Motions are statements or calls to action that are proposed by congregations, districts, recognised societies or Full Members. Up to four ordinary motions can be voted on during each Annual Meeting, along with various administrative motions. Once accepted by the General Assembly, motions will be included in the documentation available before the Annual Meetings. Motions will then be officially proposed during one of the business meetings, followed by a time for debate, and then voted on by delegates.

Motions for 2026

The following motions have been received for 2026. You can read them below or download them from this link.

Motions for the General Assembly  

The following motions have been submitted for consideration at the GA Annual Meetings 2026. Amendments may be submitted at any time prior to the final vote on a motion. However, it is in the best interests of clarity for amendments to be advised as far in advance as possible.   

Motion 1 – From 12 full members and Rosslyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead

Total list of full members supporting this motion (23):

  • Kate Brady McKenna 
  • Eric Breeze 
  • John Carter 
  • Jim Corrigall 
  • Kate Dean 
  • Kath Forder 
  • Chris Goacher 
  • Elizabeth Harley 
  • Peter Hewis 
  • Jo James 
  • Anna Jarvis 
  • Margaret Kirk 
  • CJ MacGregor 
  • Marianna Michell 
  • Celia Midgley 
  • John Midgley 
  • Feargus O’Connor 
  • Ann Peart 
  • Andi Phillips 
  • Lynne Readett 
  • Lewis Rees 
  • Martin Whitell 
  • Sue Woolley 

“Mindful especially of the need to respond in a timely way to the growing threat to basic human rights across the world, this General Assembly empowers the Chief Officer to issue statements giving a view on current public events, provided that: 

(i) Where they consider it necessary this will be after consultation with the Unitarian Social Justice Network, and/or the Executive Committee and GA President; 

(ii) Where a resolution on the same topic as the statement has been passed by the General Assembly in the preceding 20 years, the statement shall be consistent with that resolution (or if there are more than one, the most recent); and 

(iii) Any statement issued shall not be contrary to the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its two covenants: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).” 

This motion comes from a sense that Unitarianism in the UK at a national level is keeping quiet about many issues where we should be speaking out and standing up for the values we believe in. 

Currently we find ourselves very often seen as “poor relations” of the Quakers, who often publish timely statements responding to current public events, and sometimes we slowly follow on behind the Church of England (or more often do nothing at all). Of course those organisations have more members and staff, so the comparison may be seen as unfair, but nevertheless there are situations where even very small numbers of people speaking out can make a difference. 

Any change in arrangements making it easier to speak out must come with safeguards, and this motion sets out what we think those safeguards ought to be – 

1.  For the sake of clarity and in order to avoid confusion, only one person is empowered to issue statements on behalf of Unitarianism in the UK at a national level: the Chief Officer. This does not of course prevent people from speaking out as individual members, ministers, congregations, etc. This motion is concerned with statements on behalf of the Unitarian movement nationally. 

2.  In most cases it will be useful for there to be consultation. We have specified in the motion the possibility of consulting the Executive Committee, the GA President, and the Unitarian Social Justice Network. 

3.  We want to make sure that statements don’t contradict the policies established by GA Annual Meetings, so that’s a necessary constraint on what the Chief Officer can say. Because circumstances change, we have specified that only resolutions carried in the previous 20 years shall be binding in this way. 

4.  Where we don’t have a GA resolution it is difficult for us to specify in advance in the abstract what can and can’t be said, so we have used three already existing documents that any statement from us should be consistent with. The UK is a signatory to all three of these, and in 1998 the GA reaffirmed support for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The three documents are: the Human Rights Declaration plus the two covenants which the UN has put in place to guide its implementation: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 

Motion 2 – Protest Motion from Octagon Chapel, Norwich

  • That this General Assembly of Unitarians and Free Christians recognises and strongly affirms that protest is a fundamental Unitarian Spiritual practice. 
  • Believes that recent and ongoing proposed legislation is an attack on the right to protest and is thus a stifling of religious freedom 
  • Calls on Unitarians to demand a repeal of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 
  • Calls for withdrawal of further plans to increase police powers and ban protests in England and Wales contained in the Crime and Policing Bill 
  • Urges Unitarians to join campaigns to effect the above and that the Chief Officer and President continue to join other civil rights, climate change and faith groups to pressure the government to repeal, reverse and/or amend this draconian legislation 

Unitarian People So Bold podcast – Unitarian minister Stephen Lingwood explains why he took part in a protest against the proscription of Palestine Action during which he was arrested and why he thinks his actions are part of a deeply spiritual practice. He also describes the law under which he was detained as dishonest, illiberal and immoral (Terrorism Act 2000) requiring him to point that out and protest. (https://youtu.be/Bk9WjcgyBus) 

Since the ban against ‘Palestine Action’ under the Terrorism Act 2000 came into effect on 5 July, police have made over 2700 arrests across the country for people’s engagement in acts of peaceful protest opposing the proscription. (Amnesty International) 

