The United Reformed Church

With the Prime Minister confirming that England will move to the government’s “Plan B” in light of the spread of the Omicron variant, the United Reformed Church Synod Moderators have updated their guidance issued on 29 November, as follows: 

• The wearing of face coverings in church will become mandatory in England, bringing England into line with existing restrictions in Scotland and Wales. Medical exemptions will, we understand, continue to apply, but in light of the rapid spread of the latest variant we would ask members to consider whether they have a genuine medical reason not to wear a face covering, rather than a preference.

As Covid rules have been strengthened in response to concern over the new Omicron variant, the United Reformed Church (URC) Synod Moderators provide updated advice to churches:

The situation in Scotland and Wales has not changed with Boris Johnson’s latest announcements from Downing Street. It is a continuing legal requirement for everyone aged 12 or over in Scotland and 11 and over inWales, unless they are exempt, to wear a face covering in indoor public space (including churches).

The Prime Minister has tightened Covid regulations in England in response to the emerging Omicron variant of concern.

Church Related Community Worker Mal Breeze reflects on the significance of remembrance and what it means to him, to members of his Blackburn community, his faith and to everyone who has been touched by loss. Mal also reflects on how the face of the memorial day has changed in Britain and around the world, especially during the pandemic.

Thirty-five charities are to benefit from the thousands of pounds raised by Fenstanton United Reformed Church member, Jean Ding.

During the pandemic and due to lockdown restrictions, Jean was forced to move her stall from the church to outside her home, in Cambridgeshire.

Ann Honey is a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) located in the heart of Billingham, County Durham. This summer, Ann and the volunteers at St Columba’s United Reformed Church (URC) were able to run a whole host of activities for children in the local area, due to careful planning, volunteering, local support and a can-do attitude. In her reflection, Ann reveals that if you have a vision, even with a small team and meagre resources, you can bring about positive change when working with your local community.

The congregation of Stowmarket United Reformed Church (URC) in Suffolk were joined by more than 30 quirky figures last weekend.

Organised by John Webb, an Elder of the church, Covid-19 keyworker heroes were thanked for all their working during the pandmic at a festival at the church through a series of scarecrows dressed up as NHS and postal staff, farmers, and HGV drivers to name a few.

As restrictions begin to lift and families start to come together safely once more, Harpenden URC in Hertfordshire has been holding events to help unite the local community with the help of a small grant from the Children’s and Youth Work Committee. 

Bulwell URC ran a successful holiday club for 30 children aged five to eleven, with help with funding from the URC Children's and Youth Work small grants fund.

The church, which had for so long stood quiet during the pandemic, once again reverberated with the joyful sound of children playing as thirty children between the ages of five and eleven took part in two days of holiday club.

Delighted by the response of members of the United Reformed Church (URC) to its “Give Thanks for Your Vaccine” appeal, Commitment for Life provides an update on how the money is being spent.

Since the appeal launched in February, more than £30,000 has been raised through generous donations and distributed to Christian Aid which has been on the ground helping poor and vulnerable communities across the world.

Many will be familiar with this passage from Ecclesiastes 3:1.3 'There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens'. The well known, often-quoted passage seems quite appropriate at the moment. Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) Jo Patterson reflects on the last 18 months and shares her insights on the importance of food, and how it has brought communities together in Peckham.

Shrewsbury Food Hub has been named one of four community groups in Shropshire to be awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

The hub was founded in 2016 by Howard Hutchings, a member of Shrewsbury United Reformed Church (URC), Katy Anderson, the Hub’s manager, and Ali Thomas.

During the past year alone, the Hub has delivered around 195,000 meals to members of its community.

It received the QAVS on 7 July.

As the Governments in England, Scotland and Wales move towards reducing or ending Coronavirus restrictions on Places of Worship, the Synod Moderators offer the following guidance to congregations of the United Reformed Church.

Alison Dalton began working as a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) for the Sunderland and Boldon United Reformed Church Partnership in July 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Here she reflects on how daunting it has been to start a new role without having a chance to meet anyone in person and the challenges this has involved.

Church Related Community Work Student (CRCW) student, Fliss Tunnard has been on placement at St Columba’s URC in Billingham since October. Despite the many limitations of lockdown life, Fliss and CRCW, Ann Honey have thought of creative ways to fill their time and have managed to raise an impressive £10,000 for a new community kitchen.

A member of Water Lane United Reformed Church (URC) in Bishop's Stortford, has been made a dame in the Queen’s birthday honours.

Elizabeth Gardiner, a solicitor who helped draft the government's coronavirus pandemic legislation, was honoured for her services to the government and the legislative process and is now a Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB).

Woking United Reformed Church has found a creative way to ‘sing’ during worship despite Covid-19 restrictions currently preventing congregations singing.

Since the first lockdown, the church established a ‘signing project’ with a Makaton expert who taught the congregation a sign a week during each service.

At an all-age service filled with families on 13 June, the lessons paid off when the entire congregation used Makaton to sing with their hands.

Lockdown has been hard on many communities and households but as we move beyond our restricted lives, what needs to change and what needs to remain? asks Mal Breeze, a Church Related Community Worker from Blackburn.

The United Reformed Church is supporting a fundraising campaign developed by Christian Aid that enables people show gratitude for their vaccines by making a donation to help protect our global neighbours while the vaccine is out of reach.

This month we hear from Maria J.Y. Lee, a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) based in Chelmsford. Maria and her CRCW team have been supporting the members of 'Good Companions', a dementia-friendly group which benefits people who suffer from dementia and aims to improve the quality of life for older members of the community.

Maria explains what happens to those vulnerable and elderly individuals who suddenly find themselves isolated due to a global pandemic and how her team has been reaching out to them.

What does it mean to be a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) especially in a time when many neighbourhoods have had to batten down the hatches during a global crisis? Some CRCWs admit that they have been busier than ever during this pandemic while others feel more cut off, isolated and left with the reality that they are unable to use their skills, which are often focused on highlighting injustice and enabling those who perhaps do not have a voice, by providing the tools to help make things better.