The Education and Learning team is happy to announce the arrival of a new home for blended learning programmes in the church – the URC Learning Hub.
Blended programmes mix online preparation study with in-person sessions in order to make the best use of both digital and human resources for learning, while also allowing access from wherever participants may be located geographically.
In this way programmes in the Hub will bring a greater selection of learning options to a wider church audience.
Holmes Lane,
Rustington,
BN16 2PY
Alice, a CRCW in Glasgow, serving both Priesthill and Shawlands URCs describes how a neglected space is being transformed into a beautiful community garden with a little bit of help from the local community. The sun was shining on 3 May in South Glasgow, which made a lovely afternoon at Priesthill URC even better as we reopened the People’s Garden. The Garden is in two parts and during the lockdowns 50% of it had become completely neglected and was unsafe for the general public to enjoy. The church, alongside partner charity Urban Roots, sought to gain funding and turn the garden back into a place the community could come to and enjoy again. Funding was sought, donations were very kindly given and about 15 months later the project started, and we began talking with landscapers just before Christmas to begin phase one. Since then, we have seen phase two take place. We are already seeing the area being used again and through funding we have been able to buy new plants, tools and seating. To celebrate this achievement, the church and Urban Roots decided to have an open day for the whole community to come and enjoy the space. The afternoon itself was enjoyed by lots of local residents (we had to get more food in at one point), who could enjoy a BBQ and home-baking, take part in or listen to the storytelling lead by local arts charity: The Village Storytellers, have their faces painted, enjoy a couple of crafts or have a go at the stone carving on offer. The stone carving has continued since that day so that members of the community can come along and help create some artwork for the garden. None of what has been achieved so far would have been possible without support from our various funders and all the hard work of garden volunteers, church members and those who were simply down at a group in the Hall and popped out to the garden to lend a hand. Now begins phase three… Source
On 20 June, MPs narrowly approved the landmark Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 314 votes to 291. If passed into law, the Bill could bring major social change by giving terminally ill adults in England and Wales the legal right to end their own lives. The URC offers these prayers to help congregations navigate issues around Assisted Dying as they are discussed by legislators across these islands: The Isle of Man allows Assisted Dying, Jersey is in the latter stages of legal preparation for this; the Scottish Parliament is working on detailed legislation with a bill passing Stage 1; The Terminally Ill Adults Bill, passed by the House of Commons, is now subject to further scrutiny through various stages in the House of Lords. MPs will then get a final say when they have looked at any proposed changes. This is the point at which the bill will officially become law, unless it runs out of Parliamentary time or those in the House of Lords who oppose the Bill find a way to block it. The United Reformed Church’s General Assembly last discussed the matter in 2007, resolving: General Assembly affirms the report Assisted Dying, as encapsulated in the following statements: As Christians, we regard all human life as being God given, and therefore precious; we believe that death is not the end and we have faith that there is a more perfect life to follow. We recognise that there is a time to die and that there are circumstances in which it will be wrong to continue to provide treatment designed to prolong life. We recognise that some palliative treatment for the terminally ill, makes the patient more comfortable and pain free, but can also hasten death. We believe this to be acceptable, as long as the intention of the treatment is pain relief and comfort of the patient We could not support legislation that would empower medical staff to intervene in ways which deliberately seek to assist a patient to die. We would therefore oppose any change in the law to permit voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide We believe that a Living Will or Advance Directive which has been prepared by a patient of sound mind, can be helpful for carers and relatives; however, we do not believe such a document should be used to facilitate a person’s death We believe that additional resources are needed to provide more uniformly available and more high quality palliative care We recognise the valuable contribution made by carers. We express our prayerful support for those who work in, and promote, hospices and others who care, befriend, and provide support for the dying. I’m Confused Lord I’m confused Lord and don’t know what to say;I grew up believing in the sanctity of life,that You command us not to kill, and that life is always worth living… …but if I was in pain with little hope of respite,or one I loved was living in unimaginable agony,I’d