The third day of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, which was held digitally, began with prayer led by the Chaplain to the Moderators, the Revd Helen Everard.

Session nine

Announcement of the Election of General Assembly Moderator 2022-2023

The result of the vote for Moderator of General Assembly was announced by the Revd Adrian Bulley, Convenor Business Committee: 208 votes were cast and the Revd Fiona Bennett, Minister of Augustine United Church, Edinburgh, was elected as Moderator. Mrs Everard led Assembly in prayer for both candidates.

At its General Assembly, meeting between July 9-12, the United Reformed Church (URC) passed ten significant resolutions pertaining to the situation in Israel and Palestine.

A primary focus of the resolutions deals with the way in which Israeli settlements and forced land acquisitions represent a de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories.

There is a request for local churches and members to contact their constituency MPs to express concerns about the actions of the Israeli government regarding settlement expansion and house demolitions, and to ask what the UK is doing in response.

There is also an appeal to refrain from purchasing products produced in Israeli settlements.

The second day of General Assembly began with worship led by the Chaplain to the Moderators, the Revd Helen Everard. The band of Woking URC led Assembly in the hymn ‘All creatures of our God and King’. A number of young people read from Job 12 and Matthew 7.