Church News – Caversham Park URC https://cpurc.org.uk One in Christ Jesus, engaged in God's Mission, empowered by the spirit. Thu, 10 Aug 2023 23:18:44 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://cpurc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/URC-logo-favicon-64x64-1.jpg Church News – Caversham Park URC https://cpurc.org.uk 32 32 Notice of AGM (2023) https://cpurc.org.uk/2023/08/10/notice-of-agm-2023/ Thu, 10 Aug 2023 20:46:38 +0000 https://cpurc.org.uk/?p=884752 [Read more...]]]> Annual General Meeting

Notice of our annual general meeting is hereby given to be held on:

Sunday 24th September 2023

at:

 Caversham Park Primary School
Queensway, Caversham Park, Reading, RG4 6RP

Meeting time: 12.15pm

Supporting documents and agenda will be available from the secretary on Sunday 3rd September in church and may be downloaded from the members section of this website on this date, or by contacting the secretary by email (secretary@cpurc.org.uk) or telephone – 0118 947 5152.

Notices issued by Doctor Alison Johnston (10th August 2023)

 

 

More to follow shortly…….

]]> Church at a crossroads https://cpurc.org.uk/2023/08/10/church-at-a-crossroads/ Thu, 10 Aug 2023 20:25:18 +0000 https://cpurc.org.uk/?p=884748 [Read more...]]]> 6 lessons from the United Reformed Church

The United Reformed Church (URC) approached Theos to conduct research into the life, identity, and flourishing of the URC. The key objective of the proposed research was to provide a snapshot of the URC today, exploring its identity rooted in practice, what flourishing looks like, what resources exist or need to be sought, and what barriers there are to flourishing in the future.

After a year of in depth research, what lessons can be learned from the URC?

1. The church is not always about numbers

The 2021 census data on religion is sobering. The number of people ‘checking out’ from religion is on the rise.

This is a truth, but it is not the whole truth. Indeed, the picture of faith in the UK is more nuanced; the landscape more complex than polling numbers and headlines suggest. While the URC is undeniably experiencing decline and contributes to the sobering national statistics, the lived reality is that very frequently small congregations have a disproportionate impact within their local communities.

In towns, villages and cities across the three nations the URC exists within it is in partnership with many others at local level, meeting community needs and serving Christ, as it serves those beyond its walls. Our research found that for 71% of United Reformed churches, community service is their first priority – a concern that trumps even pastoral care of their own members. So, while the figures and headlines paint a picture of doom and decline, small, even struggling congregations continue to do what they do best: quietly love their neighbours in practical ways and nurture community.

This is not only true of the URC: Church Urban Fund data in 2017 showed that 93% of Church of England churches at that time were involved in some way in the provision of food banks, and other more recent Theos reports have highlighted the impressive impact of local churches on social cohesion and practical care for the most vulnerable in their communities.

2. Historical theological commitments continue to affect modern church politics 

The URC is the result of the merger of the Congregational Church in England and Wales with the Presbyterian Church in England in 1972, with later unions with the Churches of Christ and the Congregational Church of Scotland. The distinctive congregationalist and reformed theologies which underpin the uniting churches continue to influence it in important ways. For example, the congregational ethos can be seen in the way normally individual local members, rather than central leadership, make the decision to start or close a local congregation. Indeed, while the broader structures of the denomination are clearly indebtedness to the reformed tradition, the congregational spirit of equality and inclusive participation in decision–making pervades the denomination.

This highlights the fact that churches are not merely secular organisations, but are driven by their unique faith commitments in all that they do. It is perhaps more accurate to view the church’s social witness as “social liturgy” than “social action”, reflecting its “deliberately God–focused” motivation in service to others.

More broadly, the popular image of Christianity in the UK draws on a highly idealised view of the traditional Anglican parish: a single priest of a single church, overseeing a clearly defined geographical area and directly accountable to a hierarchical structure above it. But not all churches operate a parochial system, and the URC is just one example of the various ways different Christian communities organise themselves.

