The Revd Andy Braunston, Minister of Barrhead, Priesthill, Shawlands and Stewarton United Reformed Churches (URC) in the National Synod of Scotland’s Southside Cluster, has been appointed as the new Minister for Digital Worship.
The need for the role was introduced at General Assembly in July by the Revd Dr John Bradbury, General Secretary of the URC, to make the Daily Devotions and Daily Devotions Sunday service an integral part of the life and witness of the denomination.
Holmes Lane,
Rustington,
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On Wednesday the 23rd July we handed in a letter at the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to ask Sir Keir Starmer to stop the Rosebank oil field. This is the same day the International Court of Justice made a historic announcement that governments have a binding legal duty to protect our climate by limiting carbon emissions. If you haven’t heard of Rosebank, it is the largest undeveloped oil field in the UK, 80 miles off the Shetland coast. Approving Rosebank would directly contradict the government’s climate and net zero goals. Campaigners estimate that burning Rosebank’s oil and gas would produce more CO2 than the 28 poorest countries in a year, a staggering contribution to global warming. This comes at a time when the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat, it’s already here. The UK just experienced the hottest spring on record and driest in 50 years, summer in turn has been marked by heatwaves, so we don’t need to look abroad to see the impacts. But if we do look globally then we see the truly devastating events. Just this month, 65 people died in a single day due to flooding in Pakistan and Iran has seen extreme heat of 50 degrees and severe drought. Sadly, these are just a few examples. Some will argue that we still need oil and gas during the transition to renewables. However, 90% of Rosebank’s oil is expected to be exported, with profits going to Equinor, a Norwegian state-owned company, not to the British public. The Stop Rosebank campaign recently won a major legal victory where the court ruled the government’s approval of Rosebank unlawful. Now, the government is remaking their decision with an oil & gas consultation. The consultation is ongoing right now, that’s why this is the time to act. A final decision for Rosebank is expected in late September. I was honoured to be a part of the group handing the letter in. It was one small act in a much larger effort. Back in April over a million people signed a petition delivered to 10 Downing Street calling for an end to new oil and gas projects. Given this, added to the now well circulated fact that 89% of us globally want to see more climate action, it seems clear to me that the government must listen. Let’s hope and pray they do. Want to know what you can do? Join a vigil: Christian Climate Action are holding regular vigils outside DESNZ during the governments 30 day Oil & Gas consultation period. Join in Save the date: At the end of the 30-day consultation, the Stop Rosebank campaign is planning a National Day of Action on Saturday 6th September. More info to follow soon. Speak to your MP: Use this guide to speak to your MP about StopRosebank, guide here. This letter was signed by representatives of 18 faith groups including leaders from the United Reformed Church, Methodist Church and Baptist Union Environment Network. Read the letter here. Here is a prayer you may like to use: Creator God, We are deeply sorry for our reliance on resources that damage your creation, Please support the campaigners, giving them strength to keep going, Give our government wisdom and compassion over this consultation period. Let there be justice for the land and the seas, Let there be justice for the people impacted and the people unseen, Amen. Source
At lunchtime today a letter on behalf of 18 Christian organisations and denominations – including the Baptist Union, United Reformed Church and Methodist Church – was delivered to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The letter urged the abandonment of fossil fuels and expressed deep concern that further oil and gas extraction might be permitted by the government under its regulatory processes, despite the government’s new guidance on oil and gas extraction requiring consideration of the environmental impacts. The groups signing the letter said they were particularly alarmed by the proposed Rosebank oil field which was incompatible with safe climate limits. The letter draws on the words of the late Pope Francis “Now is the time for new courage in abandoning fossil fuels to accelerate the development of zero-or positive-impact sources of energy.”– Pope Francis and concludes, ‘As concerned faith groups, we are calling on the government to reject Rosebank as a key opportunity to show the courage that the late Pope Francis calls for and the climate leadership that you promised in your own manifesto.’ In January of this year, the previous government’s approval of Rosebank was overturned in the courts, primarily on the grounds that the developers did not account for the emissions that would be created by the inevitable burning of the huge quantities of oil and gas that would be produced by the Rosebank field over its lifetime. These emissions are so large, that they are larger than the combined emissions of the world’s 28 poorest countries. This was a significant legal win in the fight to end of fossil fuel production in the UK. In June the government announced new rules for the process that governs oil and gas project approvals. With these new rules in place, Rosebank’s lead developer – Norwegian oil giant Equinor – is expected to submit a new application to get Rosebank approved, this time including the calculation of its lifetime emissions. Over recent weeks a number of open letters from ocean groups, health institutions, Scottish groups, grassroots communities, parent voices and now Christian groups, have been sent to the Government expressing opposition to the exploitation of the Rosebank field, demonstrating a strong consensus across society that the project must not be given permission to proceed. JPIT’s Constituency Action Network Intern Florence Wright was amongst those who delivered the letter to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. Watch this space for her reflections on the hand-in. Photo credit: Angela Christofilou Source
When tensions rise in communities, churches can be agents of peace, compassion, sanctuary, solidarity and support. Below we suggest five ways that church leaders can prepare positively – to be ready to lead, respond and care well at times of unrest. It is nearly a year since violent disorder broke out in parts of England and Northern Ireland, following the terrible killing of three children in Southport. Protests escalated into rioting, orchestrated by far-right extremists and fuelled by online disinformation, resulting in multiple injuries and arrests, damage to public property and places of worship, and targeted attacks on individuals and accommodation housing people seeking asylum. It made many more people and communities fearful. Since then, much reflection, analysis and conversation has taken place about what happened, the reasons for it, and what can be learned for the future. One strong message that has emerged is that this social unrest was not an isolated one-off incident; similar events could be triggered at any time. Here are five practical ways that churches and church leaders can build relationships and foster peace in local communities before a crisis occurs – and be ready to respond when it does. 1. Build relationships with other faith leaders Where positive relationships have been formed between people of different faiths, communities are stronger. Getting to know other faith leaders in your community is not only a good thing in itself, but it means you will have a network and relationships in place for support and response when crisis strikes. That could be as simple as being able to drop a message of solidarity to your local imam or rabbi, or a more formal inter-faith group which can exchange information or coordinate responses. Useful resource: Building Good Relations with People of Different Faiths and Beliefs, the code of practice published by the (sadly now defunct) Inter Faith Network. 2. Preach and pray about politics and social issues Some far-right extremism draws on crude Christian ideas and tropes, and exploits resentments that people can feel when they believe certain issues can’t be discussed. Encourage critical reflection and thoughtful dialogue through preaching, worship and conversation that engages with current political debates and social concerns. “There is clear evidence that those in our congregations who are regularly exposed to biblical teaching are less likely to show signs of radicalisation and violence.”Revd Dr Helen Paynter, Baptist minister and theological educator, in The Church, the Far Right, and the Claim to Christianity (2024) Useful resource: Politics in the Pulpit?, a weekly lectionary-based preaching resource from the Joint Public Issues Team. 3. Forge community connections across difference In a context of widening polarisation, churches can play a role in bringing people together for conversations with those that hold different views to find common ground and shared interests. When people from different organisations and perspectives are able to meet, discover what they have in common, and forge relationships across divisions of ethnicity, culture, and religion, communities become more resilient to hate, division and violence. “To see somebody else in the street and rather than think of something that they saw on the news or on social media, they think ‘oh I met somebody like that once and this was the conversation that we had with each other’. I think it helps all of us break down assumptions.” Participant in Citizens UK relational experiment pilot Useful resource: Organising Together Across Difference from Citizens UK suggests one approach, and includes access to a learning module and a guide to holding a ‘Weaving Trust’ event. 