want that pain to stop. I’m confused Lord and don’t know what to say,all these difficult choices but they can’t properly fund hospice care,there’s always money for bombs though… …but surely good end-of-life care is a prerequisite of a decent society?We live our lives as if there’s nothing else to come,clinging to it, forgetting it’s possible to have a good death. I’m confused Lord and don’t know what to say,I’d not want to be a burden when my time comes,I’d not want to cling on seeking every medical intervention when it was time to go… …but I’d not want to be despatched more quickly so the will can be read!I’d not want to be pressurised to die to save the State money,nor be seen as dispensable. I’m confused Lord and don’t know what to say,disabled friends are frightened – fearing their lives will be seen as less worthwhile,doctors and nurses are trained to save life not to kill … …but saying “thou shalt not kill” seems judgy,to urge for better palliative care seems unrealistic,and to oppose social trends seems hard. So, help me Lord, in my confusion,and give me ears to hear and the words to say.Amen. A Fuller Life Awaits Eternal One,we pray for our legislators,faced with complex lives, situations, and finances,and trying to discern right from wrong,in the face of high-powered campaigns. Suffering Lord,You walk with us in our pain, bewilderment, and grief,give grace to those who approach the end of life,wisdom to clinical staff who care for them,and time for loving farewells. Renewing Spirit,remind us that death is not the end,that a new, fuller, life awaits us,where there will be no more death, sorrow,mourning or crying. Amen Perfect Love Gracious God,help us to hold Your truth gracefully,proclaim Your love with humility,and serve Your people faithfully. Dying God,drive out our fear of death with Your perfect love;banish our meanness with a generositywhich funds proper care for the dying, the ill, and the disabled. Energising God,transform our ideologies,that we face both life and death,in the safety of Your loveand the promise of resurrection.Amen For more on the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (Assisted Dying) Bill through the Houses of Parliament see here. Image: Alexander Grey/Unsplash. Source
Church Related Community Worker; Ann Honey highlights some of the work that goes on behind the scenes in the Billingham CRCW project and reveals how conversations between organisations can lead to some important collaborative work. Recently we have developed a contact with NePACS, a charity in the north-east offering support to those affected by the criminal justice system. They provide prisoners and their families much needed advice and support through difficult times. Last winter we heard they were in need of winter coats, as many of the prisoners being released had no warm coat to wear in what was a very cold winter. We managed to gather some from our congregation and community volunteers, and they were taken across to the centre outside the prison. The manager of the local NePACS came to see me at St Columba’s for coffee and a chat, and to say how grateful they were for the donation of coats. They were interested to hear about the CRCW project in Billingham and thought there were ways we could work together. As we talked, I was able to tell her about a couple of small grants the charity might apply for – and they were successful in securing some money to buy essentials for the prison leavers. A couple of weeks ago she asked whether we had anyone connected to the church who might be interested in knitting teddy bears. I told her yes; we’d probably be able to find some knitters (and in the back of my mind I was thinking of the stash of spare wool I have gathered over the years that “might come in useful one day”!) NePACS gives teddies to the children of prisoners on their “Family Days”, they also do something quite touching with them that I hadn’t thought of: Some of the men inside have new babies waiting for their release – some of them have never met their baby. They are given a knitted teddy to keep with them for a day or two – these teddies are then given to the new baby, so that when their parent is released, the child will recognise their parent’s smell. We’ve found a pattern (I think it’s a WI one) and our craft group is hoping to have some ready soon. Source
The 2025 meeting of the United Reformed Church (URC) General Assembly is taking place from 4-7 July at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick. General Assembly meets annually to celebrate, discuss, worship and make decisions about the life and work of the URC. It is the URC’s central decision-making body. Items on the agenda include an update on the Church Life Review, a review of the URC retirement policy for ministers and Church Related Community Workers, the criteria for 13 new Pioneering posts, a review of its Resource Centres for Learning, the Place for Hope mediation team launch, and the 2025 Community Project Awards. A round-up of all the business discussed and decisions made will be available on the news pages of the URC’s website and Issue 5 of Reform magazine. A summary will be included in News Update, the denomination’s monthly e-newsletter. General Assembly papers can be viewed and downloaded here Source
