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 SMESTOW GROUP IS BECOMING ECO AND FAIRTRADE
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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. 
Weoley Castle Community Church local families and artist Lizzy Bean made these Mosaics on 19th February 2019 using funds provided by the Synod towards the Holiday Club.
GENERAL DATA
PROTECTION REGULATIONS The URC have published advice and guidelines on these regulations that come into force on 25th May 2018. They can be found here 
update from Revd Kevin Jones CF
My unit is 3 Regiment RLC and I have been the Coord chaplain for Exercise Prairie Storm at BATUS. That is British Army Training Unit Suffield. We have around 2000 soldiers here currently. I have a team of 2 other Padres for the whole exercise supplemented by 2 more Padres for the last 2 weeks when the main exercise tests take place. Some of the soldiers play the enemy and there are local actors who play local civilians or insurgents and the combat is done by lasers to indicate which tanks, vehicles or soldiers have been killed or wounded. I spent most of that time with the mobile field hospital (like in MASH) and we kept on moving (4 times in one 36 hour period) including at night so we couldn't be found by the enemy. I was able to lead 4 field services and prayed with a number of soldiers individually. I am now very adept at putting up camouflage nets over vehicles, making temporary shelters to sleep in and I even had a cross country truck and trailer driving lesson from a Fijian soldier who is an instructor. We were out in the field for 39 days although I occasionally came back into camp to visit injured soldiers. Other than insect bites there were a lot of ankle injuries and hand injuries. Strangely we also had one case of chicken pox and 6 cases of mumps so they had to be put into isolation and barrier nursed so were quite bored. One of the challenges for soldiers in the modern world is that they weren't allowed their phones for long periods of the exercise to simulate real conflict situations. That was hard for many! The real privilege of ministry is living alongside soldiers and really getting to know then and having profound conversations about all sorts of issues including relationships, life choices and faith. 
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