4. Consider your role and stance Every context is different, but it is helpful to give thought in advance to what role you and your church might play in the event of protests or disorder, and how you could prepare for that. Will you personally choose to be a faith presence, or might you (with others) organise some kind of counter-demonstration or witness for peace, such as a community choir or protective human chain? Could your church building be offered as a safe space – and if so, how will you keep it safe? What role might public prayers or acts of worship play? If you or members of your church community potentially feel at risk, for example because of ethnic background or because of your support for people seeking asylum, what can you do to support the physical and psychological safety of people in the church and community, and what help might you need from others? Talking through these questions calmly in advance will help you to be prepared. Useful resources: Methodist Church guidelines on Responding to disturbances – being present as a faith leader and Advice for Major Incidents. HOPE not Hate guide to Staying Safe amidst Far Right Violence. 4. Keep offering welcome and celebrating diversity It’s really important that fear of disorder does not diminish our commitment to inclusion and justice. At a time when people of global majority heritage or who have experience of seeking asylum are particularly feeling vulnerable, it can be very powerful to put on an event or activity which demonstrates the solidarity, care and welcome of the community, and celebrates our diversity. Whether part of a ‘Big Lunch’, a ‘Great Get Together’ or a ‘Welcome Weekend’, events could include a picnic, a community meal, or a moment of reflection. Useful resource: Join in with Welcome Weekend from 7-10 August: a national moment of solidarity uniting communities in local gatherings across the country to show that welcome still defines our story. This is being organised by Together with Refugees, a coalition of which the JPIT denominations are a part. Read more Theos: Disunited Kingdom? Churches and the riots of summer 2024 Helen Paynter and Maria Power (editors): The Church, the Far Right, and the Claim to Christianity (2024). A short summary of its key findings and recommendations is available here. 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Members of the Baptist Union, Methodist Church and United Reformed Church lobbied members of parliament for climate justice last week. On Wednesday 9 July, around 5000 people from throughout the UK came together in London to ask MPs to act now for a healthier, fairer, safer future. You can see find out more about the asks of the ‘Act Now Change Forever’ campaign, which was organised by the Climate Coalition, here. JPIT was amongst the faith organisations convened for the event by Faith for the Climate. Florence and I enjoyed meeting other passionate advocates for climate justice at our stall in the QEII Conference Centre. Find out why some of the people we met were at the event: [embedded content] “The state of our relationship with creation is the cake, not the icing, of Christianity”– David Coleman, Eco Congregation Scotland The day included a faith leaders photo. We were pleased that those photographed campaigning for the climate included JPIT Team members and members of partner denominations. L-R: Revd. George Watt – Moderator of the United Reformed Church‘s Thames North Synod, Revd. Andrew Openshaw – Baptists Union of Great Britain and the Baptist Union Environment Network, Dr. Stuart Kean – Milton Keynes Eco Church Champion, Dr. Hamish Leese – Director of Environmental Engagement for the Methodist Church, Simeon Mitchell – JPIT Team Leader JPIT Intern Florence Wright reflects on her experience of meeting her MP at the mass lobby: “I absolutely loved attending the mass lobby, I found so encouraging to be surrounded by people who are working for climate justice. Sometimes it can feel like there are so many separate groups and campaigns that it’s hard to know where to focus your energy, but seeing everyone come together in one place brought a real feeling of unity and being part of something bigger than your segment. Around 35 people from my constituency (Hornsey and Friern Barnet) showed up, sending a strong message to our MP Catherine West that climate issues matter to us. Although Catherine West is a frontbencher so cannot share her personal views in detail, she did commit to raising our concerns in conversations behind the scenes. Overall, I feel it was very worthwhile showing up as another person in the room, but I might like to meet with my MP at some other point to have a one-to-one conversation.” Faith leaders at mass lobby 9.7.25. Credit Richard Dawso_PA Media Assignments Couldn’t make it to London? We are looking forward to a dispersed lobby – a chance to meet your MP wherever you are – in September. Watch this space for news about how to get involved in the environmental justice lobbying events, which will be held around the country on 13-20 September 2025. Source
