Global Pandemic- Global Church 21st - 23rd August 2020

Very happy to announce Virtual Holiday Forum will be running from 21st - 23rd August on the theme Global Pandemic, Global Church!
You can find out more and book via our website - all are welcome! Website: Virtual holiday-forum-2020 …   

• Faith, fun and fellowship! Grow as a disciple of Jesus as we explore the theme and worship and pray together. Have loads of fun. Enjoy spending time together.
• Make new connections Forum is a great place to meet new people that can quickly become friends for life! Come and bring your friends and family.
• Be part of something new! Virtual Forum is a first! We’ve been meeting at the Hayes every year for 70 years; this time, we’re meeting in cyberspace! Come and join us.
• Come ... and pay what you can! We’re serious about paying what you can. We’re asking people for a donation of £25 to help us cover costs. Pay more if you can, less if you can’t – just come!

 Website:  URC Holiday Forum 

Holy Habits Roadshow  or (as it will be) Online Training 17th September-10th December 2020

Starting on 17th September, and running through until 10th December (with a week’s break at half term.)

Following the series of worship roadshows, in the autumn we are going to offer a training series of YouTube videos on four of the ‘Holy Habits’. All the Holy Habits are things we should do, but we have identified the four that we think particularly focus on things we joining in together – fellowship, the breaking of bread, giving (or sharing resources) and eating together.

We will offer three sessions on each of these four holy habits. Paul will provide a Biblical or ministry basis, Lindsey will offer some practical ‘stuff’ and Nicola will bring an inter-generational approach. As with the worship roadshows, they will (normally) be posted on YouTube each Thursday morning (ideally by 9am), starting on 17th September, and running through until 10th December (with a week’s break at half term.)

• Lay Preachers' Gift Days  - 3rd October - Westminster College, Cambridge
• Synod Big Day Out - Re-scheduled Saturday 26th June 2021
• Worship Roadshows introductory evenings, followed by a day event, supporting churches leading worship

Worship Roadshows

The Worship Roadshows or as they have become, mini 'stay-at-home' sessions have now begun with the first posted on the Synod YouTube channel and the second due to be there on Thursday 7th May. The advantage of doing it this way is that it stays and you can catch up. In the first Paul offered an introduction and the second Lindsey is helping us to consider how to structure an act of Worship. To find them go to the Synod YouTube channel and look for the video you want. If you would like the written emailed script, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request it. 

All-day workshop: 10am for 10.30am - 4pm   -  Saturday 19th September -  Whittlesford URC

For more information on Worship Roadshows  please E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. E:mail:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  regarding any of the above events   

 A Gift to our lay Preachers & Worship Leaders  - Saturday 3rd October 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: 3rd October - Alison Gray Westminster College - Old 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.

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.  

Download:  Lay Preachers Gift Day Booking Form (available shortly)

Church Leadership Programme - Transforming leadership from the inside out 2020-2021

Strengthening personal qualities, insights and skills for effective Christian leadership 2020 to 2021 The residential elements of the programme are to be held from the 5th to 9th of October 2020 and from 26th to 30th of April 2021, 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.

To be accepted on the programme you will need a recommendation from an authorised person in your synod, usually the Training and Development Officer.    The deadline for initial expressions of interest is Friday 26th June 2020.

View:  YouTube link:  Church Leadership Programme video  - URC website, for further details download - Programme Education for Ministry-Phase3. 

Please register your interest to PA to the Secretary for Education & Learning, The United Reformed Church, 86 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9RT General office number: 020 7916 2020 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Gathering for all New Expressions of Church - 12th-13th October 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. 

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

How Can We Keep From Singing? - 14th November 2020

A vibrant workshop day on music for worship - Saturday 14th November 2020 - 10.00 am - 4.00 pm - Stowmarket United Reformed Church, IP14 1AD

God’s people have always worshipped in music and song. Music has lifted our hearts, given space for lamentation, strengthened us in hardship, bound us together, and given us a voice to praise the living God. This is a day for worshippers, writers, musicians and worship leaders to engage with three practical aspects of music in worship. Come and learn from expert practitioners in their fields. Bring your own experience in worship and song.

If the COVID-19 restrictions are still in place, which I suspect is more than possible, we will simply move the event to the spring. If people interested let me know I will then keep them informed.

Admission: £15 (under 18s free)  to book a place, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   Further details View The Hymn Society 

Youth Assembly  29th - 31st January 2021 

Year 10/S3 students up to and including 25 year olds this is your chance to get in quick and sign up for Youth Assembly 2021. 

At a cost of £110 on or before 11th November 2020, rising to just £140 after that date, you can enjoy a whole weekend from 29th to 31st January 2021 in the company of other young people and adults from URC Youth, full board, at the wonderful Whitemoor Lakes centre.

The theme of Heroes and Villains – is there a difference? launches the Heroes and Villains theme for URC Children's and Youth Work for 2021 and promises a weekend which offers something for everyone in its packed and varied programme. 

If cost is a problem, your church or synod may be able to help, so why not talk to a youth leader or your synod CYDO or equivalent? (Find your synod contacts here). You can also apply for a small grant to help – read here, or contact the Children's and Youth Work office at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Lent 2021 and Church Action on Poverty Sunday - 21 February 2021- 'New Wineskins'

Church Action on Poverty Sunday 2021 will explore the theme 'New Wineskins' - as we journey together through these difficult times, how can we ensure people on the margins are fully included in our work for a new and better world? Use our resources to reflect on the theme in church, and raise funds to ensure people in poverty have dignity, agency and power. Please mark the date in your diary - and make sure your church and worship team know about it. Register your interest below, and we will send you a resource pack in October with fundraising and worship materials.

Register to take part in Church Action on Poverty Sunday

Bible Studies on the Acts of the Apostles from Church Action on Poverty

Lent 2021: Life-Changing Stories

If you run Lent programmes in your church, please consider using our Scripture on the Margins materials. In 2021, we're looking at the Acts of the Apostles, as a story of how people on the margins were empowered to go out and change the world. There will be five studies by Nick Jowett, Raj Patta, Sue Richardson, Jan Sutch Pickard and Ruth Wilde. Life-Changing Stories will be published on 8 October. If you can, please talk to the people who plan your church's Lent programme, and encourage them to bear it in mind when they start planning!