The Business Committee has strategic and operational oversight of the work of General Assembly and Assembly Executive, including at times working under its delegated authority.

• Convenor: Mrs Irish Sirmons (2029)
• Secretary: The Revd Dr John Bradbury (The General Secretary)

This committee addresses issues of faith and order on behalf of the URC, advising the Church’s officers and committees and responding to concerns raised throughout the Church. It participates in ecumenical discussions, and publishes occasional materials related to faith and order questions.

• Convenor: The Revd Dr Robert Pope (until 2026)
• Secretary: The Revd Andy Braunston (The Minister for Digital Worship)
• Email: [email protected]

This committee nominates to Assembly people to convene and to serve on all Assembly committees, suggests names of URC representatives on external and ecumenical bodies and proposes names for appointment groups for synod moderators and certain central staff.

• Convenor: Mrs Victoria Blunt (until 2028)

To find out more, visit the Nominations Committee page

Documents

• Download the latest Nominations List 2025 (PDF | 600kb)

This committee considers the cases of ministers who are referred to it, usually by synods, often at times of difficulty. It also deals with welfare and emergency matters including the use of welfare funds. Its work is necessarily confidential and is reported in general terms only, directly to the General Assembly.

• Convenor: The Revd Dr Elizabeth Welch (2027)
• Secretary: The Revd Jenny Mills (Deputy General Secretary - Faith in Action)

Paper A1 of the 2025 Book of Reports explains that new members are to be appointed to this committee with the expectation that the recruitment will be completed by late autumn 2025. Until that point, General Assembly has delegated authority to take any necessary urgent decisions to:

Mrs Sarah Lane Cawte (previous Convenor to Mission Committee)
The Revd Samantha Sheehan (previous Convenor to Children’s and Youth Work Committee)
Mrs Pippa Hodgson (previous Convenor to Education and Learning Committee)
The Deputy General Secretary (Faith in Action)
Supported by the Faith in Action Staff Team

The role and remit of this committee is to remind the denomination that equalities, inclusion, diversity and belonging are enshrined in its theology, life and work – and to challenge the practice of the URC Church where appropriate. The committee does this by developing detailed policies and monitoring their implementation and effectiveness, reporting regularly to General Assembly.

• Convenor: Vacant
• Secretary: The Revd David Salsbury (2027)

The committee is responsible for the ministry of word and sacraments, church related community work, eldership and lay preaching. It oversees admissions, numbers and accreditation of new personnel, central care and conditions of service, chaplaincies in industry, colleges and universities and the armed forces, and the Special Category Ministry scheme. It has concern for the pastoral support of people who serve in all these spheres, and for their supervision, appraisal and accountability.

• Convenor: The Revd Mary Thomas (2026)
• Secretary: The Revd Nicola Furley-Smith (Deputy General Secretary - Ministries)

This committee works with the whole Church to encourage growth in discipleship, evangelism and witness, and to focus our task of ‘being Christ’s people, transformed by the Gospel, making a difference to the world’ (General Assembly 2007). The committee therefore seeks to support local churches in their mission and evangelism, and to sustain and develop the Church’s external relationships. It brings together the work of ecumenical, international and interfaith relations, racial justice and intercultural ministries, and public affairs (church and society). It oversees Commitment for Life, through which the URC contributes to international development, attends to the sending and receiving of mission personnel, particularly through the Council for World Mission, and seeks to support our people in their interfaith contact and conversation.

• Convenor: Sarah Lane Cawte (until 2028)
• Secretary: The Revd Philip Brooks

The safeguarding committee monitors the implementation of the URC Safeguarding Policy Statement as agreed by the General Assembly, and makes recommendations to Assembly Executive and General Assembly as appropriate. It does this by monitoring compliance against the safeguarding policy across churches and synods and devising strategies to address identified weaknesses. The committee additionally advises on training and good practice guidance, ensuring that the denomination is aware of current safeguarding legislation and reporting responsibilities, and forging strong relationships with ecumenical partners to foster a robust safeguarding framework.

• Convenor: The Revd Roger Jones (2026)
• Secretary: Sharon Barr (Designated Safeguarding Lead)

The resources committee has key responsibilities across a number of interlinked and interdependent operational areas of the denomination - including Finance, Communications, Central properties, and Church House operations and Human Resources.

It has replaced a number of other committees that now fall under the resources committee remit – including the Finance, Communications, Church House Management Group, and the Human Resources Advisory Group.

• Convenor: The Revd Michael Hopkins (2028)
• Secretary: Victoria James (The Chief Operating Officer)

• Convenor: The Revd Dr Janet Tollington (2026)
• Secretary: Pensions Manager

• Convenor: Mr William McVey
• Secretary: Victoria James (The Chief Operating Officer)

• Convenor: Mr Richard Nunn (2026)
• Secretary: Ms Sandi Hallam-Jones