Union Chapel is thriving with a reputation for music and helping the marginalised
PAGE 2
HOW I FOUND LIFE’S MEANING
Former alcoholic, drug addict and prisoner tells how Jesus changed him
PAGE 30
WHY ECUMENISM IS A GOSPEL IMPERATIVE
Congregational churches’ role within Churches Together in England PAGES 11-18
PAGE 9
1 From the General Secretary
2 Union Chapel reaches out
4 Week of Christian Unity; Berkeley’s Easter cross
5 Baptisms at Radnor Park; book launch; Steeple Bumpstead awards
6 Scunthorpe gifts idea; Inglewhite’s Pizza Pals
7 Meet the President Elect 9 CTE report 11 National Assembly – report, feedback, Presidential address & gallery
19 Global conference; caretaker tribute
20 Resources for you 21 Vacancies; tips for life online
22 New discipleship course
24 CWM Europe update
25 Top tips for learning churches, part 3
27 Crossword, wordsearch and sudoku
28 Five marks of mission, part 4
30 Finding life’s meaning HISTORY
31 The Chapels Society PLUS…
32 Book reviews
“…looking forward to being refreshed by your company. God’s peace be with all of you” (Romans 15:33, The Message)
Editorial
New start
If you weren’t able to make this year’s CF Assembly I hope our reporting and photos of the Assembly in this issue give you a good taste of what it was like, and if you were there – enjoy reminiscing! (See pages 11-18.)
The annual CF Assembly is always a time for both looking back over the achievements of the year and introducing new initiatives, exemplified perhaps by the switch of Presidents, with the 2023-24 President reporting on the past year, the handover to a new President and a new theme for 2024-25. See the President’s Address on page 14. And on page 7 you can find out more about the President Elect, Rev. Caroline Stott, and her chosen theme for 2025-26.
This issue also offers me an opportunity to look back on my time at Refresh and to let you know that from the next edition there will be a new start for this magazine.
I began the first issue of Refresh at the beginning of 2021, not knowing exactly how it would unfold. But with the help of General Secretary Yvonne Campbell and Rev. Eric Fenwick the first issue was ‘born’ in Spring 2021.
Since then I have enjoyed seeing each issue come together, moving from initially two issues to three a year, and I hope you have enjoyed seeing the magazine develop over the last three and a half years and ten issues.
However, due to increasing pressures on my time due to both work and family circumstances, I have decided to lay down my editor’s responsibilities and hand over to a new editor from the next issue onwards – Louisa Lockwood (see her Assembly report in our Federation News section). With Yvonne and Eric’s help, I’m sure she’ll soon settle in and take Refresh in exciting new directions.
33 Prayer diary & puzzle solutions TO ORDER REFRESH: There are three issues of Refresh each year, available on annual subscription at £30 incl. p&p and the Yearbook. Email: admin@congregational.org.uk or tel: 0115 9111460 for details.
Refresh Magazine, ISSN 2634-2987, is published by: The Congregational Federation, Congregational Centre, 8 Castle Gate, Nottingham NG1 7AS Tel: 0115 911 1460 www.congregational.org.uk www.theresourcehub.co.uk Registered charity 264839
It’s been great getting to know you all, and working with some old friends of mine at Verité CM, who skilfully design and print this magazine.
I believe I’m handing over Refresh in good shape and I hope it will continue to play its part in helping the Congregational churches to fulfil their role in God’s kingdom – sharing the good news of Jesus, making disciples and caring for them.
As I go, what’s the one message I’d like to leave with you? Well, God’s Word can say it a lot better than I can, so it’s over to the Apostle Paul:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
Goodbye and God bless!
Andrew Halloway, Editor
Editor: Andrew Halloway. Design and print: Verité CM Ltd. www.veritecm.com.
Hurray, it’s summer! I do love every season and praise God that we have changing seasons, each one bringing its own beauty and uniqueness.
Last month I had the pleasure of baptising a baby at my home church in Wavertree. The church was full to the brim for the baptism; it was such a joy. I had previously baptised the baby’s aunty and uncle and close friend, so I took the opportunity to have a photo taken with them all (shown here) which was such a special moment.
Since then I have been reflecting on Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT): “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
I wonder have we got our mission wrong? Joyce Meyer says that this passage makes it clear that our job is not to build the church – that’s God’s job. Our job is to make disciples, help the people to learn of him, and obey his words.
I hope these reports shared at the Church Support Committee in March encourage you:
New people coming to worship at:
• Lapford
• Chulmleigh
• Haverhill
• Berkeley
New members at:
• Ruscombe
• Frampton-on-Severn
• Stalbridge
• Burbage
• South Cerney
• Cawsand
There were baptisms at:
• South Chingford
• Radnor Park
• Wavertree
Excitingly there are new young people attending at:
• Narborough
• Stapleton Road in Bristol
• Yelvertoft
• Moreton-inMarsh
• Kilmarnock
• Coatdyke
There are churches celebrating or that have celebrated significant anniversaries:
• Perth
• Parkhead
• Stockingford
• Dereham
• Marton And amazingly there was a new café opened in Swansea city centre by All Nations Church.
These stories can often get lost in the midst of struggling with numbers, juggling multiple responsibilities, being overwhelmed with process and administration, feeling disheartened or generally wondering about the future of the church.
Be encouraged and remember your job is to disciple, and this starts with prayer – asking the Holy Spirit to fill you up and guide you, asking the Holy Spirit for boldness and the words to share.
I pray that this copy of Refresh is an encouragement, filled with stories of hope and testimonies of how the Holy Spirit has moved and changed lives.
I want to say a huge thank you to Andrew Halloway who has been the editor of Refresh since its conception. He has been an absolute joy to work with, so calm and so clear with the focus of what each edition should include to keep the aim of advancing the Christian faith. On behalf of us all at the Congregational Federation, thank you, Andrew, for your love and commitment. We will miss you.
God bless you and happy reading!
Yvonne Campbell
Some of the staff at the CF offices happy to receive the latest Refresh
Above: Yvonne at the baby baptism in Wavertree Congregational Church in Liverpool
Trainees learn cooking skills in Margin’s Kitchen
London church reaches out to marginalised in society
By Harley Stapleton-Brister, Union Chapel Communications & Development
Iamthankful to Refresh for the opportunity to share a little of Union Chapel’s work which we do in the name of Christ to fulfil God’s vision of a kinder and fairer world.
Union Chapel is a historic Congregational church in Islington, which holds regular Sunday services and Bible studies exploring the meaning of the Gospel for our times.
In our contextual understanding of scripture, we learn what the Gospel story means when read from below – from the perspective of the grassroots, ordinary people who want to bring about change, and our world’s most marginalised people.
We see how Scripture is relevant to contemporary problems, such as environmental degradation and the increase of violent conflict, including in Ukraine, Ethiopia and Israel/Palestine. Tragically some of these situations involve the violence of Christians against Christians. We have a regular programme of events on Wednesday evenings, exploring societal and global
issues to educate our congregation, and engage with local people.
My work at Union Chapel is to create and promote these Wednesday events, which are open to all, Christians and non-Christians alike. I always seek to keep God’s glory at the forefront of everything I do. Discipleship with Christ is central to Union Chapel’s programme.
Our events help improve the discipleship of Christians in Islington and show non-Christians that our way of engaging in world problems is different from that of secular society. The events we organise aim to expand our thinking about the ways in which God works through us, as members of his body in the world, and help both Christians and non-Christians to know what actions they can take in the face of injustice.
One of the events we held recently explored the persecution of Christians in Iran. We invited two speakers, Mansour Borji from Article 18, and Rev. Robert Aserian from Pars Theological Centre. Mansour
and Robert talked about being part of the underground Church, which meets in house churches (as with the early Church) as the majority Persian population of the country are not allowed to become Christian. Despite this, the church in Iran is growing rapidly.
The event ended on a message to proclaim the faith wherever we can, and Rev. Robert admonished UK Christians for allowing the Church here to reduce in numbers. He asked why the UK Church is shrinking when we are free to practise our faith, and have greater resources than Persian Christians, whilst the Church in Iran is growing despite persecution (or perhaps it is even because of persecution, I might add).
Kitchen – which opens on Mondays and Wednesdays. This is a space where people can come and receive a free hot nutritious meal, housing advice, and enjoy being part of a community.
