Children's and Youth Synod Jubilee Event 5th March 2022

The Children’s and Youth Synod Jubilee Event will be held at Westminster College, Cambridge, CB3 0AA.            
Saturday 5th March 2022 - 10.00am - 3.30pm 

The event is for children aged between 5 and 11 (Year 1 to year 6) And Young People age 11 (year 7) to 18. The theme of the day is ‘Jubilee’ Celebrating Faith hope and love - 50 years of the United Reformed Church. We have lots of exciting spaces to explore and use at Westminster college including the art roomand chapel. There will be variety of activities including, art and crafts, stories, games, worship, and time to chat and explore.

A hot lunch be provided in the Westminster College dining room along with soft drinks and snacks throughout the day.

This is a great opportunity for Children and Young People to take part in a Synod wide event, in a fun and active way and to meet young people from other churches. Please do put this date in your diary and come and celebrate together.

To book a place or for more information please conatact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Children’s and Youth Development Officer tel 07515721172    Download: Jubilee Booking Form 

The United Reformed Church (URC) will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022. Marking our 50th year can help us to plan for the future – not only to keep pursuing our ecumenical vision, but also to plan for how we will continue to be an active, engaged and faithful Christian presence in our communities and in new ones. Not least, making our Jubilee will be an opportunity to give thanks. Watch our short video to see how we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2022: find out what plans are in place to mark the occasion.

50th-anniversary-service-tickets-available

URC at 50: Worship Resources Competition
To celebrate the URC's 50th anniversary, choirs, bands, individuals, songwriters, composers, and poets are invited to submit an entry into the URC at 50: Worship Resources Competition.  There are four categories in which you can enter:

                         traditional hymn/song  -  poem   -  contemporary hymn/song    -  rap

Judges will select a winner from each category. Winning entries will be included in a digital version of the URC at 50 resource pack for local churches for them to use in jubilee celebrations and/or Sunday services.
The closing date for entries is 8 April 2022     Judges will assess each entry in May 2022    Winners will be informed in June 2022Winners will be publicly announced at General Assembly in July 2022, at which the songs, or recordings, will be performed/played/sung.  The winning entries will be recorded and/or filmed in July 2022 for sharing online.To enter, you must be a member or active adherent of a URC or a URC local ecumenical partnership, or URC Youth.

Entries can be new lyrics submitted to existing music within the public domain. Entries must have a jubilee/URC at 50 anniversary theme and be suitable for use in collective worship. Musical entries to new tunes must include lyrics plus musical score (PDF or JPG) and/or an audio recording (MP3 or MP4). The competition is open to people of any age. One entry per person/group. Submit entries to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   Winning entries will be played/performed at General Assembly in the Jubilee year. Winners will be awarded a commemorative trophy. Winning entries will be included in a URC at 50 resource pack for local churches for them to use in local jubilee celebrations and/or Sunday services.

Download the documents below to find out more about the Worship Resources Competition for our 50th anniversary:  
URC at 50 Worship Resources Competition (PDF | 88kb)      URC at 50 Worship Resources Competition (Word | 83kb) 

Safeguarding Online Training via Zoom with Nicola dates for December

The latest set of dates for safeguarding are now available. The courses wll be delivered via Zoom with Nicola. 
I have divided the course into two modules, to complete the course you will need to attend both parts one and two.

Tuesday 22nd February and Tuesday 8th March 2022               7.30pm - 9.00pm 

Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to Register and book a place.  If you would prefer to atend a course delivered in person, please contact Nicola.

Looking for preaching ideas? Talking Absolute Worship

• a website:  Talking Absolute Worship 
• Podcast versions are available from most podcast applications (spotify, itunes, google etc) by searching for "Talking Absolute Worship" or our own podcast page 
• a Facebook page Talking Absolute Worship which people can follow to stay in touch with latest releases:

The idea is not that we do all the work for preachers, but that they listen or watch long enough to be inspired with an idea or an "angle" that they can then run with in their preaching and worship leading. The style is very much that you are eavesdropping on a conversation between friends grappling together with the Lectionary texts. The first half covers preaching, the second half covers everything else - so, feel free to skip through until you find something useful! Revd Phil Nevard

Save the Dates for 2022…

Creative Prayer For All Ages - 7.30pm Monday 31 January Prayer ideas for all age worship and children and youth groups

Church Treasurers’ Catch-Up - 7.30pm Thurs 27 January Come and meet up online with other Treasurers to ask questions, share expertise and problemsolve. Register with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  

Health, Healing and Spirituality: Living in God’s Fullness - 3rd Thursdays

Thursdays 17th February, 17th March, 21st April

Open to and enriching for all, these sessions with our advocates Revd Geoff Wright and Jo Patel may be of particular interest to those involved in pastoral visiting. Register with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Christians on Ageing - Conferences on Webinar conducted via Zoom and it's free!!.

