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 Welcome to Issue 113

24 March 2023
Hello everyone,

In this edition of the newsletter we have details of a lot of training opportunities taking place in Northern Synod, please contact Lucy Cooke if you would like further details on any of the training events or wish to book your place.  We have various dates for Safeguarding training for Elders and anyone responsible for recruitment of staff or volunteers in our churches, please contact Paula Kitson to book a place or find out more.  A new Stepwise group has started in Wooler URC and St Mark's URC Amble have various items which are going free to a good home.  Waddington Street hosted a student social evening recently.  Nationally, the URC have awarded a grant to the LGBT+ charity Open Table Network to help OTN support more URC congregations to welcome and include LGBT+ people.  Finally the Northern Synod are recruiting for a Pioneer Worker for the NW & Central Newcastle URC pastorate.

We are always looking for news of interest and events so, if you have any items that you would like to be included in the newsletter, please send them to wendy.watson@urc-northernsynod.org or newsletter@urc-northernsynod.org.  Please remember that if you are including photographs, you need to gain the permission of the people in them for it to be shared.

The newsletter will be taking a short break over Easter and the next edition of the newsletter will be published on Friday 21 April.

Until next time ...


Lisa and Wendy
Northern Synod News










‘Come, rest a while and ‘be’….with others …… with yourself …….. with God

 
You are invited to join Revd Rachel Poolman, minister at St Cuthbert’s Centre, Holy Island and Lucy Cooke, the Synod’s Learning and Development Officer for a day of peace, space and a chance to ‘rest a while’ with God on
 
Wednesday, 17 May 2023 from 11 am – 5 pm at St Cuthbert’s Centre, Holy Island (causeway open 4.55 am – 11.45 am & 5.15 pm – 12.30 am)
 
Your base for the day will be the St Cuthbert’s Centre, the URCs presence on the island,.
 
Rachel and Lucy will guide and accompany you throughout the day, though you will be free to use the time in any way you choose, at your own pace.
 
The day is free to attend and light refreshments will be available although you are requested to bring a packed lunch.
 
Transport can be arranged for those who need it.
 
For more information click here or to book a place, please contact Lucy Cooke, Learning and Development Officer
 or call 07752 385 197
‘At the Threshold’
 
‘At the Threshold’ is a 5 week discussion series of short documentary films exploring the connection between life story and theological work.
 
Join Revd Dr Trevor Jamison and Synod Learning and Development Officer, Lucy Cooke as they explore the questions posed by these films and our response to them.
 
The sessions will be held on Tuesday evenings via Zoom 7 pm – 9 pm beginning 18 April 2023 and Thursday afternoons at Synod Office 12 noon – 2 pm beginning 20 April 2023 (to include a light buffet lunch – please include any dietary requirements)
 
For further details click here.  To register for any of the in-person sessions at Synod Office or to receive the Zoom link, please contact Lucy Cooke:
or call on 07752 385 197
Learning Opportunities in Northern Synod

To book any training, please email Lucy Cooke, or call 07752 385197.

Taking part in Stepwise online


To email Lucy Cooke please click here, or call on 07752 385197.
Morning Prayers    

Everyone is invited to join the Northern Synod morning prayers.
Join at 9 am for 15-20 minutes, Monday to Friday, through Zoom.

To join the zoom meeting click here

Meeting ID: 816 9120 6536
Passcode: worship

 
person sitting while reading book
Northern Synod 2023 Prayer Diary Available Here
Safeguarding
Safeguarding Training - courses and dates
 
From Paula Kitson (email)
Safeguarding Support Officer
Places can be booked by sending the date you wish to attend and your email address to Paula.
 
Safeguarding Foundation Training
5th April 2023 – 7pm to 9pm – Zoom
 
Safeguarding Intermediate Training
25th April 2023 – 6.45pm to 9.15pm – in person training at Herringthorpe URC, Wickersley Road, Rotherham, S60 4JN.  Places are limited on this course so please book early.
4th May 2023 – 10am-12.30pm via zoom
16th May 2023 – 1pm-3.30pm via zoom


 
If you wish to book the DDC verifiers and Safer Recruitment course could you please email Emma Pearce.
DDC Verifiers and Safer Recruitment (back to back, 1hr per subject)
18th April - 6.30pm to 8.30pm - Zoom
13th June - 6.30pm to 8.30pm - Zoom
12th September – 6.30pm to 8.30pm – Zoom
15th November – 1.30pm to 3.30pm – Zoom
 
The areas to be covered
DBS VERIFIER TRAINING
The role of a Verifier?
Service features and benefits
The support and assistance available to Verifiers
Recent changes at the DBS
Eligibility
Blemished disclosure process
FAQ's and real case studies
 
SAFER RECRUITMENT TRAINING
Learning from Past Cases
Preparing to Recruit
The Selection Process
The Interview Process
After the Interview
Pre-Appointment
Starting Employment
 
Any problems or questions please contact Paula and she will help.
 