Another aspect of Union Chapel’s fulfilment of God’s mission is our work with asylum seekers in government funded hotels. We have a small and dedicated team in our office, along with some very helpful volunteers from our community, helping to ensure that living conditions in these hotels improve, helping people to find a footing in the UK, to receive their asylum claim, to find work, volunteering or study opportunities, and to help people to improve their English skills and develop a better understanding of British culture and customs.
Quite a number of hotel residents are now attending our church, some of whom converted to Christianity in the UK, while others were Christians in their home countries and fled to escape persecution because of their faith.
We have a community kitchen – the Margin’s
Union Chapel is well known for film, comedy and music, with well-known artists regularly performing. Margin’s Kitchen, staffed by a professional chef, prepares food for the audiences. This contributes an income for Margin’s services for those struggling with homelessness and mental-health issues in our community. It also creates a training opportunity for some service-users whom we employ and train for work in catering.
Music is intrinsic to our Christian practice. A team of professional and semi-professional musicians grace our Sunday services, including our own Gospel choir, Union Chapel Voices. They and guest choirs hold events for Easter and Christmas. Our carol service with a congregation of 900 lights the splendid architecture of the chapel with candlelight – a memorable experience.
Left: The packed candlelit carol service at Union Chapel
Below: Union Chapel
Leicester church hosts Week of Christian Unity service
As part of the South Leicester Christian Partnership, Clarendon Park Congregational Church celebrated the beginning of the Week of Christian Unity with a united service at their church.
The event was well attended by those of varying traditions and denominations. Among the prayers and readings, hymns sung included The Church’s One Foundation, Seek Ye First, Bind Us Together Lord, Amazing Grace, and ended with a splendid rendition of When Peace Like a River.
Gwyn Davies, the Minister at Clarendon Park, then gave an inspiring sermon. Here’s a short extract: “So, let us embrace our differences, and let us see them as just that, difference, not a hierarchy or ladder, not one better than another, but different. Let us then come together in Christ.
“As at the incredible gathering at the fateful Pentecost documented by Luke in Acts, may language not be a barrier. Nor gender. Nor race. Instead let us come together as God’s children in Christ. If we do this no one, no one, will ever be able to take away our love; our hope will build, and we shall move forward in unity.”
Throughout the week the church worked their way through a ‘pilgrimage’ of local churches for short prayer meetings.
Gwyn commented: “It is an honour to the church that whenever unifying events such as this or the Community Carol Service are planned, the group always chooses Clarendon Park as the venue.
“Although our membership is small and aging, we stand as one. All who have gone before are not forgotten. All who have contributed since 1886 are part of the church. Although, compared to the ‘glory days’, membership numbers are low, they remain at a similar level to when the church was founded. Like then, we pray for revival!”
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland produce resources for the week of prayer for Christian Unity each year, so look out for the links from September so you can be part of the week in 2025. See www.ctbi.org.uk
Beautiful Easter cross attracts attention
ThisEaster, members of Berkeley Congregational Church in Gloucestershire dressed a wooden cross in flowers and attached it to the railings outside their building.
Mary Skuse from Berkeley says: “We always place a bare wooden cross on the railings on Good Friday after our Service, which has a metal crown of thorns above it, and bring it in and dress it with flowers on the Sunday.
“The cross was very colourful as you can see, and many of the community stopped to speak when we were placing it on the railings on Easter Sunday. People from the local shops also mentioned it as they have full view of it from their shop windows.
“We did offer coffee, tea, biscuits and hot cross buns which were enjoyed by all, as we took it in turns to attach the flowers to the cross.
“Also, recently we have been blessed to have two new people joining our church, named Jane and Terry. It is such a pleasure to give thanks for them each coming through our church door. Both have
worshipped at Congregational churches throughout their lives. We do thank God for his goodness.”
Gwyn Davies, the Minister at Clarendon Park Congregational Church in Leicester
Above: The Berkeley CC cross on Easter Sunday
Right: Two of the ladies from the church who decorated the cross
Two baptisms at Radnor Park
Radnor Park Congregational Church in Clydebank, Scotland, had the joy of a double baptism at its Easter service.
The minister, Revd Gerry Simonis, reports: “We started the service by showing and blowing a Shofar horn – after explaining its history in Jewish culture, announcing the major event of the risen Christ.
“The children being baptised were aged four (a girl) and six (a boy). Our church secretary read John 20:1-18. I gave a short(ish) address, a story really, specifically aimed at their young age. I sat down with them, telling them about God and Jesus through the Old Testament and New Testament and why we now remember that first Easter.”
Gerry also emphasized that later in life the children could also make their own choice to follow
Jesus. Each child received a picture Bible appropriate for their age and a full-colour baptism certificate. The Easter service was completed with communion. Each child had two couples as godparents.
Gerry adds: “Altogether 60 family and friends came to support the mum. Wish we had them all on a regular basis! What a different atmosphere –it was great!”
Brixton
church launches history book
OnFriday 23 February some 50 or 60 friends gathered at Trinity Congregational Church, Brixton, to mark the launch of Alan Argent’s history of the chapel called: A Brixton Chapel.
Prof Clyde Binfield (who also wrote the foreword and is a long-time friend of the chapel), Dr Richard Cleaves (Secretary of the Congregational History Society) and the author himself all gave brief talks about the church. Refreshments and conversation followed, and the book was available to buy.
Alan, who amazingly has been the Minister at Trinity since 1977, said: “It was a very happy occasion, bringing together old and new friends.” The church’s newsletter added that the new CF President, Elisabeth SweeneySmith of Chinley Chapel in Derbyshire, was at the launch, where there was also an exhibition of art works by Frank Kiely who designed the book’s cover.
Alan adds: “Trinity Chapel was founded in 1828, unusually by four women and one man. It has survived wars and riots and shows signs of healthy life and growth.”
‘A Brixton Chapel: Gathered to a Quiet Independence’ is produced by Box Chapel Press and is available in illustrated hardback at £25 plus postage. To obtain a copy email the chapel at: trinitychapel1828@btinternet.com
Author Alan Argent presents a copy of his book A Brixton Chapel to CF President Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith
The two girls who received their MMAs (names withheld for safeguarding reaons), with General Secretary Yvonne Campbell (centre, back row) and Pilots leaders Annie Turner (left) and Sheila Burr (right)
Faithful kids earn awards at Suffolk church
InJanuary Steeple Bumpstead CC in Haverhill had a very exciting occasion – the presentation of two Master Mariner Awards (MMA) to members of their Pilots children’s activity club for over 5s. The MMA is a national award which is made to Pilots who have completed five annual programmes, and shown helpfulness, enthusiasm and loyalty.
Sheila Burr from Steeple Bumpstead adds: “In recent months we have also been blessed with the help of two teenagers, coming back after leaving Pilots a few years ago. One of them received an MMA in October 2019, while the other is now 15 years old and left after being a Pilot for nearly four years. She started helping just before Christmas 2022 for her DofE award but has delighted us by wanting to continue.”
Revd Simonis speaks to the boy and girl who made the step of baptism
Right: Some of the Scunthorpe congregation with the presents that were given
Christmas gifts idea grows ‘like a mustard seed’
Aspart of their outreach programme, each year for many years Scunthorpe Congregational Church have given gifts of chocolates at Easter and Christmas to local children’s and old people’s homes, as well as to the local Trussell Trust food bank which they support.
Whilst discussing the plans for last Christmas, one of the deacons suggested that instead of chocolate gifts for the usual groups, this time the church might think about the adult food bank users who probably seldom receive gifts for themselves as they are struggling to support their families.
So for Christmas 2023 the members agreed to incorporate the giving into a Christmas service, where the gifts would be brought forward and laid in the manger. The congregation were asked to wrap and label their gifts according to whether it was for a man, woman, teenage girl/boy, child, etc. They were also asked to give new rather than used items.
The church also asked a friend at the food bank to attend the service and collect the gifts. He was so impressed by the idea that he told his own church about it and they decided to do the same. A church they were having a joint service with heard about it and they agreed to do it at their church. A member of that congregation was a Rotarian who took it back to the Rotary Club and they decided to do it too. One of
our members told her daughter-in-law, who told her mother in Yorkshire and they did it too at her church for their local food bank!
The church says: “At our own service it was just so wonderful to see the outpouring of love as every person present brought their gifts to the manger, some of them bringing more than one.
“Gifts were also given not just by members of our fellowship, but also by those who attend our buggy club and bowls groups, who as yet do not worship with us, but they too wanted to be part of the church on this occasion.
