Faith and Science for Everyone: - 10th - 11th January 2020

A Short Course for Christian Leaders - Friday 10th - Saturday 11th January 2020.  The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, The Woolf Building, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0UB.

£30 for one day, £50 for both, including lunch £10 for both days for those training in ministry.  - Join us for our professional workshop aimed at church leaders, lay or ordained, and those in training. The workshop will cover contemporary hot topics in the dialogue between Science and Religion as well as how to engage with Science and Faith in the local Church. Open to all church leaders; no scientific background required. 

Website: Faraday      Download: Faith and Science for Everyone Poster  -  Telephone 01223 748 888

The Gathering for all New Expressions of Church 2020

"Fresh expressions are new forms of church that emerge within contemporary culture and engage primarily with those who don't go to church"

An invitation to apply for an extraordinary gift from United Reformed Church Mission and Westminster College Cambridge. The Gathering will be a network of prayerful mutual encouragement which will convene for three 24-hour meetings in 2020 (plus in-between via a social media) and meetings thereafter to be arranged. 

January 21st-22nd - July 17th-18th - October 12th-13th 2020

The URC is committed to supporting people who have set up new types of church and are now exploring the way forward in faith. Together with URC Westminster College Cambridge, we are delighted to invite applications to join The Gathering of teams who are intentionally developing and nurturing new types of worshipping communities and fresh expressions of church alongside our more traditional churches.        

All fresh expressions of church share similar values, though they vary as to their position on the journey. The values are:

Download: The Gathering Information Sheet

Xcellr8 Weekend 2020 – Investig8 - 14th -16th February 2020

Xcellr8 2020  residential weekend 14th – 16th February 2020 
Histon Baptist Church - 7pm Friday 14th February - 2pm Sunday 16th February 2020

Xcellr8 is a fab weekend for children aged 8-11 where fun, friendship and faith are on the agenda. Our 2020 theme is 'Investig8' where we aim to discover more about Jesus. Xcellr8 has been running for over 15 years and has a maximum limit of 64 children. Xcellr8 has been fully booked in recent years by mid-November, so please don't leave it too late to enquire/book! - Please note that children must be 8 years old by the time of the weekend; 11 year olds must be in year 6.

For a booking form please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  – 01223 302272 

GENERAL ENQUIRIES - contact -  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   - Tel: 01223 237874 - Mobile 07597 292239 - Download: Investig8 Flyer    Website:  www.genr8.org 

Ministry Enquirers' Day - 22nd February 2020

Ministry Enquirers' Day Saturday 22nd February 2020 - Northern College, Luther King House, Manchester

• Explore opportunities for service through the United Reformed Church
• Ask the questions that are on your mind and in your heart
• Hear from people engaged in a variety of lay and ordained ministries
• Listen for the voice of God as we worship and pray together

For full details contact:  -   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Download: Ministry Enquirers' Day Poster

Stepwise Facilitators Taster Day 25th February 2020

At the United Reformed Church Eastern Synod, 36 Duxford Road, Whittlesford, Cambridge, CB22 4ND

25th February 2020 Refreshments from 10.00am  Start: 10.30am  - Depart: 15.30pm - Lunch will be provided.

A day designed to inform, equip and enthuse potential facilitators for Stepwise. Facilitators are not tutors in the traditional sense, but will have experience to share and skills in enabling and encouraging the group in their discipleship development. Come expectant: God has exciting plans for his Church!

The day will include:

• Worship
• An introduction to Stepwise
• Some group work exploring and experiencing facilitation
• A Stepwise facilitated group taster session
• An opportunity to ask questions and offer feedback to the Stepwise team.

Download: Facilitators Taster Day Poster          Download: Booking Form        Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further details

 URC Spirituality Gathering - 28th February - 1st March 2020

The URC Spirituality Gathering weekend - Seeking God in words and quietness from the 28^th February to 1^st March 2020 at Westminster College in Cambridge.  

Enabled by: Mark Argent, Ann Barton, Richard Church, Marion Thomas, Susan Durber and Terry Hinks

Drawing on the resources of Walking the Way and the URC Retreat Group. Book early as tickets are limited. 

Download: URC Spirituality Booking Form 

JPIT National Conference, Saturday 7 March 2020, Derby

The Riverside Centre, Riverside Court, Derby, DE24 8HY - Saturday 7th March 2020 

Is our economic system, with its principle of endless growth, destroying our environment and driving inequality? How should we live when facing environmental emergency and human suffering?

