The service took place on the eve of the second anniversary of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s full report, which examined how men, women and children treated by the NHS across the UK were given infected blood and blood products from the 1970s onwards. It is widely regarded as the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history.

Tessa, a United Reformed Church minister, said: “The service was deeply moving and profoundly painful.”

The service included symbolic empty chairs which were interspersed among the congregation, representing those who died and those unable to attend. Names were read out in remembrance, and a moment of silence was observed as thousands of white, red and yellow petals fell from the Whispering Gallery. There was also a short address from Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Inquiry, hymns chosen by the community, and more than  50 volunteers who lit candles in remembrance.

, more than 30,000 NHS patients were given blood transfusions, or treatments made using blood products contaminated with hepatitis C or HIV. More than 3,000 people have since died, and thousands more live with serious health conditions.

“The suffering carried by those affected by the contaminated blood scandal remains visible in the memories of those infected and affected. I pray that such a failure of justice and care never happens again,” added Tessa.

“At the same time, there was extraordinary dignity, courage, and compassion present within the gathering. It was deeply moving to witness the strength and togetherness of a community formed through tragedy, truth-telling, and the long struggle for recognition and justice.”

A prayer for those affected by the Infected Blood Scandal

Loving and faithful God,
We hold before you, all those who have suffered through this scandal,
those who have died, and those who live with its consequences,
those whose lives have been shaped by grief, injustice and loss.

We remember those whose voices were unheard,
whose trust was broken,
and whose suffering went unacknowledged for far too long.
Draw near to them in their pain,
and surround them with your comfort and peace.

God of justice,
we lament the failures that led to such harm,
and we pray for truth to continue to be spoken,
for accountability to be upheld, and for healing.
We pray that such a tragedy may never be repeated.

We pray for all those working in the NHS,
for their skill, knowledge and care,
and for wisdom and compassion to guide them
as they make decisions that affect the lives of others.

Image: Aman Chaturvedi/Unsplash.

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Lydia Neshangwe met representatives of URC synods at the Offices of General Assembly in London, to hear about the development of partnerships with synods and local communities in Africa.

She said she had seen many British flags in London and the south of England and been made aware of their links with nationalist campaigns and protests. But she said: “I want to applaud you for the work you’re doing for justice, with ‘foreigners’, and on migration issues, disregarding hatred and putting out love where there is hatred. When I leave London tomorrow, I’ll leave with a sense of hope, not with disappointment, because of the work you’re doing to build the Kingdom of God.”

At the gathering, hosted by Karen Campbell, the URC’s Head of Global and Intercultural Church, URC representatives shared their experiences of setting up and working to maintain partnerships with synods across Africa.

The Revd Lythan Nevard, Moderator of the URC’s Eastern Synod, said her Synod saw the twinning of individual churches as “a key plank” of their approach, and said, “You get to understand what expressing faith looks like in a different context.” She said the Synod is trying to improve its use of online communications and wanted to encourage an exchange of videos between partners that explore responses to Bible readings out of their different contexts. This idea was well received, though there was also a strong understanding that relationships are best built in person where possible.

Some participants said that getting the balance of a partnership right can be difficult. Because representatives of partner Churches in Africa may encounter difficulties getting visas to enter Britain, exchange visits can be one-sided. Concern was also expressed about the carbon footprint associated with long-distance travel between continents.

Speaking to these ecological concerns, Lydia agreed that visits should be well-planned and meaningful, limiting use of fuel as much as possible. However, she also reflected on the saying, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; but teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime”, adding that it is important for people in the West to “come and encounter, so you understand how we fish, and why we fish the way we do”.

She said that only by being present in Africa can British partners really understand why African churches do what they do. Worship with 1,000 people needs to be experienced in person, for example. You also come to understand that services are long not least because many people have walked two hours to get there. They don’t want to worship for only an hour and then go home again; they need time to rest and to share a meal.

Lydia said that, in the past, international church partnerships have often been about giving money, but now “they must be about relationships”. She said Africans may not have much money but they have a sense of community and relationships. Partnerships “can share spiritually”, she said, and shared prayer is powerful regardless of distance.

Lydia Neshangwe is the immediate past Moderator of both the Council for ��Ʒ��ҹ�������� Mission and the United Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, and is a serving minister in Mutare, Zimbabwe, with her husband Paul.

Images by All Africa Conference of Churches and Andy Jackson

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Kingdom Over Nation presents eight accessible Bible studies and theological reflections that explore discernment, justice, hospitality, power, ideology, and faithful Christian witness in today’s world.