“We are hoping to repeat this service next year, and hopefully the mustard seed will continue to grow and spread the message of God’s love even further afield!”
‘Pizza Pals’ a success for Lancashire church
Snooker – just one of the games enjoyed
Inglewhite Church near Preston started a new after-school club for pre-school and primary-aged children in September 2023 called Pizza Pals, and have found it a great way to connect with families.
Louise Clark from the church says: “We felt that, once they started school, we were losing the connection with our toddler group children and their parents.
“We now regularly get the same families coming every Wednesday night for friendship and fellowship, with food and fun mixed in. The Pizza Pals concept incorporates playing with your pals, eating pizza and a short prayer session at the end.
“We have found it a really positive experience and a great way to keep our toddlers attending after they start school. We are hoping to build on this with some summer holiday sessions in August.”
In separate news, a member of the church called Lettice Hardman recently retired from running a church community group called Inglewhite Friends after running it for over 60 years!
Introducing the new President Elect
Reverend Caroline Stott tells her story of faith and explains what her theme for the Federation will be
Iwasnominated as President Elect for the year 2024/25 by one of the churches that I have preached at for a very long time – Ide Congregational Church on the outskirts of Exeter. I was humbled by their confidence in me for this job and they have assured me that they will support me along the way.
I grew up in the manse of a Congregational Church in Ullesthorpe, Leicestershire. My father was not the minister, but an engineer; he rented it while working in the village. We lived there for 17 years and I gave my life to the Lord there. I became a member at 18 and worked in the church as a Sunday school teacher, youth worker and member of a music group.
My journey has been one of learning. I joined an Anglican church after we moved from Ullesthorpe, one in which John Wycliffe was the minister long ago. Through this church I became the community worker in a large council estate, working with the young people, play groups and the elderly. I also started an after-school club and holiday club long before they became the norm.
My journey continued when I moved back to a small village and continued to attend the local Anglican church. It was there I worked with one of the first female Anglican ministers; her name was Jenny. I ran the music group there and also started to learn to lead services. This led to me doing family services regularly. I learned so much from Jenny.
I met Mike during this time and we have now been married for over 30 years; we have three sons and a daughter together. We moved back to Ullesthorpe when my daughter was two (she was a bit of surprise as my sons had all flown the nest when she arrived) and I rejoined the Congregational church, working closely with the pastor there, often playing the music at services and starting a community lunch for people who spent Sundays alone. I also helped with Messy Church and Sunday School.
However, all this time I knew the Lord wanted me to serve him in a different way. I finally ran out of excuses and joined the Congregational training course, becoming the Pastor and then the Minister at
Lapford Congregational Church, having moved down to Devon after my husband finally decided to maybe retire!
I worked at Lapford for six years, moving the church forward a great deal by boosting the youth work and bringing lots of new families into the church. However, after the pandemic, I came to the decision that I needed to move on. Although I didn’t quite know when or to what.
During my training I had done a placement in the chaplaincy at the big trauma hospital in Exeter. I enjoyed this so much that I wanted to go back and do it again. It was a place that I knew the Lord wanted me to be. I contacted my mentor at the hospital and he gave me the position of Honorary Free Church Chaplain on a permanent basis. I give a day a week to this position and to the Lord, and gosh doesn’t he use it! I have been involved with the 21-Day Project, visiting people who have been in the hospital for over 21 days. I have also recently started working with the palliative care nurses and end-of-life patients.
As well as this, I continue to preach at lots of different churches most weeks. I also assist in running a youth club at a Congregational church in
Continued overleaf
Caroline Stott will be the Congregational Federation President in 2025/26
Dorset. Additionally, I am a personal member of the Federation and the Council Representative for the South West.
I think that is most of what you need to know about my journey in faith and ministry so far. However, I had better tell you a little more about me personally. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis back in 1986. I use a disability scooter and have
recently been given a marvellous drop foot machine by our wonderful NHS, which helps me to walk. Before I started training in ministry, I had a chat with the Lord and I told him that if he wanted me to serve him in this way, then he would have to look after my illness – and he certainly does. My Salvation Army friend I work with at the Hospital told me I should not make bargains with the Lord, as I do not know what I will get back!
I now live in Devon, as I mentioned, with my husband and our menagerie of animals! I have a studio in my garden where I make pots and I use my artwork a great deal in my preaching, as well as for a teaching tool working with youth groups and congregations. Pottery has always been a huge hobby of mine and even a job at times. I also thoroughly enjoy tending my garden and growing vegetables. My children have all flown the nest now, although my daughter comes home every few months to stay between her cruise contracts.
My theme for my year as President will be Diversity. I believe that all people are created in God’s image and are loved by God. In his ministry, Jesus showed God’s love by his openness to all people, including those who were marginalised in his day. I hope that you will join me in celebrating the amazing diversity of people in all our churches. I want to lead the Federation with a message of love and acceptance.
Caroline has chosen Diversity as her Presidential theme
Caroline is the CF Council Representative for the beautiful South West
The Congregational Federation and Ecumenism
Part one – Churches Together in England
By Rev Alan Kennedy, Chairman of the Inter-Church Board
“Ecumenism is a Gospel imperative.”
That phrase is not my own, but one I heard at a meeting of Churches Together in England many years ago. I’ve never forgotten it. It sums up for me the importance of Jesus’ words in John 17:20-21:
“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
Ecumenism is not an optional extra, or the sole domain of some special interest group. In certain circles, including my own church background, ecumenism was often pitted against evangelism but John 17 makes it clear that the ultimate aim of the unity of Christians is “that the world may believe”.
This was memorably brought home to me once when a friend challenged me. “I’d be tempted to believe in Christianity,” he said, “if there weren’t so many churches all claiming to be right!” I believe that the visible disunity of Christendom can be a barrier to effective and authentic evangelism. Not that organic church unity is the answer, or even the aim. The ecumenical movement these days is about unity in diversity, not uniformity. Many churches recognise that cooperation on the ground, at the local level, is just as important, if not more so, than cooperation at the very top.
Our discussions include challenges and opportunities in our own denominations and networks and most recently, the coming General Election and the role of the churches in facilitating election hustings, for example. We have reflected on church closures, as well as the sharing of church buildings and the role of Local Ecumenical Partnerships.
And so, I very happily find myself Chairman of the Inter-Church Board, which in the context of Churches Together in England sees me also fulfilling the role of National Ecumenical Officer.
In practical terms this involves me in regular meetings, both in-person and online with other National Ecumenical Officers of Member Churches, ranging from Roman Catholic to Pentecostal and all varieties in-between! We meet to share not just what is happening on the ecumenical scene but how we can understand each other’s traditions better and assist one another in the proclamation of the Gospel.
In the role of National Ecumenical Officer I am also a member of the Enabling Group of Churches Together in England. This is a larger body than the National Ecumenical Officers Group but equally diverse. The aim of the Enabling Group is:
• To bring together CTE Member Churches and other ecumenical representatives to consider and conduct the business and governance of CTE and to share together in worship, fellowship and mission.
As the successor to the former British Council of Churches, which was largely comprised of what are referred to as the historic denominations, CTE now
Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England (left), with Rowena Loverance, Chair of Trustees of CTE, and Alan Kennedy of the CF
The Enabling Group of Churches Together in England at High Leigh Conference Centre in March 2024.
boasts a diverse range of traditions including many black-led Pentecostal groups and others from what is called the New Church movement.
Our most recent residential gathering in March had as its aims:
• To consider together what it means to develop a healthy safeguarding culture in the churches across England and how we in CTE together with our Member Churches can act in response.
• To deepen our relationships together through fellowship, theological reflection, shared worship and action.
It was a very worthwhile and immensely practical couple of days indeed.
As part of Churches Together in England, our General Secretary, Yvonne Campbell, also represents
us on The Free Churches Group, the successor to the old Free Church Federal Council, which brought together the Nonconformist Churches. The Free Churches Group website explains that:
“The Free Churches have a history of advocating freedom of belief and conscience, seeing personal faith as integral to the Christian Gospel. They continue to do this whilst seeking to create a safe, caring and equal society where intellectual, spiritual and socio-economic freedoms allow people to exercise choice in a way that enables everyone to flourish. It facilitates the corporate expression and promotion of these values, speaking into issues of public concern and serving society.”
And so, I hope you can see that, as a network of churches, the Congregational Federation is fully and effectively represented in the ecumenical life of England, not just as some kind of box-ticking exercise but because, as I said at the start of this piece: “Ecumenism is a Gospel imperative”!
