31 March 2022

St Columba’s United Reformed Church in Oxford is believed to be the first church in the UK to appoint an outreach worker for the trans, intersex and non-binary communities.

Chrissie Chevasutt started as the church’s Outreach Worker in January, an appointment financially supported by the local church, the regional Wessex Synod Trust and the Legacies Fund and the Discipleship Development Fund of the national United Reformed Church.

The role will focus on a number of areas:

• Pastoral care – offering support and understanding to people transitioning, their families and support groups, churches, and to trans people in ministry;
• Theological – to help with theological thinking and development;
• Educational – to help the Church understand what it means to be trans in all its forms, to raise awareness of needs, issues and rights for trans and non-binary people so that the Church is better informed and can offer appropriate support.

The Revd Helen Garton, minister at the St Columba’s said: “At our First Sunday LGBT+ group, I came across a number of people who identified as trans and non-binary, so it seemed obvious to me that we had a particular ministry to trans and non-binary people.

“I was aware that such a ministry needed someone who could speak from direct knowledge and experience who could offer pastoral support in Oxford and the surrounding areas based at St Columba’s.

“St Columba’s is a pioneering church and still has the energy and the heart to be ground-breaking in this area, as we are already supportive and welcoming to trans and non-binary people and are pained by the misunderstanding, prejudice and hostility that they can experience, sometimes on a daily basis.”

“Chrissie comes to us with a heart and passion for the Gospel and the work of the church in reaching out to people. They also bring an insight from a church tradition quite different to our own, which is refreshing and helpful in understanding the spiritual needs of the people who come to First Sunday, themselves from diverse church backgrounds.

“My hope is that the United Reformed Church at large will warmly support their work, learn from their insights and receive the gifts they offer.”

To interview Helen Garton or Chrissie Chevasutt, please contact the URC Media Team on 07976 750953.

The post Oxford church appoints outreach worker for Transgender, Intersex and non-binary communities appeared first on United Reformed Church.

January 2022

As churches begin to meet in person and groups relaunch, people are feeling increasingly anxious about this. It is important that we help people to express how they are feeling and acknowledge those.

As children’s activities continue to open up, we need to consider the feelings of parents and children who may be extremely anxious about the additional contact in their lives after so long avoiding contact.

Try and be clear in the information you are sharing. For example, sharing what will be happening in the group via a visual timetable or explaining how you will monitor contacts and what happens if someone becomes Covid positive.

Consider how all this can affect the parents, children and young people in their emotional response, especially if they feel vulnerable and unsafe. Reassure them that your group is a safe place by making your safety measures explicit and also offering emotional support for parents and carers to talk to you about their concerns.

Active listening

Active listening is a good way to improve your communication with children and adults. It lets them know that you are interested in what they have to say.

To practice active listening:

• Get down on the child’s level or sit next to the adult.
• Give your full attention to the person speaking.
• Make eye contact and stop other things you are doing.
• Do not be afraid of times of silence, allow them space to think and speak.
• Reflect or repeat back what they are saying and what they may be feeling to make sure you understand.

It can be tempting to brush off children’s problems, especially if we are busy, but it is important that the children in our groups know that we are available to listen to them and are interested in what they have to say. If it’s worrying them, then it is important.

Have an emotional check-in at the beginning of sessions or meeting, maybe even in church.

This can be done in a variety of ways:

• Emotional check-in – thinking and feeling. Check-in boards and visual timetables really help children to know what is happening and to acknowledge how they feel.
• Explore what the different feelings are, and how they would describe them.
• Talk – take time to build relationships up and talk about how they may be feeling, especially over an activity or doing a job together side by side if they feel more comfortable that way.

Emotional literacy with the under 5s

From the time of birth, babies are getting used to the world around them and are learning to bond with and trust their main carers. Young babies smile, cry, grasp, cling, suck, make eye contact and sucking movements with their mouth, and reach out to let you know they need care and loving. They feel secure and cry less when held and cuddled. They will tell you when they need quiet time and calming by turning or looking away or when they are restless in your arms.

