and Sacraments, Church Related Community Workers and Elders. Those who enter on such ministries commit themselves to them for so long as God wills (Basis of Union para 20).
2. The church places various expectations on Ministers of the Word and Sacraments (Ministers) and Church Related Community Workers (CRCWs). Recognising the trust the Church places in those who minister in its name it requires promises of both Ministers and CRCWs at ordination and commissioning which are renewed at all subsequent inductions. When these expectations are found to have been breached, the General Assembly has delegated authority to the Assembly Commission for Discipline and the Disciplinary Appeals Commission to delete the name of a Ministers and CRCWs from the Roll.
3. Ministers or CRCWs whose name has been deleted from the Roll do not have the privileges and responsibilities of Ministers or CRCWs and should refrain from all activity which may lead others to believe that they are acting as ministers of religion. (Basis of Union Schedule E para 5 and Schedule F para 5). Therefore, Ministers should not be afforded the honorific style of “The Reverend” and should refrain from using it.
4. A minister is a member of a local church by virtue of being minister of that church. Ministers or CRCWs whose name has been deleted from the Roll may remain as a member of the URC with the rights and responsibilities of that membership (Basis of Union Schedule E para 5 and Schedule F para 5) unless the Assembly Commission states otherwise as part of the sanctions placed on the minister as an outcome of the process. They should move their membership to a local church they have not served in a ministerial capacity.
5. A minister whose name is deleted from the Roll will receive a gratuitous end of ministry payment as a pastoral measure equivalent to 3 months net stipend by monthly instalments. This will be subject to the normal deductions of tax and National Insurance. This payment is non pensionable. From the moment of deletion, no contributions to their pension will be made or accepted by the AON Master Trust. However, their rights to the pension already earned are safeguarded by law.
6. All allowances (eg car, housing, telecoms, children’s) cease at the same time as the stipend at point of deletion.
7. Time given to allow vacation of the manse is a decision of the trustees of the property, normally the Synod Trust or, in the case of Assembly Appointed ministers, the URC Trust.
8. Retirement Housing is only made available for qualifying Ministers and CRCWs on the Roll. Those whose names are deleted from the Roll are no longer eligible for housing in retirement. The Retired Ministers’ Housing Society (RMHS) will be informed immediately of the decision to remove a retired Minister or CRCW from the Roll by the Deputy General Secretary (Ministries).
9. If the minister or CRCW is already a tenant in RMHS housing when the decision to delete from the Roll is taken, it shall be a matter for the RMHS to determine whether the minister or CRCW remains in the property.
10. In the case of Ministers and CRCWs whose entry into the URC was through a Certificate of Eligibility, and where they have remained on the Roll of their parent denomination for cultural, historical or financial reasons (H2 Ministers of the Word and Sacraments on more than one Roll MC 2019), their parent denomination will be informed by the Deputy General Secretary (Ministries) of the decision to delete the Minister’s/CRCW’s name from the Roll outlining the reasons in full.
Last revised: November 2025