A round up of news from around the United Reformed Church over the past seven days, 7-14 July 2025. East Midlands SynodYoung and old flocked to East Midlands Synod’s first Picnic in the Park event to enjoy worship, workshops and all manner of fun in the sun. At the event, held at the Frontier Centre, run by Christian Charity Rock UK, those attending enjoyed Godly Play, a huge zip slide, bouncy castle, games and a creative prayer trail based on the Moderator’s Talking Faith prayer. Members of Abington Avenue URC also ran an environmental craftivism workshop throughout the day. Congratulations to the Revd Clare Davison who has been inducted to Stamford URC. Deputy Synod Moderator, the Revd Jane Wade conducted a joyful induction service where members from Spalding URC and St Andrew’s URC Peterborough attended to help welcome Clare into her new role. Thames North Synod Held at the eco-friendly Greenwood site of St Albans URC, Thames North Eco Day, held last month, offered deep insight into climate justice and faith. Speakers like David Britton (Operation Noah) and Revd Francis Ackroyd highlighted Christian responsibility in tackling climate injustice, especially its disproportionate impact on poorer nations. Workshops covered sustainable practices and political engagement through faith, with input from Roo Stewart. Amersham Free Church hosted a successful eco event on 21 June which drew together people for an afternoon of inspiration, hospitality, and environmental awareness. The day featured a series of engaging talks on topics including ethical investment, the Repair Café initiative, and welcoming wildlife into the church’s gardens. A refurbished nature table in the vestibule added a hands-on touch, and guests enjoyed the church garden, lovingly tended to by members of the congregation. Amersham is also proud to have been given a “certificate of recognition” by Amersham in Bloom, an Amersham Town Council initiative, which works hard to make the town environmentally sustainable as well as beautiful. The event was rounded off with a cream tea, served by a dedicated team of kitchen volunteers. National Synod of ScotlandMore than 100 people gathered at St Matthew’s Church in Perth in June for “Living the Hope Within”, a celebration marking 25 years of the National Synod of Scotland. Drawing on the words of theologian Jürgen Moltmann, the event encouraged those attending to prepare themselves and their communities for God’s promises through the resurrection of Christ. Guests from across the wider URC, including representatives from Wales, Northern and Mersey Synods, the Church Life Review team, Christian Aid, and A Place for Hope, joined in a day of workshops, worship, and fellowship. Sessions explored themes such as justice, storytelling, intergenerational ministry, and joyful singing, with a keynote Communion reflection from the Very Revd Sally Foster-Fulton, Christian Aid’s UK and Global Church Ambassador, who urged the Church to “breathe in hope and exhale fear… breathe in community and banish them and us.” The gathering was both a milestone celebration and a powerful reminder of the hope that continues to inspire the Synod’s life and witness. National Synod of WalesChurch members from across North Wales recently gathered for a reflective prayer walk around Basingwerk Abbey. The abbey is at the bottom of the Greenfield Valley running down to the Dee from Holywell. Construction on the abbey began in the 12th century but was dissolved by Henry VIII three centuries later. Using the footprint of the abbey as a guide, the group offered prayers during the walk for communities, leaders, governments, farmers, food poverty and those in need. General Assembly’s Ecumenical guests Members of the URC’s Mission team enjoyed a dinner with ecumenical guests at the 2025 meeting of General Assembly. Guests included: Dr Francesca Nuzzolese (Waldensian), Martin Heninger and Anja Behrens (Evangelical Church of the Palatinate), Júlia Berecz (Reformed Church in Hungary), Charles Klagba-Kuadjovi (Eglise Protestante Unie de France), Revd Chantal Noppen (Church of England), Revd Tom Osborne (Methodist Church in Britain), Hilary Treavis (Baptist Union of Great Britain), Fr Dominic Robinson (Roman Catholic), Revd Géza Kacsó (Reformed community of Bátyú in Transcarpathia) and the Right Revd Rosemary (Rosie) Frew (Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland). Eastern Synod Maldon United Reformed Church welcomed the Coat of Hopes in June, offering hospitality to its accompanying pilgrims. Created by artist Barbara Keal for COP26 in 2021, the patchwork coat carries hopes for climate action. Three pilgrims, led by Helen Locke, walked with the coat through Essex, stopping in Maldon for storytelling, song, and reflection. Minister Anne Sardeson called the experience “powerful,” capturing both the weight of crisis and the warmth of community. The visit was hosted by Maldon URC’s Eco Church group. Source
