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The United Reformed Church (URC) is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.〔(URC/About Us )〕 ==Origins and history== The United Reformed Church results from a union of the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church in England and Wales in 1972. In introducing the United Reformed Church Bill in the House of Commons on 21 June 1972,〔The ''United Reformed Church Act 1972'' (a local act) at section 2 provides that ‘“United Reformed Church” means the church or denomination which on its formation is to be described and known as the United Reformed Church (Congregational-Presbyterian) in England and Wales, or as the United Reformed Church (Congregational-Presbyterian) or as the United Reformed Church’.〕 Alexander Lyon called it "one of the most historic measures in the history of the Christian churches in this country".〔House of Commons Hansard, 21 June 1972〕 The URC subsequently united with the Re-formed Association of Churches of Christ in 1981〔Section 2 of the ''United Reformed Church Act 1981'' mentions ‘the church thenceforth to be known as the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom’.〕 and the Congregational Union of Scotland in 2000.〔The ''2008 Year Book'' published by the URC explains that this formation as ‘United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom’ gave way after the 2000 union, now known simply as the ‘United Reformed Church’, as defined in the ''United Reformed Church Act 2000''. In any case, the URC does not organize in Northern Ireland, a fact recognized in URC (2004) ''A Gift Box'' (ISBN 0-85346-222-4); but it does have congregations in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, both outside the United Kingdom.〕 In 1982 the United Reformed Church voted in favour of a covenant with the Church of England, the Methodist Church and the Moravian Church, which would have meant remodelling its moderators as bishops and incorporating its ministry into the apostolic succession. However, the Church of England rejected the covenant.〔The Rev Caryl Micklem: Obituary in 'The Independent', 18 June 2003〕 In 2011, the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom allowed the blessing of same-sex civil unions.〔(United Reformed Church:United Reformed Church votes to host same-sex civil partnerships ) 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「United Reformed Church」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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