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

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

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

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

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

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

A prayer for those affected by the Infected Blood Scandal

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

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

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

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

Image: Aman Chaturvedi/Unsplash.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image: .

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

Roo tells what happened at the event:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And they will not do this alone.

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

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

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

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

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

What followed was deeply unsettling.

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

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

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

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

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

As Christians, we are called to something different.

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

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

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

We must ask ourselves: how did we get here?

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

And perhaps most importantly: how do we respond?

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

Because the call of Christ is clear.

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

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

If you want to see a society that welcomes the stranger, the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) has a dedicated webpage kept up-to-date with briefings, resources and campaigns.
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No two days as Head of Safeguarding ever look quite the same, but a day earlier this month (14 April) captured the full breadth of the role — from people management to national policy and long‑term strategic development.

The morning began, as many do, by working through a busy inbox. I then moved on to a scheduled appraisal with one of the four members of the safeguarding team within the Offices of the General Assembly that I line‑manage. Supporting colleagues, recognising their achievements, and helping shape their development is one of the rewarding parts of my job. We have such a strong team, who have been instrumental in the cultural shift towards safeguarding in recent years.

By late morning, I was on a train into London to attend the All‑Party Parliamentary Group on Safeguarding in Faith Organisations. These sessions are always energising — a chance to connect with colleagues from across denominations and charities, as well as Members of Parliament who share a commitment to safer practice. We heard important updates on the progress of Mandated Reporting through Parliament, alongside news of a new inquiry into the definition of Regulated Activity — a topic with significant implications for faith settings, given the many nuanced roles within our churches.

During the journey, I was also able to work on papers for General Assembly, including reports for other committees as well as those from the Safeguarding Committee.

The journey home offered time to finalise the agenda for our wider safeguarding team’s annual residential. This year’s programme is shaping up to be particularly strong, with speakers including Dr Lisa Oakley on her work with survivors of abuse, Tim Carter, Director of Safeguarding for the Methodist Church, exploring the Dunning–Kruger Effect, and Space to Breathe, who will lead a session on psychological safety.

It was a long and full day — but one that reflects the purpose, partnership and continual learning at the heart of safeguarding. It is also why I feel honoured to be in this role, bringing together my Christian faith and my commitment to helping the Church be a safe place for all.

To learn more about the URC Safeguarding Team, see Safeguarding – United Reformed Church.

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Catriona Wheeler, United Reformed Church General Assembly Moderator, joined senior representatives of the Methodist Church, the Baptist Union in Great Britain in co-signing a letter asking Ed Miliband, as Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, to personally attend the , taking place 24-29 April.

The international summit is being co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands in Santa Marta, Colombia. This letter argues that the presence of the Secretary of State would convey a clear message of support from the UK for this new multilateral movement, and aid vital work to agree a detailed roadmap for a transition away from fossil fuels that is fast, fair, and funded.

The UK has a proud history of international climate leadership, with  that “We are up against the march of time and massive global forces that would slow down or stop action. In the face of this opposition, multilateralism is our best hope”. The faith leaders say that “Your words encouraged us […and] ​we ​encourage you to put them into action​ with fellow climate leaders​ in Santa Marta​”.

In an appendix to the letter, the leaders explain their shared motivation in issuing the call, saying: “To be good ​​carers ​of our common home, we must act quickly and phase out the production of fossil fuels… It is ​a ​moral imperative to protect those most in need and to uphold the​ rights of future generations​ ​​​and the whole earth​​​ ​​​​by employing renewable sources of energy.”

Revd Canon Giles Goddard, Chair of Faith for the Climate and signatory of the letter, said: “It’s really important that the UK continues its record of climate leadership by working with climate allies. In the face of a fossil fuel crisis, this conference is vital to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, and ensure that it is fast, fair and funded.

“Ed Miliband’s attendance would show the UK is serious about climate justice and wants to work together, especially with the countries most impacted by the climate crisis. As Ed said himself,  Santa Marta is a key opportunity to bring on ‘the era of clean energy security’.”

This conference has the support of many fellow climate leaders, such as the nations who signed the Belem Declaration on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels,  on the next steps in the fight for climate justice.  small island states especially at risk from climate change, such as Fiji and Jamaica, as well as close European allies of the UK, such as Spain and Austria. It also includes the co-host of COP31, Australia. These countries have welcomed the Santa Marta Conference  Several nations attending are major fossil fuel producers, including Colombia itself, as well as 

The initiative follows on from , and would represent an important step in furthering international discussions on climate change. The UNFCCC COP talks have struggled to maintain a focus on the phase-out of fossil fuels, despite it being referred to . This conference, independently organised by like-minded countries with high climate ambitions from Global South and North, would help to keep fossil fuel phase-out on the agenda as we look towards COP31 later this year.