3. Disagreeing well is a strength 

The URC at its core finds ways to live into significant diversity whilst remaining united. Its approach to same–sex marriage is an example of this. Whilst not without difficulty or frustration at times, people with different perspectives on issues of human sexuality live side by side as siblings. In a societal context where such issues are often framed as a ‘culture war’, the URC offers a profoundly counter–cultural reality in holding together difference. Concretely, the approach taken was to trust and allow local churches to make their own decision on same–sex marriage, rather than impose a church–wide position from the ‘centre’.

4. Church structures developed when the church was larger need reassessing 

One of the key findings of our research was that the structures and processes of the URC need simplifying and streamlining. Conceived when the denomination was significantly larger, structures that were once fit for purpose now risk stifling rather than enabling congregational life and mission. As many historic denominations with elaborate governance and administrative structures experience decline, the need to reform structures discerningly, to be more agile and fit for mission in changing times, is critical.

The URC is not alone in considering how its structures can best serve the needs of the church and community in the twenty–first century. The Church of England has particularly attracted mainstream media attention as it considers the balance between central structures and the parish level. The Quakers are engaged in a “Simpler Meetings” scheme to reduce the burden of structures and roles on the worshipping community. More positively, this reassessment is not always motivated by decline, as in the case of Pope Francis’s declaration that “synodality [is what] God expects of the Church of the third millennium”, calling the international Catholic Church to an inclusive process of discernment regarding how its culture, structures, and decision–making can be more open to the leadings of the Holy Spirit. These movements are not intended to bring about complete transformation of church structures, but rather seek to be agile and imaginative in the face of modern challenges.

5. Ministers and paid time make a real difference

There is a shortage of ministers in the URC. Ministers are stretched untenably between several congregations and localities. The minister–to–church ratio varies from synod to synod, but in one of the synods we studied, the ratio was approximately 20 ministers to 100 churches. Our research shows that the absence of a full–time minister has a negative effect on the congregational life and ministry of local congregations, limiting particularly their ability to meet the needs of their local communities through outreach activities. On the flipside, all of the churches we studied that thrived had a minister.

In a context of church decline, however, there is a need to innovate both at the level of theological training, improving quality and access, and building lay capacity for a more agile, participatory form of local leadership.

Other Theos research has also emphasised the critical importance of investing in leadership – not only for the flourishing of the church, but for the good of the whole community. Churches are wellsprings of formal and informal community leadership, forming (and paying) community champions who take initiative and empower their neighbourhoods, building up ‘dignity’ and a sense of ‘purpose’ in individuals and groups.

6. The church will flourish at the local level or not at all 

Flourishing churches we came across in the research had a clear understanding of why they existed in their localities as churches. They could articulate their mission in both spiritual and social terms. They were outward oriented, and maintained active relationship with their local communities.

As older, historic denominations reckon with the reality of decline, the promise of flourishing rests with a renewed sense of missional identity and purpose expressed locally, and the courage to drastically reform or jettison altogether wider denominational structures and processes that hinder rather than enable congregational life and mission.

Read the full report, The United Reformed Church: A Paradoxical Church at a Crossroads.

 

 

]]> Annual Letter To Local Churches https://cpurc.org.uk/2023/08/10/annual-letter-to-local-churches/ Thu, 10 Aug 2023 20:01:58 +0000 https://cpurc.org.uk/?p=884738 [Read more...]]]> To: All members and adherents of United Reformed Churches and our Local Ecumenical Partnerships

 

Dear Friends,

When will normal service be resumed?

As we are writing this letter and closing off the URC’s accounts for 2022, the country is still torn with industrial disputes, mostly notably with Health Service workers, rail industry workers, teachers etc. etc. Whatever your view as to the wisdom or justice of such action, we suspect all of us are affected by the disruption to some degree.

In church life too, are we back to “normal life”? Some churches no doubt have returned to something like their pre-Covid level of activity and attendance numbers. Quite a few have recommenced their activity but find their numbers have reduced. Some churches have found re-opening too difficult and have decided to close.

Whatever the “new normal” was to be, we suggest its arrival has (like many trains) been disrupted, delayed, or cancelled all together.

The URC’s finance officers had concerns that the late arrival of the return to normality would impact very significantly on the giving to the M&M Fund in 2022. However, the churches responded magnificently and the giving to M&M was £600,000 ahead of budget. It was also only 2.5% down on 2021’s result.

