Four events that were originally planned to take place at the United Reformed Church (URC) General Assembly in July, were instead held online. Three of the four events were attended by over 100 people, possibly benefitting from a wider audience due to meeting virtually.
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BN16 2PYRecent Posts
- What are the government’s asylum reform proposals? November 25, 2025 3:38 pm
On 17 November 2025, the government announced major proposed changes to UK asylum policy. Drawing on similar policies implemented in Denmark, the stated aim is to “restore order and control to our borders” and deter people from seeking asylum in the UK. In response, leaders from the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches expressed concern that the changes did not reflect an approach that prioritised human dignity, but instead would “place more demands on vulnerable individuals and an overstretched system”. What is proposed? Making refugee status temporary People granted refugee status will have to apply for this to be renewed every 30 months, compared to five years at present. Far longer routes to permanent settlement People seeking asylum who have entered the UK via irregular routes, such as by crossing the English Channel, would have to wait 20 years before they could apply for indefinite leave to remain. Currently, it’s five years. It should be noted that for most people there is no option to apply for asylum in the UK without entering through an irregular route, even though under the Refugee Convention people have the legal right to seek refuge here. Returning refugees home if their country is deemed “safe” During this 20 year wait period, refugee status could be revoked at any time if people’s country of origin is deemed to be or become “safe”. This would also affect Ukrainians who are in the UK under temporary protection, should the war in Ukraine end. It is not clear what would happen to children born to refugee parents in the UK if their parents lose their leave to remain. Removing automatic housing and financial support for people seeking asylum, who would otherwise face destitution Assistance could be removed from people who have the right to work but are unemployed, or those working illegally, who have broken the law, or not complied with removal directions. It’s important to note that most people seeking asylum do not have the right to work, unless they have specific skills in a limited list of fields, and they have waited for more than a year for a decision on their asylum claim. Narrowly reinterpreting the ‘right to family life’ Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which relate to the right to family life, are grounds on which people can challenge asylum decisions. The government intends to legislate to narrow the acceptable interpretation of this right by the courts, to only refer to immediate family members. The right to refugee family reunion will also be removed. New safe routes A new safe regulated route will be introduced for people to seek refuge in the UK with sponsorship support from individuals or communities. The numbers will be capped. What impact will these changes have? There is very little evidence that ‘deterrent’ approaches work. The Home Office’s own research has found the main reasons why people choose to seek refuge in the UK are factors like language and community connections. However, it is clear that the proposals would place addition burdens on the already overstretched asylum system, as well as on those seeking asylum. They would also not serve to encourage new arrivals to settle and integrate into communities. The changes come alongside wider proposed reforms to immigration policy, announced in May 2025, for those coming to the UK on visas via legal migration routes. These would see a doubling of the standard qualifying period for permanent residence (also known as indefinite leave to remain or settlement) from five to ten years, and require visa applicants to have a higher standard of English. These changes are currently subject to a government consultation. Source
- Response to asylum reforms November 21, 2025 12:52 pm
Leaders of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches have issued the following statement in response to the government’s announcements this week on proposed changes to its asylum and returns policy: “Let us keep loving our neighbours. Public debate around migration has increasingly been shaped by voices that trade in fear, resentment, and the scapegoating of those who already carry heavy burdens. We fear that the tone and content of the Home Secretary’s recent announcement on asylum policy reform risks deepening these fractures rather than healing them. What threatens our social fabric is not the presence of vulnerable people seeking sanctuary, but rhetoric and policy that sets neighbour against neighbour and encourages suspicion instead of solidarity. The solution is not to try and appease those who seek to divide us, but to build a fair, compassionate and well-managed asylum system, that reflects Britain’s values and responsibilities. Our Christian faith compels us to hold that such a system should prioritise human dignity, and treat people as any of us would wish to be treated. That means it must be resourced to make decisions swiftly rather than leaving people in limbo for months or even years; allow those applying for asylum to work, support themselves and contribute to society; enable