Fourteen-year-old James Ineichen, from United Reformed Church Mersey Synod, has been named June’s recipient of the Lundie Memorial Award. James, who was nominated by Susan Frowe, an Elder and Messy Church leader at Christchurch Port Sunlight in the Wirral. Susan describes James as having natural teaching skills. “James is someone the children love working with,” she says, “and it is clear that James enjoys working with them.” James, who has been helping out at Messy Church for some time, attends early to help set up and helps the children with the activities, and helps make crafts for children so that they have something to take home to remind them of the session. Susan says that James’s “caring, helpful and polite attitude is evident and is often commented on by parents and helpers”. James says he enjoys attending Messy Church and seeing everyone have fun, he says attending helps strengthen his bond with the community. His skills extend beyond the scope of Messy Church. He can often be found helping with the tech team on the church’s weekly zoom service, having quickly learnt the skills necessary to be independent in this role. When asked of his initial reaction to being June’s Lundie winner, James said: “To be told I was the winner felt really good. I was very happy to get nominated and to win was an amazing thing.” James, who would love others his age to get involved with the life of the church, has this advice: “Getting involved with the church doesn’t just help you know the community around you but opens you up to new opportunities and is something you can always keep for the future.” Each recipient of the Lundie award receives £100. James isn’t fully sure of what to spend the money on but knows that the church needs new pencils and colouring pencils so that’s top of his agenda. He will also consult others at the church before deciding. Learn more about the Lundie Memorial Award and how to nominate a young person. Source
Catriona Wheeler, an Elder and Church Secretary at Trinity URC Lincoln, was inducted as Moderator at the 2025 meeting of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, held at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick from 4-7 July. Nominated by East Midlands Synod, Catriona will chair the General Assembly’s November 2025 and July 2026 meetings. Catriona was educated at Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, and read law at Birmingham University. An Elder and Church Secretary of Trinity United Reformed Church, Lincoln, Catriona has been the Legal Advisor to the East Midlands Synod of the URC since 1997, works as solicitor practising in the areas of commercial property, corporate law and charity law, and is a Notary Public. Her late grandfather and late mother were both URC Elders, as are both of her brothers. Catriona conducts acts of worship and is authorised to preside at the Sacraments and is a Stepwise student (the URC’s discipleship development programme). Catriona has held membership in churches across three synods, Northern, Yorkshire and East Midlands and serves as a director of East Midlands Synod Trust and Chair of the United Reformed Church Trust. Her hobbies include gentle cycling, with the objective of seeing places, choral singing with the Lincoln Choral society; K-dramas (Korean dramas), BTS (a South Korean band), knitting and crochet. In its nomination, East Midlands Synod said that it was delighted to make this nomination, “having benefitted from Catriona’s wisdom and clarity of thought in meetings and discussions on many occasions and in different situations. Her ability to crystalise the thinking of the room and her pastoral sensitivity to all aspects of an issue are among her great strengths.” Catriona practises as a solicitor and Notary Public. Her areas of law cover commercial property and corporate law, but her particular interest is charity law. Source