As a baby grows and develops, they can make connections between the look on a person’s face and the tone of their voice eg, happy face and soft tone, anxious face and sharp tone. They begin to manage their feelings by soothing themselves with thumb-sucking and other habits as well as distraction through play, as they learn their main carers may not always be instantly available. When main care givers respond quickly, consistently and sensitively, older babies learn more quickly about their feelings and how to manage them.

Toddlers can show extremes of behaviour, from independent to dependent, aggressive to calm, helpful to stubborn. These changes can happen quickly. Tantrums and other reactions to anger and frustration are common in toddlers but most respond well to comfort shown by cuddles, holding, stroking, patting, calming and gentle tones, and to being in a quiet, comforting place. Toddlers express their feelings and learn to manage their feelings through play. They are beginning to name feelings, eg, happy, sad, angry, scared and to show interest in others’ feelings.

Big emotions like frustration, anger and embarrassment can be overwhelming for very young children, they need to be reassured that it is ok to have these feelings.

Here are some ideas to help:

• Help young child explore emotions through play, for example puppet play, singing, reading and messy play. Songs, games, stories and imaginative play help toddlers to know more about feelings and the feelings of others.
• Talking with toddlers before difficult events such as changes or separations helps them to manage their feelings and to feel secure and comforted.
• When you see a child showing a particular emotion, label it for them and talk about it. For example, ‘You have a big smile on your face. You must be happy to see me’ or ‘You’re crying. I think you’re frustrated because you can’t play with the toy’.
• Use the feeling shapes to help younger children to explore emotions and what they might look like or what colour they may be.
• Use a feelings book and explore what these feelings are and why we feel them. This might be a book of colours which helps you to reflect what emotion is represented in each colour.
• Use emotional flash cards to explore opposite feelings.

Emotional literacy with the 5 to 11s

A child’s emotional development continues to progress once they begin school. In the primary age range, children start to understand that other people’s feelings matter too.

They will be making and choosing their own friends. It takes time for them to learn how to cooperate with each other and this can make friendships tricky. You can help them think about how they feel, and how their friend might feel too. Being a good friend and having good friends are important life skills to learn.

Primary aged children are starting to get better at managing their own emotions. They can talk more easily about how they are feeling and they are more able to take on board advice and techniques to help them.

From around age seven, memory and concentration grow. Children can think more quickly and can remember more than one thing at a time. They are enthusiastic learners and usually enjoy doing things with you. They will be developing strong opinions and will ‘argue back’ and want to do things their way!

Children in this age group can talk about how to recognise emotions in themselves and others. For example, ‘When I broke that glass, I yelled really loudly. Does that happen to you when you make a mistake and feel angry?’

Help them to work out how their body feels when they’re experiencing an emotion. For example, ‘You look nervous. Have you got butterflies in your tummy?’ Children need some simple strategies to manage their emotions. For example: ways to calm down from strong emotions like counting to 10 or taking five deep breaths.

Suggest ways to react to strong emotions – for example, clap your hands when you’re excited, ask for a hug when you’re sad, or squeeze your cushion really hard when you’re angry.

It can be hard for a child to use strategies like these when they’re very upset. They might shout, hit things or behave in other inappropriate ways instead. So, you might need to help them to calm down. When they’re calm, you can help them understand that strong emotions are OK, but bad behaviour isn’t.

• Do an emotions activity such as choosing an emotion like ‘excited’ and acting it out. You can turn this activity into a simple guessing game.
• Do some story play work to create stories and explore the feelings in them.
• Use Duplo, Lego or Emotiblocks to explore all their feelings.
• Use an emotions dice to mark how they are feeling today.
• Use Lego as a way of talking to children and giving them space to just play. You can use other creative items such as play dough or collage making. Be aware of the conversations during activities you are doing as part of the session and alert to anything that may need following up. Use this time to really explore the feeling a child may be experiencing.
• Use an emotions check-in board so they can begin to recognise and share how they are feeling.

Emotional literacy with 11+

Puberty is a time when young people move through a series of significant and healthy changes and usually begins to take affect from the age of 10/11 years. During this transition from childhood through adolescence to adulthood, physical, emotional and social changes take place. It is normal for young people to experience intense and overwhelming emotions at this time. Moods can become extreme and unpredictable as young people attempt to navigate their world and work out their own identity and place within it.