I encourage all our CF churches to get involved with their local Churches Together groups and to share the gifts we bring as Congregationalists to a common understanding of what it means to be a Christian in today’s world.
I hope that in future editions of Refresh you will have an opportunity to hear something from our representatives in Scotland and Wales of their involvement in the ecumenical life of their nations too.
CF’s Yvonne Campbell (left) with Helen Cameron, Moderator of the Free Churches Group (right) and Revd Michaela Youngson, Assistant Secretary of the Methodist Conference
The 50th Assembly of the Congregational Federation started for me at 7pm on Friday 10 May, when I boarded the long luxury coach parked up outside the Premier Inn in central Colchester. This tour fringe event was to lay the foundations for a truly wonderful gathering of Congregationalists for the following two days, with an emphasis (for myself) on fellowship, equipping and preachers.
Fellowship
Firstly, there was a warm welcome from Yvonne Campbell (CF General Secretary) and from Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith (CF President), both of whom I was meeting in person for the first time. This set the tone for the whole Assembly, as it certainly is the place to be for meeting up with long-standing friends and for making new friends.
On Saturday 11 May, the day of the core annual business, there were ministers and mission-minded people from across the UK. I spoke to people from the south coast of England to the north-east coast of Scotland and many from in-between. During the business of the Assembly, this welcome extended to the highlights of recognising six freshly accredited ministers – joining the ranks of those who were there who’d already done decades in the role, with the longest serving for 60 years. Two new churches were also welcomed to the Federation – an exciting sign perhaps of the revival that the wider church in the UK is beginning to notice across denominations.
There was a buzz and an excitement about the Assembly as people queued in the sunshine to come in and collect an interesting conference goodie bag, with provisions for family activities, information about courses and the all-important ‘2024 Assembly Review’ publication. Held in the airy space of Essex University’s Business School, it was an effective setting for the stalls, with the larger, sedum-roofed auditorium to one side.
Welcomes over, people were encouraged into the auditorium for the business of the day, but we began with a wonderful half an hour or so of immersive praise. This set the tone for the day with the emphasis on the Lord and what he had done for each of us personally and collectively. The words and worship spoke directly into the reports of the activities that followed.
Continued overleaf
President Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith shares her theme for 2024-25: ‘Hear the Word of the Lord’
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION 50TH ASSEMBLY 2024
Above: Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England, addresses the Assembly
Right: Thandar Tun, accredited Minister for St Helier Congregational Church, South East Area and
Bottom right: Clemy Gilmore, lead on the new CF discipleship programme All for Jesus, Jesus for All
Equipping
Secondly, as highlighted on the cover of the Review, “God uses it [Scripture] to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17, NLT).
For a first timer at this Assembly, there was an impressive amount of ‘every good work’ being covered! The key messages that came across were that whatever your area of interest, your community’s area of need or your church’s development need, there is probably someone somewhere within the Congregational Federation who will be able to equip that interest or need.
Ruth Green, Chair of the Church Support Committee, talked about grants available and digital resources for running a service without a minister; tech support is also on offer!
For anything under Learning and Development, Catherine Booton wants to know what you need and is keen to partner with new initiatives that will help congregations and ministers to keep resourced and up to date.
From grants and training to the finances which will support them – this was an excellent review and report covered in a well-guided way by Tim Bateman. From these ordered reports, the Assembly did have a moment or two of mild disorder as changes to the constitution were brought to the meeting. The aim is to bring that up to date too, to be fit for purpose. It was good to hear opinions and questions from different positions being shared. Make sure to look out for the proposals so you and your congregations can comment too.
Preachers
Thirdly, the purpose of the Friday evening was to do a tour of some of the chapels and churches around Colchester that had been important in the life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon himself. Yes! We were able to see where CH Spurgeon was brought up and the very spot he was converted to Christ. With this emphasis on preaching, and sometimes the cost of that preaching, it was also fitting that the weekend included opportunities to join church services and to see some meaningful Bible drama from a touring theatre group, Manna.
During the Assembly, Oliver Kinchin formally handed over the presidency to Elisabeth SweeneySmith, who then introduced her theme for the year: ‘Hear the Word of the Lord’. I’m certainly anticipating depending fully on hearing the Word of the Lord as I step into my new role with the Congregational Federation. Thank you for making me feel so welcome!
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION 50TH ASSEMBLY 2024
Assembly feedback
Well done! A really good weekend. People looked very happy and engaged, everything seemed to go to plan, and a positive time was had. Thank you to Yvonne and all the team for the tremendous amount of time and planning and hard work that went into it all.
Margaret Morris
Yvonne, I imagine you are having a breather after the action-packed weekend. Lovely to see everyone again and thank you for all that organisation!
Christine Denwood
Just wanted to say thank you for the invitation to attend the Assembly. I was really blessed. I cried, laughed and experienced God’s presence. Do say thanks to the worship team and your leadership team. I was inspired by your new President’s theme and talk. The children were absolutely brilliant. I could go on.
Paul Rochester
I am just writing to say thank you for the work you did helping to organise the weekend. I had a great time even though I only attended for the day. Thanks for the invitation.
Adam Pailing
I thought it was a great Assembly and extended weekend, well done to you and the team for all the hard work to make it happen.
Sheila Burr
Very colourful Assembly yesterday. Everybody was listened to and were giving of their best. People like me who had been online only for a few years were glad to be together. It brought back memories of other days together too. It was great to see international guests, discover what things are still to do, and thanks for the brilliant ideas. The hymns were just right.
Lorna Cammock
Thank you for all your work with the team to ensure a great weekend. What an awesome God we serve!
Joy Howell
Will be sad to leave here (Grenada), but a bit of Elisabeth’s preach confirmed my decision.
Nigel Lindsay
And that was just the day session! Further blessings abounded in the evening over a great meal and conversation and greater blessings followed with a testimony of song, music, drama and dance by the Manna theatre company. What a privilege to be part of the CF Assembly 2024.
Paul Bennett
Much love and congratulations to you (and Poppy) for presiding over what was a very successful, happy and reassuring conference – we have some really good people.
Angela Robinson
Splendid weekend. The Assembly is always a great time to meet friends and enjoy fellowship; this year was no different.
Gwyn Davies
I thought the Assembly was wonderful. Congratulations all round! Yvonne did a great job; well done and thank you. It was lovely to see Poppy on the stage too! The online streaming was excellent with no problems at all, it was like being there. Of course, we missed the socialising afterwards and on the Friday which I’m sure was great. I thought that Roo and Chris did a great job for the council’s report.
Ruth Leeming
What a special day of encouragement, fellowship, worship, prayer and joy! So good to see so many of my friends and colleagues.
Sara Iles
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION 50TH ASSEMBLY 2024
Presidential address
‘Hear the Word of the Lord’ – a summary of the address given by CF President Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith at Assembly 2024
Anyoneliving in the East of England region, or those visiting it during our National Assembly 2024, walk in the footsteps of the giants of the dissenting Christian tradition. Characters such as Robert Browne, John Robinson, William Bridge, and not forgetting three generations of the Spurgeon family and others, were all people of God who lived, preached or sought refuge there, and who lay good foundations of faith in that region.
William Bridge, the first Minister of the Old Meeting House, Norwich, in 1643 wrote this in ‘Scriptures’ Light – The Most Sure Light’:
“This light of Scripture is the best light, the most excellent light: more excellent than that of revelations and visions; more excellent than that of dreams and immediate voices; more excellent than that of impressions, than of Christian experience, or of divine providence or that of human reason. Surely therefore it is the most excellent safe and sure light in the world.”
In the opening chapter of Genesis, God’s voice speaks “Let there be light”, and as the pages of the New Testament turn, that same ‘Light of the World’ –the Word become flesh – shows us what that means. Jesus’ respect for the Hebrew Scriptures was clear, and as we read in Paul’s letter to his protégé in relation to those same Scriptures:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT)
Singing the hymn ‘Ancient Words’ by Michael Smith at Assembly was an acknowledgement of this truth:
“Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart, oh let the ancient words impart.
Words of life, words of hope, give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam, ancient words will guide us home.”
The voice of God continues to speak today through the Scriptures which, Jesus promised, would be illuminated by the Holy Spirit’s teaching role. We continue to hope, as John Robinson did, that more truth will yet break forth out of God’s Holy Word.