Contributors from across the ecumenical and denominational spectrum include Chine McDonald, director of the religion and society think tank Theos, the Right Revd Mike Royal, General Secretary of CTE, and the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, a Baptist minister whose most recent book is Faithful Presence in a Fractured ��Ʒ��ҹ��������: A Church Toolkit for Resisting the Far Right. The resource has been edited by Minister Shermara Hoyte, who leads CTE’s work in the areas of Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations.

The authors say the resource is not a knee-jerk reaction but a careful response that has “grown out of a sustained period of reflection and response across the ecumenical landscape”. They add: “At a time when the Church is navigating political polarisation, culture wars, and questions around national identity, this resource seeks to help Christians think biblically, prophetically, and pastorally about what it means to place the Kingdom of God above every earthly allegiance.”

“The Church’s primary identity is found in Christ and not in national or political allegiance,” writes Minister Hoyte. She quotes words of Jesus from the Gospel of John 18:36  – “My Kingdom is not of this world.”

The URC’s Head of Ecumenical Relations and Evangelism, Lindsey Brown, adds that the resource includes “many practical suggestions for how we might respond. Please do share these resources widely, and perhaps even initiate a discussion group yourself.”

Kingdom Over Nation can be , where other resources responding to Christian Nationalism are also available.

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Themed “Knowing Your Community”, the session, hosted by Roo Stewart, Head of Public Issues, explored how congregations can better understand their neighbourhoods and work with local communities in ways that are practical, respectful and rooted in faith.

Opening the session, Vicky Longbone, Church Related Community Worker for Derby Alive2Community (A2C), a community project attached to Ashbourne Road Church and Mackworth URC in Derby, reflected on Jesus’ commandment to love God and love our neighbour.

“To truly love your neighbour is to want peace and justice for them,” she said. “Community work is not about what we think people need. It is about knowing what the real needs are.”

Vicky encouraged churches to carry out community audits before launching new projects. These, she said, help congregations understand local demographics, identify need, discover existing services, build relationships and avoid duplicating work.

Using the example of a church setting up a clothes bank without realising similar provision already existed nearby, Vicky warned that good intentions are not enough.

“Walk and talk, look and listen,” she said. “All four of those actions need to be intentional.”

Mike Hart, Transformation Director for North Western Synod, introduced practical tools including the Church Urban Fund’s Look Up Tool and the Gather Movement’s mapping of faith-based social action. Both can help churches understand local deprivation, poverty, isolation and existing community provision.

David Hey, Church Secretary at Albion Church in Ashton-under-Lyne, shared how a community audit helped his congregation better understand its town and focus its mission. The process led to a weekly warm hub, stronger community links and the appointment of a community church project worker.

“It gave us credibility,” David said. “When applying for funding, it showed we were serious and that we had evidence of what was needed.”

David also reflected on the encouragement of discovering how many people in the town still felt connected to the church through weddings, baptisms and family history.

David Jonathan, known as Johny, then shared the story of Grassroots Luton, where long-term presence, interfaith partnership and community mediation have helped build trust in a diverse town often unfairly associated with extremism.

Johny said: “Empowerment is not about gaining power and distributing it to others,” he said. “It is about being alongside people, accompanying people.”

The webinar’s key message was clear: churches do not need to solve everything alone. By listening carefully, working in partnership and responding rather than reacting, congregations can join in God’s mission already at work in their communities.

Play the video above to recap on Webinar 2: Knowing your community.

Webinar 3 themed “Places to meet” takes place on 10 August at 7pm. It aims to explore the following questions, plus more: can the church be the hub of the community? How can our spaces become a vibrant, life-giving and life-changing environment for the whole neighbourhood? What support and funding are there to help? How can we grow our volunteer base?

Webinar 4 themed “Community organising” takes place on 16 November at 7pm. In an increasingly individualistic and hostile society swayed by the loudest and the most privileged, how do we buck the trend and recapture the joy of collaboration and community? How can a community speak and act together to make a positive difference? And what has the church to offer into the mix?

To catch up on past webinars see urc.org.uk/margins.

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As a member of the TOP core group, Karen travelled to Antananarivo in Madagascar for a planning meeting, held from 7 to 8 May, to help reflect on the future direction of the programme and its role in strengthening the CWM’s global witness for reparative justice, truth-telling, and healing.