families to be together if possible; and encourage integration into local communities. Yet many of the UK government’s new proposals would have the opposite effect, and place more demands on vulnerable individuals and an overstretched system. We welcome the promise of new safe regulated routes for people to be provided with sanctuary in the UK, sponsored by individuals and communities. We have long believed this to be a far better approach to tackling dangerous channel crossings than ever more hostile policies. In this, we glimpse seeds of hope. Our churches continue to be enriched by the involvement of those who have sought refuge in this country, and our experience is of people who wish to contribute positively to British society. Our calling and commitment is to keep loving our neighbours, and our heartfelt longing is for our society’s approach to immigration to embody those values.” Revd Richard Andrew, President of the Methodist ConferenceRevd Lynn Green, General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great BritainCatriona Wheeler, General Assembly Moderator, United Reformed Church A prayer God of welcomeyou call us to love our neighbours as ourselvesand show your care for those who are most vulnerable. We hold before you todaythose forced to make dangerous journeys in search of safetychildren separated from their familiesand those who have been waiting a long time for good news. Be with all who are fearful or angrybecause of the treatment they have receivedand communities struggling with poverty and inadequate services. We pray for those who leadthat they would make wise and compassionate decisionsguided by principle rather than political expediency. May we keep loving our neighbours – all our neighbours –even when that is costly or unpopularand be agents of your healing, and peace, and hope. Amen. Take action: stand with refugees At a time when we are witnessing increasing anti-migrant sentiment in some local communities and in politics, let’s show that not only are refugees welcome here, but that our communities stand wholeheartedly together. Join the campaign focused on the first weekend of December (5-7 December), in which individuals, groups and organisations are invited to join in with creating public displays of orange hearts – a symbol of compassion for people fleeing war and persecution – in thousands of different ways in local communities. Find out more Source
- Standing Up For Human Rights November 13, 2025 3:58 pm
Blog · 13 November, 2025 “Now is the time for a full-throated defence of the ECHR and HRA. No one has human rights, unless we all have human rights.” Nearly 300 organisations have joined together to express support for European Convention on Human Rights, in a letter coordinated by Liberty. Signatories included senior representatives of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches, alongside leading human rights organisations such as Amnesty, Shelter, Mind, and Friends of the Earth. The letter marked the 75th anniversary of the creation of the ECHR on 4th November 1950, by calling on the UK Government to defend human rights amidst calls to drop the Convention. Following the Second World War and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the ECHR was influenced by British lawyers and signed by the UK in 1951. It is enforced by the European Court of Human Rights, and seeks to protect: the right to life the right to free elections the right to a fair trial freedom of expression freedom of thought, conscience and religion freedom from torture freedom from discrimination. In recent months, a number of politicians in Britain have suggested that the UK should withdraw from the ECHR and replace it with a more selective British Bill of Rights. Explaining why the URC chose to sign the letter, Roo Stewart, URC Head of Public Issues and JPIT member, said, “There is a dreadful history of abuses when governments around the world have exercised autonomy over what they consider to constitute human rights. By ensuring that the UK continues to be subject to international standards set outside of government policy and political convenience, with the consensus of careful consideration from multiple countries, the inhabitants of the United Kingdom can expect to live in continued freedom and safety.” The letter highlights the dangers of misinformation and scaremongering, pointing out that “leaving the ECHR would not solve policy problems like the backlog of asylum cases, or people risking their lives through Channel crossings, but would bring about years of legal uncertainty, undermine our international position, and cause harm to the rights of both migrants in the UK and our wider communities.” It calls on politicians to “end the escalating, irresponsible rhetoric targeting migrant and minoritised communities, which has devastating real-world consequences for people who are often already made vulnerable by wider social and economic marginalisation and stigmatisation.” While there have been debates within Christianity about the language and framework of human rights, Churches have historically drawn on the Christian understanding that all humans are created in the image of God as a basis on which to support the pursuit of human rights. A 1985 Methodist Conference report on the subject concluded that “Human rights treaties and machinery merely seek to entrench [biblical] values in a form which those deprived of their human dignity can depend upon to produce something nearer the biblical idea of justice,” and encouraged Christians to mobilise the community in contributing to the pursuit of human rights. The Baptist Union, Methodist, and United Reformed Church signatures on this letter represent a living out of this mandate to uphold human dignity and uphold principles of justice and equality in law at a time when such important values are coming under increased attack. Write to your MP today to back the ECHR and defend our human rights (Amnesty) – Defend our Human Rights – Tell Your MP to Back the ECHR Read the full letter and list of signatories – https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/almost-300-organisations-express-support-for-echr-on-75th-anniversar Source