One of JPIT’s Six Hopes is for ‘a planet where our environment is renewed‘. As part of our preparation for the Climate Coalition’s Mass Lobby on the 9th of July we invited Sarah Hulme (Rural Mission and Ministry officer for the Methodist Church) and Matt Jeffrey (CEO of the Arthur Rank Centre) to reflect on the links between environmental renewal and regenerative agriculture. The Arthur Rank Centre will be hosting a stand at the climate lobby in Westminster, seeking to create a welcoming space for dialogue between farmers, agricultural communities, and those passionate about tackling the climate crisis. Too often, conversations around farming and climate become polarised, but we believe there is more that unites us than divides us. By bringing people together, we hope to nurture understanding, share stories of regenerative practices already happening in our countryside, and inspire collective action for a healthier, more resilient future. Creation care is mission In the opening chapters of Genesis, we are given an image of humanity’s vocation: to be partners in God’s creation. Genesis 2:15 tells us, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” We are not owners, but partners sharing in the care of a world that reflects God’s glory, central to our identity as image-bearers of God. Creation care is justice Creation care is inseparable from justice. Climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately affect people around the world who are made vulnerable by their lived experiences of poverty. Regenerative agriculture, by promoting biodiversity, soil health, and local food systems, contributes to food security and economic resilience. It embodies the biblical vision of shalom—a holistic peace where relationships between God, humanity, and the earth are restored. The prophet Isaiah envisions a time when “the desert will bloom” (Isaiah 35:1), a poetic image of ecological renewal. In participating in this work, we become co-labourers with God in the healing of creation. Creation care is hope Regenerative agriculture is a defiant act of hope. In a world facing ecological crisis, it is a tangible expression of the resurrection promise — that death does not have the final word and depleted lands can be brought back to life. Every compost pile, every cover crop, every restored watershed becomes a signpost of the Kingdom of God breaking into the present. As Christians, we are called to live in anticipation of the new creation (Revelation 21:1–5). For those of us in Britain who don’t have a daily direct connection with the soil and all the challenges around food production in this ever more unpredictable climate, we do still have personal responsibilities around our choices and spending. We also have a voice that can join with others and lobby for change. July 9th is one such opportunity. We’d love to encourage you to ask your local MP to commit to restoring nature for a safer, healthier future. Lobbying for adequate funding for regenerative agriculture is one way we can embody that future now—by taking seriously our vocation as co-stewards of creation and advocating for those in the fields cultivating life in the soil on our behalf and for a healthier future. What is Regenerative Agriculture? Five Core Principles Minimise Soil Disturbance Avoid ploughing; instead, techniques like no-till drilling place seeds directly into existing soil, helping capture carbon, improve water filtration, and maintain soil integrity. Keep Living Roots Living roots create communication channels through which nutrients and vital agents can travel, keeping the soil community connected and alive. Promote Diversity Crop rotations and companion cropping introduce a variety of root structures and plant relationships, improving soil health and increasing yields. Protect the Soil Surface Bare soil is vulnerable to erosion by wind or rain; cover crops shield and anchor the soil, preventing its loss and preserving nutrients. Integrate Livestock Well-managed grazing mimics natural systems, stimulating root growth and enriching the soil with organic matter, which feeds countless micro-organisms. A prayer Creator God, help us to be faithful partners in your world. Inspire us to work for justice, care for creation, and sow seeds of hope. May we live as people who anticipate the new creation, working together for a restored earth where your shalom reigns. Amen. If you’re looking for practical ways to engage your church or community in this work, the Arthur Rank Centre offers resources and ideas to support farming communities and equip churches in caring for creation. Source
“Will you undertake to exercise your ministry in accordance with the statement concerning the Nature, Faith and Order of the United Reformed Church? “I will, and all these things I profess and promise in the power of the Holy Spirit.” With this induction affirmation, followed by promises by members of the General Assembly and prayers, Catriona Wheeler was inducted as the Moderator of the General Assembly 2025-2026, during an act of worship at the close of the 2025 General Assembly. The service was led by the new Moderator’s Chaplain, the Revd Jane Wade, Minister of Abington Avenue URC and the Northampton Area Churches Partnership. Jane also serves as Deputy Moderator of the East Midlands Synod. The Revd Geoffrey Clarke, Moderator of the East Midlands Synod, gave the charge during the Induction of Catriona. Called beyond comfort The sermon reminded the Assembly of its dissenting roots, the weight of empty nets and the grace that calls us beyond comfort. The members of your East Midlands Synod family are delighted in your appointment