The Federation was founded in 1972 to link together approximately 200 “continuing Congregational churches” who stayed out of the new United Reformed Church on classic Congreg grounds: “the scriptural right of every separate church to maintain perfect independence in the government and administration of its own particular affairs.” It was affirmed that the Federation should not in any case assume legislative authority, or become a court of appeal. Since 1972 approximately 15 of these churches closed, but the total number of churches increased, particularly through the accession of 25 churches from the Congregational Union of Scotland who declined to join the Scottish Congregational Church. Integral to the Federation’s headquarters in Nottingham are a Christian bookshop, a café, and residential accommodation for 40 people, which is used for training courses and the like. The Federation is active within the Council for World Mission; it has sent missionaries abroad, and has received shortterm missionaries from abroad. In 1973 it developed a young people’s section, which has steadily grown. In 1993 it appointed a Youth Coordinator to develop the work further. At the end of the 1980s it developed an integrated training program, catering to church members, preachers, pastors, and ministers, which has helped particularly in the training of leaders for its many small churches.
Publications:
The Congregationalist
CeFaS (Scotland)
Statistic data of church
Members
total: 10883
Parishes
(conventionally): 313
house fellowships
(Number of growing parishes): 0
Ordained clergy
total: 107
women´s ordination
Elders/Presbyters
total:
Men:
Women:
Deacons
total:
Men:
Women:
no information about deacons
Missionaries
total: 0
no information about missionaries working abroad
Baptismal practise
infant and believer´s baptism
Godparents
No information about godparents
Lord's Supper
Frequency per annum: 12
usually on the first Sunday of each month
Newspapers/ Periodicals
Publication of magazines
Theological training facilities
Number: 1
Schools providing general education
other schools
Founded in
1972
Organizational structures
basically each church is autonomous and independent, but: Area Associations, Assemblies, Conferences, nationally and in the countries (England, Wales, Scotland)
The Federation was founded in 1972 to link together approximately 200 “continuing Congregational churches” who stayed out of the new United Reformed Church on classic Congreg grounds: “the scriptural right of every separate church to maintain perfect independence in the government and administration of its own particular affairs.” It was affirmed that the Federation should not in any case assume legislative authority, or become a court of appeal. Since 1972 approximately 15 of these churches closed, but the total number of churches increased, particularly through the accession of 25 churches from the Congregational Union of Scotland who declined to join the Scottish Congregational Church. Integral to the Federation’s headquarters in Nottingham are a Christian bookshop, a café, and residential accommodation for 40 people, which is used for training courses and the like. The Federation is active within the Council for World Mission; it has sent missionaries abroad, and has received shortterm missionaries from abroad. In 1973 it developed a young people’s section, which has steadily grown. In 1993 it appointed a Youth Coordinator to develop the work further. At the end of the 1980s it developed an integrated training program, catering to church members, preachers, pastors, and ministers, which has helped particularly in the training of leaders for its many small churches.