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About Us
the urc's
belief
The URC stands in the Reformed tradition of Christian faith,
believes in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
finds the supreme authority for
faith and conduct by the guidance of the Spirit in the Word of
God in the Bible;
looks to be continually renewed
and reformed so as to fulfil its mission of witness and service
in the name of Jesus Christ;
practises both infant and
believer's baptism and celebrates the Lord's Supper;
recognises the ministry of God's
people: all the members serving in the world and through the
church, in particular: ministers of Word and Sacrament, elders,
lay preachers, church related community workers (CRCWs), and
workers from partner churches.
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central work of the URC is carried out through
an annual council called the General
Assembly |
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There are about 700
representatives, mainly appointed by District Councils.
Half the members are lay persons, mostly elders, and
half are ministers. Decisions are taken about the
general policy of the church, and committees appointed
to carry it out. Each year a Moderator of Assembly is
elected, either lay or ordained, who then becomes the
national representative of the URC. |
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General Assembly of the URC is advised by a
Mission Council which aims to
enable the URC... |
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to grow in
unity and fellowship with all Christians;
to act by faith to promote the growth of justice and
peace for the whole of God's creation.
to be growing communities of faith, worship and mission;
to participate in the world Church for growing witness
to Christ; |
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Assembly fulfils these aims
through committees: Doctrine, Prayer and Worship;
Discipleship and Witness; Church and Society; Youth and
Children’s Work, (and FURY Council); Ecumenical;
Ministries; Training; Pastoral; Assembly Arrangements
and Equal Opportunities. |
the
Congregational Church
in England and Wales; (united in 1972)
the Presbyterian Church of England; (united in 1972)
the Re-formed Association of Churches of Christ. (joined
in 1981)
the Congregational Union of Scotland (joined in April
2000) |
| The URC is
composed of... |
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about
1800 local congregations;
150,000 adults and 100,000 children and young people;
with 1,000 serving ministers, women and men. |
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Over 400 local
churches are united with other denominations, e.g.
Methodist, Baptist, Anglican and Moravian. There are
centres for training in Cambridge, Windermere and
Yardley Hastings. Local URCs share together in
81 District Councils,
which are gathered into 13
Synods. |
welcomes those who come from any church background or
none;
arranges its own worship, witness and service;
celebrates the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's
Supper;
has
regular church meetings of members and an elected body
of ordained elders who, with the minister, share
pastoral and leadership responsibilities;
seeks
to develop ecumenical relationships. |
arranges pastoral care, oversight and support for its
churches;
conducts ordinations and inductions of ministers and
workers from partner churches overseas;
consults with every local church regularly about its
mission;
provides a link between local church, Synods and
Assembly. |
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