To read the letter in full and for the full list of signatories, see .

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To support them, All We Can – a Methodist relief and development charity supporting local organisations worldwide with flexible funding, humanitarian assistance, and long-term community-led change – is relaunching its appeal with the Methodist Church in Britain and the United Reformed Church, and will continue to raise money for partners who are delivering life-transforming, essential work.

Our original appeal, launched in November 2024, was to help meet the humanitarian need resulting from the crisis in Gaza and Lebanon specifically. However, the scope of work of our partners has increased, and we want to remain flexible to support their work in the most efficient way possible. This includes supporting Palestinians increasingly targeted by Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.

Christian Palestinians are telling us through Kairos Palestine II that: “We live now in a time of genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement unfolding before the eyes of the world. This moment, a moment of truth — demands from us a new stand unlike any before it. While people of the world have stood in solidarity with us, the genocidal war has laid bare the hypocrisy of the Western world, its hollow values and its empty boasts of commitment to human rights and international law.” We heed their call.

The Israeli military has been accused of the crime of genocide, starvation, extermination and of crimes against humanity. There is an active investigation at the International Court of Justice into the Crime of Genocide, bought by South Africa against Israel.

We are asking you to show your solidarity with those in the Middle East through giving, praying and campaigning.

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Catriona Wheeler, Moderator of the United Reformed Church General Assembly, offers this prayer:

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For months, members of a group of Cardiff Eco Churches – including Beulah United Reformed Church (URC), City URC and Canton Uniting Church – have collaborated and campaigned together by meeting up with and writing to councillors, hosting events, inviting speakers, and finding creative ways to keep climate justice on the agenda. Cardiff Eco Churches is an ecumenical network of local churches committed to environmental stewardship and climate justice through the A Rocha Eco Church scheme.

In March, Cardiff Council voted to endorse the global call for a  which seeks to develop “a concrete, robust, binding plan to protect people and the planet from the multifaceted threats posed by oil, gas, and coal—from climate change and health crises to security and economic instability”.

Eighteen nations have already joined the initiative and are participating in discussions on negotiating a Fossil Fuel Treaty to complement the , a legally binding an international treaty on climate change.

Ahead of the vote, members from Beulah URC, City URC and Canton Uniting Church gathered outside County Hall alongside representatives from local Methodist churches and the Church in Wales. Working with partners including and , they showed visible support for the motion, and for the wider vision behind it.

Reflecting on the council’s endorsement and the role of local Eco Churches, the Revd David Salsbury, Moderator of Yr Eglwys Ddiwygiedig Unedig, Synod Cenedlaethol Cymru (the URC National Synod of Wales), said: “This decision proves that when churches stand together for creation and climate justice, their faith in action can influence change even at the highest level.  By raising their voices together, Cardiff’s Eco Churches have helped light the way toward a more sustainable and hope‑filled future”

During the Climate Coalition’s campaign, held each February, people signed letters, heard from activists, and took part in conversations about what a just future might look like. Junior church members of some churches got involved by making Cymru Cares lanterns to shine a light – both literally and symbolically – on the need for action, helping to keep climate justice on the agenda.

And it worked.

Councillors heard those voices. The motion passed. And Cardiff now joins cities like London, Edinburgh and Birmingham, alongside countries around the world, in backing a coordinated global response to the climate crisis.

Eileen Newington, National Synod of Wales Green Advocate said: “The fossil-fuelled climate emergency is already causing flooding and extreme weather in Wales. A global exit plan will help protect people here and worldwide who are already suffering the impacts of human-induced climate change.

“For many involved, this wasn’t just about environmental policy. It was about faith in action, caring for creation, standing with vulnerable communities, and speaking up where it matters.”

A from the day, shared by Climate Cymru, captures the atmosphere and highlights the role of Eco Churches in the campaign.

Sass Adams, Communications Officer for the National Synod of Wales, added: “Moments like this can feel small in the grand scheme of things, but they’re not. They’re a reminder that when churches work together, build relationships, and keep showing up, change can happen.”

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