So, thank you to all who continued to contribute to your local church, thank you to all those churches who met their commitment for 2022 in full, and thank you to all those who, in adversity, continued to treat the M&M Fund as the first priority and paid what they could.

With normal service not yet resumed, 2023 is not going to be an easy year either. We now have the added disruption of high inflation, pushing up wages and overhead costs. As the Spirit directs and as our means allow, can the churches once more respond to the call of our gracious, loving and ever-generous God?

Again, thank you all!

If you have any questions or comments arising from this letter, please speak to your church treasurer who has been provided with more detailed information. If they are not able to help directly then they can get in touch with the finance team at Church House.

 

Yours in Christ,

Ian Hardie (Treasurer)

Vaughan Griffiths (Deputy Treasurer)

(Download a copy of this letter)

]]> Thanks from the URC Finance Committee https://cpurc.org.uk/2023/08/10/thanks-from-the-urc-finance-committee/ Thu, 10 Aug 2023 19:39:19 +0000 https://cpurc.org.uk/?p=884726 [Read more...]]]> Ministry And Mission Fund – Annual Letter To Local Churches

Dear Church Treasurer

The purpose of this letter and annexes is to provide local churches with an annual update on the Ministry and Mission (M&M) Fund, as requested by General Assembly. This letter is aimed mainly at church treasurers and provides some detailed financial information. Accompanying it is a Word document containing the text of a “thank you” letter to each person in your congregation. We hope this will find its way into church magazines/newsletters as well as synod newsletters and onto church and synod websites. Ideally, we would like every member of your congregation(s) to have sight of a copy. It will also be available on the stewardship page of the URC website along with other resources.

Post-Covid
Just as we seemed to be emerging from the effects of the Covid pandemic the country has been hit with significant financial disruption through a jump in inflation to levels unseen for 15 years and a cost of living crisis for many. Some URCs have returned to some stability (a “new normal”) but many are now struggling with significant cost increases, particularly in relation to fuel costs. Synods and the central URC have responded with schemes to give financial assistance for helping with individual bills or strategic investment in improving buildings’ fuel efficiency.

As members of local URCs and Synods ourselves, we (as stewards of the national church finances) understand those pressures and we are living through the challenges with our
own people.

In 2022, the shared generosity of the Synods led to income to the M&M Fund of £16.8 million, £600k higher than the budget.

We hope the enclosed /attached letter adequately expresses the thanks of the finance officers of the national church. We hope it will also enable you to encourage your people to continue to be the generous and cheerful givers we are assured God loves (2 Corinthians 9 v.7).

Additional Financial Information
The letter to church members is deliberately light on financial data. Its main purpose is to say ‘thank you’. The additional information in our letter to you is to inform you and to provide you with resources to help with your discussions and presentations regarding future giving to the M&M Fund.

Summary of financial information – Annexes
Annex 1 gives a summary of the income and expenditure of the M&M Fund in 2022 as well as the budget for 2023. The annual budget is normally presented to, and adopted by, Assembly Executive at its autumn meeting of the previous year. The actual outcome, in the form of the statutory accounts of the URC Trust, will from now on be reported to General Assembly each year. The audit of the 2022 statutory accounts is nearing completion as we write.

When the statutory accounts are finalised, they will be made available in the Finance section on the Church website. If you want a printed copy, please contact the Finance Office at the above address. These accounts cover all the central finances of the United Reformed Church, which is principally the M&M Fund but also includes other Funds such as the Retired Ministers Housing Society.

Overall, the figures in Annex 1 show a deficit (i.e. excess of expenditure over income) for 2022 of £1.9 million. However, this was largely anticipated due to the very large increase in future benefit contributions required to the pension schemes. The change of those schemes from defined benefit to defined contribution funding with effect from 1 March 2023 essentially closes off the funding of deficits, through the commitments of Synods given last year for a deficit reduction plan through to 2030.

In late 2022 we made a payment to each stipendiary minister to assist with the cost of living rises – this was not something we had planned for in the budget and cost around £274k.

Annex 2 summarises 2022 income and expenditure in the form of pie charts.

Income
The giving of local churches to the M&M Fund reduced by £400k (2.5%) to £16.8m in 2022, but in the post-Covid recovery period, this is a another remarkably good result. Investment and other income took the gross income of the M&M Fund to a total of £18.8m.

