The service will now take place on Saturday 15 April 2023 at Methodist Central Hall Westminster, and the Open Church House event at 86 Tavistock Place, WC1H 9RT, will also take place on the same date from 10am-12pm.

A few things to note:

Tickets
If you have a ticket and are able to come to the event, please do nothing – your tickets are still valid. Please bring them on the day. If you would like more tickets, please visit and amend your order.

If you are no longer able to attend, please visit and select “Cancel Order”. This will free up your tickets for others. Alternatively, please email 50@urc.org.uk and we can cancel the order for you.

Anniversary Choir
If you would like to sing in the Anniversary Choir, you can find out more details and the dates of the rehearsals by visiting bit.ly/URCchoir50.

Stewards and enquiries
If you are able to volunteer as a Steward at the service, please email 50@urc.org.uk, which is also the email address for any enquiries relating to the new date.

Following on from the postponement of the original event, due to rail strikes, the team behind the event worked hard to find a new date to celebrate the URC’s 50th.

A revised date, which works for those leading the service and the availability of Methodist Central Hall has not been an easy task. The initial plans for 6 May were scuppered when the new King chose that date for his Coronation!

In an ideal world, a longer gap after Easter would have been preferred, however it is hopeful that as many members and friends of the URC will be able to join in the delayed anniversary celebrations.

For URC 50 resources, songs, and films celebrating the URC over the past 50 years, see /who-we-are/our-50th-anniversary/.

image: Derek Graham/East Midlands Synod.

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Many meetings and conversations have taken place, and we’ve decided, with the heaviest of hearts, that the best option is to postpone our jubilee events.

After close to three years of planning, this postponement is so deeply disappointing, but we want the URC to celebrate its jubilee properly, with all who want to take part.

We will let you know about the new date as soon as possible, and please keep all who are saddened by this news in your thoughts and prayers.

All attending the events on October 1 were going to receive a special copy of Reform, which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.

If you would like to receive copies for you and for others in your church, please email reform@urc.org.uk with your address details and the number of copies required.

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The pilgrimage, which started at Salisbury Park URC in Wrexham on 23 July, will end at St Paul’s United Church in Penmaenmawr on 1 October.

The Revd Julia Bartholomew, a Minister in Rhos-on-Sea, explains how the pilgrimage came about.

“Our regional consultative group in North Wales, representing 12 churches, has been working hard for the past two years initiating a programme to maximise ministry for mission.

“When I looked at a map and pinpointed all the churches, including those united with Presbyterians and Methodists, I could see we were stretched out along the North Wales coast.

“We thought that the URC’s jubilee would be a great opportunity to connect the churches physically by having a pilgrimage.”

Every Saturday, pilgrims of all ages – and furry friends – meet, have a time of prayer, then travel by foot, bus, train, or car from one church to the next of the 12 churches taking part.

A north Wales Stepwise group, which has been working its way through the worship stream has written prayers for the journey.

“They have also put together a service based on the URC’s jubilee materials along the theme of water,” adds Julia. “As the pilgrimage takes place in the Snowdonia hills and along the North Wales coast, there’s coastal paths and various rivers and holy wells along the way.”

Andrew, an 18-year-old carpenter from one of the congregations was commissioned to make a wooden bowl for pilgrims to take on the journey: passing it from one church to the next as a symbol of sharing refreshment of the Holy Spirit, bringing God’s blessing from one church to the next.

When the pilgrims arrive, they pray God’s blessing on the church, and enjoy refreshments together, then the next day the church has its jubilee service. A another group of walkers then set off the following Saturday taking the bowl with them.

Speaking about what celebrating the URC’s 50th anniversary in this way means to the congregations taking part, Julia said: “The pilgrimage is a wonderful way for us to both celebrate the past and seek God’s direction for the future. What better way to get to know one another than chatting and praying as we walk!”

Full details on the pilgrimage, the churches taking part, prayers and services can be found here.

Keep updated on the progress of the pilgrimage .

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On 1 April, families, friends and members of the community were invited to help schoolchildren plant 50 trees, each marking 50 years of the denomination.