The Onesimus Project grew out of CWM’s Legacies of Slavery Project, initiated in 2017, but broadened the focus to include Modern Day Slavery. The meeting, chaired by the Revd Dr Roderick Hewitt, focused on reparative mission, decolonial theological formation, and transformative ecumenism.

Karen said: “It is important for the URC to have a voice in this forum. We have been part of CWM’s ‘Legacies of Slavery’ journey since its inception, through its transition into ‘The Onesimus Project’, and are now helping to shape its future direction. This matters.”

At the meeting, core group members reaffirmed a shared commitment to deepen prophetic witness, anti-racism advocacy, transformative mission practice, and decolonial theological education across member churches and communities. Discussions also explored how reparative justice can become more deeply embedded within the life and mission of CWM’s international partnership.

Karen added: “TOP is striving to be much more than a funding stream. It is seeking to initiate and resource a missional movement – impacting what the member churches do, how they do it, and why.

“There have been numerous CWM initiatives which seek to resource the church from within – including the Mission Support Programme which funded our ‘Walking the Way’ focus in recent years, encouraging discipleship within the URC.  TOP, however, focuses on ‘Church beyond the walls’ – what can mission look like when we venture outside of our buildings and outside of our comfort zones?  This has the potential to be really exciting.”

CWM General Secretary Revd Dr Jooseop Keum joined the meeting online and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to reparative justice and mission “from the margins with the margins”.

He said: “Member churches must move beyond symbolic remembrance toward concrete acts of justice, restoration, and communal healing.”

The URC has already taken steps in this work, including a Statement of Confession and Apology for the role of the URC’s antecedent bodies in transatlantic slavery, their benefit from it, and the denomination’s failure to dismantle the legacies of racism and inequity which persist today;  the apology was warmly welcomed by partner churches in Jamaica in 2024, through the Churches’ Reparations Action Forum (CRAF).

The URC is now working with CRAF on the New Free Villages, a transformative project which aims to see historic Churches in Jamaica donate land inherited after slavery and colonisation. UK partners, including the URC, are helping to support the development of housing and infrastructure on that land. The vision is to create sustainable communities, with homes and  small plots of land enabling residents to grow food and generate income.

Image: .

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We met in the where St Mark’s URC in Amble now worships. It was good opportunity to catch up on the activities of the churches in the town, including their involvement in an upcoming variety show.

Saturday was a day encouraging reflection. In the morning I visited and joined morning prayers led by the Revd Kay Blackwell (pictured). Among those with us were some visitors to the island and a minister staying in the Bothy, the cosy converted former vestry.

The Centre often hosts artists in residence who work with visitors to help them explore their relationship with God through art. It is easy to see why artists are attracted to spend time on Lindisfarne. We were blessed with beautiful weather, and the spread of sea, sands and land were entrancing. The Centre encourages reflection within a pilgrimage garden surrounding it, focussing on the life of St Cuthbert.

Visitors to the island are attracted to the Centre by the beautiful mosaic on an outside wall, showing the causeway leading to Lindisfarne crowned by a sun containing a St Cuthbert’s cross. I was amused by the seal’s head poking up in one corner. Although the island was quite busy while we were there, the causeway would close later in the day, giving peace and more time for solitary reflection for those who stayed. I would encourage those who are visiting Northumberland or who are looking for somewhere to spend a few days of reflection to visit the St Cuthbert’s Centre.

Back on the mainland, has created a labyrinth to aid those who would like to spend time focussing on their prayer. We worshipped in a short service, enjoying the sun pouring down on us, then I was able to walk the labyrinth. It gave me a time of peaceful contemplation as I wound steadily back and forth, sometimes seeming to come close to the centre, then finding myself out at the edges again.

I was then welcomed into the church for afternoon tea, and to meet church’s mascot, Wooly the Sheep.

While Sunday’s weather may not have been as sunny the previous day, the welcomes remained as warm. I was able to join the congregation of Rothbury, together with some others from the local group of churches for morning worship. The group, like many others around the country, is beginning to contemplate how they will work together with one minister and considerable distances between the churches.

My weekend was rounded off by fellowship and food at St James’ in Alnwick. An enjoyable time here ended a joyous weekend learning how the local churches are very much part of their communities. On my return home, when I mentioned to a colleague, who is not a church goer but works remotely from that area, his immediate response was to comment how active St James’ in Alnwick is.