This week the UK government has announced its intention to undertake a new nuclear mission. Keir Starmer indicated that the purchase of 12 US F-35A aircraft will provide the capacity for the UK to threaten states with US-made B61 tactical nuclear bombs. The Ministry of Defence implies that UK pilots would be trained to enable these aircraft to provide a second leg to the UK nuclear weapons programme, threatening adversaries with smaller more usable and ‘credible’ nuclear weapons in addition to the UK’s current large-scale strategic nuclear weapons system. The introduction of a new range of tactical nuclear weapons would be a mammoth shift in UK nuclear strategy, unparalleled in the past 25 years. Contrary to claims by some, the recent Strategic Defence Review (SDR) does not offer justification for this dramatic development.[1] The review only recommended “commencing discussions with the United States and NATO on the potential benefits and feasibility of enhanced UK participation in NATO’s nuclear mission”. The review has not considered the pitfalls of various options or even outlined what ‘enhanced UK participation’ might look like. Lord Robertson, the chair of the independent review team, was asked by the Defence Committee about the possibility of the UK hosting US air-launched nuclear weapons or developing its own. In reply, he stated, “We considered it. The fact that it’s not there indicates that we weren’t terribly enthusiastic about it. When I was Defence Secretary the last time round, I got rid of the free-fall bombs.” Let’s be clear: there is no identifiable public support for the UK’s involvement in tactical, more ‘useable’ nuclear weapons; no Parliamentary scrutiny of this proposal to date; and no case set out by the Government outlining the pros and cons of such a major shift in UK defence policy. Why are tactical nuclear weapons being considered? To do this question justice we need to delve into the controversial policy of nuclear deterrence, the theory of which is that the threat or potential of one party using force will convince another party to refrain from initiating some other course of action. The SDR acknowledges that Russia’s aggressive adventurism is driving the UK’s strategic thinking. Nuclear planners in Whitehall are concerned that the UK’s current nuclear weapons lack credibility as a deterrent across a range of scenarios. They worry that the UK is unable to influence the escalation ladder that climbs from conventional conflict to all-out global nuclear war, if the UK only possesses large warheads several times the size of the Hiroshima bomb. There is no evidence that President Putin, despite his brutal and ruthless tendencies, would consider using a nuclear weapon on European states. Yet the fact that he could is apparently enough for some nuclear planners to recommend spending billions of pounds on new warheads and delivery systems. This shift would reverse undertakings that that the UK has made at Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conferences, thereby weakening the NPT, which is the only international agreement binding nuclear weapons-holding states to the goal of disarmament. It’s helpful to consider what role tactical nuclear weapons might play in two potential scenarios involving Russian aggression. The first concerns suppression of conventional conflict. Imagine Russia was to invade a neighbouring state, say Lithuania or Estonia, for which they could mobilise troops in numbers that would overwhelm a NATO conventional response. Given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this future possibility cannot be entirely dismissed, and it is prudent to give it serious consideration. The hypothesis is that if the UK had tactical nuclear weapons this might dissuade President Putin or another future Russian leader from crossing the border with troops. Russia might assess that the United States lacked the resolve to use its tactical nuclear weapons based in Europe. In this case, Russia would then be deterred by the faint possibility of the UK breaking the global nuclear taboo and using nuclear weapons for the first time since the Second World War in a counterforce attack against Russian military assets. This possibility, vanishingly remote as it is, is thought to have more credibility if the UK were to possess tactical nuclear weapons as an alternative to its hugely destructive strategic nuclear weapons. However, the supposed deterrent effect of the UK’s nuclear weapons in this scenario does not hold water. Russia’s counter-strategy would see it engaging in hybrid warfare, destabilising regions close to the Russian border through support of provocateurs, alleging ‘extremism’ on the part of local and national political figures to provide cover for a low-level military intervention with the option to expand later. There are plenty of options open to Russia to initiate a military intervention that at no point would involve a step significant enough to conceivably warrant resort to tactical nuclear weapons. This renders UK nuclear weapons a useless deterrent against a conventional attack by Russia. The second scenario is one that is maybe more familiar in habitual nuclear deterrence thinking. It concerns deterrence of a Russian nuclear attack, and Ukraine is a pertinent case study. Over the past three