It is important to have a basic understanding of the development of the adolescent brain. Although teenagers are likely to look like adults, physically the teenage brain is not as developed as an adult brain. This continued brain development combined with the hormonal changes that teenagers experience at this stage means that adolescents may have trouble with controlling and expressing their emotions. In fact, research shows that the part of the brain responsible for managing emotions and making rational decisions continues to develop until way into the mid-20s!

This can help explain why young people at times seem to act without thinking (they aren’t!).

• Ask them how they are feeling on a scale of 1-10.
• Use conversations cubes which will initiate a discussion based on the feeling or the scenario on the cube.
• Using Lego or something else to fiddle with, just give the young people space to just be. This gives you an opportunity to build relationships and explore how they are doing. You can use any creative activity which requires time and concentration to make that time and space to just be.
• Maybe write some feelings on Jenga blocks and, as they are pulled out of a tower, explore what that feeling might look like for the young people.
• Provide outlets for young people to relieve stress. Examples include exercising (hiking, kickboxing, etc), cooking and baking. Encouraging new hobbies such as journal writing, scrapbooking or pursing an interest can help to clear the mind and offer a new challenge to engage with.
• One-to-one conversations – the best conversations often happen in the most unexpected and natural ways. For example, doing a job together like tidying, putting chairs and tables away, making tea and coffee. It can be helpful to ask open-ended but specific questions to start a conversation, such as ‘what have you enjoyed about the session/service/our time together today?’ or even ‘what have you not enjoyed about it?’ This way you are asking for a personal response but you are not putting the young person in a vulnerable position by simply asking ‘how are you feeling?’ which they may not know anyway!
• Recognising something more serious. When a young person’s emotions or mood is consistently affecting their ability to engage in daily life this could be a sign of a mental health illness. Seek further advice at this stage.
• Use questions within a group or just as a conversation starter

Intergenerational day

Spend a morning as a whole church exploring emotions over a brunch or breakfast.

Scrapbook these conversations or put together a collage of images about the different feelings. You could use this to work through and discuss the emotions, asking questions like ‘What does happy feel like? What does confused feel like?’

Make and use a Blob Tree to explore where you feel you are in the group and what emotions that brings up for you. Or have some table talk cards out for people to talk about over a meal or coffee for wellbeing.

Follow up this day by having emotional check-in as people come to church, so that that whole congregation are recognising their feelings as they come into the church building. This could be something as simple as putting a removable sticker at a particular feeling on a check-in board. Don’t be afraid to ask people about how they’re feeling – this way the whole church can know that it’s OK to share your true feelings with others.

Resources you could use

• The Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside
• In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
• Find Out About: Feelings: A lift-the-flap board book of emotions by Louise Forshaw
• for wellbeing
• is based on research into what makes some people more resilient than others. Follow their guidance for building the emotional resilience and wellbeing of children, adolescents and adults.
• The (Supporting parents and children emotionally) provides information about children’s and adult’s emotional behaviour using trauma awareness
• Action for Children – The Blues Programme gives young people the tools to look after their emotional wellbeing. For young people aged 13-19

Download this guidance

• Emotional literacy in churches reopening after Covid (PDF | 647kb)

The post Emotional literacy in churches reopening after Covid appeared first on United Reformed Church.

The Revd Dr John Bradbury, General Secretary of the United Reformed Church, compares the change in Mary and Joseph’s plan for their firstborn to the havoc wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic, and God’s presence through it all in this reflection for Christmas day.

“What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it”. (John 3b-5)

How are your Christmas plans faring, I wonder? How did the plans of Mary and Joseph for the birth of their firstborn fare, I wonder? Whilst our Prime Minister has locked us down, the Emperor Augustus sent everyone out on the road.

As modern human beings, we love to feel in control. We have pushed death to the margins of life. Scientific endeavour leads us to believe there is a solution to every problem and a cure for every ill. We plan strategically and assess our risk. A tiny virus turned the world upside down.

