Response to proposed Assembly of Confessing Congregations

The President of the Uniting Church, Rev. Gregor Henderson, today issued an invitation to the leadership of EMU and the Reforming Alliance, to meet with him and other church leaders next week to clarify the proposed Assembly of Confessing Congregations.

“On face value this proposal seems to suggest establishing a series of parallel structures within the Uniting Church. The Church’s Basis of Union provides for members of the church to work within the established councils of our Presbyteries, Synods and the Assembly and the proposed Charter appears to be in breach of this.

“The Uniting Church has received no formal communication on this issue. I am concerned the proposed charter lacks clarity and raises many more questions than it answers. With this in mind, I have invited the National Spokesperson of EMU and the Chair of the Reforming Alliance to meet with me next week to seek clarification of what is intended in the proposed charter.

“In the meantime, I encourage congregations to take their time before making any decisions and to wait until further information about the exact nature of this proposal is available.

“I also want to assure members that the Uniting Church works firmly within the traditions of the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and am distressed to think that any members of our church would believe otherwise.”

ENDS