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- Never Tire – Remembering Pope Francis April 23, 2025 8:54 am
The Joint Public Issues Team is holding space with all who are grieving for Pope Francis, especially our siblings in the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for social and eco justice, whose ministry included crying out for justice for the poorest and most marginalised and for the environment in which we live. Pope Francis leaves us with powerful calls to action on social justice, eco justice, and peace. As we prepare to launch a new campaign on eco-justice this Summer, JPIT will be encouraged and challenged by His Holiness’s Laudato Si. In this 2015 encyclical, the late Pope called for all people to renew our efforts on partnering with all of creation to work for justice. He remarked, ‘Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the past 200 years’. As member churches spoke out solidarity with all of those grieving, they also remarked on Pope Francis’s commitment to justice and peace. The General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Lynn Green, reflected on Pope Francis’s ‘commitment to advocating for vulnerable and marginalised people on a range of issues’. The Methodist Church spoke of ‘profound compassion for those who are poor and marginalised’, and highlighted the late Pope giving ‘particular emphasis to God’s demand for global justice.’ In an article considering Pope Francis’s life and legacy, the United Reformed Church remarked that ‘Francis was, in many ways, a radical when it came to the status quo.’ In their tribute to the late Pope, our companions in the Church of Scotland shared his prayer, which offers a compelling ethic of justice-seeking in light of the cross: “Grant that we Christians may live the Gospel,discovering Christ in each human being,recognizing him crucifiedin the sufferings of the abandonedand forgotten of our world,and risen in each brother or sisterwho makes a new start.Amen.” As we join in our common task of discovering Christ in each human being, may we be encouraged by these words: “To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater solidarity!”Pope Francis (1936-2025) Source
- URC response following the ruling on the legal definition of a woman April 19, 2025 7:40 am
The United Reformed Church (URC) has issued a response following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legal definition of a woman. The United Reformed Church upholds the worth and dignity of all human beings as created in the image of God regardless of their sex or gender. Like any diverse group within society, we understand and live with the enormous challenge of protecting the rights, beliefs and freedoms of all people without putting some at risk or treating them less equally. Therefore, we lament that the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman, attempting to clarify equality legislation, should have a negative impact on the lives of trans, intersex, non-binary/gender non-conforming people, who already experience significant marginalisation and misunderstanding within our society. The traditions that make up the URC have been at the forefront of challenging long-held barriers to inclusion and equality: Constance Coltman was the first woman to be ordained as a minister in the Congregational tradition in 1917. Gender is no longer an obstacle to serving and participating within the full life of the URC. We acknowledge that we are imperfect, but strive to be a place of inclusion, safety and genuine welcome for all. The United Reformed Church continues to follow the example of Jesus, who sat with, listened to and uplifted the marginalised in society, and used his influence to challenge the powerful. We invite our own members and others to do likewise. Notes On 16 April, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. Judges cautioned that the ruling should not be seen as a success for any group, and that transgender people continue to have legal protection from discrimination. The Scottish government had argued that transgender people with a gender recognition certificate were entitled to sex-based protections. Image: Tom Morris, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Links Source
- Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson inducted as Moderator of the Free Churches Group April 15, 2025 1:56 pm
On Palm Sunday (13 April), the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, immediate past Moderator of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, was inducted as the Moderator of the Free Churches Group (FCG), a group of 29 denominations in England and Wales that operates independently of the government, by promoting fellowship, counsel and working together to extend Christ’s kingdom in every part of society. The FCG works with a particular focus on chaplaincy in prisons, healthcare and education. Dr Henry-Robinson succeeds the Revd Helen Cameron, of the Methodist Church in Great Britain, who has completed her three-year term, and the current President of the Methodist Conference. The service took place at the American International Church, London, along with a reception for guests from most of the denominations that belong to the FCG, who were welcomed by the Revd James Breslin, Chair of the FCG Federal Council, and the Revd George Watt, Moderator of the URC’s Thames North Synod. After being formally inducted by the Revd Cameron and presented with the Moderator’s medal of office, Dr Henry-Robinson was greeted by representatives of member churches. In her address, Tessa challenged all to have the boldness to speak up, to speak out and to speak truth in the public sphere: “We are met as the Free Churches Group, a diverse body formed by different histories, shaped by different traditions yet united by one unwavering truth, that Jesus Christ the one who emptied self for love’s sake, causes us to walk the same