and will seek to pray for you and encourage you in this important role, Geoffrey began. He used a trio of striking biblical images: a furnace, a fishing boat, and a charcoal fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, standing before the threat of death, chose the costly act of dissent. Their refusal to kneel evoked the DNA of a church born from dissent: ministers ejected in 1662, voices raised in assemblies, Synods and church meetings throughout history. God’s presence was not outside the furnace, but within it. “Even in the furnace,” Geoffrey said, “God is with us.” To the Sea of Tiberias, where disciples returned from a night of fishing with nothing to show. Nets once full are now empty. Or congregations once bustling now flicker with fragility. Yet on that same shore, the call comes to cast the net anew. “We need to be humble enough to discern the voice of the One who urges us to throw our nets in another direction.” He invited a different courage. At the charcoal fire, Peter meets the risen Christ. Here is the mercy that follows denial, the confidence that follows collapse. A member’s words at a Church Meeting stood as a parable: “If we call this minister the church will change, and it will not be as I’d prefer it to be. That is precisely why I will be voting for the call.” Someone yielding to God’s disruptive call. The charge concluded with what is reported to be Francis Drake’s invocation to be disturbed: “When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little; disturb us, Lord.” It was an appeal not for reassurance but for disruption. God is with us To the Moderator, and to the whole Assembly, the message is simple and searching. God is with us, in defiant faith that refuses to bow. God is with us, when the nets are empty, calling us in new directions. God is with us, offering forgiveness and commissioning us anew. The whole Church is invited to a faith that resists, reorients, and follows, even, and especially, when the way is unknown. As part of the service, the Assembly read the Statement concerning the Nature, Faith and Order of the URC. Inducting Catriona, the outgoing Moderator, the Revd Tim Meadows, declared: “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and representing the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church I declare Catriona to be inducted as Moderator of General Assembly. May you continue to walk in the way of Christ, following in his footsteps.” Catriona signed the Bible of the General Assembly and was welcomed by the Assembly with warm applause. About Catriona Catriona Wheeler was elected as Moderator at the 2023 meeting of the General Assembly and will chair its November 2025 and July 2026 meetings. Catriona was educated at Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, and read law at Birmingham University. An Elder and Church Secretary of Trinity United Reformed Church, Lincoln, Catriona has been the Legal Advisor to the East Midlands Synod of the URC since 1997, works as solicitor practising in the areas of commercial property, corporate law and charity law, and is a Notary Public. Her late grandfather and late mother were both URC Elders, as are both of her brothers. Catriona conducts acts of worship and is authorised to preside at the Sacraments and is a Stepwise student. Catriona has held membership in churches across three synods, Northern, Yorkshire and East Midlands and serves as a director of East Midlands Synod Trust and Chair of the United Reformed Church Trust. Her hobbies include gentle cycling, with the objective of seeing places, choral singing with the Lincoln Choral society; K-dramas (Korean dramas), BTS (a South Korean band), knitting and crochet. In its nomination, East Midlands Synod said that it was delighted to make this nomination, “having benefitted from Catriona’s wisdom and clarity of thought in meetings and discussions on many occasions and in different situations. Her ability to crystalise the thinking of the room and her pastoral sensitivity to all aspects of an issue are among her great strengths.” Source
Day four of the 2025 meeting of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, held at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, opened with another Bible study led by Dr Francesca Nuzzolese, Professor of Pastoral Care at the Waldensian Theological School in Rome. Having first turned inward, and then looked at the cost of radical compassion, she then ventured into mystic territory. Which does not mean that it is abstract, she said, but that it is sacred. It is about not just giving care but embodying it; becoming those in whom the love of Christ takes visible form. Her text was the words of Paul in Galatians: “It is no longer I that live, but Christ who lives in me.” Paul, to use Jungian terms, she said, was the archetype of identity shift, of the wounded healer, of the painful journey. His words here are a description of radical transformation. Something