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Roll of Ministers

Paper H1 Assembly Executive 2022

1.  Introduction

1.1 The Basis of Union states that: 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 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.

1.2 The scope of this policy refers to Ministers of Word and Sacraments and Church Related Community Workers of the United Reformed Church (hereafter known as ministers).

1.3 The Roll of Ministers lists all individuals who hold status as Ministers of Word and Sacraments and Church Related Community Workers of the United Reformed Church.

2. The Policy

2.1 For each individual, the Roll shall specify in accordance with the URC Data Privacy Policy for Ministers:

  • The name, address and contact details of the individual;
  • The Synod having oversight over the individual;
  • The ministry to which that individual has been ordained/commissioned;
  • The category of active minister for that individual;
  • The date from which that category of ministry applies, normally at movement of one ministry to another.

2.2 A minister is considered active if they are on the URC Roll of Ministers and at least one of the 8 categories of the Active Minister Policy They are:

i) in a pastorate or post for which they are receiving a stipend (either full or part) from the United Reformed Church (e.g. deployed post, SCM post, Assembly appointment) under the Plan for Partnership;

ii) in non-stipendiary service in a recognised ministry post (e.g. model 1, 2, 3 or 4 or Local NS CRCW);

iii) exercising a ministry with another organisation within the gift of the church to the wider church to which they have been inducted by the URC where possible (e.g. chaplaincy, educational establishment, ecumenical body) and for which they receive a stipend, salary or serve in a voluntary capacity;

iv) in a lay post for which they are receiving a salary not under the Plan for Partnership but where the Synod has requested the status of active;

v) providing recognised voluntary service on behalf of the Church (e.g. Interim Moderator, serving on a synod or area committee, representing the URC on an external body);

vi) not in a formal position but whose expertise and experience means that, enjoying the confidence of synod officers, they are asked to undertake pieces of work from time to time;

vii) frequently leading worship in a church other than where they are a member (this criterion does not apply in the case of Church Related Community Workers);

viii) categories 1-7 but authorised to perform the functions of ministry on a limited basis as specified in an agreement between the General Assembly and the minister and with the approval of the Accreditations Sub-Committee on behalf of Ministries

Applications that do not fit the criteria 1-7 which are approved by Accreditations Sub- Committee Committee;

2.3 Upon ordination/commissioning a minister shall normally be entered into category 1 or 2 of the Active Ministers Policy as

2.4 The initial decision as to the category in which each individual minister should be entered shall lie with the relevant Any individual dissatisfied with that initial decision shall be entitled to query the Synod decision with a view to having his or her categorisation amended to his or her satisfaction through discussion. In the event of any such individual remaining dissatisfied with a category in which they have been entered, they shall have the right to appeal to the Accreditations Sub-Committee.

2.5 Once the roll has been compiled, the Ministries Office shall maintain the roll with the assistance of the Synods.

3. Moving within categories of Active Ministers

The category of Active Minister can change within the course of a ministry with the agreement of the Accreditations Sub-Committee at the request of a Synod. In most cases this will be because a minister moves from one kind of ministry to another.

4. Active Ministers on more than one roll

4.1 The 2019 Mission Council Ministers of Word and Sacraments on More than One Roll policy states that a minister cannot be on more than one roll.

4.2 The exception to this is when a minister of another denomination who is received onto the roll of ministers of the United Reformed Church but who remains on the roll of another church may only do so if there are proven cultural, historical or financial reasons for maintaining their status as a minister of an overseas denomination.

4.3 A second exception arises for ministers who had been ordained into the United Reformed Church and the Union of Welsh Independents and are counted on both rolls.

