Moderators of the United Reformed Church General Assembly joined four other Free Church leaders at three political party conferences this autumn. At each conference, the delegation spoke to MPs and Lords about issues of concern to Christians, prayed with and for political leaders at a dedicated prayer breakfast, and sought to listen and learn from conference delegates. Together, the five leaders represented the URC, the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Quakers in Britain and the Salvation Army.

Mr Derek Estill, who attended the Labour conference in Liverpool, said that the delegation ‘demonstrated unity across our various denominations’. The Revd Nigel Uden, who was part of the delegation to the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, said: ‘It was especially significant to be part of bringing into creative dialogue our various perspectives on topics that too often can mar abundant life – not least migration, climate change and poverty.’ 

The Revd Nicola Furley-Smith, Moderator of the URC’s Southern Synod, joined the delegation to the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton. Ms Furley-Smith ’felt both encouraged and privileged at being able to see party democracy in action and to get a sense of some of the issues that delegates and MPs really care about in their communities’. She added: ‘It was not only a good opportunity to challenge MPs on justice matters such as immigration and housing, but also to hear their concerns about being in politics today, and to reassure them of our prayers as they tackle issues concerning the vulnerable.’

The URC is part of the new ‘Meet Your MP’ initiative, launched in England and Wales on 5 October, which encourages congregations to build stronger relationships with their local political representatives. For more information, visit www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/MeetYourMP or www.scpo.scot/meet-your-mp.

The photo shows, from left to right: Simeon Mitchell, URC Secretary for Church and Society; Mr Ian Geary, representing the Salvation Army; The Revd Nicola Furley-Smith, Moderator of URC Southern Synod; The Rt Hon Tim Farron, MP; the Revd David Mayne, Baptist Union of Great Britain; the Revd Michaela Youngson, President of the Methodist Conference; Elizabeth Payne, representing Quakers in Britain and Major Kathy Betteridge, representing The Salvation Army