years, Russia has increased its nuclear rhetoric. There are concerns that were Russia to lose this conventional conflict and be pushed out of the four regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia, it could make good on recent nuclear threats. It could, let’s say, bomb military bases in Ukraine or NATO states with its tactical nuclear weapons. Western nuclear strategists suggest that if the UK had tactical nuclear weapons of a similar nature, then Russia would be deterred from a first use of nuclear weapons. The main difficulty here is the assumed plausibility of Russian ‘first use’. While the rhetoric coming from Moscow is certainly alarming at times, Russia has nothing whatsoever to gain from first use in this or any similar scenario, and everything to lose with respect to its relationship with China and India and its standing and trading position in the international community. It is precisely this diplomatic and economic cost to Russia that the UK government could look to strengthen […]
On the 4th June 1989, on my 20th birthday, I prepared to travel to Berlin as part of a Mersey Province trip to Germany for Kirchentag, the Protestant biennial congress. There are lots of tales I could tell about that trip from the journey out, to the trip’s end. But for today there’s one particular bit of the trip I want to focus on with you. The day after our arrival we popped over the wall for a daytrip to East Berlin. For those of you not as old as me, essentially this meant that we had arrived in East Germany just in time to catch the aftershocks caused by the massacre at Tiananmen Square. This trip had a profound effect on me – it was a real culture shock. So many images, and feelings are indelibly etched on my psyche. So much so that as I’m talking to you about it today, 35 years later, I can still see it like a movie in my mind. Some things were odd. The plain brick walls, buildings with no adverts on them at all, making red brick feel grey. Some things were funny. The Lada cars so scarce that there was a running gag that, before you put your newborn’s name down to register them for school, you registered them for a car. It’d take that long for one to arrive for them. And some things were unsettling. At a time before camera phones and selfie sticks, there were the cameras on every roof, at every junction – we’ve let privacy go without much thought with the advent of mobiles – still, then, it felt like a particularly ominous intrusion. But I’m getting carried away…this isn’t a reflection about that trip. There are many things I could talk about if that was the topic. But it isn’t. This is a reflection about space. Real and imagined, ancient and new, temporary tabernacles and permanent buildings. Safe space. Welcoming space. God’s space. Church. I wonder what comes to your mind when you look at this image? Given the reading from Amos, you may be thinking ‘tabernacle or booth of David’. Or, given our context, this year’s theme of Resurrection for Tim’s tenure as Moderator, your mind may be drawn to ‘tent revival’. Or you may, like me, have just glanced at this picture with nothing particular in your head and just thought – ‘circus’. There are some key elements to be found in all of those possibilities. There are performances, and participants observe and play roles. Most importantly, all involve the creation of a clearly demarcated area, that exists in the material world and is designated by the physical boundaries of canvas and pole, but that is actually designed to enable those enclosed within its embrace to access something transcendent. Having a discrete area where you can go to connect with God in some way is the origin of church. For the Israelites their skene was an earthly place for interacting with God. Highly portable, it consisted of a fenced off area that contained an altar for sacrifices and, of course, the Holy of Holies, the secluded area housing the Ark of the Covenant, separated from the general congregation by a veil, and only entered by the High Priest, once a year. From here we can trace a throughline from tabernacle to Temple to synagogue to church. Like churches, theatres can also trace their origins back to tabernacles – both are connected to the Greek word for tent or tabernacle – skene.This meeting of religion and performance is nothing new – they’ve walked through the ages, holding hands, like mardy siblings, coming together at key moments in history and then periodically squabbling over which one is the most useful, the prettiest, the most welcoming… As you will all know, theatre’s origin story in the UK derives directly from the Catholic church’s desire to communicate Biblical stories to congregations only able to access the Latin mass in church. Conversely, Shakespeare’s Richard III, one of our best theatrical villains, has his origins in portrayals of Herod in Medieval Mystery Cycles. And today? Well, like churches, many theatres are now under existential threat. The booth of David is in ruins… As Rupert Shortt suggests in his recent book, The Eclipse of Christianity, in this country at least – we are living through a recession of a profoundly Christian nature. Elsewhere, where Christians are being heard the loudest, they represent a very different form of the faith than our own. Substituting dogmatism