Church Life Review Group
Below you can find papers and reports produced by the Church Life Review Group for the latest meeting. The CLRG reports from the previous meetings are also available for download.
The Church Life Review Group was set up in 2020 to review the life, structures, resources and work of the URC to enable a faithful response to the challenges presented in Paper A1 Toward the Future of the URC. This paper reflected that the pandemic has become a moment that has revealed strengths, weaknesses and possibilities in the life of the church we maybe were not aware of.
The CLR Group is now moving into its second design phase, with the formation of three Task Groups that will help design future arrangements for support services, paid lay ministries, and financial and legal systems.
The task groups will be responsible for:
- Identifying/designing options for future ways of operating relevant to their group’s remit
- Undertaking feasibility studies for possible models
- Testing models against the values and principles agreed by General Assembly
- Consulting widely upon potential changes
- Producing recommendations for General Assembly in 2025
Church Life Review Group Meeting 24 January 2024
Church Life Review Group Papers 2024
- Resource Sharing Task Group Terms of Reference (PDF | 75kb) (Word Version | 50kb)
- Resource Sharing Task Group Volunteer Opportunity (PDF | 62kb) (Word Version | 42kb)
- Support Services Task Group Terms of Reference (PDF | 71kb) (Word Version | 84kb)
- Support Services Task Group Volunteer Opportunity (PDF | 68kb) (Word Version | 44kb)
- Local Lay Workers (employed) Task Group Terms of Reference (PDF | 88kb) (Word Version | 52kb)
- Local Lay Workers (employed) Task Group Volunteer Opportunity (PDF | 73kb) (Word Version | 46kb)
Role Descriptions
- Generic Task Group Convenor (PDF | 74kb) (Word Version | 51kb)
- Generic Task Group Member (PDF | 77kb) (Word Version | 44kb)
The closing date for all Task Group applications is 12 February 2024
Nominations Committee
- Nominations Committee Terms of Reference (PDF | 82kb) (Word Version | 42kb)
- Nominations Convenor Role Description (PDF | 84kb) (Word Version | 53kb)
Church Life Review Webinar
The United Reformed Church General Secretariat will be hosting a webinar about the Church Life Review on 24 January 2024 at 7.30pm.
The purpose of the session is to outline key pieces of work and roles which will be instrumental in affecting change and supporting the next phase of the review.
During the webinar, the General Secretariat will be able to provide fuller details about the key volunteer posts to be filled, outline the tasks required to be carried out, and answer any queries. So, if you are interested in learning more about the next phase of the Church Life Review or you think you might be able to play a part in the next interesting step on URC’s the journey of change, then do come along.
Meeting ID: 895 3495 8744
Passcode: 240124
Church Life Review Group Papers from Previous Years
2023
- Church Life Review Report – General Assembly 2023 (PDF | 198kb)
- Church Life Review Structures – General Assembly 2023 (PDF | 209kb)
- Synods and General Assembly: Combined Financial Analysis ( | 396kb)
- Local Churches and Good Governance (PDF | 566kb)
2022
- Church Life Review Report – General Assembly (PDF | 55kb)
- Initial Update from the Church Life Review (PDF | 85kb)
- Church Life Review Report – Executive Assembly 2022 (PDF | 98kb)
- Church Life Review Session Presentation (PPTX | 924kb)
Other Church Life Review Group Papers
- Towards a URC Theology of Money (PDF | 338kb)
- The URC: A Paradoxical Church at a Crossroads (PDF | 13mb)
Church Life Review Group - financial information webinar from MKS
The United Reformed Church has lacked good quality, consolidated, and comparable financial information across its Synods and General Assembly with which to take decisions for its future.
The Church Life Review Group, General Secretary, and Chief Financial Officer selected Moore Kingston Smith (Non-profit Advisory) to collect information from URC Synods and then to consolidate this information for the CLRG.
This webinar provides an understanding of the work that MKS has carried out on behalf of the Church Life Review Group.
For a full list of papers being presented at this year’s General Assembly, visit GA2023