Catriona Wheeler

Catriona is the current URC General Assembly Moderator (2025-2026). Read more on the General Assembly Moderator’s Blog.

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The special service was held to thank the people who run Warm Spaces up and down the country.

Roo tells what happened at the event:

Amid the pomp and grandeur of an April choral evensong, we heard the transforming story of Niall Haviland, a volunteer at the ‘Nourish Hub’ Warm Welcome Space in west London. The choir sang beautifully, the readings resonated, the organ swelled magnificently and the sermon landed well, but my abiding memory will be the hope that soared out through Niall’s testimony.

Niall explained that mental health issues throughout much of his adult life affected his ability to work. Although making significant progress, he was still daunted by the prospect of becoming independent. A friend connected him with Nourish Hub, where he found that volunteering in the kitchen, alongside patient and supportive staff, built his confidence over time. Like all Warm Welcome spaces, the Hub was warm not just because of the temperature inside during the cold months, but the welcome and respect that was cultivated. Niall noted that Nourish Hub attracted a rich cultural diversity, and the team there also shared a positive commitment to caring for the planet through reducing food waste.

Niall spoke about how the Hub is a home from home for both volunteers and the community it services, and it was heart-warming to hear how it gave him the interpersonal skills needed to find new opportunities; how he felt closer than ever before to flourishing in a world that once felt too severe; and how he now is using the foundation the Hub gave him to build a life for himself.

For me, this captures the transforming power of Warm Welcome spaces, which happen all around the country, particularly in the colder months, in church halls, community centres, libraries and more. Each one has a different flavour, but they all offer an antidote to the world that many are struggling in: it is an opportunity to grow true community, support individuals and promote flourishing.

There are currently over 6,000 spaces, including those based in local URCs, registered with . Those church-based spaces are an excellent bridging point for congregations that wish to bless their community and attract new members. Simply start by inviting, serving, including, befriending and take it from there.

If your church is offering a warm space to the wider community, or you’d like to, but you’re not yet registered, I encourage you to sign up: it’s free, you get support and advice from an experienced team and your space becomes more visible online for people in your neighbourhood searching for a space where they can receive their very own warm welcome.

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Images: /Graham Lacdao/St Paul’s Cathedral.

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Each year, Christian Aid runs a flagship week, with this year’s theme captured in the strapline “Your faith. Make it count.”

Fundraising initiatives are a major part of Christian Aid Week’s activities. Many participate in nationally organised events, including – a challenge to walk, run, cycle or swim 70km over the month to “help families build food security in the face of urban poverty”. Locally, coffee mornings are a staple of the week. At Epping URC, the cake bakers will be out in force for the end-of-week Christian Aid fair, following on from the church’s Christian Aid service the previous Sunday. Jeremy Flack says the service and fundraiser are an important opportunity to focus on the charity when there are so many other organisations and special weeks to support throughout the year.

Awareness-raising is also an important feature in the planning for Christian Aid Week in Groby in Leicestershire. Groby URC joins with the local parish church for their annual Christian Aid service – this year it will take an intergenerational form. Together, the Churches Together in Groby Team (pictured below) will be out litter picking around the village every day to promote the week. “This isn’t a money raiser”, says the Revd Paul Ellis, “but it does help raise Christian Aid’s profile.”

Paul is glad, too, that alongside the library, local Co-op branches will be among the drop-off points for individuals to leave Christian Aid envelopes received through their doors. In small but visible ways, the week is becoming a community event, allowing a growing number of people to engage with the worldwide partnerships and projects the charity supports.

In the year 2024-25, Christian Aid Week raised £5.2 million towards its annual income, with 50% of its grants to partner organisations that year going to Asia and the Middle East – a 52% increase on the previous year. Dr Snyman adds that the United Reformed Church has a long tradition of demonstrating incredible generosity, not least during Christian Aid Week, and believes “this year would be every bit as good”.

Find out all you need to know about Christian Aid Week .

Main image: Christian Aid supporters at Haddington Farmers’ Market, East Lothian

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The Constituency Action Network (CAN) — launched by the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church through the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) — resources local churches to build meaningful relationships with their MP and works with them to speak and act for peace and justice. The aim is to have at least one church signed up in every Westminster constituency across England, Scotland and Wales.

In a new film, the network is introduced through the biblical story of the Good Samaritan, drawing on Martin Luther King Jr’s conviction that while we are called to play the good Samaritan on life’s roadside, we must work to transform the whole Jericho Road so that people are not repeatedly mistreated and marginalised along life’s journey.

