General Assembly adopts the criteria for representation at
General Assembly with effect from the Assembly in 2010 as set out below:
Representation at General Assembly shall consist of:
Those who are members of the United Reformed Church, with the
exception of those appointed from categories specified in paragraphs
seven and eight below who need not be members of the United Reformed
Church.
Subject to clarification of trustee law, all those appointed by a
Synod or other body, shall have full voting rights regardless of age.
1. Representation of Local Churches at each Assembly: this shall be
based on the latest regional membership (Synods1) of the United Reformed
Church. A total number of such places as determined by Assembly on the
advice of Mission Council shall be available; these will be allocated on
the basis of the proportion of members of the United Reformed Church in
each region to the total membership of the United Reformed Church.
1.1 Within the places for each region, two places shall be reserved
for young people (those 26 years of age and under). If these places are
not filled from within the region they may be offered to young people
from another region. Remaining young people’s spare places may not be
utilised by anyone over 26 years of age.
1.2 After the deduction of the two places for young people, any odd
number of places shall be increased to the next even number.
1.3 In addition to the number of places calculated under the formula,
including the young people’s places, the Synod of Scotland shall retain
their six additional places in accordance with the agreement. When
necessary, the number of places for the Synod of Scotland under the
formula shall be increased to the next even number before the addition
of the six extra places.
2. The representation from each region shall be balanced equally
between Ministers and lay. Any shortfall in one category of
representation must be balanced by a reduction in the other category of
representation. No substitute is allowable from the other category.
3. In conjunction with maintaining the balance between lay and
ordained people, each region must decide for itself who can best reflect
the needs and life of the church at that time in their region. However,
regions are reminded of the equal opportunities policy of the church.
4. Representation shall normally be for a complete cycle of four
years – this will enable representatives to attend two consecutive
meetings of the biennial General Assembly.
5. Each region shall be also entitled to the attendance of their
Moderator; this is in addition to the places under the formula, the
even-number additions, and the Synod of Scotland additional places.
5.1 If a region’s Moderator is, for the time being, an Officer of
Assembly2, the Moderator-Elect, or a past Moderator entitled to attend
Assembly, then an alternate may be appointed by the region.
6. Other members of General Assembly shall include:
The Officers of Assembly
The Moderator-Elect
The immediate past Moderator of the General Assembly, the previous past
Moderator of
General Assembly and two additional past Moderator
The Convener of each of the standing committees of General Assembly
A staff representative and a student representative from each of such
recognised theological colleges as the General Assembly shall from time
to time determine
A serving URC Chaplain to the forces of the Crown
7. Other members of General Assembly shall include:
Assembly-appointed staff in such number as the General Assembly shall
from time to time determine
Representatives of FURY in such numbers as the General Assembly shall
from time to time determine
A representative of the Council for World Mission
8. Further, as members of General Assembly, there may be invited:
Representatives of ecumenical partners in the United Kingdom in such
number as the Assembly on the advice of Mission Council may from time to
time determine Representatives of our worldwide partners in such number
as the Assembly on the advice of Mission Council may from time to time
determine
9. There shall also be invited to attend as guests of the General
Assembly, representatives of:
Such local ecumenical partners in the region in which the Assembly is
being held as the Assembly on the advice of Mission Council may from
time to time determine
Such ecumenical partners in the United Kingdom as the Assembly on the
advice of Mission Council may from time to time determine.
Such of our worldwide partners as the Assembly on the advice of
Mission Council may from time to time determine
Others agreed by Mission Council on an occasional basis