OLD AND CHRISTIAN: what do you think about these?

• Prison when you are old
• Music as therapy in dementia
• Dying, death and assisted dying

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - 18th January 2022 @ 11:06 am – 25th January 2022 @ 12:06 pm

Website: For more details Christians on Ageing   

Youth Assembly 2022 -  JUBILEE - 28th to 30th January 2022

Calling all young people and young adults associated with the URC - the URC Youth Executive are delighted to anounce that bookings are now open for Youth Assembly 2022 - Jubilee.

Jubilee, Youth Assembly 2022, is being held from 28th to 30th January 2022 at Whitemoor Lakes, Alrewas, Staffordshire

A fantastic venue for which we have sole use. Youth Assembly is a  weekend of fun, friendship and fellowship including: 
* Commemorate the past  *  Celebrate the now  * Create the future  * Youth Decides – discussions 
*  Workshops and keynotes  * Worship  * Silent disco

Cost - Early Bird price on or before 11 November 2021 is £115, standard price from 12 November 2021 onwards is £145. Age: Year 10 students (England and Wales) and S3 students (Scotland) up to 26 years (inclusive) – age limit extended for 2022 only due to cancellation of YA2021.  

Find out more about Youth Assembly contact the Children’s & Youth Assembly for a booking form. Post to: Children’s & Youth Work Office, United Reformed Church, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RT -  Tel: 020 7916 8683.  If you or your group need a leader to accompany you, please get in touch e-mail the  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Further information will be sent once your booking form has been received.

Stepwise - January 2022

Not sure of 'which way now?'  A new year anew you?

Mondays, 7pm – 9.15pm  - January 17th & 31st  -  February 7th & 21st -  March 7th & 21st  - April 4th & 25th

The answer could be Faith-Filled Life, the first stream in the URC’s discipleship course, Stepwise. It is all about seeing God at work, and beginning to work with him. Members of the first cross-Synod group earlier this year found it really engaging and stimulating, whatever stage they were at in their own faith and church involvement. Are you in leadership in your church? This course could be particularly helpful for small groups of Elders / Deacons / Stewards. Nicola and Lindsey will be facilitating a second online group from January 17. You can attend alone, or with a small group from your church.  If you would like to learn more, please watch this Stepwise film on YouTube, or to join us please register with   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Church Leadership Programme - Transforming leadership from the inside out - 2022

The Church Leadership Programme (CLP) is a comprehensive programme to refresh experienced lay and ordained leaders in authentic leadership, helping church leaders to develop external skills from their core sense of being. A mix of physical and virtual learning, the course threads from September to June every academic year. Each year, participants form into a faith community, committed to each other for encouragement and support. Participants learn in joint sessions and become part of smaller learning groups with a dedicated tutor. Each participant has an individual spiritual accompanier throughout the academic year. Strengthening personal qualities, insights and skills for effective Christian leadership  2021 The residential elements of the programme are to be held  at Hinsley Hall, Leeds. View Dates below

Second residential - February 11th-13th 2022 at Hinsley Hall, Leeds
Virtual sessions 2022 10am until 1pm - March 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th; April 6th
Third residential - June 10th-11th 2022 at Hinsley Hall, Leeds
Final virtual session 2022 10am until 1pm, - 29th June 2022

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.    
View:  YouTube link:  Church Leadership Programme video  - Download - Programme Education for Ministry

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.

Ministry Enquirers' Event - What is God asking of YOU? -

A Ministry Enquirers' Event will be held online on Saturday 12th February, 2022, from 10am-3pm.

The focus of this event is to help you think about God's call to Worship Leading, Lay Preaching, Ministry with children and young people, the Ministry of Word and Sacraments or Church Related Community Work.    

Register with Ministries to receive the zoom details. 

New year, new challenges; is God calling you to new ventures?   Download:  Creating Change in Communities Poster for more information.

The Enquirers Event on February 12th will provide the opportunity to discover about different ministries and to explore your discipleship and voation further. For example, the URC has a recognised ministry of locally-called, locally deployed, non-stipendiary CRCW. Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. 

Southgate Church presents an evening with Graham Kendrick

Tuesday 15th February, 2022, starts 7.30pm

An evening with Graham Kendrick and his band at the Apex, Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday 15th February, 2022, starts 7.30pm. This is an evening of praise and worship with Britain's premier Christian singer/songwriter - book early - tickets £18.

This is a fundraiser for the Bury Drop-in for homeless people and also Faith in Action - working with the poorest people in the world in Malawi and Mozambique.