The Thirteenth Forward in Faith National Assembly . . .
. . . takes place at the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, London SW1 on Friday 6th & Saturday 7th October, 2006. The Resolutions to be considered by Delegates are as follows:
Resolution 01
That this Assembly, whilst giving thanks for the leadership of Forward in Faith since its inception, and the foundations and achievements to date, recognises that future challenges require a renewal of our institutional structure, and therefore calls upon the Council to establish a review of the structures of the council, executive, regions and Diocesan branches, to ensure effective representation and capacity for response and management.
Proposed by the Southwark Area Assembly
Resolution 2006/02
This Assembly urges a fundamental overhaul of the agenda of the National Assembly
a) to enable time being given for delegates to raise contemporary issues;
and
b) to raise a higher profile in the public domain, including an effective public relations strategy so that we are perceived as a living tradition and not a single issue organisation.
Proposed by the Southwark Area Assembly
Resolution 2006/03
This Assembly appreciates the work and effort by Council, paid officers and others, in pursuing the aims of Forward in Faith.
It calls upon Council to ensure that any resolutions passed at National Assembly are dealt with in a timely manner, and to ensure that regular updates of progress or reasons for lack of progress are provided to the Regional Deans for dissemination to all Diocesan branches.
Proposed by Mr David Warren
Seconded by Mrs Valerie Bryden
Resolution 2006/04
This Assembly sends greetings to its brothers and sisters in Reform, and pledges itself to continue to work with them and others to secure adequate structural provision for those in conscience unable to receive the ordination of women as bishops.
Proposed by the Bristol Area Assembly
Resolution 2006/05
This Assembly notes with pleasure the fact that the event Forward in Hope was conceived, arranged and executed in a period of just thirty-four working days and thanks the Director, Fr Beau Brandie, Fr John Scott, Colin Niblett and all those involved for all that they did to make it such a singular success.
Proposed by the Reverend Dr Geoffrey Kirk
Seconded by the Very Reverend Len Black
Resolution 2006/06
This Assembly assures the Catholic Group in General Synod of its continuing prayerful support and calls upon the Group to continue to use all its best endeavours to ensure that adequate structural provision is made to enable those loyal members of the Church of England unable to receive the ordination of women as priests or bishops to continue as members of the Church of their baptism.
Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith
Resolution 2006/07
This Assembly notes the General Synod’s decision to set up a legislative drafting group to prepare ‘the draft measure and amending canon necessary to remove the legal obstacles to the consecration of women to the office of bishop’ and to prepare ‘a draft of possible additional legal provision consistent with Canon A4 to establish arrangements that would seek to maintain the highest possible degree of communion with those conscientiously unable to receive the ministry of women bishops’
The Assembly is confident that it is possible to draft additional legal provision which would be acceptable to opponents of the ordination of women to the episcopate and it encourages the drafting group to engage with the proposals already made in this regard by Forward in Faith.
Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith
Resolution 2006/08
In the event that the legal provision for those conscientiously unable to receive the ministry of women bishops is deemed unacceptable by the Council of Forward in Faith (after due consultation with the Catholic Group in General Synod), this Assembly calls on PCCs to withhold payment of common fund contribution, diocesan quota or parish share, until such time as adequate structural provision is made.
Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith
Resolution 09
This Assembly urges all members of Forward in Faith to liaise with PCCs with a view to passing the following resolution:
‘The PCC of XXX hereby resolves that, in the event that the National Council of Forward in Faith advises that, due to a failure on the part of the Church of England to make adequate provision for traditionalist opponents of women bishops, resolute and immediate action is necessary, it will suspend forthwith all payments to the Diocese of XXX in respect of common fund contribution / quota / parish share, holding such monies, or remitting them to Forward in Faith for safe keeping, until such time as, in the opinion of the Council of Forward in Faith, adequate structural provision is made.’
Proposed by the Council of Forward in Faith