for dogma, they present an image of Christianity armoured in certainty; its boundaries asserted loudly, angrily, intolerantly. The Christian of popular culture is viewed as, at best, irrelevant, and at worst, as an Evolution-denying, human rights oppressing bigot, whose hierarchical worldview remains grounded in Bronze Age fantasy stories. Like Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, truly it could be said that we live in unkind times, where short form video content and online echo chambers have led us to a place where our tolerance levels for uncertainty have never been lower. And that leads us to tighten ourselves culturally and religiously. To become more dogmatic, more authoritarian, expressing views with unfounded confidence and certainty, loudly and quickly, before anyone spots the enormous, fearful elephant in the room… And so, it is this authoritarian cultural turn that leads me back to East Berlin. 5th June 1989, just a few short months before the Berlin Wall is pulled down. The East German state is in its death throes and its enforcers, the Stasi, are much more dangerous as a consequence. And there, in the midst of all of this, is a space. It exists in the real world and in the imagined. Kirche. Church. During our initial meeting with the church community in East Berlin, one of the ministers apologised because he had to leave us. He had to go to his church to speak to some people who were gathering there to protest against the events […]
Following the recent vote on “The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill” in the House of Commons, I know that people with a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives are feeling anxious. In his blog on the bill, JPIT’s Steve Tinning pointed to the need to ‘continue to listen and engage with the conversation about assisted dying faithfully, prayerfully and compassionately’. This prayer is offered as one way in which we might create space for that listening, engagement and dialogue. God with us,you have experienced living, dying, and living again.You are woven within and between usthroughout our lives and in our deaths.May we hold spacefor those who are living with anxiety, uncertainty, fear and pain. [silence] God with us,you have experienced caring and loss.You are woven within and between usin our caring and in our grieving.May we hold spacefor those who care and those who grieve. [silence] God with us,you have experienced disagreements and debate,been unheard and been treated unkindly in response to your words.You are woven within and between usin our thinking, in our speaking, and in our listening,May we hold space in our certaintyfor those who are certain in a differing conviction,and hold space for uncertainty,be it our own or experienced by those we meet on the way. [silence] In the name of Christ,who lived and died and lives again,Amen. Source
As her term in office as Moderator of the Free Churches Group begins*, the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson (TH-R), who also acts as one of the Presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE), spoke to CTE’s Senior Communications Manager, Sarah Ball (SB): SB: Welcome to the CTE Presidency Revd Dr Tessa. How did your ecumenical journey begin? TH-R: My ecumenical journey began long before I understood the word. As a child in Trinidad and Tobago, I lived the beauty and complexity of the Christian tradition through my family. My father was born in Tobago and raised in the Methodist tradition. My mother was born in Trinidad and raised in a Roman Catholic and Pentecostal household. I was baptised in the Methodist Church, educated in Roman Catholic and Anglican schools, and worshipped in Pentecostal settings during holidays with my maternal grandparents. From early on, I encountered difference as a gift. That beginning shaped my lens, and helped me to see the rich variety within the body of Christ as something to honour, not to fear. My journey continues to unfold as one committed to the hard work of shared mission, mutual respect, and spiritual integrity across denominational lines. SB: What was your first ecumenical experience? How formative was this? TH-R: My earliest (formal) ecumenical experience came in the early 2000s while I was a member of Christ Church Bellingham. I was part of a small team tasked with building relationships across five local churches. That experience was not only informative. It was deeply formative. It taught me that unity across Christian traditions is not just an abstract hope. It is a relational task that demands presence, humility, and trust. As I worshipped, dialogued, and shared life with colleagues from a range of denominational backgrounds, I began to sense the Spirit moving in ways I had not seen before. I witnessed how God works through different liturgies, languages, and leadership models. Some tensions surfaced, of course. But they were not held as obstacles, they were used as invitations and opportunities to grow deeper in grace. Ecumenical work has never been about erasing difference, it is about honouring difference, engaging it with love, and letting it stretch us toward fuller faithfulness. Unity, for me, is the hard and holy commitment to keep choosing one another because of our differences, not despite them. SB: You are a