Membership, Ministry and Sexuality (proposal 84)

Assembly Standing Committee response to the EMU petition

The Standing Committee gave long and careful attention to the petition that was presented to it, and was signed by approximately 20,000 members and “attendees”. Notwithstanding that the petition acknowledged that there were people signing who were not members of the Uniting Church the Standing Committee acknowledged with deep regret their “deep spiritual and emotional dismay and concern”.

Standing Committee believes that the decisions it made in response to the concerns of the church arising since the 10th Assembly also addresses the concerns of the petitioners.

At a meeting between the President, General Secretary and national leaders of EMU on August 15 the Assembly was encouraged not to reject the petition because of concerns about the claims in the petition but to see it as an expression of concern by people within the life of the Uniting Church. The ASC received the petition but nevertheless strongly rejects assertions within the petitions and affirms that:

the concept of “Right relationships” was neither adopted nor recognised by the Assembly;
the Assembly has not placed the Uniting Church outside of the One , Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church;
the Assembly has acted faithfully in accordance with the Basis of Union;
the leadership of the Assembly did not mislead the Assembly;
those who adhere to resolution 84 have not separated themselves from the Uniting Church.
The Standing Committee heard the request to recall the Assembly for the purpose of referring proposal 84 for concurrence and engaging in a service of repentance. The ASC declined to accede to this request, noting the following:

the clarification offered by the ASC of Proposal 84, in particular that the 10th Assembly did not endorse or approve “right relationships”;
proposal 84 did not introduce new policy for the Church;
councils of the Church are free to discuss matters of ministry, membership and sexuality and to bring proposals to other councils of the Church as appropriate.

Terence Corkin
Assembly General Secretary
August 25 2003

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