A former United Reformed Church General Secretary is to retire from a prominent role within the national instrument of the Christian Church in England. 

The Revd David Cornick, who became General Secretary of Churches Together in England (CTE) in 2008 and retires from the role at the end of September, reflects on his time in the position.

‘It has been a fascinating, privileged ten years. No other job in English church life offers such a panoptic view of what is going on in English Christianity. Fourteen denominations/networks of churches have joined CTE in that decade: that’s 30% of our total membership of 47. 

A young United Reformed Church member, who travelled 5,570 miles to help a charity, created after a devastating tsunami, has written about her experience.

Thanks to a grant received from the URC’s children’s and youth work committee, Megan Bennet Moir, 19, was able to volunteer in Sri Lanka working with disadvantaged children.

Megan, a member of Augustine United Church, Edinburgh, arrived home in July after spending 11 months working in the developing country with The Senahasa Trust, on behalf of the Project Trust.

As the United Reformed Church's first official Pioneer Minister, the Revd Janet Sutton Webb has launched a website to share her learning. She is also entering her tenth and final year in the post and reflects on the experience.

I have been living and working in a small rural market town in Devon with people who would not normally be interested in going to church, and to find out what following Jesus might look like if undertaken alongside them. My job title, Emerging Church Pioneer, is a strange one, and so is the job. 

One of the greatest gifts, but also greatest challenges, has been to stand intentionally on the edge of our church institution and try to see it through the eyes of an outsider.  It has been both illuminating and, at times, painful. I have found myself questioning many of the customs, doctrines and practices that we, as a denomination, hold dear.