URC Minister, how has being part of that church influenced your thoughts on Christian unity? TH-R: The United Reformed Church is itself a living sign of ecumenical commitment. Its very formation brought together multiple denominations in pursuit of a more faithful expression of the Church. To be a URC minister is to have been shaped in the context of being reformed and always reforming in a denomination that not only values being reformed and building unity, but was born from “Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei”, “The church reformed, always being reformed according to the Word of God.” My ministerial formation has been rooted in the conviction that Christian unity matters—that we can be deeply faithful to our own traditions while also working generously across them. The URC has given me space to live this conviction in practice: through shared worship, collaborative ministry, and openness to the Spirit speaking through other voices and traditions. I have been formed by a community that has moved from just talking about being a multicultural church with an intercultural habit, and becoming anti-racist, to being in the process of seeking, diligently, to embody these principles. This experience has instilled in me a deep hope that visible unity in the Body of Christ is not only possible, but essential to our witness in the world today. Read the interview in full. *The Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, was inducted as Moderator of the Free Churches Group in April, and served as Moderator of the United Reformed Church General Assembly from 2023-2024. Image: Chris Andrews/URC. Source
A round up of news from around the United Reformed Church over the past seven days, 17-23 June. Yorkshire Synod Saltaire URC hosted the Baton of Hope Tour, part of a growing movement working towards a zero-suicide society, during this year’s Saltaire Arts Festival, and in support of “Yorkshire Speak their Name”, the UK memorial site remembering loved ones lost suicide https://speaktheirname.org/ Individuals who have experienced such loss made inspiring squares which were incorporated into banners. A spokesperson for Yorkshire Synod, said: “This was an incredibly moving and powerful exhibition which was beautifully displayed in the sanctuary of Saltaire URC.” Southern Synod Thirty-two ministers from across Southern Synod recently enjoyed a lively and enriching Spring School. Mornings began with aerobics and creative prayer, while evenings offered deep conversation and shared laughter. Early risers joined Lesley Charlton for aerobics and a jog, and Sue Chapman, the Synod’s Chaplain, led daily morning prayer and reflections. The event closed with worship and communion led by Charisa Hunter-Crump, the synod’s new Training and Development Officer. Guest speaker the Revd Dr Susan Durber challenged and inspired the group with the question “Who is Jesus?”—exploring it through stories, art, poetry, and more in this anniversary year of the Council of Nicaea. National Synod of Wales All creatures great and small were celebrated in joyful style at Penuel URC’s very first pet service. Led by Revd Chris Coe and Sally Tolson, the service brought together 28 people aged three to 80, five dogs, three chicks, a cuddly hamster and a crowd of beloved soft toys, including a giant tiger. Together, they gave thanks to God for the gift of family in all its forms – especially the furry, feathered, and fluffy ones. National Synod of Scotland The Scottish College concluded its academic year with a final gathering from 4–6 June, sharing a meal and reflecting on the ministry of funerals. It’s been a year of highs and challenges for the college, but resilience and adaptability stood out. From navigating Storm Éowyn to welcoming a new College Manager, the team rose to every occasion with grace and teamwork. Looking ahead, the college is excited to begin the 2024/25 year with a visit to Torre Pellice, a commune in Italy, and the Waldensian Church, offering fresh perspective for staff and students. Source
Wombourne United Reformed Church in West Midlands Synod has officially struck gold—not in medals, but in mission. The church has proudly earned A Rocha UK’s Gold Eco Church Award. From planting a beautiful eco garden for reflection and wildlife, to fitting energy-saving features like LED lights, dual-flush toilets that are all twinned, and programmable boilers, Wombourne URC has embraced sustainability at every level. Their eco notice board, climate-friendly cleaning choices, and recycling donation point show a hands-on commitment to making a real difference. The church’s monthly newsletter inspires readers with nature photography and eco tips, while international outreach provides support to communities in Gambia through education and healthcare resources. To achieve the award, the church completed the A Rocha UK’s Eco Church Survey, submitted a land management plan, and shared their carbon footprint report, all part of a rigorous process that ensures meaningful change. A spokesperson for West Midlands Synod said: “We, at the Synod, want to encourage and congratulate everyone for all the hard work they are putting in at all of your churches and hopefully [Wombourne URC’s success] has encouraged you in continuing to steward God’s creation!” Source