revolutionary path of love. “We are called to involve ourselves in a love-driven discipleship that is generous, remembering that we are a group of free churches and so we are shaped by freedom, which is about what we have, what rights and responsibilities we have, such as a right to possess priceless, grace-filled independence from state control, and responsibilities to discern and to live the gospel as communities of conscience and to follow Christ outside of rigid structures that too often stifle the spirit’s movement. “I intend to be sensitive, but I also intend to break open some jars of perfume. I intend to be aware and generous in my conversations and in my exchanges, and in bringing my experience to bear in the movements of my office. “I’m asking for your help: I need help praying that my impact on the people and situations i encounter will be good. As a descendant of enslaved people, I know something of what freedom means; my ‘freedomness’ is a revolution that is wrapped up with the experiences of my ancestors and this freedom, this liberation, this emancipation has been woven into my faith journey. “We see the killing of innocent children and whole communities; we see stripping away of dignity; we see criminalising of existence, but these are not new – they are resurgent forces that demand from us a response. And what is our response? But before we can truthfully answer this we must confront this other question: what does it mean for us as the Free Churches Group to live into the humility of Christ, at such a time as this, because as the apostle Paul describes it, humility is an intentional positioning of ourselves alongside those who suffer. Why? Because it is the Jesus way. It is neither comfortable, easy, silent, passive or weak. It is a revolutionary surrendering of self-interest for love’s sake. “I’m looking around and I see that we are obviously not gathered together because we share the same traditions or the same liturgies or the same theological frameworks, we are gathered because we are committed to a generous gospel that demands justice. “I bring with me a commitment to be a bold presence as we go forward, determined to do the work we are united to do with a spirit of poured out generosity in faithful abundance. So let us go forward together as a people who do not grasp at power, but who give of ourselves unreservedly in love, knowing that to stand at the foot of the cross is to stand with the crucified peoples of our world, and to stand with the crucified is to stand with Christ.” The Revd James Breslin, as Chair of the FCG Federal Council, thanked Helen Cameron for her term of office, which included the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III. “Helen came to us as a busy Methodist minister, Chair at that point of two Methodist Districts, now President of the Methodist Conference. In all of that, she has been more than faithful in the work she has done on behalf of the FCG. The moderator is very much the public face of the Free Churches Group, and when Helen took on this office, she did not expect it to be quite as public as it has turned out to be! “The Moderator is also patron to some 40 charities, we can share just how much work Helen has done with many of those, along with taking part in the work of the board, where she has been a light in a dark place. She has helped us to work through the difficult task of safeguarding, helping us to address this issue and helping address this issue in our member churches. “Helen has been an exemplary moderator, she has done all of this sometimes struggling with her own health, and we are grateful for all that she has done and for all that she will continue to do during this next couple of years when she serves as previous past Moderator.” Words and photos: Andy Jackson Source
- Easter Sunday: Relive the resurrection this Easter April 14, 2025 12:05 pm
The Revd Elizabeth Gray-King, a retired URC minister, reflects on the meaning of Easter Sunday. Easter, oh, Easter. Resurrection Sunday. The stunning annual festival of forgiveness power and beautiful transformation reminds us that we are made new again. The Easter liturgy and events, retold in any way, tell us each year that no matter how dead we have felt, no matter how overwhelmed in a tomb-like hold we have been, no matter how we feel or know we almost died, we are able to deeply live again. Easter is what happened to Jesus, and because of Jesus, it happens to us. Jesus lived a short powerful life as human and God among us. For him, Easter was a single event, unrepeated but retold again and again as witnesses dared to tell. Jesus hinted at his Easter, but few understood those hints. His faith family expected resurrection of the body for a messiah, but when Jesus was killed, he was seen by few as that. Jesus had one Easter event. But us? Wow. Because Holy Spirit lives inside us, we can die and live again, one resurrection moment after another, repeated any time we need renewed life. No, we don’t have resurrection of the body. What we share is new life repeatedly while we’re still breathing. Unlike old gospel hymns telling people that new life happens after the body decays and dies, Easter truth is that new life happens in the midst of our living and breathing flesh and blood. We observe, let it warm us, receive, and live again. Yes, it’s mysterious and no, it can’t be easily explained. There we are. It simply is. The image is a detail from my painting, ‘Witness’. The people gathered round could be those just after Jesus’ Easter event or they could be us now, in today’s busy world, truly stopping to take in the light. The light could be the angel glow from the empty tomb, or it could be the light of eternal God, warming us as Spirit moves and renews. This Easter, let us accept and witness our own beautiful transformation, then have a witness’ power to share its potential. Image: Witness. A painting by Elizabeth Gray-King Source
