Two years in the planning, 450 people of all ages, loads of smiles, laughter and delight. It felt good to be the URC.
View: Synod Big Day Out Report, Pictures and Quotes View: Pictures from Eastern Synod Family Day 13th June 2015
Wattisfield URC has raised nearly £500 for a Leukaemia charity as a thank you for the help that has been received by one family in the village. Through an auction selling off the Harvest produce, and through regular fundraising at their monthly Lunch Club a total of £434 has been raised for LINC (The Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund) based in Cheltenham.
Earlier this year, a friend of the church and a resident in the village received news that her daughter had been diagnosed with Leukaemia. Receiving treatment at Cheltenham General Hospital meant that life has been put on hold for members of the family, and it is with the help of LINC that they have received support throughout this time. LINC helps a huge variety of patients when they need it the most. In one of the wards at Cheltenham General Hospital, LINC funds all the extra things that help to improve care and make a stay in hospital slightly more comfortable. But through LINC patients have access to a clinical psychologist that can provide some help in coming to terms with illness and the impact on patients and their families. They also provide financial help and support to those patients who are in difficulty as a result of their illness.
The minister, Rev Julian Sanders, says “The church may be a small rural congregation but they are still able to make a big impact on peoples lives. The church is always raising money for charities through its lunch clubs, guest speaker services and folk concerts and we always try to find charities that have a local or personal connection. LINC is really important in supporting families whose lives are disrupted through receiving the medical attention necessary. We hope our prayers go some way to supporting the family in this time of need, but we are really pleased that through our Harvest Festival we are able to support the practical help too.”
This year the Wickford Carnival was held on 9th September. Christ Church was once again at the centre of the activities.There was a good number of walkers from the members of Christ Church alongside other organisations.We woke up early to blow balloons; we packed them in a car and added some squeezes. All items were printed Christ Church Wickford, God loves you. The main banner read: ‘Jesus says: love one another.’ More words giving information about the Church’s location, and time of its activities were also printed on all items.
Other than walking and distributing literature and other items, Christ Church had two tents (stalls) in the Leisure Park of Nevendon, where the walk ended. There were various games in the tents and prizes for children. The walk started 1.00 pm at Church end Park; it ended around 3.00 pm. No one, however, felt tired; it was very well enjoyed by all who participated and all who came to met us on the way from the park of departure to the other. We are thankful to God for giving us opportunities to share our blessings with the community around us.
Download: News from Christ Church Wickford Report and Pictures
Organist at Shipdham URCMary Woodcock has served as organist at Shipdham URC since she was a teenager at the end of WWll. Some almost 70 years of faithful service!
We thank God for her faithfulness and pray her time will now be free to enjoy her extended family. She received framed certificate as thanksgiving.
The closing service for Castle Hedingham URC was held on Saturday, 4th June 2016 at 2:30pm approximately 90 people gathered at Castle Hedingham United Reformed Church to celebrate the life of a dear old church that was the spiritual home of so many over the centuries. Led by Revd Joshua Norris and with some moving words by Mrs. Mary Stanhope, a valued and long serving member, the beautiful building was full with attendees. The Moderator spoke a few words and the Revd Paul Corson, formerly of the Baptist church in Sible Hedingham led Payers of intercession and the Lord's Prayer. Joshua encouraged all to take hope in the fact that while the building itself might close, the church goes on.
The origins of Castle Hedingham URC stretch way back beyond the beginnings of the United Reformed Church to the early days of the 17th century when Castle Hedingham Congregational Church was established in this location. Following the church's beginning the church grew at a rapid rate and the building required expansion to accommodate the rise in numbers. So in 1842 the building was rebuilt and could seat, at the time, 750 members. People would travel from far and wide to meet at the church to worship God and give Him praise, journeying through fields and all manner of weather to do so. And it was in this rebuilt structure that we gathered on Saturday 4th June. Download: Castle Hedingham URC Closing Service
With the aim of trying to encourage others to follow our lead, we have entered ourselves for a few awards and the heating engineers, R A Browns, have done likewise as we were their first Community based project.