Apart from Scripture, how else then do we know what God is saying to us? The prophets were often proclaiming, “Thus says the LORD”, but how did they know that? I believe God is speaking every day to us, whether that be through the Spirit of God bringing something to our minds or by someone else’s voice saying something that resonates with us.
God is Love and it would be strange indeed if someone who professes to love us did not want to speak to us. Expectancy then is part of hearing from God. In fact, one of the earliest instructions to the Jewish people was to listen or hear: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4, KJV). (See www.Bible Project.com/Shema – the word Shema in Hebrew incorporates both hearing and obeying.)
So, maybe God has already spoken to you and perhaps he is waiting for you to obey that instruction before speaking again. We know it is hard sometimes to know what God is asking of us and therefore, if that is you, then a chat with a trusted Christian friend/ minister may be just what is needed to help clarify the listening aspect of your relationship with God. Prayer times are one way we can hear from God as we wait patiently for the Lord. For the year ahead I will be praying that in whatever way God chooses to speak to us that we will all hear the Word of the Lord for ourselves and for our communities in whatever region of the UK we are living.
50TH ASSEMBLY 2024
Assembly photo gallery
Registration on Saturday morning – Yvonne Campbell and others greet people as they arrive
Most of the delegates from the Eastern Area return to the Assembly after lunching outside
Yvonne Campbell with Bishop Mike Royal (left), General Secretary of Churches Together in England, and Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Trevor Pailing, Rich Gascoyne and Vince Carrington who gave a presentation on their trip to Grenada to see Nigel Lindsay
Most photos courtesy of Colin Ellis/Rydal Photography
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION 50TH ASSEMBLY 2024
Tim Bateman presenting the Finance and
Catherine Booton, Learning and Development Manager, gives her report
Chris Damp – Minister of Bunyan Meeting in Bedford and South East Council Trustee, presenting the Council’s report
Church Support Worker Louisa Watt reports on her year
Outgoing President Oliver Kinchin sums up his year
General Secretary Yvonne Campbell – who organised and oversaw the Assembly
Foday Kamara, Minister at Chinley Chapel and North West Area Church Support worker, asks questions during the business session
CF Council member Roo Macrae from Scotland
Jaime Crick leading prayer on the Saturday evening
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION
Worship together: singing ‘The River is Here’ by Andy Park (Vineyard Music)
The worship leaders
Fruitful discussions at lunchtime
Lunch break and fellowship
Congregational worship
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION 50TH ASSEMBLY 2024
Representatives of Kingswood Congregational Church, Bristol, and Congregational Insurance CEO Martin Cox (left) with the church’s 2024 Serving the Community Award. Kingswood was given the award for its weekly ‘Lego Church’, which welcomes over 60 young people each week
Wellcome Church from Orsett in Essex receives their 2024 Serving the Community Award, sponsored by Congregational Insurance. The church won the award for its work with the local seafarers centre and foodbank and for visits and support to churches in Kosovo
A ballet performance by Manna Theatre Company’s Arialle Crick on the Saturday evening. Manna is a mission organisation run by Jaime and Gary Crick, who have four children: Noah, Oscar, Arialle and Eli
Children tell of their activities during the day – including being a superhero for God!
A scene from the drama by Manna Theatre Co, with Jesus calling Simon Peter and his brother Andrew to be disciples
Outgoing President Oliver Kinchin welcomes new President Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith
Congregationalists from around the world to meet in Greece in 2025
The Congregational Federation are part of the International Congregational Fellowship that brings together Congregationalists from all over the world every four years.
In 2025 we are invited to the conference to be held in Thessaloniki in Greece. The conference usually runs from a Thursday to Monday but an after-conference holiday is also on offer. Together with the Union of Welsh Independents we hope to travel by rail and ferry to be more environmentally conscious. Dates have not been confirmed but we are expecting the conference to run from 15-18 May – the weekend after our own May Assembly which will be in Nottingham.
The conference is a mixture of worship, lectures, Bible study, fellowship, local church and tourism visits, as well as some business. This is an exciting opportunity, although all expenses will have to be paid ourselves. The CF and ICF may be able to offer small grants. All are welcome and more details will be shared as soon as available.
CF offcce carcetakcerrcettrcees
TheCongregational Federation hosted a surprise retirement party on 17 April for Keith Smith at the CF office in Nottingham. Keith served as Caretaker there for 25 years.
Friends gathered who knew him from differing facets of Keith’s ministry, including Training, Market Research and Trustees. A memento of the event, together with many comments, forms part of a memory scrapbook.
On the day, besides the buffet and cake, several guests took the opportunity to thank Keith for his immense contribution in the life of the Federation, including one from CF’s Property Manager Philip Stainer, who said:
“’God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.’ While these verses are talking about Jesus, there are elements, which are true about Keith.”
Philip likened Keith to glue which holds things together, working not only in the Student Accommodation but right across the charity,
particularly setting up spaces for internal and external events.
approach will be missed. Frequently staff say, ‘Ask Keith’, which is testament to his knowledge and experience, not only over the past 25 years, but also prior to that in the hospitality trade.
“Over the years, we have learned a lot from Keith’s conversations about his past employment, the early days in the Federation and his wealth of cultural knowledge.”
Keith was presented with a mug inscribed: ‘The Boss is Always Right’, as Keith was never far from a mug of coffee. To help Keith remember his time with us, he was also given a book of photos and memories.
Philip concluded: “So young Keith, it has been my pleasure to have you as part of my team, all the best in your retirement.”
Above: Keith Smith with his cake at the retirement party
Left: Keith with CF staff (from left to right): Jackie van der Sanden, Keith Smith, Philip Stainer, Gary Baker, Mark Tucker and Linda Cooke
for you and your church
By Neil Chappell, CF Social Media & Website Officer
he Resource Hub at www.theresourcehub.co.uk was launched by the Congregational Federation Church Support Team in 2019. It came about after many different churches appealed for resources for the life of churches, and resources for the church year. It wasn’t that these resources weren’t available on the world wide web, but churches wanted some resources with a particular Congregational slant. These fall into three categories:
• Resources for being church – on baptism, communion, church membership, Congregationalism, etc.
• Resources for doing church – with children, young people, older people, prayer, worship, church magazines, etc.
• Resources for a particular time of year – Advent, Lent/Easter, Pentecost, Harvest, etc.
and energy in creating resources to build up the life of the local church. Some will work, some won’t – but we hope to encourage and inspire and fan the flame of faith in our churches.
Email Neil at neil.chappell@ congregational.org.uk
The website has brought together a rich diversity of resources that can equip the faith journey of an individual or a church. Some of the resources have been written by ourselves and members of the Congregational Federation family, and others are sourced from a multitude of well-known (and some not-so-well-known) sites. Some will be specifically Congregational, designed to meet exact needs, but most are gathered from the wider Christian community. Some resources have been written by local churches about activities they have taken part in. They worked in their local setting and they are sharing them in the hope that they will benefit another Congregational church. Additional resources come from other denominations and organisations that have spent time
The latest development on The Resource Hub is our Sermon Vault. A few churches fed back to the Church Support Committee that they were finding it harder to book visiting preachers for their Sunday services. An idea was shared about us creating a resource where we had a bank of sermons that churches could use to play as part of a service. All they would have to provide would be the readings, prayers and hymns. So we appealed to people in the Congregational Federation to provide sermons for this purpose. From our initial appeal we received 23 sermons which have now been added to The Resource Hub. These can either be viewed on our YouTube Channel or downloaded from our Google Drive.
Over the coming months we hope to curate more sermons, talks, Bible studies and other resources for those occasions when it is difficult to source a speaker. If you would like to contribute to this series, please feel free to drop me an email to talk over how to go about it. All these video resources will be free of copyright and brought together for our Congregational Federation churches to use.
Do you have some resources to share? Do you see a gap in the areas we cover? Please let us know. Our website grows from week to week, month to month and is the product of our rich and diverse faith community. Take a look and let us know what you think.
CONGREGATIONAL FEDERATION OPPORTUNITIES
These churches are seeking ministers. Please contact the Congregational Federation at our Nottingham office if you are interested.
Full time:
Greenacres, Oldham (North West) – part-time considered; Haverhill (Eastern); Market Harborough (East Midlands) – part-time considered; Southwick Christian Community Church (South East); Springhead, Oldham (North West) – part time considered; Union Chapel, Highbury (South East)..
Part-time:
Dereham: Cowper Memorial (Eastern); North Nibley (South West Midlands); Shillington (East Midlands); Stalybridge (North West); Burbage (East Midlands).
