FAITH IN MY FOREST BY James Annis, An elder serving the URC and Salvation Army based in Littledean, working throughout The Royal Forest of Dean.Growing up in a small village in the Forest of Dean, where everyone knew everybody and your grandmother was the local Sunday school teacher, going to church every Sunday was not only mandatory, but part of daily life. From the moment I was born, being present at the United Reformed Church, was something I simply did. Attending church on a Sunday, going to PILOTS (a URC youth group) on a Friday and every other day in between, helping flower arrange with Gran or attending coffee mornings! Church was in my blood, but if I am being honest with myself, not in my soul.
Sunday morning services consisted of sitting quietly at the front, listening to adults talk about things I had no concept of or relationship to. Frankly, listening to the word of God was boring! But then something wonderful happened, two ministers arrived, a young married couple fresh from theological college came to the church and began to focus on the children and the young adults in the congregation. Andrew and Sally Willett turned my faith on like a light bulb! Words from the Bible began to become interesting, fun, and easy to relate to. Morning services were full of games and activities with Jesus at the centre. I began to feel not only part of a community, but also a family in Christ. Unfortunately, as I entered the end of my teenage years and left for university, I drifted away from the church. Taking a job in Asia and travelling abroad for twenty years didn’t help either. Returning to the Forest as a conscious decision ten years ago, didn’t draw me back either. I worked as a teacher and spent a lot of my time seeing children struggle with their moral compasses and their mental health. So, I wanted to help these children find direction in their lives, but the workload of teaching never really gave me the time to invest in them the way I wanted to. Let’s fast forward now to two years ago, to what started as a very sad event. I was attending the funeral of one of the congregation who had been in my life for a very long time, as one of the youth workers for PILOTS. I was stood in the schoolroom after the funeral, surrounded by others who had a grown up with through the church and PILOTS. They all had their busy lives and had all drifted away from the church. It was great to reconnect with my old friends, but also upsetting that none of us were still part of the church. I decided there and then, to try and devote more time back to the church and the community that had been so influential on my formative years. So, I began to take part in our Food Share Cafe once a week, helping to cook and serve and spend time with members of the community. By this point, my church had become part of a covenanted partnership with the Salvation Army and the church was full of new life, supporting the local community in many different ways. Slowly, I began to come back to the church, attending morning and evening service each Sunday. And then one Sunday at church, Jesus spoke to me, clearly and simply: “Follow me”! I went home that Sunday, wrote my resignation letter for work, and quit my job! I began to volunteer full time and then Jesus spoke again, “Become an elder of my church” and so I did. First published in In GEAR, Edition 148 (Spring 2024). Used with permission. When planning my Eldership service, there was what some would call a coincidence, but I believe was a GOD-incidence! Andrew and Sally Willett, the two ministers who were so influential in my childhood days, ‘happened’, after so many years, to be in the area on the date of my ordination service, so I asked them to take part.
Let’s fast forward right up to today. I am now an elder of the church, also church treasurer, a Starfish Mentor with the Salvation army working in local schools twice a week, and a youth leader, as part of Kid’s church. I lead sermons at times on Sundays and run a Bible study group on a Friday. But, running through all of this is my new renewed faith in Christ and the love that he shows me. That love overflows from within me, and I spread that love into my community. When Jesus asked me to drop my nets and follow him, I did, and it was the best decision I ever made. My faith is as strong as the trees that surround me in the forest! CHELTENHAM URC IN DRAMA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHRISTMASTony Jeans of Cheltenham URC sent us a Christmas video of their collaboration with Charlton Kings Community Players.
south aston URC CELEBRATESSouth Aston United Reformed Church celebrated on Sunday 13 August when several people, who have been members of the URC and wider church for at least 50 years, were awarded certificates of loyal service. Visiting Lay Preacher Su Bailey presented the certificates. Congratulations to all!
defibrillator for community at kenilworth urc, abbey hillKenilworth United Reformed Church now hosts an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) with installation facilitated by Kenilworth HeartSafe (KHS). The defibrillator is publicly accessible 24/7 as part of its “Saving Lives in Kenilworth” campaign. It has been funded partly by URC funds but with a substantial donation from Mark Stevens, a former Church warden at St Nicholas' Church, whose donation was in memory of his late friend Keith Grierson, the founding Chairman of Kenilworth HeartSafe. George Jones, Church Leader at Kenilworth URC, said “We were very keen to host an AED at the Church, providing potential lifesaving support to our congregation and all who enjoy the delights of Abbey Fields immediately opposite the Church. We are very grateful to KHS for their support in taking this forward and to Mark Stevens for his incredible generosity in bridging the funding gap. We are now discussing with KHS some CPR and AED training courses for the benefit of our congregation and any local residents who wish to join us.” KHS Chairman Neil Morris said “This is now the 26th publicly accessible AED in our community and the 19th facilitated by KHS since our campaign started 3 years ago. KHS was approached by Kenilworth URC to assist in sourcing funds for the installation with the URC having around 25% of the monies required. Mark Stevens had been in contact with us indicating his wish to support KHS’ campaign in Keith’s memory and he readily agreed to fund the significant shortfall which is an incredibly generous gesture. This campaign is to ensure that we have both the equipment and skills to help keep us all safe in the community where we live, work and play”. latest CYFC AWARDCongratulations to Shrewsbury URC, the latest recipient of the Child and Youth Friendly Church award. Read more here.