An award-winning Suffolk congregation has just added Eco Church to its growing list of accolades. Emmanuel Church, Bungay, has snatched the first ever Silver Award in A Rocha UK’s environmental scheme. On Tuesday 3rd May, the award was presented to Revd Jacquie Evans by Mr Alex Verwater, a long standing member and friend from our Dutch Exchange. This was closely followed by another award, The East of England Energy Efficiency & Retrofit Award in the category of ‘Regional Small Scale Project Of The Year’. R A Brown’s Heating Services earned this award for its innovative work on our project. This second award was presented to Revd Jacquie by Mrs Margaret Shepherd, a founder member of Sustainable Bungay.
Download: ECO Church A Rocha UK's Award Scheme Bungay Report Download: Going Green Environmental Project Awards Newsletter
Following 19 weeks building and alteration work from March to May 2015, Christchurch, Needham Market is transformed from a 1837 frontage with obscure entrance doors and narrow corridors to one which embraces today, its High Street scene, the passers by and community.
There are now automatic, fully glazed, entrance doors; a welcome area with kitchenette and accessible toilet; another set of glazed central doors within a glazed screen into the Sanctuary. The sound system has been updated with a portable sound desk and added microphone outlet points with a loop system installed in the main hall too; the floor has had an irritating slope made level, been checked, strengthened, infestation treated and carpeted; the external stonework has been repaired or replaced as necessary and finally the external paving has been slightly raised and new slabs laid.
Download: Report and Pictures - Into the 21st Century and Beyond
An Archaeology Event organised on 13th - 14th May 2015 at Hadleigh URC (Essex)The Church hosted a 'dig', organised by the Access Cambridge Archaeology (ACA), unit, currently headed by Dr. Carenza Lewis, formerly of Channel 4 'Time Team'. It was the third visit to the area over three years, involving 'test pits', (1 metre square, aiming for 1 metre deep) dug under the supervision of the team by local sixth form students with the aim of generating interest in study at Cambridge for a career in Archaeology.
Download: Archaeology Event Report and pictures.
Retired United Reformed Church minister the Revd. Leslie Ivory has been knighted by the French government his role in the liberation of France during the Second World War.
Mr Ivory – who lives in Stowmarket, Suffolk, and was for many years the minister Of Whiting Street URC in Bury St Edmunds – was informed by the French Ambassador that the President of the Republic had appointed him to the rank of chevalier (knight) in the Order national de la Legion d' honneur.
The official letter offered him 'warmest congratulations' stating: 'As we contemplate this Europe of peace, we must never forget heroes like you.... We owe our freedom and security to your dedication, because you were ready to risk your life.'
View more: France Honours Retired Minister
The Free Church in St Ives traces its origins back to the 17th century and September 2014 marked 150 years in our current building. The splendid building of 1864 was described as "bringing dissent from out of the shadows". In other words the non-conformist "cathedral" took a proud place at the heart of the market town, no longer meeting discreetly but stating our right to be seen and heard by all!
On the weekend of the 150th anniversary we opened our doors to more than 500 people who visited our "Floral Timeline", or came to our celebration supper or our "Songs of Praise". The floral timeline depicted events in the life of the church, town and further afield for each decade from 1864 to now. A beautiful video captures tyhe timeline and can be seen by visiting our website.
Watch the video produced by Robin Bletsoe and see reports in the October 2014 Inspire
At Wrentham Chapel we have a labyrinth mown into the front lawn with a suitable explanation fixed onto an adjacent wall. This piece of lawnmower art in the grounds of Wrentham Chapel, Suffolk is ecologically sound, spiritually enlightening and fun!
View Youtube link for a short film of the labyrinth which includes a poem written about it by Suffolk Quaker, Kaaren Whitney.
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