Non-stipendiary:
Cawsand (South West); Frampton (South West Midlands); Oban Congregational Church (Scotland); Penrhys, Llanfair Uniting Church (Wales); Ebenezer Independent Congregational Chapel, Tredegar, Gwent (Wales).
Tips for life online What will you design today? – Canva.com
By Neil Chappell, CF Social Media & Website Officer
Whatsort of publicity do you use to promote your church? By that I mean leaflets or handouts – things that you can physically display or give out.
Lots probably, for your services, outreach events, activities, magazines, fundraising, etc. Can I recommend a brilliant piece of computer software to help you out? It’s canva.com.
I won’t hesitate to say Canva is an excellent design tool – one that we use as a team at Nottingham. It is an easy-to-use design platform created for people without any prior design experience. It uses an intuitive interface, making it simple for anyone to create visually appealing content.
It has a huge number of templates and stock media for use on designs of any size for social media, flyers, posters, and more. Churches can establish their visual identity by creating up to 100 brand kits, including brand colours, fonts and logos, to ensure consistency across all church communications. What could you do with it?
Announcements and invitations: Design eyecatching announcements for upcoming events, church services, or special gatherings.
Sermon graphics: Create sermon series graphics or individual sermon slides for presentations. Canva provides templates for sermon series artwork, sermon outlines and scripture passages, allowing churches to easily create professional-looking visuals for their messages.
Social media graphics: Generate engaging graphics for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X
or Tik-Tok to promote church events, share inspirational quotes, or highlight community activities.
Flyers and brochures/event posters and banners: Design for church programmes, ministries, or special campaigns, church events, fundraisers, or conferences.
Slides for worship services: Design slides for worship lyrics, announcements, or sermon points using Canva’s presentation templates.
Newsletter layouts: Design church newsletters with Canva’s newsletter templates.
Online and print publications: Create magazines, booklets or other publications for church members or the broader community.
If your church is interested in using Canva Pro, consider applying for a free non-profit account. Churches can access all the Pro features by providing documentation that confirms their non-profit status. This includes options like Charity Commission charity numbers, Gift Aid registration and other accepted documents. It’s a great opportunity for churches to enhance their visual communication and create impactful content! Take a look.
You can contact me anytime to talk about your church’s website or social media presence. Drop me a line.
Best wishes, Neil
neil.chappell@congregational.org.uk
Why not apply for a starter grant to help you get a Canva Pro account?
FEDERATION NEWS
Discipleship – a transformational journey
By Clemy Gilmore,
a
member
of
Caterham
Congregational
Church
and Project Lead for the CWM MSP4 (Mission Support Programme 4) for the CF. Clemy was also the Church Support Worker for the South East Area from 2012 to 2017 and holds an MA in Contextual Theology
Ihavebeen tasked with creating a new Congregational discipleship course (MSP4) with money awarded by the Council for World Mission (CWM).
Why a new discipleship course? The reality is that we are seeing some of the greatest shifts in society since the Second World War. In the light of a postpandemic context, a world in turmoil, the effects of these shifts on our own local communities – often struggling to live above the breadline, not to mention mental health and wellbeing issues and the loss of connection as we deal with a society that is increasingly online – discipleship is taking on new meaning.
How do we as church and disciples of Jesus stay resilient, relevant and resourced? How do we stay focused on what we are called to be and do in the context of such drastic changes on so many levels? What does perseverance look like in the current environment? Often it feels easier to batten down the hatches and stay where we are rather than take up the challenging and adventurous invitation of our Lord Jesus’ words, “Come, follow me.”
I have recently watched a three-part Netflix documentary series called ‘Testament: The Story of Moses’, and one of the things I noticed is how much Moses is shown to reflect authentic humanity. There is an authenticity about him and the Exodus story that attracts attention. This generation cries out for authenticity.
Moses was an imperfect human being just like us. He had anger issues, he was often filled with doubt, he didn’t feel up to the task, he suffered with low self-esteem, often felt lost, and at times came across as spoilt and entitled.
He was also an impassioned leader, filled with love and empathy for the people of God. He, along with some of the men and women surrounding him, were essentially activists. Despite his fears, he took courage and stepped out into the wilderness of change with huge responsibilities on his shoulders. He responded
to and accepted (after some wrestling) God’s call to liberate his people. He is a disciple of God. God meets with him face to face and leads him into his calling, with the help of others.
The men and women around Moses encouraged and upheld his vision (not entirely without grumbling), and came alongside him in his trials. They stood for God and with Moses, and began a process of being liberated, of being taken on a journey of transformation, of being set free in body, mind and spirit.
This is very much a picture of my understanding of the journey we undertake the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. It is a journey of imperfection and transformation that is not completed until we enter his presence for good. Our becoming disciples enables not only our own liberation, but that of others. For if Christ sets you free you shall be free indeed, and if you are being transformed by the renewal of your mind, then you are also called to enable the liberation and transformation of others.
It is God’s mission (Missio Dei) and our mandate to set captives free, to heal the sick, to preach the gospel. Like Moses and the Israelites, there is a working out of our own salvation and there is a sending in the command to ‘Go’.
This is what I believe discipleship to be, and I believe wholeheartedly that we cannot do this alone. Discipleship is a journey best undertaken in community, as part of the church. It is about learning and relearning; about reminding ourselves who we are in Christ and what our calling is: to become disciples who help others to become disciples, and in the process we all grow and are transformed, going from glory to glory.
It was never going to be easy. However, Jesus said “Wait” – wait for the Paraclete – the one who will give you your voice and empower you. He said that in this world we would have trouble, but behold, he has
overcome the world. We can be brave because Jesus has gone before us and made a way.
I want to encourage us as we look again at what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Let’s embark together on a journey of discipleship, of exploration, of adventure and rediscovery.
I am going to be getting in touch to hear your stories and what being a disciple of Jesus has meant for you and continues to mean for you. Alternatively, you can also get in touch with me directly: email clemygilmore@gmail.com or call me on 07851753338.
A 2016 painting, ‘Christ with his disciples’, by Andrey Mironov
Top left: Elisabeth with CF’s Operation Manager Mark Tucker
Top right: CF President Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith greets CWM Moderator Lydia Neshangwe at the European Region meeting of CWM earlier this year
Bottom right: All the representatives at the CWM Europe meeting
CF representatives help plan global mission conference
CF President Elisabeth Sweeney-Smith reports on the Council for World Mission (CWM) Europe meeting ahead of the CWM Assembly in South Africa in June
During a week in February this year in South Wales, Mark Tucker, myself and Jason Boyd, representing the CF, joined representatives of the Protestant Church of the Netherlands, Presbyterian Church of Wales, Union of Welsh Independents and the United Reformed Church, as the European region of churches that sponsor the Council for World Mission (CWM).
MTh in Ministry, Theology and Practice at the University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow in partnership with Dr Williams Library is delighted to advertise the MTh programme in Ministry, Theology and Practice for 2024-2026.
This two-year, part-time programme offers continuing professional development for ministers and church leaders in four key areas: equipping for congregational ministry, preaching in contemporary contexts, creative and reflective skills for ministry and mission, and theological inquiry. Teaching will take place both in-person and online and is designed to be accessible to those engaged in ministerial practice.
The cost is £5,025 per annum. A full fee subsidy is available to suitably qualified persons in English and Welsh URC churches from the Dr Williams Trust.
For more information regarding the course please visit: www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/ministrytheologypractice/ For information about the scholarships contact: mark.johnston.2@glasgow.ac.uk
The purpose of the meeting was to prepare for the four-year Assembly of the CWM which will be taking place in Durban, South Africa, between 12-19 June this year. The other regions have also met for their preparations for the Assembly.
Due to the Covid pandemic, the Assembly will actually be the first time in eight years that all the delegates will be meeting in person, so it is sure to be a joyful and busy conference centre. Our hosts will be the United Congregational Church of South Africa and the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.
Like our own CF Assembly there will be business to discuss and old friendships to be renewed and new friendships to be made. Please pray that the decisions taken in respect of the voting for the important roles of CWM Treasurer and Secretary will be the right ones. Please also pray for safe travel for all involved.
Top tips for learning churches
A series offering practical ideas on church life
by Catherine Booton, the CF’s Learning and Development Manager
Part 3: Help! We want to learn more about being a Congregational Church
Many Congregational churches are looking to reinforce their Congregational identity in the way that they do church. Perhaps you have had a number of new people join you who have come from different church traditions, or you feel that you have lost some of your Congregational roots as changes have come about. Perhaps you are trying to discover something of your history or are welcoming new people into membership and would like to find out a little bit more about what being Congregational means?