Paula Kitson
Safeguarding Support Officer
URC Children, Youth and Families
Crafty Questions, Monday 24 April, 7 - 8.30 pm 

Click here to join via zoom






 
Resources for Easter

The children and youth team want to help you to engage with children, young people and families at Easter.  There are three resources prepared for you to use with ideas of how they can be accessed here.
All are free for you to download and print.


Image Aaron Burden - Unsplash

1.  An Easter Trail – prepared by the team with ideas of how to use it
2.  Easter Prayer Stations – prepared for use in 2022 and still useful
3. Easter Pack 2023 – prepared by Hannah Middleton & Jess Poole (CYDO in Scotland)

 
We can print and post to you – we can even laminate them for you. Just get in touch to let us know how we can help.


John Stephenson                  Hannah Middleton
Youth Work Advisor              Children's Work Advisor
News of Churches around the Synod

The Church of The Good Shepherd, Battle Hill, Wallsend


The Church of the Good Shepherd, Battle Hill will be hosting an 'Open Mic' night on Friday, 31 March at 7.30 pm.
 


Come and enjoy a free fun evening, participate yourself or simply listen.
 
Bring your own refreshments.
 
Berwick Drive, Wallsend, NE28 9ED

Wooler URC

New Stepwise Group at Wooler URC 

 
On Tuesday 21st March, the new Stepwise group met for the first time at Wooler URC with Lucy Cooke, Learning and Development Officer to support the new group, the first one in Northern Synod! 


Facilitated by Fliss Barker, CRCW in Wooler, the group will meet fortnightly on Tuesdays as they complete the first stream - Faith Filled Life. 

St Mark's URC, Amble

St. Mark’s URC Amble has the following items available, free to good homes. Possible delivery available.
 
2 wooden (oak?) hymn number boards.
A set of numbers (6 of each 0-9) to match.
A box of numbers,  in a commemorative tin
 
A box of filed 80-90 hymns and songs NOT in Rejoice and Sing, on A4 paper. About 15-20 copies of each.
 
For further information please contact Sue Swanston on 01665 711 177 or 07989 208 533 or e-mail Sue 

Waddington Street URC, Durham, Student Evening

Students from Josephine Butler College, Durham University together with their chaplain Andrew Tinkler joined with church members and friends for their last social evening of the year.

The evening was led by the minister, the Revd Marcus Hargis who presented a visual journey aboard the X21 bus, from Durham to Newcastle.

The minister highlighted some of the venues and features along the bus route, the Riverside Cricket Ground at Chester le Street, the Angel of the North, Gateshead, the wooden Coal Staithes at Dunston, Tyne Bridge and The Sage, Gateshead.

Local refreshments were served, stottie bread with ham and pease pudding fillings (vegan options available).

Mrs Yvonne Melville delighted the students with her hand knitted chicken Easter egg gifts.

A big thank you to David and Janet Thornborrow who have hosted this year’s student evening and their team of helping hands.


Ray Anglesea
KELD RESOURCE CENTRE
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOW ROW WITH KELD URC
NEW FOR 2023 : STUDY DAYS


Our next study day will be held on Wednesday April 5th -  the Wednesday of Holy Week.
It will be led by Revd. Frances Biseker, our minister in residence that week, and her husband John.

Theme : Cross Purposes, Understanding the cross, death and resurrection of Jesus in today’s world.

The programme for the day will be as follows:
10.30 : Arrivals and Coffee
11.00 : Session One
12.30 : Lunch
13.30 : Session Two
15.00 : Refreshments and Departure

There will be discussion, sharing, space to ponder …….
All participants are invited to bring a packed lunch. Drinks will be provided. The cost for the day will be £10 per person.
To book your place, please contact
Revd David Wood

There will be three further study days in the summer. Watch this space!
Horsley Village Church, Northumberland (Grade II Listed)

Lent 2: 5 March 2023, Revd Ray Anglesea


As part of the service at the beginning of Lent some new books to encourage Lenten reading were considered and later, during the service, the possibility of a retreat or perhaps a Lenten pilgrimage was contemplated.




