More than 150 people, including the deputy Mayor of Liverpool Cllr Jane Corbett, attended the induction of the Revd Geoff Felton as Moderator of the United Reformed Church (URC) Mersey Synod.

Other denominational heads including the Rt Revd Paul Bayes, the Anglican Bishop of Liverpool; the Rt Revd Julie Conalty, Bishop of Birkenhead; the Most Revd Malcolm McMahon, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool; and the Revd Dr Sheryl Anderson, Chair of Liverpool Methodist District joined the celebration held at Blundellsand and Crosby URC on 4 September.

August's Lundie Memorial Award goes to Andrew and Daniel Shaw, from St Columba's United Reformed Church (URC), Wolverhampton.

The brothers, aged 15 and 13, are dedicated volunteers at the Community School Swap Shop which is part of the church's eco-church work.

They sort clothes, find and bag up the correct uniform and sizes for people and work at the open sessions helping people find what they're looking for.

With fewer volunteers due to the pandemic, the swap shop has been extremely reliant on the dedication of the brothers who gave up much of their school holidays.

As the 20th anniversary of September 11th approaches, the United Reformed Church joins with the Revd Jennifer Mills-Knutsen, Senior Pastor of the American International Church in London, in offering this reflection:

I wish I could remember this event as the tragedy it was, rather than the tragedy it still is.

The 2,977 souls who lost their lives that terrible day were only the beginning. Hundreds more have died since, from 9/11-related illness and cancer (especially first responders) along with countless others who had their lives cut short by the spiritual and emotional distress they experienced.