2020 has been a dark year. We have mourned, lost loved ones, and been physically distanced from our own flesh and blood. For some, we have gone nowhere whilst being rushed off our feet. For others we have sat. And sat. And sat. And the doorbell has not rung. Human ingenuity has flourished. Life, love and hope have moved online in ways we’d never imagined. Culture has found new outlets, and scientists have become celebrities. Yet we know we have been living a half-life. The wave and the smile at the camera are not a hug from a loved one. The hug some long for will never caress them again.

As I write, news is landing of borders closing to stop the mutant Coronavirus spreading from our shores. In a matter of days, European free movement as we have known it comes to an end. We are boxed in. Shut up. And stare into a zoom lens wearing our ‘this is normal really’ expression.

The world is radically different from that in which Mary and Joseph trekked to Bethlehem. Radically the same, too. Viruses, and rulers, and powers and dominions beyond our imagining, wreak havoc upon our delusions of control. Into this world God came. Barriers and borders were broken down. Heaven and earth combined, and God and humanity were united in flesh and blood. God did not zoom in from afar, withholding physical presence to mitigate the risk. A certain risk that would lead to the cross.

God did not come into our midst in flesh and blood to sit with us in the darkness. Though God does that. God came into the darkness to transform it. The other side of Christmas lies Easter. Death transformed. Life renewed. Human powers subverted. Light overwhelming darkness. The feast of Christmas celebrates the flesh and blood coming of God in our midst to effect that transformation. It catches us up into the life and light that is for all peoples. ��I pray that in this Christmas of darkness you will catch a glimpse of that light, and bear that light, such that it might indeed be life and light for all.

_{Published: 21 December 2020}

The post Catch a glimpse of God’s light this Christmas appeared first on United Reformed Church.

Members of the URC’s��Church-Related Community Work,��Church and Society,��Children’s and Youth Work��and��mission and discipleship��teams, along with��Church Action on Poverty, started a conversation called ‘New Reality, Same Mission’ about helping congregations think about mission and community engagement in these challenging times.

The initiative began as a response to the Covid pandemic, but it is being broadened to include responses to other issues, including the cost of living crisis.

Covid response

In 2020, we produced a resource called ‘New Reality, Same Mission – A stimulus to renewed community engagement as we emerge from the pandemic’ that explored Pastoral Cycle and how this can help your church focus on the needs of your local community. There is a��full version��(PDF | 6.1mb) and a��summary of the pastoral cycle (PDF | 98kb)

Videos

Here is a�� of video reflections from a range of people talking about engaging in God’s mission in the time of Covid.

Zoom sessions

In early 2021, “Church at the Edge” Zoom sessions were held monthly, exploring different topics or questions about mission and community engagement in an informal setting. These sessions have currently stopped, but may resume in future.

Here is a��, Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations with Churches Together in England, sharing her thoughts on what the Church should be doing in response to these most challenging times.

Funding support

Finding funding sources for mission and community engagement can be challenging. Here are a few good places to start:

• Synod-distributed funds/funds��requiring��synod support��– Contact your Synod Office��for more information on potential funding sources in your area, including denominational funds which are distributed by synods, or otherwise require synod support.
• Community funding organisations – A list of organisations and agencies with potential funding support for mission in your local neighbourhood.
• Discipleship Development Fund��– Around £5,000 per award per year is available to recognised groups within the URC who can demonstrate that their plans are about helping people to live out their faith in everyday life.
• – A great tool for finding potential sources of funding for various purposes and groups, including engagement with your local neighbourhood.
• URC��Children’s & Youth Work Committee grants – Small grants for events, projects, activities which will benefit children, young people and families.

Additional resources

Here are some additional materials which might be useful to you and your local church as you explore mission and community engagement in light of the pandemic:

• (PDF) – A practical document from think tank , stemming from the����which can help your church grapple with the challenges of connecting with your neighbourhood in meaningful ways.
• – A helpful resource from����for organising effective partnerships with other churches, denominations and organisations which can be applied to partnerships for mission in your local neighbourhood.
• Organisations recommended by the CRCW network – A list of organisations and agencies, recommended by the URC’s Church Related Community Work network, with resources and support for mission in your local neighbourhood.

Contact us

Please contact us by��email��or call 020 7520 2718. We’d love to hear from you, or help however we can.

The post New Reality, Same Mission appeared first on United Reformed Church.