ZION UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, LANGLEY GREEN - TOY SERVICE
Church leaders' summitStatement from West Midland Church Leaders following their meeting on October 2nd - 3rd
Woodbrooke Centre, Birmingham We met together in Birmingham to pray and encourage one another. We represent a range of traditions and ethnicities and rejoice in that diversity. We gathered united by our faith in Jesus Christ, the hope that he inspires in us and the love which motivates us to love in response. We sought in prayer to discern God’s word to us and the West Midlands area we love and serve. We rejoiced in stories of growth, whilst realistic about the challenges of sustainability post COVID. We want to build our unity through prayer and mutual understanding se we more faithfully reflect our faith in Jesus Christ. Our call is to be more effective in blessing our communities in his name and sharing the reason for the hope that is in us. We encourage all our churches to engage locally and internationally, working with all of good will to contribute to the common good. In these challenging days of the cost of living crises, wars and climate crisis, we long to be a transforming presence, creating warm and safe spaces and living sustainably. In a world that often seeks simplistic answers, we are called to hold the space for complexity and conversation across difference. We want that for our churches and we seek to be facilitators of that respectful dialogue in the wider community. Attendees: Bishop Joe Aldred National Church Leaders’ Forum Revd Adrian Argile Heart of England Baptist Association Rt Revd Sarah Bullock Diocese of Lichfield Pastor Dr Marcus Chilaka Redeemed Christian Church of God Revd Dave Ellis Heart of England Baptist Association Pastor Eniiwaju Etomi Redeemed Christian Church of God Revd Steve Faber URC, West Midlands Synod Rt Revd Martin Gorick Diocese of Worcester Ms Rhiannon Grant Central England Quakers Revd Novette Headley Birmingham District Rt Revd John Inge Diocese of Worcester Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave Diocese of Lichfield Bishop Jonathan Jackson New Testament Church of God Rt Revd Richard Jackson Diocese of Hereford Most Revd Bernard Longley Archdiocese of Birmingham Mr Robert Mountford Birmingham/Black Country/Staffordshire Rt Revd Matthew Parker Diocese of Lichfield Revd Rachel Parkinson Wolverhampton/Shrewsbury District Lt Col Joao Paulo Ramos Salvation Army, West Midlands Division Bishop Mike Royal Churches Together in England Revd Neil Le Tissier Heart of England Baptist Association Rt Revd David Urquhart Diocese of Birmingham Pastor Nick Whittome Elim Pentecostal Church June 2022 Covid adviceThe Synod Moderators have published updated guidance for local churches, reflecting the current state of the pandemic and ending of all government restrictions.
A number of our members, and those in our communities that we serve will still be vulnerable and anxious about Coronavirus infections. The Elders' Meeting (or equivalent council in a Local Ecumenical Partnership) are responsible for the Health and Safety of their buildings and activities. It is this council that has the authority and the responsibility to put in place appropriate mitigations. At a time of generally lower risk, Elders may wish to consider what measures should be retained. They should also monitor changing circumstances to see if and when protection measures should be reinstated. The Moderators' guidance is available below.
COmmonwealth gamesThe Commonwealth Games is being hosted in and around Birmingham this summer. Here are some ways to pray for the Games and the preparation for them, and some ways in which you might be involved.
Bereavement Point expanding in Coventry
Foleshill Road URC are working with the Department of Spiritual Care at UHCW NHS Trust to host a Bereavement drop in called ‘Bereavement Point’ for people who have been bereaved. A number of church members have been trained in basic bereavement support and along with a Chaplain they host a monthly informal drop in. Every family who has had a death in the hospital receive a letter inviting them to one of the drop ins either at the hospital or Foleshill Rd URC. We are expanding this service further into the community over the coming year as we realised there is a huge need as communities are becoming more isolated and people’s needs aren’t being met. As a church and as a Chaplaincy Team we believe the way forward to provide support in communities is in collaboration with as many agencies as possible. Further information: Rev Paul Holmes, Chaplain Dept of Spiritual Care, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust Direct Line 02476967515 (ext.27515) e mail: paul.holmes@uhcw.nhs.uk |
New resources published
click for pdf The new discipleship resources from the URC was introduced NEW LAY PREACHERS
Information of those who are commissioned within the Synod is to be found on the Lay Preachers page. |