- COP30, Belém, Brazil (10–21 November 2025) November 11, 2025 2:22 pm
COP30 is the ‘Implementation COP’, it is a summit at which we hope that world leaders will move from pledges to action. Key areas of discussion centre around six themes: 1. Mitigation – Reducing greenhouse gas emissions2. Adaptation – Building resilience to climate impacts3. Finance – Mobilising funds for climate solutions4. Technology – Sharing and developing clean tech5. Capacity-building – Strengthening institutions and skills6. Means of Implementation – Integrating all themes into real-world action. One of the key moments of COP30 is a global stock-take of the Paris Agreement, recognizing that current pledges will not meet the Agreement’s ambitious goal. This is a key time for holding governments to account for their responses to the climate crisis. Other conversations will include: a push on climate finance, including grant-based financing and debt restructuring as well as support for nations most affected by the climate crisis consideration of biodiversity and forest conservation, with leadership from indigenous communities a focus on cities in the continuing energy transition. Prayer Ruach is a biblical word which refers to God’s breath – but it doesn’t only mean breath in the sense of the air which expands and contracts a human being’s lungs. Ruach is energy, life force, sustenance, existence. So let’s pray for an awareness of God’s creating and energising ruach during COP30: God, Abba, we are living in a time of climate crisis.Your ruach is in the air we breathe, the Earth we live on, the atmosphere we live in,The plants, creatures we live amongst.As COP30 progresses,Breathe potential, breathe hope. God, Christ, we are living in a time of disagreement and discontent.Your ruach is in and between each of us – it is in our data, our thoughts,Our words, our actions, our silences, our inaction.As experts and politicians meet, discern and debate,Breathe potential, breathe hope. God, Spirit, we are living in a time of injustice and overwhelm.Your ruach touches each person at COP, and each person not at COP.We all have power, we can make a difference, together.As we listen to your voice, the voices of scientists,And of those most affected by climate change,The groaning of creation itself… lead us into action.Breathe potential, breathe hope. May it be so, Amen For daily prayer suggestions throughout COP30, visit COP Prayer. Campaigning Opportunities during COP30 Global Day of Action – Saturday 15 November Want to campaign around COP30? Find events near you on the action day map. Communicate with your MP Read about our hope for environmental justice and issues we encourage churches and individuals to bring before the UK Government through your local MP. After COP, we will share ways to speak to your MP about the commitments that countries have made. Interested in growing a relationship with your MP as part of your church’s work for climate justice? Find out about our Constituency Action Network. Source
- Guest Blog: Pilgrimage for Peace to DSEI Arms Fair October 13, 2025 10:59 am
Rachel Parkinson is a Methodist Minister, currently taking two years to “Live Life in a Different Way”. Here she offers some thoughts on joining a Peace Pilgrimage to the DSEI Arms Fair. I am not a natural campaigner. Whilst I’m wholeheartedly on the side of values foundational to God’s healed, renewed creation – love, justice, peace etc – I find it harder to settle on how they translate into political demands in these in-between times. This certainly applies to the arms trade. Whilst I’ve been moving towards pacifism for years, I’m not sure I’m there yet. I’d rather write a ten thousand word essay on the arms trade than choose ten words to put on a placard! The peace pilgrims en route to the Arms Fair from Oxford And yet I have very serious concerns about developments in the arms industry which are well summarised in JPIT’s The Future of Arms resources published last year. How then to make a stand? The answer for me was to join the Peace Pilgrimage from Oxford to the DSEI Arms Fair at the ExCel Centre in London in September. About 20 people – many of them Quakers – made the pilgrimage as a sign of resistance to the way things are and a sign of hope pointing to how things can be, to a future beyond the arms trade. We pledged to challenge the violence in ourselves alongside the wider culture of violence which pervades our world. The peace pilgrims gather on the road to their destination I learned a huge amount from daily conversations along the way with other pilgrims, many of whom were experienced campaigners and activists. I’m now equipped with new models of thinking about conflict and the use of weapons and have been able to give voice to my own deep motivations