Join us for Renewal and Rebellion: Faith, Economy and Climate as we rethink economic structures and consider radical steps towards climate justice – in faith, for people and for the planet. Be inspired and provoked to pray, speak and act boldly for justice and peace in a new decade.

Featuring former Labour leader Ed Miliband, Katherine Trebek, Ross Greer MSP, Christine Allen and Anthony Reddie, with worship, workshops, panel discussion, poetry, art and conversation.

For more information and to book your place, visit www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/conference2020.

For enquiries or help booking tickets, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 020 7916 8632.

Download: JPIT National Conference flyer

Faith In Maintenance FREE Workshops - 21st March 2020

"Stave off decay by daily care." - William Morris
Maintenance might not be the most glamorous side of managing historic places of worship, but it can make all the difference. A little time spent on a basic building 'MOT' can save a great deal of money at a later date, but where do you start and what should you do? This FREE workshop will give many of the answers with professional advice and practical sessions.

Faith in Maintenance is an award-winning course from SPAB (the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) and thanks to support from National Lottery Players, we are delighted to be offering it to parishes and organisations in the Diocese of Ely. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your skills and meet other people from across the Diocese. This workshop is open to anyone looking after an historic place of worship as long as the buildings falls within the boundaries of the Diocese of Ely. It is open to all faiths and organisations. Light refreshments will be provided throughout the day, but we kindly ask that you bring a packed lunch. Places are limited so we ask that no more than two people per parish or organisation attend. 

WORKSHOP Saturday 21st March 2020, 10:00am – 4.00pm Venue: St Peter and St Pauls' Church Hall, Wisbech, PE13 1HP

Booking and Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Historic Church Buildings Support Officer - Tel: 07948 350211 or 01353 652705 

Download: Faith in Maintenance Poster               Download: Faith in Maintenance Press Release 

 A Gift to our lay Preachers & Worship Leaders - Saturday 4th April - Saturday 3rd October 2020

Theme: 'Pentecost' Led by Jonathon Soyars - Saturday 4th April 2020

Theme: 'Passover' Led by Alison Gray - Saturday 3rd October 2020

Eastern Synod and Westminster College A gift for our Lay-Preachers and Worship Leaders” - Join us at Westminster College for a day that will resource and refresh you for the gift of worship leading that you offer to our Synod, and end with sharing of communion. 

Leaders: 4th April - Jonathon Soyars Westminster College -  New Testament tutor.  Alongside Liz Bird (Synod Lay Preachers Advocate), Lindsey Brown (Synod Mission and Training Officer), and Nicola Grieves (Children and Youth Development Officer), who will be offering their experience in particular areas of knowledge.

Leaders: 3rd October - Alison Gray Westminster College - Old Testament tutor.

Eastern Synod, along with the whole United Reformed Church, is deeply indebted to the many lay people who freely give of their time to lead worship in our churches week by week. We would therefore like to offer something back. where up to thirty people can come together at Westminster College to be fed rather than to be those who feed others. The intention is to offer both spiritual and physical food. The day will start with coffee on arrival and include lunch. The rest of our time will be spent with input and discussion led by those leading the day.  

Booking Form will be available shortly 

Church Leadership Programme  27th April - 1st May 2020

Transforming leadership from the inside out Strengthening personal qualities, insights and skills for effective Christian leadership. The residential elements of the programme are to be held from 27th of April to the 1st of May 2020, at Wydale Hall, Yorkshire.

What does it seek to achieve?

• to continue to place Christian leadership within the context of vocation and ministry within the United Reformed Church
• to enable growth in personal formation for participants, and extend the knowledge and skills necessary for effective Christian leadership
• reflection on personal leadership experience, alongside new ways of leadership discernment
• to develop leaders who enable United Reformed Churches to become communities of more faithful disciples, better equipped to share in the Mission of God – Walking the Way of Jesus Today

This programme is for people in recognised church leadership roles and those in public ministry as ministers of Word and sacraments and church-related community workers. The course benefits those with some experience of Christian leadership, including those nearing retirement. There are up to 16 places each time the programme runs. The Church Leadership Programme (CLP) takes place over two residential weeks, Monday to Friday, approximately 6 months apart. The first week concentrates on the personal qualities and skills which are core to a leader; the second focuses on how these are translated within public leadership. Between the two parts there is a personal development project which is particular to each participant. It helps to put learning into practice and embeds the spiritual, emotional and intellectual changes engendered in the first week.

Each residential week costs £265, making the total £530. Each week is in a different calendar year, making it possible for grants to be sought more easily from various sources.  Download: Church Leadership Programme Further Details