The Movement of Ministers

Seeking and Issuing a Call

The best current practice for the movement of ministers follows the process given here. The basic framework will be adapted for single church pastorates, group pastorates, team ministries, ecumenical or 'special' situations. The process should be regarded as confidential to those involved.

a. The Synod Moderators meet monthly (except August) to consider the movement of ministers. When the vacant post has been declared and the Pastorate Profile and summary have been prepared, the Synod Moderator gives information about the vacant post to the Synod Moderators' meeting using the Summary Pastorate Profile. The vacant post is advertised through the monthly mailing to all ministers before any consideration of an introduction. Ministers can view all Summary Pastorate Profiles via the website www.urc-profiles.org.uk. If candidates can be identified, or if any ministers have asked for it, they are shown the full Pastorate Profile and asked about letting their name go forward. Ministers seeking a move may be shown more than one profile, from which they may choose one to pursue.

b. If a minister agrees, his/her Personal Profile is given to the pastorate. If several wish to be introduced their Personal Profiles are given to the pastorate which has to choose one with whom to proceed. (See Appendix 10 for a description of the process as printed in Assembly Reports 2004 page 120.)

c. An invitation may then be given to the minister to meet the Interim Moderator and Elders. These meetings/interviews should be confidential and carefully handled; some guidance is offered in Appendix 5. Members of any ministry team and ecumenical representatives may be met at this point and the manse may be seen.

d. If the minister and pastorate call group both agree, the candidate should be invited for a weekend, to include meeting with appropriate groups, leading of services, social gatherings, etc. Consideration should be given as to whether joint services in a group pastorate might be more appropriate than leading worship several times in different locations.

e. Elders' Meeting and Church Meeting(s) (normally with the Interim Moderator(s) chairing) will take place as soon after the weekend visit as possible; the Elders are free but not obliged to make a recommendation to the Church Meeting(s). In a group pastorate a decision can be taken to meet in one place for a shared discussion and decision. Otherwise results of decisions taken separately at different times should be kept in confidence by the Interim Moderator(s) until all congregations have met, then the result communicated to everyone. Pastorates should think through carefully the possibilities of different outcomes and make plans accordingly. Any decision is communicated to the candidate immediately after the meeting, or as soon as possible, by telephone and confirmed in writing; a report on the attendance and the voting figures should also be offered. If the candidate is willing to accept the call, the acceptance is provisional until Synod concurrence is given; a provisional acceptance should therefore be communicated to the Synod Clerk as soon as possible, with a request for concurrence.

f. At this point the minister is required to seek a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure, the result of which will be made known to the Synod Moderator by the Ministries Committee.

g. The Interim Moderator(s) works with the pastorate, Synod officers, newly called minister and Synod Moderator to co-ordinate the preparation of the (Ordination and) Induction service, which is under the auspices of the Synod. The Interim Moderator may also work with the incoming minister on an induction process.

an extract from the document ‘The Movement of Ministers’