around seeking peace. However the pilgrimage was in itself a small laboratory for experiments on making and keeping the peace. It was no small task for 20 adults of varying abilities to walk many miles a day; to feed ourselves; and to live together in fairly basic conditions. There were often conflicting opinions on how this might best be done. We all learned important lessons about ourselves and about each other. This might be the Pilgrimage’s greatest legacy – that we are all a little more useful to the world as peace practitioners on account of our experience together. The pilgrims arrive at their final destination, the ExCeL centre in London Before the Pilgrimage I was worried that I might be accosted by people who would accuse me of naivety. I worried that if they pushed me I might end up agreeing with them! In fact more or less all the opinions we got were positive ones – toots on car horns, bicycle bells rung, thumbs up from passers-by. In fact, to my surprise, I ended up wishing that I had encountered more opposing views. Because surely the best way to go forward in the promotion of peace is to model good listening and honest conversation – even if we don’t feel we have all the answers. There is more information on the Peace Pilgrimage at peacepilgrimage.org.uk The peace pilgrims Source
- Scapegoating refugees won’t fix inequality – letter September 29, 2025 2:13 pm
Over 100 organisations, including the Methodist, Baptist, and United Reformed Churches, have sent a letter to the new Home Secretary, expressing concern about recent announcements about immigration and asylum policy. It calls for the government to stop contributing to the politics of division which scapegoats the most vulnerable, and instead halt hostile asylum policies, consult with those with lived experience of the asylum system, and focus on solving the real issues that will improve people’s lives. The full letter reads: Dear Home Secretary, We are writing to you on behalf of over 100 organisations working across different sectors to express our deep concern about the direction taken by the Government around immigration and further hostile asylum policies. The people we help, and hear from every day, are all impacted by politics of division rather than solutions. After years of these policies the asylum system is at a breaking point, and our streets have become scenes of violence. We are asking you now to unite communities and invest in meaningful solutions to prevent further damage. The Government wants to deliver growth and renew Britain. This requires tackling issues such as growing extreme inequality, underfunded councils, lack of investment in quality housing, a crumbling NHS, the climate emergency and polluted waters. Targeting refugees will do nothing to tackle these structural issues or improve people’s lives. It only serves as a dangerous smokescreen to scapegoat the most vulnerable and distract from the very real dangers to our society. Anger and division will never satisfy voters in the long-term. They cause tensions in our communities, dividing us and tearing the social fabric of our society. We have seen what happens when this is allowed to escalate, such as last year’s racist riots, this year’s disturbing demonstrations outside asylum accommodation sites and the most recent far-right rally in London promoting racism and hate speech, which record numbers attended. In her review of the Windrush scandal, Wendy Williams said that migration and wider Home Office policy is about people and should be rooted in humanity. By not changing approach, the Government is in danger of repeating the same mistakes. Before taking further action, we ask you to engage with local authorities, frontline organisations and people with lived experience. These are the people who face the reality of the hostile policies and rhetoric every day. We understand what is working and where the system is breaking down. We live the real threats to our communities. As the new Home Secretary, you now have an opportunity to turn the tide, and to end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm. The Government runs the risk of this country accelerating along a dangerous path, and now is the time to urgently correct this and change course. We look forward to your reply to our concerns and hearing how you will be working to unite communities, ease tensions and support solutions to improve people’s lives. Yours sincerely, Abigail HousingACAP (Ashton Churches Asylum Project)ACHAction for Refugees in LewishamAfter ExploitationAnti-Slavery InternationalAsylosAsylum MattersAwesta Charitable OrganisationBaobab Women’s Project CICBaptist Union of Great BritainBEMISBen & Jerry’sBeyond DetentionBoaz TrustCambridge Refugee Resettlement CampaignCare4CalaisCity of Sanctuary UKCommunity InfoSourceConversations From CalaisEYSTFaith for the ClimateFocus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)forRefugeesFreedom from TortureFreedom UnitedFriends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern IrelandGlobal Justice NowGood Chance TheatreGreater Manchester Immigration Aid UnitGreenpeace UKHelen Bamber Foundation GroupHomeless LinkHope at HomeHope ProjectsHumanists UKHumans for Rights NetworkImkaanImmigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)Joint Council for the Welfare of ImmigrantsJustice Together InitiativeKairos HousingLatin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS)Leeds Asylum Seekers Support NetworkManchester City of