Suggested Lent Books

1 ‘Poetry Unbound’ by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Canongate Co.

2 ‘Standing on the Shoulders ‘ by Dan Walker. Headline Publishing

3 ‘Living God’s Future Now’ edited by Samuel Wells. Canterbury Press.

4 ‘Failure’ by Emma Ineson
SPCK

Retreats and Pilgrimages

1 St Cuthbert+St Oswald Way.

2 Northern Saints Trails, Diocese of Durham

3 National and International Pilgrimages

During the service Horsley friends listened to a new anthem ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  (Romans 8-33a, 38b–end), composed by Sir James MacMillan CBE, for the Funeral Service of Queen Elizabeth II, held on Monday 19 September 2022 in Westminster Abbey.


Books and pilgrimage shells, maps, photographs, badges and Camino passports were then placed on the communion table as an offering to God.
 National URC News

The Church & Society team has prepared a short Spring update.  Click here for further details.

URC invests in national LGBT+ Charity


A CHARITY which affirms and empowers lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people to build communities hosted by welcoming and understanding churches has received a large cash boost from one of Britain’s national churches.

The United Reformed Church (URC), which agreed in 2016 to allow local churches to vote on performing marriages of couples of the same gender, has committed to supporting the Open Table Network (OTN), a growing partnership of communities across England and Wales run by and for LGBT+ people, their families and friends.


Revd Fiona Bennett (centre), URC General Assembly Moderator, with OTN Co-Chairs Revd Dr Alex Clare-Young (left) and Ms Sarah Hobbs (right) at a vigil for Trans Day of Remembrance at Downing Place United Reformed Church, Cambridge, in November 2022.


The grant, for £50,000 over the next three years, is the first donation that OTN has received from any national church in the 15 years since it began among a group of six LGBT+ people at St Bride’s Anglican Church in Liverpool in 2008.
At a time where most other public places welcome them equally, LGBT+ people are still not always welcomed in Britain’s churches. They are significantly more likely to experience mental distress, which research has shown relates explicitly to discriminatory pastoral practices of local churches, and the church’s substantial contribution to negative attitudes toward LGBT+ people in society (In the Name of Love, Oasis Foundation 2017).
As OTN has grown, from one community in Liverpool to 33 across England and Wales today, more and more LGBT+ Christians are finding their way to communities where they can feel safe to explore their faith among friends.

With the help of this grant, OTN will support more URC congregations across Britain to welcome, include, affirm and empower LGBT+ people from any Christian tradition, or any or no faith background.

 


Revd Dr John Bradbury speaks to the Open Table community in Cambridge in 2019. A minister of the church where Open Table Cambridge began, he became the General Secretary of the URC later that year. In 2020, John became a Patron of the Open Table Network.

The Open Table community in Cambridge is one of the largest and most active across the Open Table Network, gathering around 35 people twice a month. This community, in partnership with Downing Place URC which hosts it, led a Sunday morning service to mark LGBT+ History Month in February 2022 and 2023, attracting hundreds of people in person and online, the biggest congregations of any service in that church.

Revd Dr Alex Clare-Young, a trans URC minister and Co-Chair of the Open Table Network, said: ‘It is profoundly encouraging to us that the URC has seen and understood the need that OTN addresses, and the potential of our growing Christian communities. By giving such a large grant, they have witnessed to the expansive and just love of God, and committed to helping us create safer spaces for all.’
Alex added: ‘This gift gives us hope that other national churches, and other organisations, will soon want to understand the pain and harm which rejection from churches creates, and support us to enable more spaces, where LGBT+ people can find the specific welcome, affirmation and full participation that allows them to come as they are to meet and to be themselves.’
 News from other places

Remembering St Cuthbert

Retired self supporting minister Ray Anglesea and his wife Ki joined fellow Camino Inglés friends on the 18th March for their pilgrim walk from Finchale Priory, Durham to Durham Cathedral to celebrate the North East’s most popular and much loved saint, St Cuthbert.

Camino friends were escorted from Durham Market Place to the Cathedral by a Northumberland piper.

The festal service in honour of St Cuthbert was sung by the combined choirs of Newcastle and Durham Cathedrals (Jonathan Dove: Missa Brevis). A thoughtful and inspiring sermon was given my the Minor Canon, The Revd Daniel Parkinson.