- Maundy Thursday: Denial, betrayal, but the command to love April 14, 2025 11:44 am
The Revd Nigel Uden, Minister of Fulbourn and Downing Place United Reformed churches in Eastern Synod, takes a fresh look at Maundy Thursday and Jesus’ new commandment to love – asking us what our response should be. This is an ironic day. Just as Jesus experiences his followers’ denial, betrayal and abandonment, he gives his new commandment, “As I have loved you, you also should love one another”. New? Was anything new about loving one another? What about Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan? Hannah and Samuel, Hosea and Gomer? Perhaps Jesus’ commandment is new because he suggests there is something in the way he loves that particularly intimates the ideal of loving to which God calls us. He loves unconditionally, limitlessly, resiliently. Surely, it’s only that measure of love by which a person could endure crucifixion. After all, there is nothing in it for him; this is self-emptying love to the point of death. He loves because love is his nature. Maybe we feel this degree of love is beyond us. Yet, can’t we all think of those whose love is sacrificial? Hospice nurses; aid workers; lone parents; the partners of those living with dementia. In urging this new way, Jesus doesn’t say “here’s how I love, but you’ll never be up to that”. It’s a word of encouragement. “Come on, here’s how I love you; now, walk my way and love my way, too. Don’t impose conditions, set limits, or give up. Sure, you’ll falter and fail sometimes; there was a moment when I asked God to take such a cup from me. But as God stirred me to love, so God will stir you to love.” This is not a call to the impossible way, but to the new way, the renewing way, by which shadows are dispersed and hope is restored. With God’s help it can be our way, the world’s way. Let’s pray that it be so. Prayer God, whose best name is Love, your command to love is not to intimidate us but to inspire us. By your Spirit, transform our timidity into confidence, our unpredictability into consistency and our coldness into compassion until we love as you love us through Jesus Christ,Amen. Image: <a href="http://Photo by Stockcake”>Stockcake Source
- Pilgrims deliver new ecumenical resource to Rome April 14, 2025 6:00 am
During a recent visit to Rome, pilgrims from the United Reformed Church–Roman Catholic Dialogue Group shared their newly developed resource booklet with several key institutions: the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity (DPCU), the World Communion of Reformed Churches Office, and the British Embassy to the Holy See. At the DPCU, Fr Martin Browne OSB warmly received the group. Reflecting on the ongoing importance of ecumenical efforts, he said: “It was a great joy to welcome the British URC-RC Dialogue Group to Rome, on the latest of several pilgrimages that they have made together. “Even though our churches generally have good relationships nowadays, we often don’t know much about each other and each other’s beliefs, and it is still very easy for us to be strangers to one another. Friendly strangers, but strangers nonetheless. The relationship-building that the group has modelled, and the excellent resources they have produced for local congregations to use together, are a wonderful example that could be imitated in many other contexts.” The group also travelled across Britain to visit five local settings to cover the diversity of ecumenical challenges, taking in the historic partnerships in Milton Keynes, Cumbria, and the relationships between churches and civic authorities in Scotland and in Wales. The free publication, Journeying Together: A Resource Pack for Local Churches, is available to download and is a practical guide designed to help communities foster deeper understanding and unity through shared exploration and conversation. Download the Roman Catholic / United Reformed Church Dialogue Group’s Journeying Together: a resource pack for local churches. Source
- CTE expresses dismay after police’s forced entry at Quakers’ meeting house April 10, 2025 3:51 pm
Churches Together England (CTE) has today published an open letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, in response to a police raid at a Quaker Meeting House on 27 March. The URC’s ecumenical officer, Lindsey Brown, wrote to Judith Baker, Ecumenical Interfaith Officer for the Quakers, expressing concern and support. This message was passed onto Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain. The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in UK law, despite the introduction of the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act in 2022, which gave new powers to police to curtail some forms of protest, such as those “intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance”. CTE is asking for a review to establish if the level of force used by police was appropriate. Those arrested at the private meeting, six young women of the activist group “Youth Demand”, were later released without charge. The Quakers have produced a helpful guide on how to contact your MP to raise any concerns you might have. Download the Quakers’ guide. On 3 April hundreds of Quakers, politicians and others stood in silence outside New Scotland Yard for 40 minutes following the police raid, and 25 other silent meetings were held nationwide and online. Learn more about the silent meetings held by the Quakers. Learn more about the Joint Public Issues Team’s briefing on the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill when it was going through Parliament, and this response, written just after the Bill was enacted. Learn more about Quakers in Britain. Image: King’s Church International/Unsplash. Source
- Eight million people are excluded from the electoral register. What can we do about it? April 9, 2025 3:06 pm