SanctuaryMaryhill Integration NetworkMental Health FoundationMicro RainbowMigrants’ Rights NetworkMindMusic Action InternationalNACCOMNorthamptonshire Rights and Equality CouncilOxfam GBParents for Future UKPATH (Scotland)PCS Trade UnionPenrith and Eden Refugee Network (PERN)Race Equality NetworkRainbow HavenRainbow MigrationRAMFELRAS VoiceRefugee ActionRefugee CouncilRefugee FuturesRefugee Support GroupRefugee Welcome HomesRefugees at HomeRefugees in Effective and Active Partnership (REAP)Rene CassinRight to RemainRunnymede TrustSave the Children UKScottish Refugee CouncilShelterSimon Community ScotlandSolaceSouth East Integration NetworkSouthampton and Winchester Visitors Group (SWVG)Southeast and East Asian Centre CIC (SEEAC)Stop Trump CoalitionStories of Hope and HomeSupport for Wigan Arrivals ProjectTax Justice UKThe Methodist Church in BritainThe Poverty AllianceThe Racial Justice NetworkThe United Reformed ChurchThe Working Class Climate Alliancethe3millionTipping Point UKUbuntu Women ShelterVoices in ExileWar on WantWaterloo Community CounsellingWest End Refugee ServiceWest London WelcomeWest Yorkshire Destitute Asylum Network (WYDAN)Women Asylum Seekers Refugees & Migrants (WARM)Women for Refugee WomenYoung Roots Source
- Recognising Palestine September 22, 2025 11:35 am
Is UK recognition of a Palestinian State more than a symbolic gesture? by Rev’d. David Hardman – Methodist Liaison Officer, Jerusalem On 29 July 2025, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the UK would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September—unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza and committed to a long-term peace process and a revived the Two-State Solution. With Israel refusing a ceasefire and continuing military action in Gaza and neighbouring countries, the UK has now joined 147 of the 193 UN member states that already recognise Palestine. The number of countries announcing recognition at the UN is increasing as we write. So, is this a meaningful step or just a token gesture? The goal of recognising Palestine is to support Palestinian self-determination, which is currently denied under Israeli occupation. While UK recognition won’t end the occupation, it could help shift the international conversation. Back in 2011, the UK said it would recognise Palestine “at a time of our own choosing” to help advance peace. This was reaffirmed in Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which said: “We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a renewed peace process which results in a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.” However, past peace initiatives – Geneva (1977), Madrid (1991), Oslo (1993), Camp David (2000) – have failed to address the power imbalance between Israel and Palestine. Historian Ilan Pappé has highlighted that this imbalance undermines any realistic path to peace. For negotiations to succeed, both sides must be treated as equals. The more countries that recognise Palestine, the greater the chance of more balanced peace talks in the future. The UK government remains committed to a two-state solution. As the Prime Minister said on 29 July: “We will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the Two-State Solution. With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act.” (Photographs by D. Hardman, used by permission.) Despite the International Court of Justice’s July 2024 ruling that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and that settlements must be dismantled, many argue the two-state solution may no longer be viable due to ongoing settlement expansion. Still, equality between both sides is essential for any just peace process, whatever solution that process may reach. This move could help improve security for both Israel and Palestine. The region has been afflicted by violence for over a century – not only through physical attacks, but also through the long-term harm caused by occupation. Occupation has never brought lasting safety to either side, and it never will. A peaceful agreement between two equal neighbours, not based on power or violence, offers a better path forward. Recognising Palestine – and eventually granting it full UN membership – also strengthens the role of international law. It helps ensure that both Israel and Palestine are held to the same legal standards. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK’s recognition could influence other nations to follow, but also carries significant historical weight. The 1917 Balfour Declaration supported the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine but promised not to harm the rights of existing non-Jewish communities. Yet, in 1948–49, 750,000 Palestinians were displaced, and in 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza. Recognising Palestine now is a long overdue step toward addressing decades of injustice and denials of rights. Some have claimed that UK recognition would reward Hamas. But it’s important to understand that countries recognise states, not governments. The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, has long recognised the State of Israel. Recognition is not a reward for violence – it is a step towards justice for the millions of Palestinians who have lived under occupation and resisted peacefully. The UK Government’s announcement will have most impact if the international community now acts together, and uses this moment to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and push for a just peace process between the two states. Get involved If you have two minutes, please continue to pray and press for a ceasefire and for a peace process that will end decades of occupation and oppression. If you have ten minutes, I would also encourage people to write to the Prime Minister to thank him and his government for recognising Palestine, and to urge them to follow up with real action: to do all in their power (including sanctions if required) to secure a ceasefire and a commitment to a just peace process. If you have longer, read up on what your denomination has said about Palestine, arrange to meet with your MP to discuss why recognition matters, and ask them to take further steps towards justice and peace. Source
