The United Reformed Church

The use of church buildings by people of other faith communities (PDF |  5.9mb) - In an increasingly diverse society, local churches are often approached by other faith communities seeking premises where they can hold worship or events. The URC last issued guidance about how a local church might host another faith community back in 1974.

It seemed very appropriate therefore to provide more up to date advice. Working with Baptist interfaith colleagues, the URC has produced a brand new booklet for local churches entitled, ‘The use of church buildings by people of other faith communities’. The document gives helpful pointers to assist churches as they discern whether such hospitality would work in their particular context.

Faith Festivals Calendars – The Inter Faith Network helpfully produce a calendar of faith festivals each year. It is not an exhaustive list, but it gives a good overview as well as the appropriate greeting for each occasion.

The Baptist Union of Great Britain has produced a pack of 12 cards – 12 myths of Inter Faith Engagement – that can be used in a variety of settings. They challenge such myths as: 'Inter faith engagement means we sell out on our beliefs and weaken our faith' and ‘There is no reference to Inter faith encounters in the ministry of Jesus’. The cards are an excellent resource for small group discussions and can be downloaded from the Baptist Union website. Additionally, the Baptists have written a very accessible series providing a broad introduction to understanding other faiths with background information on their beliefs and practices, which can be found here.

Each year Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) produces a Lent course and in 2017 it was entitled, Returning Home: Christian Faith in Encounter with Other Faiths. The resource explores how Christian faith has been deepened and enriched by encounters with people of different religions. It is downloadable from the CTBI website.

In 2011, a group of seasoned interfaith activists and young adult leaders, with a passion for inter faith relationships and culture, launched The Interfaith Observer. It is a free monthly digital journal created ‘to explore interreligious relations and the interfaith movement as a whole’. It can be accessed here.

Useful books for further reference

Christians, Muslims, and Jesus – Mona Siddiqui

A Heart Broken Open – Ray Gaston

Eating Curry for Heaven’s Sake – Barbara Glasson

The Word of God is Not Bound – John Parry

God's Unfailing Word: Theological and Practical Perspectives on Christian – Jewish Relations – Faith and Order Commission, Church of England

The Inter Faith Fund (originally known as the ‘Jewish Fund’) was established to support Jewish/Christian relations in the East End of London. Many URC ministers and members have benefitted from the fund to support visits to Israel/Palestine. During 2016, work was done by the URC Trust and with the Charity Commissioners to bring the fund up to date, recognising that the interfaith environment is now very different. As a result, the remit of the fund was expanded, with the following aim:  

The promotion of contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, in ways consonant with the beliefs and practices of the United Reformed Church.

Applications

Groups and individuals who may apply to the fund are:

1. Individual churches seeking to promote contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities in their own local community
2. Ministers of Word and Sacraments, Church Related Community Workers, and others in leadership of local URC churches who are seeking support for personal study and reflection that will facilitate the promotion of contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, particularly in their local area.
3. Organisations that have links to United Reformed Churches working in their local communities to promote contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, in ways consonant with the beliefs and practices of the United Reformed Church.
4. National organisations where the United Reformed Church has representation and which are seeking to promote contact, understanding and respect among Christians, Jews and members of other faith communities, in ways consonant with the beliefs and practices of the United Reformed Church.
5. Exceptionally, consideration will be given to applications received from global or regional Christian organisations on which the United Reformed Church has representation.

Please email Carole Sired for an application form.

The most effective inter faith engagement takes place at grass roots level, of which the following represent just a few examples. One of the members of the URC inter faith enabling group, the Revd Dr John Parry is the co-director to the London Inter Faith Centre, which seeks to engage with the reality of individuals and communities ‘living together in a multi-faith society’. In 2018, Grassroots Luton celebrated its 25th anniversary. Grassroots works to empower Luton’s faith and cultural communities. It supports community work in the Beech Hill Bury Park area of Luton through the ministry of Karen Campbell who is the URC Church Related Community Worker based there. In Blackburn, URC church related community worker Mal Breeze is working with two local churches, situated in areas with high Asian populations. Mal reaches out to local mosques and other places of worship to forge closer links. Although misunderstandings and suspicions inevitably exist, the situation is far from the picture of ‘divided communities’ portrayed by the Panorama programme ‘White Fright: Divided Britain’, aired in January 2018.

We want to support and encourage you in this important work and would love to hear your stories of interfaith engagement at a local level. Please contact Carole Sired. 

The use of church buildings by people of other faith communities

In an increasingly diverse society, local churches are often approached by other faith communities seeking premises where they can hold worship or events. The URC last issued guidance about how a local church might host another faith community back in 1974.

It seemed very appropriate therefore to provide more up to date advice. Working with Baptist interfaith colleagues, the URC has produced a brand new booklet for local churches entitled, ‘The use of church buildings by people of other faith communities’. The document gives helpful pointers to assist churches as they discern whether such hospitality would work in their particular context.

• Download the booklet (PDF |  5.9mb)

Within the URC this area of work is facilitated by the inter faith enabling group which works in close co-operation with ecumanical colleagues. The group helps to support the secretary for ecumenical and interfaith relations.

In a recent review of its activities, the group listed the following priorities to its work:

Inter faith understanding is vital to the life of our churches. We all need the confidence to share our stories within a multi-faith society.

There is a need to strengthen and resource the network of local interfaith advocates/enthusiasts, linking in with ecumenical partners. The group is looking at how we might map a combined ecumenical network of inter faith advocates and ‘enthusiasts’. If you are involved in interfaith activity and would like to register on our database, please contact Carole Sired.

Members of the URC’s inter faith enabling group are: the Revd Tracey Lewis (chair); Graham Adams; the Revd John Bremner; the Revd Philip Brooks; Mark Godin; Andy Lie; the Revd Dr John Parry.and Victoria Turner.