Expenditure
Total expenditure in 2022 was about £100k less than budget.

The costs of stipendiary ministers and church related community workers, including training, stipends and pensions, represent around 80% of total expenditure.

2023 Budget
Budgeted income for 2023 includes a possible reduction of 2% on church contributions
(based on synod projections) and investment and other income similar to 2022, so that gross projected income is almost £18m.

Budgeted expenditure for 2023 is £18.6m, significantly lower than the actual 2022 expenditure, mainly due to the additional pension contributions taken as part of normal remuneration which ended in February 2023 on the change of pension scheme arrangements.

In the table below, “Direct Ministry Costs” relate to stipends, pension and NI contributions for stipendiary ministers and CRCWs. “Ministry-related Costs” include the costs of ministerial training and synod moderators. The wide variety of other work funded centrally, including discipleship development, children and youth work, ecumenical and international links, governance and administration are bundled together in “Other Costs”.

The central column does not mean that each minister costs £58k. It means that the total budget supported by M&M giving works out at about £58k for every minister deployed in local churches. The right-hand column suggests that giving of £486 per member is needed. This is, of course, an average. We are all asked to give according to what we can afford and
as we sense the call of God on our finances.

URC Ministers’ Pension Fund
As we reported to Synod Treasurers recently, the challenge of covering deficit contributions on the existing Ministers’ pension scheme has been met by a “family solution to a family problem” with extraordinary commitments to contributions made by all Synods. These contributions are held in a restricted fund separate from the M&M Fund. Contributions are made across to the Ministers’ Pension Fund on an agreed basis (the Schedule of Contributions) and reported quarterly.

The move to a URC Pension Fund based on a defined contribution scheme was effected from 1 March 2023.

Contributions to the M&M Fund in 2022 and beyond
Thank you for your continuing efforts over this past year’s extraordinary circumstances to maintain the income of your local church and thereby to make your contribution to the M&M Fund. We do very much appreciate all that you are doing, and encourage you to continue through 2023 as you and we plan for 2024 and beyond.

Further Help
If you have any questions about anything in this letter, please do not hesitate to forward your questions/comments via the Finance Office at Church House on 020 7916 8644 or by email to john.samson@urc.org.uk.

Thank you for all the time and expertise that you give to your local church and through it to the wider church. Financial stewardship plays an important part in the life of the church and your contribution is appreciated.

Yours in Christ
On behalf of the URC Finance Committee

Ian Hardie
Immediate Past Treasurer

Vaughan Griffiths
Deputy Treasurer

Annex 1

Annex 2

]]> New Mobile/Tablet App https://cpurc.org.uk/2020/10/28/new-mobile-tablet-app/ Wed, 28 Oct 2020 15:49:39 +0000 https://cpvc.org.uk:5152/?p=91956 [Read more...]]]> In order to help us keep in tough easier in addition to our website and email systems we now have a Mobile/Tablet App to help you keep up to date with church activities.  There are two levels of use:

  1. Download and select church, the menu will give you the basic public content.
  2. Download and select church, then register under the member section of our website, the menu will now give you the advanced content such as address book, rotas and events with advanced calendar including multimedia learning and Bible study and more (All information here is protected via encryption and protected by password).

Ideal for use by those who are tech savvy and, on the go, and for those who cannot attend church in person, or who just wish to learn and hear about God’s kingdom in new ways.  Download information click here.

]]> Multi-Media learning https://cpurc.org.uk/2020/10/28/multi-media-learning/ Wed, 28 Oct 2020 11:16:20 +0000 https://cpvc.org.uk:5152/?p=91737 [Read more...]]]> Multi-Media learning and group (on-line or otherwise) discussion topics

We now have an arrangement in place to utilise the learning and discussion multi-media programs offered by Churches Together England and the Open Bible Trust.

These will be published via our Website and our App over the next week, as sample of the material is now available via the ‘Talks & Devotions’ tab on the website or via the non-login menu of our mobile App.

There are several sets of material for us to use just now and the rest will require you to log into our website or our App to view (external visitors need to register, members contact the secretary for your log-in details).  This will allow us to monitor who is using them and improve the offerings as we build our outreach programs.

God Bless
Alison

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