- Prayer for Peace September 16, 2025 3:13 pm
Prayer for Peace in Gaza, in the West Bank and in Israel In the days of the prophet Habakkuk, God spoke of stones crying out against oppression and violence. Centuries later, as Jesus entered Jerusalem, he told the Pharisees that if his followers were silent, the very stones would shout aloud in witness to him. Today, as we listen to the cries of pain rising from the rubble of Gaza, we pray with the conviction that to praise Christ as King is also to pray and act for his peace and justice. God of stones that shout, and of people too often silent,We cry out in despair as violence and killings continue.Lord, may there be a ceasefire that lasts. As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace. God of stones that shout, and of people too often silent,We cry out in horror at the images of emaciated children.Lord, may aid reach all those who need it. As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace. God of stones that shout, and of people too often silent,We cry out for release of those held captive.Lord, may all hostages and detainees be set free. As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace. God of stones that shout, and of people too often silent,We cry out in frustration as leaders posture and prevaricate.Lord, may hearts soften and meaningful dialogue begin. As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace. God of stones that shout, and of people too often silent,We cry out in recognition of our complicity in violence and oppression.Lord, in your Kingdom, no one would profit from war or occupation. As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace. God of stones that shout, and of people too often silent,We pray for all who are suffering and grieving today.We pray for people in Gaza, in the West Bank, in Israel, and around the world.We pray for those silenced, and those simply silent.We pray for peace. In a moment of quiet, we cry out for those people and situations on our hearts and minds, and bring you our hopes for change… Hold silence. If God’s people keep silent, the rubble will shout aloud. As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace. May it be so. Amen Being people of peace 21-28 September is the Week of Prayer for Peace in Palestine and Israel. As we join CTBI and WCC in crying out for justice, we are asking churches to: 1. Pray. Join us in prayer for Palestine, for Israel, and for all those impacted by war and oppression in the region. We are praying that ‘As we cry out for justice, we commit to being people of peace.‘ Find our full prayer for peace here and use it in worship this Sunday. 2. Join the Red Line and tell your MP that the military detention of children is a red line. 3. Fast for Gaza every Wednesday in solidarity with those denied food, water, and medical aid. Read about URC, Baptist and Methodist calls for change in Gaza. Source
- Introducing Thomas September 11, 2025 11:40 am
My name is Thomas, and I am a JPIT intern for 2025-6, working on the Constituency Action Network amongst other things! I grew up in the Anglican church, in a family that considered Christianity and social justice to be like cheese and biscuits; good on their own, in another league when paired together! I studied Politics, Sociology and Anthropology at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where I was part of the chapel community and the Prayer Officer for Cambridge Student Christian Movement, as well as some refugee, Palestine and climate justice work. Oh and the degree itself, where possible! I come to JPIT from a year as a Live In Care Assistant with L’Arche UK in Canterbury, a charity building communities with people with and without learning disabilities. I lived in a care home with other assistants and some of our core members, L’Arche’s term for people with learning disabilities. This experience has shaped my relationship with God and my interests in public issues, and I could feel myself being transformed on several occasions, especially Christmas Day. Christmas in L’Arche is very busy, and Christmas Dinner a key focal point. With some last minute additions making it 23 (!) for dinner in Faith House where I lived, and our designated chef out of action with flu, I found myself preparing and cooking 2 turkeys and a cross-cultural assortment of dishes with the key deadline of 3pm, and was utterly overwhelmed! Despite the kitchen being full of busy people, I felt pretty alone as dishes burnt and the clock ticked forwards, and I became far too focused on the food, the drinks, the table presentation and decoration… As the doorbell rang, in that moment I wanted nothing to do with community! And yet, as our guests arrived with smiles and joy and Christmas pudding, I felt the Holy Spirit reminding me of the beauty of a full table and the value of being together[1], with and without learning disabilities.