The tree planting was followed by fun tea party, and a reading of Celebrate Together – the all-age book specially commissioned for the jubilee – by Dr Sam Richards, Head of Children’s and Youth Work and Lorraine Webb, Programme Officer (Children’s & Youth Work).

A copy of the book was given to each child to take home, and a special assembly was also held with prayers led by the Revd Adam Woodhouse, Minister of Clitheroe URC.

Nicola McArdle, Head of Barrow URC School, said: “As the sun shone through the windows and we all came together as a school and family of God, it felt a truly special moment.

“The morning was filled with singing, dancing, tree planting and even cream tea! Sophia, a Year 4 pupil said that trees hold memories and what lovely memories they are for everyone who came along to celebrate.”

Dr Sam Richards added: “It was a wonderfully joyous occasion and a privilege to be part of worshipping the life of this amazing school.”

A short film of the occasion can be viewed here:

The planting of 50 trees, was the start of a North-Western Synod-wide initiative to plant 500 trees across the jubilee year.

Image: Dr Kevin Snyman

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Resources for everyone engaging with children, young people and young adults.

This resource unpacks the biblical theme of jubilee, and explores ways to commemorate the past, celebrate the present and create the future together.

You’ll find a wide variety of ways to involve everyone, whatever their age or stage, across the year, and you will discover a wealth of material to enjoy with children, young people, young adults and in intergenerational contexts.

The resource headings for sections are only guides – please don’t limit yourself to those that most obviously fit your context as you will find great ideas you can adapt in other places.

If you don’t have any children of young people connected with your church, please:

• Enjoy the colouring pages and use some of the prayers, Bible studies and other materials with your adult groups
• Pray for those churches nearest to you which do, and the children and young people in your local community
• Offer these resources to your nearest uniformed group or school.
• There is also a pull-out poster that can be downloaded, below. This is taken from the intergenerational picture book Celebrate Together, specially written for the URC’s 50th anniversary.

The post Jubilee: 2022 Children’s and Youth Work Theme appeared first on United Reformed Church.

At the 2022 General Assembly of the URC, the winners of the 50^th anniversary Worship Resources Competition were announced. The Moderator thanked all those who entered the competition.

Eight judges, including the noted composer Bernadette Farrell, whose work includes Christ Be Our Light, judged dozens of entries from choirs, bands, individuals, songwriters, hymnwriters, organists, composers and poets.

The categories were hymn set to an existing melody, hymn set to an original melody and poetry.

Winning entries

Here you can listen to or download the music and/or words to the three winning entries.

‘God of the pilgrim way’

Colin Thompson’s entry, ‘God of the pilgrim way’, won the hymn set to an existing melody category and is set to the tune of Darmstadt’, Ahasuerus Fritsch (1629-1701). Additionally, the judges offer as alternative tunes Rinkart and Gracias.

Download the sheet music and words

• God of the Pilgrim Way tune 1 – sheet music (PDF | 265kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way tune 1 – sheet music with guitar chords (PDF | 267kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way tune 1 – sheet music, contemporary arrangement (PDF | 258kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way tune 2 – sheet music (PDF | 264kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way tune 2 – sheet music with guitar chords (PDF | 270kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way tune 2 – sheet music, contemporary arrangement (PDF | 260kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way – words (Word | 641kb)
• God of the Pilgrim Way – words (PDF | 638kb)

‘Together through the Father’s Love’

Stephen Newell and Naomi Sharp, whose entry ‘Together through the Father’s Love’ won the hymn set to an original melody category.

Download the sheet music and words

• Music: ‘Together through the Father’s Love’ (PDF | 60kb)
• ‘Together through the Father’s Love’ – sheet music with guitar chords and lyrics (PDF | 274kb)
• ‘Together through the Father’s Love’ – words (Word | 85kb)
• ‘Together through the Father’s Love’ – words (PDF | 101kb)

‘Always trust the star that guides us on the way’

Neil Thorogood, whose entry ‘Always trust the star that guides us on the way’ won the poetry category.

Download the words

• ‘Always trust the star that guides us on the way’ (Word | 84kb)
• ‘Always trust the star that guides us on the way’ (PDF | 90kb)

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