Quakers in Britain have urged politicians to curb increasingly repressive protest laws, warning that recent and proposed legislation is preventing them from practising their faith (9 January 2026) 

https://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/quakers-urge-parliament-to-curb-increasingly-repressive-protest-laws

UK government falls short on international human rights commitments, says regulator EHRC 

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/news/uk-government-falls-short-international-human-rights-commitments-says-regulator

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 have significantly expanded the scope of criminal penalties for protest-related activities, which enable courts to impose harsh sentences on individuals engaging in peaceful protest under the guise of maintaining public order. In practice, these laws have led to the arrest and prosecution of peaceful protesters for actions such as slow marching, carrying protest equipment, or simply being present at demonstrations. Individuals have been given disproportionate sentences for non-violent protest actions—raising concerns that the legislation is being used to suppress legitimate dissent rather than address genuine threats to public safety. (Human Rights watch) 

The Unitarian website prides Unitarianism as being active, and supporting protest, mentioning the Unitarian minister in Dundee, Thomas Fyshe Palmer, was transported to Botany Bay in 1794 for his radical politics and pro-democracy activism. As well as many other great historical figures. It carries on to champion “A willingness to stand up to authority has been a constant theme, with international Unitarian involvement in women’s suffrage, civil rights and the LGBT movement. More recently in the UK, Unitarians have been arrested for Welsh language activism in the 1960s, at protests against nuclear weapons in the 1980s, and at climate protests today.” (Uk Unitarians) 

Prior motion resolutions (2018 res 5.4, 2016 res 5.c, 2007 res 2.4, 2006 res 2, 2005 res 2.a) include a direct call to action, mentioning taking specific collective action, in coalition with other organisations and concerned citizens, for a shared goal. This motion is in continuation of these motions, and the many more which have come before and called our unitarian congregations, and members and friends of them to act. So that motions can come after in a society that still allows protest, a society of Unitarians that still holds true the motions passed by the great minds, and caring hearts who have come before. 

As political discourse in this country becomes more and more polarised we will be called upon to stand up, and defend our neighbours, congregants and communities. Think of our future ancestors, and the future of Unitarianism. Support this action! Support this motion! Support a right to protest! 

Procedural Motions 

  1. That the Report of the General Assembly Executive Committee and the Accounts of the General Assembly be received and adopted. 
  1. That Sayer Vincent be appointed as Auditors. 
  1. That John Bates be appointed Honorary Treasurer for the year 2026-2027. 
  1. That the thanks of the Assembly be given to John Bates for his service as Honorary Treasurer during the year 2025-2026, and to district association and local officers for their invaluable services.  
  1. That greetings be sent to kindred churches and societies abroad. 
  1. That the thanks of the Assembly be given to Rev Daniel Costley, for preaching the Anniversary Service, and to all those who provided music and other content for the Anniversary Service and on other worship occasions during these Meetings. 
  1. That the thanks of the Assembly be given to the members of the General Assembly staff and to all volunteers for their inestimable help in organising the Meetings. 
  1. That Rev Jean Bradley and Rev Alex Bradley be appointed jointly as President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches for the year 2026-2027.  
  1. That Jo O’Sullivan be appointed as Vice President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches for the year 2026-2027. 
  1. That this General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches expresses its gratitude for the services provided by Geoff Levermore as President during the year 2025-2026. 
  1. That the Ministers Stipend Report be received and adopted. 

Emergency motions

We have received one emergency motion, copied below,

TEXT OF THE GA EMERGENCY MOTION ON THE WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST FROM 12 FULL MEMBERS

That this General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches stands in solidarity with all people suffering the devastating effects of the current war in the Middle East being waged by the United States, Israel and Iran.

We join the United Nations, the International Red Cross and other global agencies in calling for all warring parties to respect international law and the UN Charter and immediately end this war, which has no UN Security Council sanction and is considered by the vast majority of international jurists illegal in international law and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter.

We stand in solidarity with the peace witness of Pope Leo, Pax Christi International, the American Unitarian Universalist Association, the American Friends Service Committee, Quakers in Britain and other religious and humanitarian organisations and UN agencies in strongly urging an immediate end to the war and lasting peace and reconciliation in the spirit of the Global Ethic of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and other advocates of peace worldwide.

We call for massive immediate medical and other humanitarian aid to all victims of this war through the British Red Cross, Save the Children, UNICEF and other overseas aid charities and urge fellow Unitarians to respond with generosity to their life saving appeals.

