United Reformed Church Act 2000

2000 CHAPTER ii

An Act to make provision as to property held on behalf of the Congregational Union of Scotland, its member churches and the Scottish Congregational College, and for other purposes incidental to or consequential upon the unification of the Congregational Union of Scotland with the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom; to amend the United Reformed Church Act 1972 and the United Reformed Church Act 1981; and for connected purposes.

[10th February 2000]

WHEREAS—

(1)

The Congregational Union of Scotland comprising the Evangelical Union and the Congregational Union as existing in 1896 (hereinafter called “the Union”) is a voluntary association of—

(a)

bodies of Christian people organised as local churches joined together by mutual agreement whose membership consists of those who confess their faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, agreeing to promote its objects and contribute to its funds;

(b)

ministers and pastors received and still recognised by the Annual Assembly of the Union; and

(c)

professors of the Scottish Congregational College ex officio:

(2)

The Congregational Union of Scotland Nominees Limited is a company limited by guarantee having for its main object the holding of property in trust for the Union and local member churches of the Union:

(3)

The United Reformed Church in England and Wales (hereinafter called “the United Reformed Church”) was formed by a Uniting Declaration passed on 5th October 1972 in pursuance of the Scheme of Union approved by the Assembly of the then Congregational Church in England and Wales on 11th May 1971 and by the General Assembly of the then Presbyterian Church of England on the same day:

(4)

By a declaration made on 26th September 1981 by the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church and the Annual Conference of the Re-formed Association of Churches of Christ in Great Britain and Ireland whereby the said Re-formed Association of Churches of Christ in Great Britain and Ireland became unified with the United Reformed Church, the United Reformed Church was re-named and has thenceforth been known as the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom:

(5)

Since 1997 representatives of the United Reformed Church and of the Union have held discussions which have culminated in the Proposals for Unification (hereinafter called “the Proposals”) which were approved by the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church on 12th July 1998, and by the Annual Assembly of the Union on 4th September 1998:

(6)

The Proposals provide for the unification of the Union with the United Reformed Church if the procedures and conditions defined and declared in the Proposals are satisfied:

(7)

Such unification must involve the variation of trusts of property held for or for the purpose of the Union, local member churches of the Union and the Scottish Congregational College:

(8)

It is expedient that the variations of trusts for which provision is made in this Act should be made if such unification takes place:

(9)

It is expedient that certain provisions of the [1972 c. xviii.] United Reformed Church Act 1972 and the [1981 c. xxiv.] United Reformed Church Act 1981 should be amended as in this Act provided:

(10)

It is further expedient that the other provisions of this Act (being provisions incidental to and consequential upon such unification) should be enacted:

(11)

The Secretary of State for Scotland, the Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords and the Chairman of Ways and Means in the House of Commons have decided pursuant to the provisions of section 1(4) of the [1936 c. 52.] Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936 that it is expedient that the powers conferred by this Act should be conferred by one enactment and notice of their decision has been published in accordance with those provisions:

(12)

The purposes of this Act cannot be effected without the authority of Parliament:

May it therefore please Your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—