Don’t despair – that are lots of ways that we can help you to rediscover what being a Congregational church is all about. Here are some examples…
1. ‘Being Congregational’ booklet
This is a great resource available from the CF Nottingham office at no charge. It will give you some background and information to explain what it is all about in an easily accessible format. You can discover topics including being Christ-centred and Spirit-filled, worship, inclusivity, missional work and Congregational management. This booklet is designed to help you understand and implement Congregational principles in your own church. Just get in touch with the office if you would like any sending out.
Alternatively, for quick and easy reference, there is also our handy pocket size information card ‘A Way of Being Church’, also available from the office. This gives a shorter overview of what it means to be part of a Congregational church.
2. ‘The Nature of the Household of Faith’ book
A new edition of this book by Alan Argent is now available from the office at a cost of £10 per copy. This excellent publication gives some of the history and outlines a number of principles of Congregationalism and is well worth a read.
Some of the literature available from the CF office to help you find out more about Congregationalism
Learning from each other – it’s surprising what we can find out from other churches about how they see Congregational distinctives
Could your church host a Congregational History and Principles Likewise Day?
This will be the ideal resource for new members and those who would like to increase their knowledge. It will be suitable for running in groups within churches or areas, or individuals will be able to join an online community to do the course with
Our plan is to engage churches around the Federation with one another and with their Congregational heritage, so if you have any other ways that we can help you to learn more about what it means to be a Congregational church in the 21st century in the place that you find yourselves then do get in touch. We are here to help you and support you
Train your brain or just take a relaxing time out with these puzzles. The solutions are on the inside of the back cover (don’t cheat!).
Crossword
Across
7 Bible book (6)
8 Puma (6)
9 English river (4)
10 American state (8)
11 Describes an unwelcome matter needing to be dealt with (11)
14 Yearly return of a date (11)
18 Jesus: “Bring me a ------- and let me look at it” (Mark 12) (8)
19 The shortest gospel (4)
20 Beginner (6)
21 A way out (6)
1 ‘Lead me to ------- ‘ (hymn) (7)
2 ‘The deliverer will come from ------- ‘ (Romans 11) (4)
3 Food covered with spirits and set alight briefly (6)
4 Gum-yielding tree or shrub (6)
5 ‘The blood of Jesus, His Son, ------- us from all sin’ (1 John 1) (8)
6 Her age, death and burial are all mentioned in Genesis 23 (5)
12 The father of Huppim and Muppim (Genesis 46) (8)
13 Side part of a chair or other seat (7)
15 Stork-like birds (6)
16 Season focussed on 1 Down (6)
17 Jesus called him a fox (Luke 13) (5)
19 Jesus raised one of her relatives from the dead (John 11) (4)
Wordsearch Sudoku
Can you find the names of 22 kinds of bread? Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally.
Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9
Thce fivce markes of mteseston
Rev Dr Graham Adams is one of the tutors on the Congregational Federation’s Practical Theology course and Tutor in Mission Studies, World Christianity and Religious Diversity at Luther King Centre for Theology and Ministry in Manchester. In this series, Graham explores the Bible’s five marks or aspects of mission: proclaiming the good news, nurturing new believers, caring for those in need, transforming injustice, and treasuring all creation.
Part 4: Transforming structures of injustice
This fourth mark of mission invites three big questions: first, what is injustice? Secondly, how do we transform it? And thirdly, what role does that play in God’s mission? Let me start with the third question.
As I noted in Part 3 of this series, there has been a big idea in mission thinking for nearly 70 years: it’s called ‘the mission of God’. It’s the idea that mission first of all starts with God, not with the Church. It is God’s business, before it is our business. This puts us in our place, and reminds us always to seek God’s mission, rather than assume we already know everything about it.
What the Bible shows us is that God has intentions or purposes for the whole of creation – not just for the Church, and not even just for humankind. Notably, God desires justice – which is about the wellbeing of the whole community: not neglecting the vulnerable, not neglecting the stranger, not ignoring the plight of
the poor, but seeing all of this as integral to being the people of God.
God also desires peace – and we should note that ‘shalom’, the Hebrew word for ‘peace’ in the Bible, is more than personal peace. It means peace and healing and wholeness, and once again it applies to the whole community. And the context for ‘peace’ in the New Testament is that it contrasts with ‘the peace of Rome’, which is peace secured by military victory –that is, peace through violence. The peace of Christ is peace through love.
What we can see from just these two examples of God’s purposes (justice and peace) is that these involve some kind of engagement with politics. In fact, as we saw also in part one of this series, if we are called to seek God’s kingdom, we should remember that the kingdom itself is not only a personal experience but a social vision – which challenges the kingdoms and empires of the world. So, to pursue God’s purposes is to be concerned about political
And many different parts of the Church have demonstrated this in many ways. For example, the last included a piece about the Council for World Mission which is committed to ‘lifeflourishing creation and economy, mission from the margins and peacebuilding’ – all issues which engage with politics. So, too, the Lausanne Movement, an explicitly evangelical branch of global Christianity, which focuses on ‘integral mission’ in which faith and justice are held together. And of course, our own Congregational forebears were involved in many political debates: abolition of slavery, reform of industry to safeguard the rights of children, reform of prisons, the full participation of women, and much
The Lady Justice statue on the Old Bailey, London
So what is justice – and how do we pursue it? There are many elements to justice – racial justice (confronting racism of every kind); gender justice (confronting sexism); ecological justice (which we will come to in part five), and more. But we should never lose sight of economic justice, which runs throughout the Bible (good news for the poor, release for the captives, setting free from debt). After all, economic inequality continues to blight our world, not only globally but within the UK too.
For example, the Equality Trust shows us that, in 2022, the income of the poorest 14 million people in the UK fell by 7.5 per cent, while the income for the richest fifth increased by 7.8 per cent. In 2020, the Office for National Statistics calculated that the richest 10 per cent of households held 43 per cent of all wealth in the UK, the poorest 50 per cent owned just 9 per cent of wealth; and by 2023, the richest 50 families had more wealth than half the country’s population (33.5 million people).
also national charities and organisations which help us to pursue justice within the UK. Christians Against Poverty is particularly focused on issues of debt, and Church Action on Poverty is concerned with the broader systems, helping churches to hear the experience of those on the frontline of poverty and to campaign alongside them. It is part of a wider network of organisations committed to the ‘Let’s end poverty’ vision, aiming to keep issues of poverty on the agenda as we approach a general election. All of this is part of the struggle for justice, which is itself a response to God’s mission in pursuit of a world where no-one is excluded from the feast of life. After all, life in all its fullness begins here and now – even if our attempts to create it are flawed.
Justice is about fairness – and our economy does not deliver fairness. But we find it difficult to talk about – and certainly difficult to change. Meanwhile, God’s intentions remain focused on justice – not least for those who are poor.
While development agencies like Christian Aid help us to stay focused on global justice, there are
Politics, for sure, is never perfect, and there will always be compromises between different interests, but it remains an intrinsic part of the Church’s mission to respond to God’s vision for justice and peace – and this calls us to be concerned with the messy debates about public policy, believing that God’s alternative kingdom comes a little closer through good news for the poor, the feeding of the hungry, the cancelling of debt, and the pursuit of the good society in which no-one is left on the margins.
I found life’s meaning!
By Lee Saunders, a member of Old Meeting House CC in Colegate, Norwich
Lee speaking at his
WhenI was a brand new Christian reading my Bible, I came across the book of Ecclesiastes and instantly resonated with it. Here was a man who had followed a spiritual pathway that I recognised: a continuous searching for purpose and meaning in a life that seemed not to contain any.
I followed this path as a young man, trying things the world’s way. Firstly, I worked hard to make money, but this didn’t bring me the hoped-for peace so I moved on to something else: trying friends and a busy social life, with lots of partying and casual relationships.
The only thing I gained from this was a 24/7 drug habit but still no peace, so I moved on to family and an attempt at respectability. I was successful in doing so and gained the respect of my community, working hard bringing up well-behaved children and paying my bills, involving myself in local charitable and community causes.
But the whole time I was sliding further and further into dark depression, as none of the things I had tried had given me any peace or contentment. The drugs were no longer helping with the desperation, so I began drinking as well, and was soon an alcoholic as well as a drug addict.
