A round up of news from around the United Reformed Church over the past seven days: 22-28 July.
Wessex
Congratulations to the Revd Dr Colin Thompson who has won the Pratt Green Trust’s 2024 Hymn Competition with his hymn Creation’s Glory Shines to the tune Ich Halte Treulich Still (J. S. Bach). This year’s competition was along the theme “Celebrating creation in all its diversity” and Colin beat more than 150 submissions.
In 2022, Colin’s entry ‘God of the pilgrim way’ was one three hymns that won the URC’s 50th anniversary Worship Resources Competition.
Yorkshire Synod
Trinity St Andrews Methodist/URC Church celebrated Refugee Week, themed “Our Home” by inviting friends from the Darwen Asylum and Refugee Enterprise (DARE) to visit Skipton for the day.
The Revd Gilbert Esambe, a minister within the Lancashire East Missional Partnership, who is very involved in the work of Central URC in Darwen that runs the DARE project, preached at the service.
Members of DARE themselves took part in the service sharing their stories with the congregation, and children made Refugee Week-themed suncatchers and orange heart badges which were given to people as they left the service.
Judy Rogers, Synod Representative, said: “This was a truly memorable service, alive with singing and praying for our refugee friends.”
After the service, visitors enjoyed a hot meal provided by members of the congregation, followed by a walk up to a nearby open space with magnificent views over Skipton.
Caroline Pathak, a Lay Preacher in Yorkshire Synod and Mission Enabler at Longcauseway Church in Dewsbury, is taking her ministry to the streets by volunteering as a Police Chaplain in West Yorkshire.
Caroline said: “It’s a great privilege to come alongside those who tirelessly work for public safety.” Caroline began her career as a teacher in India before taking up a role as warden in a boarding school. She moved to the UK in 2006 to pursue her theological studies. Learn more about Caroline.
Elsewhere across the synod, the Bridge Church, Otley recently enjoyed an exhibition of photographs by one of their church members, Andrew Jackson.
Andrew, who is aged 34 and has Downs Syndrome has attended the Bridge Church since his birth and became a church member in December 2018. He fell in love with photography as a teenager and the exhibition is a just a small selection of the thousands of images that he has taken over the years.
Bridge Church Secretary, John Eveleigh said: “We are delighted to be able to show and celebrate Andrew’s work. Members and friends were really impressed by his amazing skill and artistic flair.”
The exhibition opened to the public for the first time on Saturday 15 June, the day of the town’s Carnival, and when the Bridge Church host their, now famous, Teas on the Lawn, in the church grounds. The exhibition will also open on selected days throughout the summer, when the Bridge Church will be open as part of their annual scarecrow display.
Thames North Synod
Thames North Synod enjoyed an “Eco Day” earlier last month at Vine Church Ilford along the theme “Our Shared Climate: Celebration and Action for Justice”.
The day began and ended with worship, followed by presentations on a variety of issues. Jeremy Williams, author of Climate Change is Racist gave an insightful keynote which explored the justice issues bound up with the environmental crisis we are facing.
“It was epic,” said Roo Stewart, Head of Public Issues, who attended the event. “It was well attended with people from all over the Synod with opportunities for children and young people. A wonderful feast of worship, talks, workshops and some sumptuous lunch that conformed as much as possible to LOAF (locally produced, organically grown, animal friendly or fairly traded) principles.”
North Western
After more than 30 years of service, Kathleen Longton has retired as the Musical Director of the Chorley URC Music Group.
Formed initially to complement the church’s more traditional choir, under Kathleen’s direction, the group has sung an anthem or song at every Sunday morning service.
Kathleen’s musical ministry was marked with a special service where the music group sang a number of songs, followed by tributes and presentations along with the cutting of a specially baked cake for the occasion.
The group will now take a short break before resuming their music ministry in the autumn under a new musical director.
National Synod of Wales
To mark this year’s Great Big Green Week, Beulah URC in Cardiff collaborated with a community artist to create a gallery of eight images entitled “Think of the alternative”.
The images have been placed on the walls of our church community centre. All the pictures are made from leaves, bark and flowers collected locally. Each panel has two contrasting images – the brighter one on the left represents a swap we could make or a step we could take to lower our carbon footprints, reduce pollution and connect with nature. The church noticeboard carries explanations and suggestions for action
Southern Synod
Reigate Park URC in Southern Synod has been come the latest congregation to gain a “Children and Youth Friendly Church” award.
CYDO Tom Hacket, who supported the church through the process said he was encouraged to see that the whole church community is committed to the children and youth.
Activities which helped the church net the award include: youth sessions that reflect Jesus’s teaching and Bible stories, individual invitations to young people to special events, encouraging families to borrow books from the church library, opportunities for intergenerational interactions and ensuring sessions have joy in them.