Advent Stories

“What an incredible experience it’s been. It far exceeded my expectations. God is good.”

In a demonstration of faith and devotion, the Revd Geoff Felton, Moderator of the URC Mersey Synod, undertook a journey of prayer across Mersey Synod during Holy Week.

Read the full story: A Prayerful Plod Around Mersey

“a shining example of what a disciple in this modern day should be like”

William Eneso, an 11-year-old from Thames North Synod has called his July Lundie Memorial Award a “gift from God”. William became the 50^th winner of the Lundie award, a huge milestone for the project…

https://urc.org.uk/11-year-old-calls-lundie-award-a-gift-from-god/

URC Community Project Awards Winner: The Barn, Livingston

The Barn is a community cafe run by Livinston United Parish Church and staffed by volunteers in The North Barn of Carmondean Community Centre, Nether Dechmont, Fells Rigg, where a warm welcome, fresh coffee, delicious home baking, soup and lunch are offered in two locations.

Westbury Gardens United Reformed Church (URC) in Blackburn is the latest in a growing number of congregations to receive a Children and Youth Friendly Award.

Blackburn church gains “youth friendly” status

The Church Life Review Group was set up in 2020 to review the life, structures, resources and work of the URC to enable a faithful response to the challenges ahead.

Keep up to date with the progress the Group is making at: Church Life Review

In 2024 we were delighted to expand our wonderful Community Project Awards. With huge thanks to our project partner of the awards, Congregational we were able to to award prizes to three highly commended projects. The three lucky recipients of £1,000 were

• The Pod Church and Community Together, Sherborne, Dorset
• Open Church, Heaton Moor United Church, Stockport
• Open Doors TAG Café, Dorking URC

You can view the videos of the projects, and find out more about the Awards on the Community Project Awards page.

David Salsbury Inducted as Moderator of the National Synod of Wales

On Saturday 6 April, 2024, the Revd David Salsbury was inducted as Moderator of the URC National Synod of Wales during an act of worship at Beulah United Reformed Church in Rhiwbina, Cardiff.

Read more:  Revd David Salsbury Induction

“When you have done something wrong, you must take responsibility for it, apologise and try to set things right.”

The Jamaican government minister, The Hon. Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister for Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport accepted URC’s apology for its role in transatlantic slavery as part of some URC members ecumenical pilgrimage to learn about the legacies of slavery.

Read more: Jamaican Minister accepts URC apology

“I am so full of hope. The URC is a safe harbour in a stormy sea."

The Revd Timothy Meadows was inducted as the Moderator of the General Assembly 2024-2025, during an act of worship at the close of the 2024 General Assembly.

Read more: Revd Timothy Meadows Induction

This reflection intertwines themes of renewal, reconciliation, and responsibility towards the natural world

In this alternative, environmentally-themed Easter reflection, the Revd David Coleman, EcoChaplain for EcoCongregation Scotland, draws parallels between the shyness of rabbits at sunrise and the apprehension of the women who approached the empty tomb.

Read more: Alternative Easter Sunday

URC Community Project Awards Winner: Community Food Hub, Dursley Tabernacle URC

The Community Food Hub has developed organically over the past four years. Through the COVID pandemic, the church decided to equip the reception area at the side of the church to form a space for a food hub. Along with a cafe in the church, due to the increasing amount of surplus food donated, the church added a market stall cart, which was donated to them, which sits outside the church offering food to anyone, aiming to reduce food waste. The hub supports around 80 families regularly through food deliveries, via a team of more than 40 volunteers. It is committed to offering an open-door policy, where service users feel welcomed.

"I was able to deepen my fledging knowledge and have conversations with like-minded people"

Wendy Hall, an Elder of Groby United Reformed Church in Leicestershire, is set to become the Newbigin Pionneering Hub’s first URC Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneer.

Read more: Hub's First Accredited Lay Minister

What has to be the best URC headline of the year has a story to match...

Fundraisers in Windsor brought Fashion with Compassion to the town with a pop-up shop at Christ Church United Reformed Church (URC), to support vulnerable communities around the world.

Read more: Pop shop brings fashion with compassion

"Rollerblading from Brighton to Paris with Wheels and Wheelchairs is not just a thrilling 200km adventure; it’s a full circle moment!"

Isaac Harvey MBE, a member of Vine Church in Ilford, aimed to raise £10,000 getting himself and four other wheelchair users, from Brighton to Paris in time for the start of the Paralympics.

Read more: Skate from Brighton to Paris

“I’ll admit that there are times when I really am a mess and I just say, you have it Lord,”

Elizabeth Grint, a member of Wroxham & Hoveton United Reformed Church in Norfolk, was visited by the BBC's Songs of Praise team, to explore the important role that faith plays for those caring for loved ones.

Read more: Songs of Praise visit

Re-imagine, remake and relaunch are the big words for September’s new-look Reform. 

Editor Steve Tomkins unveiled the brilliant Reform magazine redesign for September's issue. Reform is a fresh and challenging magazine exploring theology, ethics, personal spirituality and Christian perspectives on social and current affairs.

You can subscribe at: Reform Magazine

Congratulations to the Revd Brian Harley who has clocked up an impressive milestone, celebrating 30 years of service at Shanklin United Reformed Church (URC) on the Isle of Wight.

He is now one of the longest serving URC ministers in one place.

Read more: 30 years on the job

Alice Bagshaw gains Lundie Award for charity work

Alice was one of 21 students chosen by her school to travel to Sri Lanka for 10 days to support the Ocean Stars Trust (OST), a Fleet-based charity that empowers schoolchildren and communities through education.

Read more: A Sri Lankan Adventure

Strengthening communities in Somerset

2024 saw the Cannington Yarn Bombers go international with two panels being produced as part of an 80th Anniversary Day Landings Commemorative piece: “The Longest Yarn”. They were formed during the Cannington URC Warm Space Initiative of 2023, just one of the South West Synod's project that aim to respond to rural and urban deprivation.

Read more: Cannington Yarn Bombers

“God of Life, renew all creation in your love”

Revd Nicola Furley-Smith, URC Secretary for Ministries joined the celebrations of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) centenary anniversary. For decades, the NCCK has fostered unity and worked for peace and reconciliation between North and South Korea, particularly resonant today amid global climate crises and rising conflicts.

Read more: National Council of Churches in Korea celebrations

General Assembly

The 2024 General Assembly opened in worship, as Karen Campbell, one of the Chaplains to the Moderator of General Assembly, announced the theme throughout Assembly: innovation.

The theme is inspired by the words of Jesus throughout the sermon on the mount: “You have heard it said… but I say to you”. This, said Karen, looks back to what has been and forward to what could be.

Read more: General Assembly Day 1

The Commitment for Life team continued to bring ‘Moving Stories’ from the three focus regions that highlight the support being provided in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

Read more: C4L focus regions

URC Community Project Awards Winner: Community Food Hub, Enfield

Lancaster Road URC in Enfield has been running a Food Hub since the beginning of December 2020. It operates a fresh food distribution on Wednesday mornings, by a team of volunteers who serve each week on a rota system. Fresh food is purchased from a local supermarket and Greggs the Bakers donate their surplus food at the end of day on Tuesdays. It is also registered with ‘Neighbourly’ which liaises about surplus food donations available at local supermarkets. It receives food from Aldi and Sainsburys which is collected weekly and delivered to the church by a volunteer.

Place for Hope Partnership

The Revd Jenny Mills, URC Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship) introduced the Living Reconciliation – a URC partnership with a Place for Hope to help with mediation and reconciliation.

Read more: Living Reconciliation Partnership