Monthly Archives: December 2019

Karen Campbell, a United Reformed Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) says goodbye to 2019 and hello to 2020 in a poem called ‘Goodbye Old Year’. Read More … Continue reading →

Karen Campbell, a United Reformed Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) reflects on the real meaning of Christmas in a poem entitled ‘Santa Claus?’    Read More … Continue reading →

One of the United Reformed Church’s (URC) General Assembly Moderators, Derek Estill, led the Church’s educational visit to Israel and Palestine in September. The group had the opportunity to observe and hear at first hand the plight of indigenous Christians living in the occupied Palestinian territories. This included seeing the consequences of the expansion of… Continue reading →

The Revd John Proctor, United Reformed Church General Secretary, thanks God for Christmas. Although Christ Jesus was in the form of God, he emptied himself into the form of a servant, by his birth as one of us. As Philippians 2:7 says: “He emptied himself.” Read More … Continue reading →

The Revd Dr Michael Jagessar, United Reformed Church Secretary for Global and Intercultural Ministries, explores how uncertainty of the future carries hope-filled possibilities for New Year’s Day. In times when bad news may feature daily on our social media feeds, one can readily identify with the words sung by Joan Armatrading in the song In… Continue reading →

For Epiphany, the Revd Richard Church, Deputy General Secretary (Discipleship) for the United Reformed Church asks what surprises have come our way? In ordinary speech an epiphany marks an ‘aha’ moment. It is the moment when a character is suddenly struck with a life-changing realisation which changes the rest of the story. It is clear how close… Continue reading →

What do you make of the virgin birth? Fact or fable? And either way, what is it all about? This December, Reform’s ‘A good question’ panel get to grips that bit of Christmassy theology. The panel features the Revd Matt Stone, Minister of Herringthorpe United Reformed Church (URC), Rotherham, South Yorkshire; Lawrence Moore, Mission and Discipleship… Continue reading →

Christmas isn’t Christmas unless it involves giving to people who can’t give back. Anything else is just swapping, really. So, it’s time for Reform’s (the United Reformed Church’s magazine) reverse Advent calendar. Read More … Continue reading →

The Revd Fiona Thomas, Secretary for Education and Learning for the United Reformed Church, reflects on Christmases spent in remote villages in South India. Each year we construct Christmas, building it up from memories, rituals and expectations. In the early 80s I celebrated four Christmases in remote villages in South India with a small team… Continue reading →

If you’re undecided about which way to vote on tomorrow’s General Election (12 December), a blog written by Simeon Mitchell, the United Reformed Church’s (URC) Secretary for Church and Society, may be of help. The blog is written for the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT), made up of the Baptist Union, the Church of Scotland,… Continue reading →