United Reformed Church Act 2000

2 Interpretation

In this Act, unless the subject or context otherwise requires—

• “Act of 1972” means the [1972 c. xviii.] United Reformed Church Act 1972;

• “Act of 1981” means the [1981 c. xxiv.] United Reformed Church Act 1981;

• “Assembly Moderator” means the Moderator of the General Assembly;

• “clerk” means the clerk of the General Assembly;

• “college” means the Scottish Congregational College, formerly known as the Theological Hall of the Scottish Congregational Churches in Scotland;

• “company” means The Congregational Union of Scotland Nominees Limited;

• “concurring church” means any one of the member churches of the Union which shall have passed a resolution to concur;

• “date of unification” means the date on which is passed the Unifying Declaration;

• “dissolved association” means an association dissolved by section 5 (Dissolution of unincorporated associations) of this Act;

• “General Assembly” means the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church;

• “judicial rate” means the rate of interest from time to time prescribed by the Court of Session as being payable under a decree;

• “local church” means a local church of the United Reformed Church;

• “non-concurring church” means any one of the member churches of the Union which shall not have passed a resolution to concur;

• “property” means property of every description wheresoever situate and includes property held on trust and securities, rights and powers of every description;

• “Proposals for Unification” means the Proposals for Unification approved by resolution of the General Assembly on 12th July 1998 and by resolution of the Annual Assembly of the Union passed on 4th September 1998 or, if those Proposals are amended on or before the date of unification, those Proposals as so amended;

• “recognised body” has the meaning given by section 1(7) of the [1990 c. 40.] Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990;

• “resolution to concur” means a resolution of a member church of the Union under and in accordance with the Proposals for Unification;

• “Structure of the United Reformed Church” means the Structure of the United Reformed Church as contained in the Proposals for Unification as that Structure may from time to time be varied;

• “Synod Moderator” means the Moderator of the Synod of Scotland;

• “Synod of Scotland” means the National Synod for Scotland to be established in accordance with the Proposals for Unification;

• “trust deed” means any deed, instrument or other writing constituting a trust or in terms of which any property is or may be held in trust and shall include any settlement, trust deed, deed of covenant, trust disposition and settlement, will or codicil, any lease, disposition or other deed or conveyance relating to land or any private or local Act of Parliament, Royal Charter or resolution of any corporation or ecclesiastical body and any court decree or interlocutor;

• “Unifying Assembly” means the General Assembly and the Annual Assembly of the Union meeting together in accordance with the Proposals for Unification;

• “Unifying Declaration” means the declaration which under the Proposals for Unification effects the unification of the Union with the United Reformed Church;

• “Union” means the Congregational Union of Scotland comprising the Evangelical Union and the Congregational Union as existing in 1896; and

• “United Reformed Church” means the church or denomination as defined in section 2 (Interpretation) of the Act of 1972 (and which from the date of unification is to be known and described as the United Reformed Church).