5. Active Ministers on a Limited Basis

5.1 Ministers who are authorised to perform the functions of ministry on a limited basis as specified in an agreement with the approval of the Accreditations Sub-Committee shall be those ministers who are unable to perform the whole scope of ministerial duties. For example, a minister who

  • is unable to serve as a Trustee of a local church. In this case the minister is required to refer the matter to the Synod Moderator who will inform the Secretary for Ministries;
  • has a DBS with This will be dealt with by the Secretary for Ministries in consultation with the URC Designated Safeguarding Lead using the normal process;
  • exhibits exceptional signs of ill-health outside the scope of the URC’s Sickness Policy for Ministers, In such cases, a minister may not be able to perform the full functions of ministerial duties but can nevertheless have a fruitful ministry. An independent occupational health assessment will be required and will normally be managed by the Synod Moderator in consultation with the MOM Office and the Secretary for Ministries;
  • is going through a Capability, Incapacity or Disciplinary process where the Synod Moderator, in consultation with the Synod Safeguarding Officer where appropriate, determines ministry can continue on a limited basis whilst the process is being carried out;
  • as an outcome of the Disciplinary Process has limitations put on their ministry by the Assembly Commission in consultation with the Synod Moderator and the Synod Safeguarding Officer where appropriate.

The above list is not exhaustive.

5.2 A Minister who is an Active Minister category 8 may undertake only those functions of ministry which are defined in his or her Agreement between the General Assembly/Synod and the minister

5.3 The Minister shall be entitled to a review (or reviews) of the terms and conditions of the Agreement after expiry of a period (or periods) specified within the Such a review (or reviews) shall be conducted by the Accreditations Sub-Committee at the point(s) indicated in the Agreement.

5.4 The Accreditations Sub-Committee shall inform the minister concerned and the Synod Moderator and, where appropriate the Synod Safeguarding Officer, of the outcome of all such Subject to satisfactory fulfilment of all of the terms and conditions specified in the agreement, the Accreditations Sub-Committee may resolve that the Minister shall be removed from Active Minister category 8 into another category.

5.5 Any individual dissatisfied with that decision shall be entitled to appeal to the Accreditations Sub-Committee with a view to having his or her categorisation amended to his or her satisfaction through In the event of any such individual remaining dissatisfied with a category in which they have been entered shall have the right to appeal to General Assembly using the Appeals process.

6. Moving from Active to Non-Active

The status of Active Minister can change within the course of a ministry to Non-Active Minister with the agreement of the Accreditations Sub-Committee at the request of a Synod. In most cases this will be because the minister will declare to the Synod that they no longer intend to perform the functions of ministry. This may or may not include retired ministers.

7. Non-Active Ministers residing overseas

Ministers residing overseas who wish to stay on the Roll of Ministers will have the designation of non-active and remain under the pastoral care of the last Synod in which they served which is in line with current practice.

8. The Roll and moving away from ministerial service in the URC

8.1 General Assembly 2006 Resolution 25 sets out the process for those ministers who move away from ministerial service in the United Reformed Church without resignation from the Their move should be with the concurrence of the appropriate council of the church. For those in Assembly appointments, the Accreditations Sub-Committee shall act on behalf of General Assembly as the appropriate body to grant or not grant concurrence.

8.2 If concurrence is granted, the minister would remain on the They would remain under the oversight and care of the Synod in which they reside. The minister would be eligible to seek a future pastorate/post within the United Reformed Church upon request to the Synod Moderators.

8.3 If concurrence is not granted and the Minister/CRCW proceeds with the move, the Synod should send a report of the Synod Pastoral Committee (or equivalent) decision to the Accreditations Sub-Committee setting out details of the post the minister has accepted and the reasons why the Synod did not consider it appropriate to give If the Accreditations Sub-committee gives approval for the move, the Minister’s/CRCW’s status would remain as in 8.2 above.

8.4 If the Accreditations Sub-Committee upholds the decision of the Synod, the minister would be deemed to have resigned from the If a minister does not receive concurrence and is removed from the Roll, they would have the right to appeal to General Assembly through the Appeals process.

8.5 If the Accreditations Sub-Committee withholds concurrence, the minister would be deemed to have resigned from the They would have the right to appeal to General Assembly through the Appeals process.

9.     Review of Non-Active Ministers

For ministers who move away from ministerial service in the United Reformed Church without resignation from the Roll of Ministers, the Synod should ask the minister at 3 yearly intervals whether this is still the position or whether they should resign.

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