The General Assembly of the United Reformed Church (URC), the denomination’s key decision-making body, is scheduled to meet, from 6 to 9 July 2018 at The Albert Hall, Nottingham.

The General Assembly meets every two years to celebrate, discuss, and make decisions on, the life and work of the denomination.

Items on the agenda for this meeting include: the induction of the Revd Nigel Uden and Mr Derek Estill as Moderators of the General Assembly (2018-20); the role of Elders within the URC, the future of General Assembly, and a discussion on deployment of URC Ministers of Word and Sacraments, and a new model of non-stipendiary ministry of Word and Sacraments; also the Church’s concerns over a set of policies known as the ‘hostile environment’ and its impact on individuals.

Six youth ambassadors have been recruited from across United Reformed Church synods to work as full members of the URC’s Greenbelt team and help raise the profile of the festival among the denomination’s youth.

Working with the URC’s children’s and youth work department, the youth ambassadors will be part of the URC team and camp at the event – which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend (24-27 August).

They will take shifts in the take-away tent, help run the Cake and Debate sessions, and work together to produce a vlog (video blog) of the event.

As a child, reading the story of Adam and Eve, I was convinced that God's prediction of their death had not come true. It seemed to me, then, that leaving the garden, and the proximity to God, were not death. I see things differently now.

We Didn’t Die

‘My dear ones, don’t go near that tree,
for you are both so dear to me.
And you will die. And then you’ll cry
and so will I,’
said God
so dreadfully.