Latest news

Read the latest news and statements from the URC

Ceasefire Agreement – Statement

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, according to US and Qatari mediators. The first six-week phase is set to take effect on 19 January.

Reflection on Palestine

The United Reformed Church’s Minister for Digital Worship, the Revd Andy Braunston, delivers a Reflection on Palestine.

Church leaders call for Gaza peace

The United Reformed Church, Christian Aid, other humanitarian agencies and global church leaders have urged the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP to call for an end to fighting in Gaza.

URC Ukraine Appeal

The URC has launched an appeal in support of Ukrainian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons located to the west of Ukraine in Transcarpathia.

Crisis in Ukraine

From donating to the DEC appeal to prayers and other actions, here’s a list of the different ways you can help support those affected by the conflict

Rejoice and Sing Live

The URC held a hymn-filled service on 3 May 2025 celebrating 35 years of our hymn book, Rejoice and Sing.

Church Life Review

The Church Life Review was set up in 2020 to review the life, structures, resources and work of the United Reformed Church.

The post News & stories appeared first on United Reformed Church.

‘Arm in arm’ with Finchley Jewish community

17 Apr 2026

Following an attempted arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue in North London on 15 April, the United Reformed Church (URC) has joined with the Council of Christians and Jews to condemn this latest example of antisemitic hatred. In the lead up to the Jewish Sabbath, the Revd Dr Kevin Snyman, the URC’s Head of ��Ʒ��ҹ�������� […]

Britain’s faith communities: don’t silence peaceful protest

13 Apr 2026

Leaders from across the UK’s faith spectrum have come together to urge MPs to remove a clause from the Crime and Policing Bill that could shut down lawful, conscience-led protest. The joint letter, coordinated by Quakers in Britain and signed by Catriona Wheeler, Moderator of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, Bishop Mike Royal, Rabbi […]

��Ʒ��ҹ�������� Communion of Reformed Churches Europe visits Wales on solidarity trip

13 Apr 2026

Members of the steering group of the ��Ʒ��ҹ�������� Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) in Europe visited Wales at the end of March as part of a solidarity and learning visit, meeting with church leaders, ecumenical partners, and politicians. The group, led by WCRC Europe President Jenny Dobers, travelled from as far as Sweden, Germany, Romania, […]

Local churches answer call to become ‘Welcome Churches’ for refugees

13 Apr 2026

Local United Reformed Churches are responding to a national call to become welcoming spaces for refugees and people seeking asylum. Founded in Derby, Welcome Churches has grown into a network of more than 1,420 churches offering friendship and practical support. Its vision is that every refugee in the UK should be welcomed by a local […]

Wessex Synod welcomes legal notice on flags

13 Apr 2026

The United Reformed Church (URC) Wessex Synod has welcomed a formal legal notice issued by Oxfordshire County Council��addressing the repeated installation of flags on or near highways without consent. Since last summer, thousands of flags��have appeared on lampposts across the UK. The council said the installations were not an act of patriotism but “an act […]

Anger and deep sorrow over Israeli bombing of Lebanon, and an urgent call for action by the UK Government

10 Apr 2026

The Moderator of the General Assembly of The United Reformed Church (URC), Catriona Wheeler, has issued a statement following the recent bombing of Lebanon, describing the military operations as a “reckless betrayal of the hope for peace.” “I have watched with anger and deep sorrow as the Israeli government intensifies its bombing of Lebanon. These […]

Next

No more posts

No more posts

The post Anger and deep sorrow over Israeli bombing of Lebanon, and an urgent call for action by the UK Government appeared first on United Reformed Church.

Read the URC’s guidance on the ordination and induction of Elders during Covid-19 restrictions.

This process mirrors the process used for the Ordinations an Induction of Ministers of Word and Sacraments and Commissioning of Church Related Community Workers during the on-going Covid-19 restrictions.

The rubric in our book of Worship Resources should always take place during Sunday worship in recognition of the fact that elders are called by God to the leadership and service of God’s people. In the Reformed tradition, this is not a sacrament (like baptism or communion), but public recognition in an act of worship of a particular office in the church. In a time of pandemic, public worship can be enabled by zoom or similar live platform.