The Electoral Commission estimates that eight million people are missing from the electoral register. The people missing are disproportionately those who are young, private renters and from minority ethnic communities. This is because the registration system was designed in a way which makes it easier for long-term residents, especially more affluent homeowners, to register. We could and should design a better system, without these biases. First, if you are not registered to vote, you should register (and encourage anyone else not on the register too!) There are local elections coming up on 1 May 2025. That means people have until Friday 11th April to register. You can register online or with a downloaded paper form. It takes about 5 minutes, and those registering will need to know their address and National Insurance number. Who are we missing? In 2000, the estimated gap between the number entitled to vote and registered to vote was between 0.5 and 1 million – a number that was viewed as scandalous at the time. Today, the gap is around 8 million, and it is disadvantaged groups who are excluded. 6 in 10 adults under 20 are not registered to vote 1 in 4 adults under 35 are not registered to vote (but 19 out of 20 over-65s are registered) 1 in 4 Black and Asian adults are not registered to vote 1 in 4 private renters are not registered to vote (but 19 out of 20 owner occupiers are registered) It is worth noting that each of the characteristics that are linked with being absent from the electoral roll – being a young adult, living in private rented accommodation and having a non-white ethnicity – are also associated with higher levels of poverty, food insecurity and destitution. These are the people who politics is serving badly, whose voice is often absent when policy is being discussed, and who are missing from the electoral rolls, therefore unable to vote for their preferred political representative. All too often, the first instinct is to assume the people absent from the roll just can’t be bothered. The problem with that hypothesis is you must believe people have got 8 to 16 times less bothered over the past 25 years, since under-registration has soared from 0.5-1million all the way to 8 million. You also must believe that multiple rounds of reforms, which have added complexity to registration procedures, especially for those moving house, have had no effect. Just one example: over the past ten years, the number of “attainers” – those aged 16 to 17 who will reach voting age during the lifetime of the electoral register – dropped from 380k registered in 2013 to 121K in 2023. This drop of two thirds had its sharpest fall in 2014, when the government of the time introduced a more complex individual registration scheme. Why does it matter? There is an obvious fairness issue. Why should we design registration systems that disadvantage the already disadvantaged? Why should some have an easier pathway to their vote than others? The view held by our Churches, that all are made equally in God’s image, is a key reason to support a democratic system. That reasoning is undermined the system denies or impedes the votes of some – especially the disadvantaged. What can we do? The UK’s electoral system is an outlier in many ways. Most liberal democracies have an automatic registration system. You don’t need to register to vote: the government uses the data it already has (benefits, pensions, local taxation, etc) to register you automatically. For those who think they may be missed off, there are often ways of checking and of simply registering when an election called. For countries where registration is not automatic, the process is often simpler and with more assistance. For example, unlike many other nations, there is currently no immediate way of checking if you are on the register. This can create uncertainty for voters as well as problems for registrars who try to prevent people’s registrations being duplicated. In January, the Welsh Senedd agreed to trial automatic voter registration for a number of local authorities. If the results follow international precedents, they will show improved registration rates. We look forward to the findings and, if successful, to other parts of the UK following suit. For too long, our politicians have focused on the miniscule problem of fraud by impersonation at polling stations while ignoring the growing problem of an increasingly biased and incomplete electoral roll. Please register to vote, encourage your friends and other members of your church to register to vote – but then demand we get a better registration system. Find out if you are in an area with local elections on 1 May and encourage your church congregation to register by midnight on Friday the 11th of April. For more info on the Local Elections and how your church can respond visit our Local Elections 2025 webpage: Source
- Small steps lands Shropshire church a silver Eco Church award April 7, 2025 4:11 pm
Church Stretton United Reformed Church in Shropshire has gained a Silver Eco Church Award from A Rocha UK. Elder Roger Wilson CBE said that the Church Stretton congregation is “genuinely seeking to reduce our environmental impact, take a greener stance in the world and raise awareness of climate and environmental issues”. The church regularly holds services with a climate, conversation or an environmental theme and encourages those leading worship to think “green”. Roger explains: “For example, at a service in 2024 we celebrated a local initiative to create a community garden on a plot of derelict land. The project provides gardening as a managed therapy for mental health, organic vegetables are sold locally (food yards rather than miles), and bird life is encouraged. “We gave the garden a redundant shed from our space, and it now has a new life as a bird hide. Another service focussed on one of our charities, Self Help Africa, which supports communities in west Africa to develop their economic self-sufficiency through education and self-help.” The church also introduced more eco-friendly LED lighting in its building and replaced its boiler following a heat loss survey. Church Stretton URC is now working towards the gold award. Source
