6th May 2026
I am writing on behalf of the Resolution 46 (Ministry and Mission Fund) Task Group to set out the next phase of our work, and in particular the role of synods within the wider consultative process we are seeking to undertake. The Task Group is convened on behalf of Resources and Ministries Committees, following enactment of Resolution 46 at the Extraordinary General Assembly in November 2025. The endpoint of the process will be a strategic recommendation to General Assembly in 2027.
The Task Group has been asked to bring forward recommendations on the future of the Ministry and Mission Fund (M&M Fund), addressing both its financial operation and its wider role in supporting the Church’s ministry and mission. Our approach is intentionally consultative, building on learning from the Church Life Review process. The M&M Fund is multi-layered, and through this process we are seeking to hold the theological and covenantal principles that underpin the fund alongside the financial realities and constraints we now face.
To engage with as broad a cohort as possible, we intend to consult widely with local churches, alongside a smaller and more focussed denominational consultation. Before any consultation is undertaken, we will set out some groundwork communication; themes will include the theology of money, stewardship, discipleship, ministry and mission, and the cost of ministry.
Local Church Consultation (Autumn 2026)
Autumn 2026 synod meetings will form the primary point of broad engagement across the Church. As has been communicated to moderators, the Task Group would be grateful if synods could make available a two-hour slot for a conversation about the M&M Fund on their agendas.
The purpose of the sessions will be to share a clear and consistent framing of the M&M Fund, including its original intent and current challenges, facilitate open discussion within local church members, and gather feedback and perspectives from across the Church.
We will provide a session plan covering two hours, including structured material, a framing video, and a mechanism for capturing and returning feedback in a consistent format. The Task Group will arrange a short session before synod meetings, to help those facilitating the conversations to steward the discussions.
We recognise that individual synod meetings cannot fully represent the breadth of local church perspectives. We will therefore also engage with local churches through a denomination-wide questionnaire and webinars. More details about these plans will follow in due course.
Denominational Consultation (January 2027)
Following the local church consultative phase, a further consultative event will take place on Monday 25th to Tuesday 26th January 2027. This will be a more focused, direction-setting gathering, drawing on the material generated by synods and local churches.
The purpose of the consultation will be to interpret the range of input received through synod meetings and elsewhere, test emerging options and principles, and help shape the overall direction of recommendations to General Assembly. Attendance is likely to be in the region of 150 participants.
Each synod is invited to send 9 representatives, to include a balance of synod officers and local church members. The deadline to inform us of your synod’s intended representatives is Friday 14th August. We will send a reminder email shortly before the deadline. Please send responses to myles.dunnett@urc.org.uk and ornella.mbula@urc.org.uk.
We are deliberately not prescribing a detailed selection method, but ask synods to exercise judgement in ensuring a breadth of perspective. Further detail on this consultation will follow in due course.
Over the coming months, we will provide detailed materials and guidance for the sessions at synod meetings, circulate denomination-wide groundwork communications, announce further plans for questionnaires and webinars, and release further consultation details. The group will also be undertaking research to better understand the reality of the fund’s operations.
Finally, we are conscious that this work touches on deeply held convictions about mission, ministry, stewardship, and the shared life of the Church. Our aim is not simply to address immediate financial questions, but to ensure that there is a mechanism capable of sustaining our common calling in the years ahead.
Thank you in advance for your collaboration on this important piece of work.
With every good wish,
Myles Dunnett
Convenor, Resolution 46 Task Group