Signatories to our 2026 GA emergency motion on war in the Middle East

Rev. Michael Allured, Rev. Brian Cockroft, Rev. Lena Cockroft, Rev. Jim Corrigall, Rev. Joy Croft, Rev. Danny Crosby, Rev. Chris Goacher, Rev. Dr Peter Godfrey, Rev. Elizabeth Harley, Rev. John Harley  Rev. Peter Hewis, Rev. Margaret Kirk,

Rev. C.J. McGregor, Rev. Celia Midgley,Rev. John Midgley,Rev. Feargus O’Connor, Rev Dr Andi Phillips, Rev. Lynne Readett, Rev. Lewis Rees, Rev. Sue Sinnamon, Rev. Geoffey R. Usher, Rev. Charles VanDenBroeder, Rev. Martin Whitell, Rev. Sue Woolley

Background

  • This emergency motion is being presented to the 2026 Annual Meetings because it is important that we, as the Unitarian sovereign body, take a public position on the imperative need for peace in the Middle East and declare our support for international law and our respect for the United Nations Charter.
  • This devastating war, involving Iran, Israel and the United States, and with such global ramifications affecting everyone, was launched after the deadline date for the receipt of GA motions. The human, economic and environmental costs of this war are incalculable and, like the 2003 war in Iraq, will have consequences lasting generations.   
  • We are therefore asking our General Assembly to pass this motion endorsing the March 2026 interfaith peace statements (summarised below) in response to this current war raging in the Middle East, of Religions for Peace and the Parliament of the World’s Religions. 
  • In the spirit of this motion we are also asking our General Assembly to stand in solidarity with the peace witness of Pope Leo, Pax Christi International, the American Friends Service Committee, Quakers in Britain, the American Unitarian Universalist Association and others.  In solidarity with them we strongly urge an immediate end to the war now being waged by the United States, Israel and Iran and call for massive humanitarian life saving aid to all victims of this war.
  • This motion urges our General Assembly to stand in solidarity with all the people in the region suffering in the current hostilities and to join Religions for Peace in calling for a respect for international law and the UN Charter, an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomatic negotiations to secure a lasting peace settlement.
  • Religions for Peace:
    • declares: “Continued retaliation will only deepen civilian suffering and further destabilize the region. Durable security cannot be achieved through military escalation; it requires sustained diplomatic engagement grounded in international law”.
    • urges all parties to guarantee unhindered, safe and sustained access for humanitarian aid and reaffirms that the safeguarding of civilian lives and human dignity must remain a central priority of all.
  • This Religions for Peace declaration concludes: “As religious leaders and people of faith, we reaffirm the sacred value of every human life and our unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and reconciliation. Let us unite in prayer and action for the region—that peace, justice, and human dignity may prevail.”
  • By supporting this motion at this time of escalating conflict and uncertainty in the Middle East, we are asking you to endorse this 2026 declaration of the Parliament of the World’s Religions reaffirming a commitment to the Global Ethic, “a shared moral foundation embraced across traditions, calling humanity to nonviolence, justice, truthfulness, care for the Earth, and partnership grounded in mutual respect”.
  • The Parliament of the World’s Religions affirms that the “patterns that have long governed global conflict – rooted in division, fear, and rigid identification with nation, ideology, or difference – continue to generate cycles of suffering.  Across cultures, faiths, and nations, we witness a deep and abiding yearning for peace, for compassion, and for a way of being that reflects our fundamental interconnectedness.  Even as we honour the richness of our differences, we must also remember a simple and unifying truth: we all share this one Earth, fragile, interconnected, and entrusted to our collective care.”

  • This Global Ethic, launched at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1993,  calls us to:
  1. a culture of nonviolence and respect for life, where restraint and reverence guide action;
  2. a culture of solidarity and a just economic order, where dignity is upheld for all people;
  3. a culture of tolerance and a life of truthfulness, where understanding replaces distortion and fear;
  4. a culture of equal rights and partnership, where no identity becomes a barrier to our shared humanity;
  5. a culture of sustainability and care for the Earth, so often damaged and depleted by human violence.
  • The Parliament of the World’s Religions declares: “To embody these commitments requires more than agreement; it requires transformation in how we see and respond to one another. We therefore call upon… all leaders, communities, and individuals to act from the recognition that what affects one part of humanity affects us all. In this recognition lies the possibility not only of ending conflict, but also of transforming the very way we relate to one another as a human family.”
  • Though this motion we therefore ask our General Assembly to express our solidarity with the Parliament of the World’s Religions and agree that “the path forward is not found in choosing sides, but in choosing a deeper truth – the truth of our shared dignity, our shared responsibility, and our shared future. We call on all people, across geographic regions, traditions, cultures, and communities, not only to affirm these principles, but to live them.”
  • In the spirit of these inspirational interfaith peace statements, which this motion affirms, we urge our General Assembly to pass this emergency humanitarian and peace motion calling for “an immediate end to the war and lasting peace and reconciliation in the spirit of the Global Ethic of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and other advocates of peace worldwide”.

Motions Documents

All of the documents surrounding proposed motions can be found here:

For more information about the motions process, you can have a look at the motions that were passed in 2024, and our current Standing Orders.

Ministry Stipend Report

The Ministry Stipend Report is now available, giving the committee’s recommendations on 2027’s minimum pay for ministers and lay leaders. You can read it here.

Update

The final resolutions agreed at the annual meetings 2026 can be found here