My mental health and behaviour soon began to suffer and criminality entered my life, not out of need
but just as another attempt to shape some meaning out of life. This soon resulted in prison. This meant little to me as the numbness I felt just continued, but then one morning another prisoner tasked with the job of collecting lists for church called through the locked door: “Do you want to go to church?“
Without any reason I remember, I replied I would be going to church. So when the doors were unlocked I went to church, not knowing why. There was a full service that day but I don’t really remember it. I only remember the crucifix on a far wall to my left. I remember begging Jesus to help me, not with anything specific but just to be helped, as I was truly desperate.
My first Bible was a free Gideon Bible from the prison chapel, and from there I got a prison job as a chapel orderly and got to spend my time serving a Christian community made up of other prisoners. When I was released I began looking for a church immediately, sending out emails but never with a single reply. I wondered if my past was discouraging churches from accepting me, but trusted God would not leave me without fellowship.
When I was released I had been given a probation office to report to, and being in a new area I had chosen parking almost at random, with only its proximity to the probation office in mind. From the first time I parked there, I noticed a sign at the edge of the car park pointing to a Congregational church. I took it in, but never having heard of such a church I wasn’t certain it was the denomination for me.
After many months of praying to God for a church that would accept me, I went to my usual probation meeting and as I pulled up in the car park I noticed the sign for the church once more. Then God asked me how many times he would have to place a church literally in front of me before I would see it!
I sent an email to the Minister at the church, Rev Dr John Clements, that afternoon and received a reply a few hours later. I am now a member at the Old Meeting House Congregational Church and believe I was definitely led there by God. I no longer drink or do drugs, I work with gratitude for the job the Lord has provided and live simply in the Lord’s peace.
I haven’t suffered a day’s depression since Christ found me and I find contentment in all things, knowing that God works out all things for those that love him.
church, Old Meeting House Congregational Church in Norwich
The Chapels Society visit to the Wirral, Cheshire
By MG Jones, Secretary of Union Chapel Congregational Church, Islington
The Chapels Society exists to foster interest in the historical importance of nonconformist places of worship (in other words, non-Anglican churches).
It’s a small organisation with a big ambition: to seek to promote the survival of non-conformist places of worship, their buildings and interiors. Where churches close, the society can help introduce the trustees to those who might find a sympathetic use for their building (such as the Historic Chapels Trust). More importantly, they can offer encouragement and advice for those who find it difficult to keep going.
The society is a membership organisation and as part of its remit sees the running of events and publication of regular newsletters and a scholarly journal as an essential part of the society’s work.
From the members’ perspective, apart from the publications we get the chance to join themed conferences and organised visits.
One of the latter was at the end of April, when I was able to persuade our own Yvonne Campbell (CF’s General Secretary) to join me on a day’s tour of the churches and meeting places on the Wirral. Starting at Port Sunlight we were taken by coach to seven different chapels – Congregational/URC, Methodist/ URC, Roman Catholic and Quaker – ending in Wallasey.
Most were still open save for one – but we got the opportunity to see it before its conversion to housing. It was probably the last time a visitor could get that chance.
We are always welcomed by the local congregations, who are often struggling to keep going and rarely have the chance to share what they care for with appreciative visitors. Our visits often say ‘you’re not alone’ to the local fellowship.
And of course, the day concludes with a traditional chapel tea!
If you’d like to learn more of the work of the Chapels Society have a look at their website and see if it appeals – www.chapelssociety.org.uk/about.
Above clockwise: Trinity URC in Birkenhead St George’s Church in Thornton Hugh
One of the windows in Leverhulme Chapel in Port Sunlight
Below: MG Jones with Yvonne Campbell on the Wirral tour bus
The Chapels Society are combining their AGM with an afternoon walking tour of Hampstead Garden Suburb and Golders Green in North London on Saturday 29 June – contact them if interested.
Grandparenting for Faith: Sharing God with the Children You Love the Most
By Becky Sedgwick
Reviewer: Eva Maudsley, Secretary at Wavertree Congregational Church
An excellent book with numerous ideas and examples for grandparents to create opportunities with grandchildren to help them connect with God. It shares numerous stories and experiences of how
other grandparents have encouraged their grandchildren to take everything to God in prayer. It also gives five practical tools to help with all of the above; a really interesting read.
Becky Sedgwick is the resources coordinator for Parenting for Faith. She has been resourcing and equipping parents for the past 15 years, first as a local family worker in her church, and more recently as local church coordinator for Parenting for Faith.
Published 2024 by Bible Reading Fellowship; available at brfonline.org.uk, eden.co.uk or standrewsbookshop.co.uk
The Return of the God Hypothesis
By Stephen C. Meyer
Reviewer: Andrew Halloway, Refresh Editor
Philosopher of science Dr Stephen Meyer shows why three major scientific discoveries reveal a Mind behind the Universe. As a Christian, Meyer believes that Mind is the God of the Bible.
Meyer is one of the world’s leading proponents of intelligent design theory, which concentrates on the scientific evidence for design in life and the universe. Meyer shows why modern science, rather than supporting atheism, actually points to a
personal God who operates beyond space and time.
The three discoveries he discusses are the Big Bang which shows the universe and time had a beginning, the extraordinary fine-tuning of physics that makes our universe and life possible, and the complex biological information in organisms that could only have come from an intelligent Mind.
Readers would also benefit from his previous best-sellers, ‘Signature in the Cell’ and ‘Darwin’s Doubt’, which show that neo-Darwinian theory without the input of a deity is not a credible explanation for the history of life on the planet, only for minor variations.
Published 2021 by HarperOne; available in all major bookshops and online retailers
Unstoppable Church
By Hugh Osgood
Reviewer: Yvonne Campbell, CF General Secretary
Hugh Osgood sums up the theme of his book by saying: “At a time when people are searching for discipleship courses, God is saying ‘here is my Church’ – it’s the ultimate development plan for every generation. I honestly believe that if every church leader and every church member grasps the dynamism that God has poured out and is pouring into his Church, we will see vibrant congregations that can foster growth, learning and mutual support in a way that will benefit the world with a truly unstoppable Church.”
‘Unstoppable Church: Embracing God’s Discipleship Plan’ invites readers to reimagine their role within the Church. Osgood challenges the conventional perception of ministry and explores a profound idea: What if God’s calling is not about speaking to thousands but ministering to one person at a time?
In this thought-provoking journey, Osgood navigates the dichotomy between aspiring for a grand platform and the significance of individual callings. Drawing from biblical narratives, particularly the momentous Pentecost, he emphasizes how every believer can hear God’s call to discipleship as distinctly as the first twelve apostles did.
Published 2024 by Malcolm Down Publishing; available for only £7.99 from the author’s website: www.hughosgood.com
Wealwayspray foryou,andwegive thankstoGod,the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:3
JULY
Never stop praying.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
• Pray for your Minister or/and the deacons in your church.
• Pray they have a good rest planned for the summer.
• Pray for their protection and inspiration for them.
• Pray for other Christians that they are encouraged and grow deeper in their relationship with God.
• Pray for the persecuted Church around the world.
• Pray for rest and a good work life balance for those who work long hours.
• Pray at all times in the day; share your day with Jesus.
AUGUST
Encourage each other and build each other up.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
• Pray for all those who work in the travel industry, at airports, holiday resorts or hotels.
• Pray for the many Christian festivals that will take place, that faith is strengthened and many more people give their hearts to Jesus.
• Pray for refugees who have had to flee their homes and all those who support them.
• Pray for all those who are oppressed or vulnerable.
• Pray our churches are places of safety and welcome to all.
• Pray for a revival in our churches.
SEPTEMBER
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Joel 2:28
• Pray for schools, colleges and universities and all those who work in them.
• Pray for children and young people who are starting a new school or moving home.
• Pray for churches and inspire them on how they can support teachers and students in their area.
• Pray for new mission activities in our churches, that they flourish and more people come to church.
• Pray for Harvest celebrations and thank God for farmers and all the work they do.
OCTOBER
Shout to the Lord, all the earth!
Psalm 98:4
• Pray for all those who are still affected by the legacies of slavery.
• Pray for all those who are victims of abuse, be it from race, sexual orientation, etc.
• Pray for a change of attitude, compassion and understanding.
• Pray for all those who work to stop modern slavery or work to support survivors of abuse.
• Pray that our churches will start the Honest Church initiative (see https://honestchurch.org.uk)