The Revd Dr Alex Clare-Young, JPIT’s Campaigns and Church Engagement Officer, said: “This network has the power to campaign for justice and peace both locally and nationally. We are often told that Church should not be political, but Jesus tells a different story, one that promotes radical equality, advocating for the marginalised and presenting a Kingdom of God that challenges the unjust power structures within society. By connecting with MPs, churches can be a vital part of God’s work for a peaceful and just world.

“Increasing polarisation and the scapegoating of particular groups for all of society’s ills has eroded our communities. Some people have lost hope that their MP will address the things that matter to them. They may not have the confidence to contact their local MP by letter or email, let alone visit them during a weekly, surgery appointments about their concerns.

“Local churches and other faith groups are uniquely placed to listen to and support neighbourhoods that are hurting and people facing real challenges. Churches are experts in social action and local issues, running food banks, warm spaces and much more. Working together with their wider communities, often-ignored voices can be amplified. But the difference between noise and influence is relationship.

“That is why the Constituency Action Network matters. It gives MPs opportunities to truly understand the people and places they serve, helping them to connect local issues with national policymaking.”

Churches in the network commit to building and sustaining positive and purposeful relationships with their local MP, praying for them regularly, and listening carefully within their congregations and communities. In doing so, churches can speak up on a range of local and national concerns that matter to their community.

And they will not do this alone.

JPIT supports CAN churches with resources, training and guidance on a range of public issues alongside encouragement to participate in coordinated action for positive change. Churches are also invited to online gatherings offering opportunities to learn from one another and explore what can be achieved together.

Alex added: “We urge churches to watch our video, begin a discussion about how CAN could impact them and their community, and join us in our aim of achieving real and lasting change for our communities. Together, we can make a positive difference and work towards a kinder, more truthful politics, informed by listening and strengthened by trust. This has been missing in government and is vitally and urgently needed. Join us.”

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When did flying a flag, claiming patriotism, and expressing concern about immigration become something darker — something that slips so easily into hostility towards those who are different?

I find myself increasingly troubled by how our faith is being used, not as a source of love and welcome, but as a justification for exclusion and intolerance.

Recently, an incident in Derby, where several people were injured after a car mounted a pavement, prompted a wave of reaction online and in communities. At the time, very little was known about the suspect. Yet almost immediately, assumptions were made. Because the driver was described as being “from Derby, originally from India”, some were quick to label him, to decide his religion, his motives, and his guilt.

What followed was deeply unsettling.

Voices grew louder, not in compassion for those who were injured, but in anger, fear and division. People who might once have been cautious in their words began to share posts and opinions rooted in suspicion and prejudice. Complex global issues were reduced to slogans. Human beings were reduced to labels.

And all the while, the language of patriotism was used to justify it.

“But it’s OK,” the argument goes, “we’re just protecting our country.”

But who are we protecting it from? And at what cost?

In my own experience, I have seen people I have known for years — friends, neighbours, acquaintances — begin to express views that I never expected from them. At the same time, others have surprised me in the opposite way, showing compassion and courage in speaking out against hatred. It has been both heartbreaking and revealing.

As Christians, we are called to something different.

Jesus does not call us to fear the stranger, but to welcome them. He does not call us to draw lines between “us” and “them”, but to recognise the dignity of every person. Again and again, scripture reminds us of our responsibility to care for the vulnerable, the outsider, the foreigner — remembering that God’s people were once strangers themselves.

To use the name of Christ as a badge of exclusion is not just mistaken, it is a profound misunderstanding of the Gospel.

This is not to ignore the real and complex challenges around immigration, or to dismiss genuine concerns. But when those concerns harden into suspicion, and suspicion into hatred, something has gone badly wrong.

We must ask ourselves: how did we get here?

How did we move from being a society that valued tolerance and diversity, to one where division can so quickly take hold? How did patriotism become something that excludes rather than unites?

And perhaps most importantly: how do we respond?

As followers of Christ, we are called to be people of truth, compassion and justice. That means challenging narratives that dehumanise others. It means resisting the pull of easy answers and loud voices. It means choosing love, even when it is difficult, even when it sets us apart.

Because the call of Christ is clear.

To love our neighbour.
To welcome the stranger.
To stand against injustice.

In a time of growing division, that calling matters more than ever.

If you want to see a society that welcomes the stranger, the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) has a dedicated webpage kept up-to-date with briefings, resources and campaigns.
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