The Council

In the past, the Union Council met once annually to discuss Union business, and did so during March for twenty-four hours.

It gradually became clear, due to the nature and extent of the Union’s activities and the number of issues requiring consideration, that this was not enough and, so, the Council was convened twice annually, during the spring and the autumn. The present arrangement allows the Council to be more thorough in its deliberations and to make a greater contribution to the life and witness of the churches.

Council Membership

Council membership consists of two representatives from each of the District Associations (a total of 30 people), together with the officers and staff of the Union (up to 10 people), the officers of the various Council Departments (up to 8 people) and those elected by the Annual Assembly (up to 6 people). This gives a total of about 55 people who are expected to be present when the Council meets.

Everyone at Council attends the meetings of two Departments The names of the Departments are as follows: Mission and the World-wide Church; Christian Citizenship; Churches and their Ministry; Christian Witness.

The Union’s Executive oversees all financial matters while the investments are the responsibility of another, independent, committee.

The Departments

Departments discuss issues and topics which are relevant to them and, following their meetings, their recommendations are considered by the full Council. Minutes and reports from the Council and the Departments are presented to the Union’s Executive and to the Annual Assembly.

It is within the Council that most of the Union’s discussions take place. Topics under consideration might include, among others, themes of a spiritual, missional, social or pastoral nature.