in him has died. This is a challenging idea. We often think we have put something in us to death, only to find it rises up again the next day. Conversion and baptism are about surrendering the ego, said Dr Nuzzolese, our deepest attachment, the self that seeks to please and control and protect. This surrender lets another kind of self-emerge in its place, one that seeks to be known by God. Thomas Merton, a mystic monk, talked of the false self we create in response to fear and wounds and the true self given us by God. We develop a false self-early in life, to survive. We think it is us, but it is not. The false self cannot truly love, only the true self hidden in God. I can only find myself in God. The true self doesn’t begin with work but with simple presence, Dr Nuzzolese said. This concept was very much alive in the early church. The desert fathers and mothers were teachers of perfect love, which is not a destination but a process of consent, day by day, moment by moment. We become more loving not by trying, but by allowing God’s love to meet us, in surrender. Dr Nuzzolese posed questions for members of Assembly. What in me needs to die so that Christ’s love can live fully? How can peace and justice come without radical change in the way we relate to those closest to us? True forgiveness is not a matter of words, but making space in our heart for another, for those who we find as a threat. How does the true self emerge? It is a process that involves a lot of grace. She commended daily spiritual practice: “It tells our brain that it’s worth it.” Dying is a hard sad word, she concluded, but the death of old self is good, brings freedom, liberates inner space for all God has for us. You don’t have to get it right, just be open. God says, “You are loved. Let me live in you.” Session twelve Remaindered Business No papers were remaindered during this session, so the Moderator invited comments about the Church Life Review (CLR) process and other topics. One queried why Ministers of Word and Sacrament had been mentioned twice in the Church Life Review update, but not Church Related Community Workers. The Revd Steve Faber responded that he could not recall where either form of ministry had been mentioned and reminded Assembly of the Theos Report which had commended the CRCW ministry. Steve said that all forms of ministry are loved and valued in the URC. A query was received about how and when local churches would receive information about the CLR so that they can prepare for November’s General Assembly. Steve pointed to channels such as News Update, the URC’s monthly national e-newsletter and Reform magazine as communications channels to help keep local churches and Assembly members prepare for November’s Assembly. A member of the CLR steering group shared that a video is currently in preparation about the Church Life Review which can be used for every local church, not just at Synod meetings. An ecumenical guest asked if she could have a short history of the CLR process to help understand it. It is understood that relevant information will be share with ecumenical colleagues. Those wanting to keep updated about the Church Life Review process can visit the dedicated page on the URC’s national website. Inclusive Church The Revd Chantel Noppen, National Coordinator of Inclusive Church, a network of churches and individuals to support more inclusivity and accessibility in local churches, then addressed Assembly and advised how people can find out more information about it. Learn more about Inclusive Church. Deletion from the RollThe Revd Dr John Bradbury, General Secretary, updated Assembly on the Discipline process. He advised that since Assembly last met, one discipline case had concluded which has resulted in the removal of Mr Naison Hove from the Roll of Ministers. Costs for the case amounted to £40,877. Moderator-ElectThe Revd Neil Thorogood, who has been elected Moderator-Elect 2025-2026, to serve as General Assembly Moderator 2026-2027, was invited to address the Assembly. He described the role as an “awesome honour and daunting responsibility” and said it carried for him “a host of meanings”. [Neil’s father was a General Secretary of the United Reformed Church.] Neil thanked those who are supporting him into the role, including his family, and also his congregations of Trinity-Henleaze and Thornbury in Bristol “who have joined me in this adventure and to live into the consequences together”. Neil recalled some of the classes he taught at Westminster College, Cambridge, where “we spoke of the reality of the life of faith, and the life of ministry, which constantly means we do not know what we are doing.” He said, “we are brought into situations to discover who we are.” New situations beckon us into “an unknown possibility”, in which we improvise, discover, risk, and sometimes stumble. “Sometimes we make a wonderful fool of ourselves.” Acknowledging we are living into times […]