[2] My experience of community in this and many other moments in L’Arche carries over to JPIT. The Constituency Action Network aims to help churches engage relationally with their MPs, building long lasting ties and a rapport that lasts well after the election. The power of a local congregation to involve their MP in their ministry and outreach takes social action into social justice on a wide variety of public issues, and can support a church’s internal and outward-facing cohesion and direction. It can be so overwhelming to look out at our world and its many, seemingly ever present problems and injustices. We wonder, where can we start? What can we, a minority faith in this country, engage in? When I feel like this, I try to reset the frame, and remember the spiritual and nourishing power of belonging to an active and purposeful community. I remember that we are working step by step locally to enact God’s kingdom on earth, through our foodbanks, warm spaces, debt counselling. This can only be enhanced with building a relationship with our local MP. We see the hijacking of Christian rhetoric and symbolism by those wishing to turn away the stranger and the migrant[3]. We see poverty and injustice in the UK and elsewhere being neglected and forgotten in public discourse. And we also may feel a glint of hopeful change in the quiet uptick in interest in Christianity we see statistically and on the ground. To balance these emotions and contradictions we hold can be tough, and my hope for my time with JPIT is to ground myself in the concrete steps of advocacy and relationship building, which our churches do have the power to take. I particularly look forward to the Justice conference on 8 November to frame these small scale actions as leading to the transformations of our world that God aches for. [1] Acts 2: 42-47 [2] I wrote a blog about this for L’Arche if you’d like to read further [3] Reach out in peace: Positive preparation for times of unrest – Joint Public Issues Team Source
- Introducing Erica September 11, 2025 11:39 am
Hello! My name is Erica, and I am the new JPIT intern (communications) for 2025/26. I am really looking forward to exploring how an ecumenical organization negotiates complex public issues and learning how best to engage Christians through media to encourage and enable church mobilization and campaigning. Aged 15, I first became actively involved in politics as part of my local branch of the youth climate strikes. Following the political upheaval which provided a backdrop to my early teenage years, including Brexit and Trump’s first election, I was a young person who could not vote, but craved an outlet to make my voice heard for a just cause. When some friends asked me to steward the climate strike on 15th March 2019, I jumped at the opportunity. I went on strike every month from then until February 2020 alongside hundreds of young people demanding climate justice from the UK government and local authorities. This undoubtedly instilled within me a lasting determination for global political, environmental, and economic justice. It also empowered me as a young person to speak about my experiences to others within the Church of England, the denomination in which I was brought up, and campaign for more to be done about the climate crisis. Since then, I have only become more convinced of the radical work that Christians should be doing within the modern world, railing against the status quo as Jesus did. Studying history at university gave me further opportunities to explore justice and how public issues have changed over time. The Methodist Church has a history of engaging with public issues which I am excited by, from its 19th Century antislavery campaigns, up to its present-day ethos of inclusion and research into reparations. My passion for social and climate justice in my teens coupled with my academic research to produce my final-year dissertation topic. By investigating narratives of environmental youth activism in 1990s postcolonial Nigeria, I attempted to uncover marginalized voices who had been stereotyped or homogenized, whilst highlighting the lack of impartiality in reporting and research. The power of institutional narratives is equally applicable to the Church, given its historic role in oppression and injustice and its contemporary responsibility to amplify justice rather than falsely claim neutrality. I am incredibly excited to move from researching injustice, to participating in and communicating justice work/conversations through JPIT, from the newsletter to podcasts to social media! Moving on from youth activism which demanded that the adults listened, into the adult world myself post-graduation, I am learning where I must be accountable for creating a Jesus-like life, responsible for my platform and how I can make a difference in the world. It helps to come back to the intentions of Isaiah 58: 6-7 – “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” In a climate where Christianity is being weaponised as part of far-right hate rhetoric, it is crucial more than ever to communicate these values of justice, freedom, and compassion. I pray that my experiences can support JPIT this year in speaking truth to power; in its vision of partnership, peace, and ‘to loose the bonds of injustice’. Source
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