- Around the URC in seven days: 1-7 April 2025 April 7, 2025 6:30 am
A round up of news from around the United Reformed Church over the past seven days, 1-7 April 2025. Mersey Synod Friends of members of St Andrew’s URC Douglas gathered in March to celebrate 200 years of worship at the church. The Revd Geoff Felton, Moderator of Mersey Synod, and the Revd Catherine McFie, Interim Moderator of St Andrew’s Douglas and long with Victoria James, Chief Operating Officer for the URC visited the Isle of Man to join in the celebrations. They were also joined by the Mayor of Douglas, Natalie Byron-Teare. Church Secretary, Chris Quine, said: “So many people helped make our service, and the lunch that followed, such a wonderful occasion. Thanks to all who attended, to all who provided the eats for the faith lunch, to all who prepared the church and cleaned up afterwards.” East MidlandsSt Andrew’s URC in Peterborough was beautifully decorated in celebration of the World Day of Prayer on 7 March, themed “I made you wonderful”. Leah Wooton-Stamper, an Elder at St Andrew’s, shares: “The church was decorated with palm trees, lovely flowers, a tumbling representation of sea and sand at the front of the church. And the service was a delight – written by ladies from The Cook Islands. Members of our congregation took part as well as people from other churches. So much effort went into making the evening the success it was.” North WesternThe loyal and devoted service of two women was celebrated at Hurst Nook URC’s annual general meeting at the end of March. At the meeting Marilyn Piper and Pam Davenhall stepped down from their roles as Secretary and Treasurer at the church in Ashton-under-Lyne where they had served for 30 and 20 years respectively. They were handed certificates to mark their achievement, and Marilyn was presented with a bee plant pot containing hellebores and a peony scented candle, plus more flower-related gifts from others. Pam was presented with a Boots voucher and is looking forward to deciding what she might spend it on. Thames North The Revd Terry Hinks was recently celebrated at a church service where he retired after 39 years of service. Terry, who served Cores End and Trinity High Wycombe, is retiring to the Cotswolds with his wife Elizabeth. Source
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URC response following the ruling on the legal definition of a woman
The United Reformed Church (URC) has issued a response following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the legal definition of a woman. The United Reformed Church upholds the worth and dignity of all human beings as created in the image of … Continue reading
Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson inducted as Moderator of the Free Churches Group
On Palm Sunday (13 April), the Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, immediate past Moderator of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, was inducted as the Moderator of the Free Churches Group (FCG), a group of 29 denominations in England and Wales … Continue reading
Easter Sunday: Relive the resurrection this Easter
The Revd Elizabeth Gray-King, a retired URC minister, reflects on the meaning of Easter Sunday. Easter, oh, Easter. Resurrection Sunday. The stunning annual festival of forgiveness power and beautiful transformation reminds us that we are made new again. The Easter … Continue reading
Maundy Thursday: Denial, betrayal, but the command to love
The Revd Nigel Uden, Minister of Fulbourn and Downing Place United Reformed churches in Eastern Synod, takes a fresh look at Maundy Thursday and Jesus’ new commandment to love – asking us what our response should be. This is an … Continue reading
Pilgrims deliver new ecumenical resource to Rome
During a recent visit to Rome, pilgrims from the United Reformed Church–Roman Catholic Dialogue Group shared their newly developed resource booklet with several key institutions: the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity (DPCU), the World Communion of Reformed Churches … Continue reading
CTE expresses dismay after police’s forced entry at Quakers’ meeting house
Churches Together England (CTE) has today published an open letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, in response to a police raid at a Quaker Meeting House on 27 March. The URC’s ecumenical officer, Lindsey Brown, wrote to Judith Baker, Ecumenical … Continue reading
Small steps lands Shropshire church a silver Eco Church award
Church Stretton United Reformed Church in Shropshire has gained a Silver Eco Church Award from A Rocha UK. Elder Roger Wilson CBE said that the Church Stretton congregation is “genuinely seeking to reduce our environmental impact, take a greener stance … Continue reading
Around the URC in seven days: 1-7 April 2025
A round up of news from around the United Reformed Church over the past seven days, 1-7 April 2025. Mersey Synod Friends of members of St Andrew’s URC Douglas gathered in March to celebrate 200 years of worship at the church. … Continue reading
Disasters Emergency Committee launches Myanmar Earthquake Appeal
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an appeal to raise urgent funds to help people impacted by the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, which has killed more than 2,800 people, and injured thousands more. Countless roads and buildings across the … Continue reading
Two Synods raise tally of Bronze eco awards
Southern and Thames North Synod’s efforts to tackle climate change have each gained a Bronze Eco Synod award from A Rocha UK. Southern is now the sixth across the URC to reach Bronze status and Thames North becomes the seventh. … Continue reading