Ray and Ki recounted their 2018 pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella along the Camino Frances. The Camino as it is called – the way of St James - the Camino Frances starts in the Basque country, the village of St Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees, which took us through Northern Spain, through the ancient kingdoms of Navarre, Aragon, Castile, Leon and Galicia.  As part of this unique pilgrimage experience, we visited ancient cathedrals, old town city fiestas, Romanesque monasteries, the outstanding and stunning landscapes of Spain’s national parks and world heritage sites, a Roman gold mine, wineries and tapas dinners all washed down with local Rioja wine. 



Family and friends were later remembered at St. Cuthbert’s Tomb.



St Cuthbert’s Day
20th March 2023.

Morpeth Methodist Church, Saturday 15 April, 7.00 pm
Felling Male Voice Choir Concert

The Felling Male Voice Choir, which has won several major awards, is based in the North East and regularly performs in this region, throughout the UK and Europe, will be performing at Morpeth Methodist Church on Saturday, 15 April at 7.00 pm.
 
This will be ‘A wonderful evening of musical entertainment not to be missed’
 
Tickets £8.00, Under 18s free. Available from the Church Office, Howard Terrace, Morpeth.  Tel 01670 511 078 or
email
 
Tickets also available at Morpeth Tourist Information Centre.
 
Including light refreshments.

Click
here for further details



WCC expresses solidarity with Patriarchate of Jerusalem in call for protection of holy sites


World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay condemned an attack that took place in the Church of Gethsemane in Jerusalem and expressed solidarity with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem in calling for international protection of holy sites.
 
18 April 2019, Jerusalem: On Maundy Thursday (Western tradition), the Church of Gethsemane filled to the brim with Christians from Jerusalem and all over the world participating in the Easter celebrations, who then lit candles, marching through the valley below, and up the hillside to share a moment of prayer. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC
 
20 March 2023
 
“This terrible attack – which appears to have purposely targeted religious leaders – is an egregious violation of international law,” he said. “We stand in solidarity with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and all those calling for protection of holy sites, and we reiterate our calls for such protection during Christian holidays and during all days of importance for all faith communities. The WCC is extremely concerned about the increasing attacks on holy sites in Jerusalem and deems it necessary to facilitate a meeting of key religious leaders in the near future to discuss what can be done to stop these uncalled for attacks on religious leaders, sacred places and institutions.”
In a statement, the Patriarchate denounced “the attempt to cause physical harm to Archbishop Joachim, who was leading the service, as well as the attack on one of the priests in the church.”
The Patriarchate deplored the crime, which came at the time of Lent preparations for Easter celebrations.
“The Patriarchate also emphasize that terrorist attacks, by radical Israeli groups, targeting churches, cemeteries, and Christian properties, in addition to physical and verbal abuse against Christian clergy, have become almost a daily occurrence that evidently increases in intensity during Christian holidays,” the statement reads. “This dismal situation hasn’t drawn any appropriate reaction, locally or internationally, despite appeals, requests, and protests made by the Churches of the Holy Land.

The Patriarchate Calls On The International Community To Support The Hashemite Custodianship And Its Protection Of Jerusalem Holy Sites
Webinar – Gender Justice: Why Faith Matters – 27 March 2023 - 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm online


Webinar – Gender Justice: Why Faith Matters (ctbi.org.uk)
 
27 March 2023, 7-8.30pm.
It is commonplace to hear people of different religions say how much their faith informs how they live their lives and informs their values. When it comes to gender justice this can be a negative and a positive thing.
In the first in this series of webinars exploring gender justice from a faith perspective, we explore how faith informs how we think of ourselves as women and men.
We begin with Christian stories: “what has my faith taught me about what it means to be a woman/man?”
Speakers
  • Alison Webster
  • John Baxter Brown
Moderator
  • Bonnie Evans-Hills
Registration
Please 
register to attend.

 
JOINT PUBLIC ISSUES TEAM
The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church working together for peace and justice.




Voter ID – The Joint Public Issues Team has produced a briefing regarding new rules relating to photo ID for voting.  Further information can be found here:  
 Vacancies

URC Northern Synod
Pioneer Worker – Children, Youth and Families
North West & Central Newcastle URC Pastorate

Full Time 35 hours per week, initially for a 2 year period

Salary £26,800

Click here for more information, closing date Friday 14 April 2023.
Click here for the Latest URC News
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