The following should be taken into consideration when planning a service of ordination and induction:

a) The making of promises, the ordination prayer and the declaration of ordination are essential. These give the occasion its lifelong character, and permanent intent;

b) While the laying on of hands is our normal practice at ordination, it is not constitutionally binding in our polity and ecclesiology. Its absence would not invalidate an ordination;

c) While communion normally follows ordination and induction, where there is a sense that this cannot be realised by Zoom or other such platform, there is no obligation for this to happen. Its absence would not invalidate ordination;

d) Ordination is an action of the gathered church – in the URC of the gathered conciliar church. In order to recognise fully this sense of gathered community of the whole people of God, there should be some physical gathering alongside the virtual gathering where possible. Those who should meet physically would normally represent the Synod as well as the local. This may simply be your Synod representative. Where restrictions do not allow this the service should be conducted by Zoom or other similar platform;

e) The service should be broadcast live via Zoom (or some other virtual platform) to allow others to be among the gathered church, although at a distance.

Therefore, the following process for ordination during the Covid-19 restrictions should be adopted:

• Where possible a physically-gathered service should be held. Where restrictions do not allow this the service should be conducted by Zoom or other similar platform;
• If a physical service is possible social distancing should be observed at all times, and adherence to current government guidelines;
• The service should be broadcast live via Zoom or a similar platform for as many as are able to be present, recognising the wider online gathered community of the people of God;
• As the short preface to Schedule C in the Basis of Union indicates, the Statement of Nature, Faith and Order should be read, and there should be a statement about the circumstances of the call.
• The ordination promises, ordination prayer and declaration of ordination should be said;
• If social distancing deters or prevents the laying on of hands, the intent and meaning of this symbol could be expressed by the stretching out of hands towards the elder to be ordained and inducted.

• Download this guidance (PDF | 93kb)

^{Nicola Furley-Smith
5 December 2020��}

The post Ordinations and Inductions of Elders during the Covid-19 restrictions appeared first on United Reformed Church.

In December 2020, Simon Peters, Project Manager for Walking the Way, considered what we’d have to look forward to during what was for many a very strange Christmas.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulde: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”��Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

The event we are waiting to celebrate is the birth of a child. On the surface, it doesn’t seem all that important. According to��, the United Nations estimates that around 250 babies are born every minute across the world. What makes this one so special?

When we dig a little deeper, however, we find that there is more to this birth than meets the eye. We find that the child will be born to a virgin, in a stable far from home, where he will receive visitors who will express their love for him, but he will also have enemies who will try to kill him. The boy will, almost immediately, become a child refugee.

Most importantly, we find that this is not just any child. For this is the son of God, come to earth, to live among us, not as a king or a warrior, detached from the realities of everyday life, but someone who will know from his earliest days what it means to suffer, to be marginalised, to be rejected.

The continuing Covid-19 crisis means that, for the majority of people around the world, this will be a very different Christmas than any we have experienced before. However, no matter how much pain we feel, no matter how many restrictions we must adhere to, no matter how distant we may be from our loved ones, Christmas gives us an opportunity to rejoice in a God who is not only��with��us through it all, but��in��us, building a vision of justice and joy for all peoples.

When we give our lonely neighbour a phone call, when we drop off presents to our relatives, when we take time to pray for those who are suffering at this time, we are living the life of Jesus today, living out the values which this child will grow up to share with us, both in his teaching and example.

In the midst of this uncertain and unsettling time, let us prepare to rejoice in the birth of a child who brings hope, not by taking our suffering away, but by working through us to make joy, health and peace a reality for all.

We pray:

In this time and space, we are waiting.
Waiting for peace. Waiting for justice. Waiting for you.
We know you’re coming. It’s been promised for a long time.
A child to be born, a son to be given, with government upon his shoulders.
A wonderful Counsellor, A mighty God, An everlasting Parent,
the very essence of peace itself.
It’s a promise we trust in. It’s a promise we cling to. It’s a promise we need.
Let us prepare for it, and play our part,
when the time comes, to build your vision for the world.

Amen.

December 2020

The post Christmas Eve: What’s the point? appeared first on United Reformed Church.