St. Margaret's United Reformed Church - South Shields

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News Update                                   May 2026

Keeping you informed with the latest news from around the URC

Drown out division with A Million Acts of Hope

Across Wales, Scotland and England, United Reformed Church (URC) congregations, community groups, and projects show up for people in their neighbourhoods every day. As part of the national “A Million Acts of Hope” week of action, taking place 13-20 May, the URC wants to celebrate these acts of care, kindness and connection by highlighting your hope in action, showcased through photos or short videos that we’re inviting you to send in. Learn all about A Million Acts of Hope and how you can get involved.

Children’s, Youth & Intergenerational Discipleship 

Dr Sam Richards, former Head of Children’s, Youth and Intergenerational Discipleship, says goodbye to the URC for new pastures, an eight-year-old, inspired by the story of a young footballer who lost his leg to cancer, gains a Lundie Memorial Award after raising £1,500 for charity, and Wise Words 4 All, a new all-age resource full of fun activities are just three highlights of the latest Children’s Youth and Intergenerational newsletter, out now! Download your copy.

Help stop Rosebank with JPIT’s climate craftivism project

Stop Rosebank opposes the UK’s largest undeveloped oil and gas field because new projects like this lock us into climate‑damaging systems and push us further beyond the 1.5°C limit. Inspired by craftivism, JPIT invites you to get creative: knit, sew, crochet, paint — and send what you make to your MP, encouraging them to sign the #StopRosebank pledge. Learn all about the campaign.

Welcome Churches

Local URCs are responding to a national call to become welcoming spaces for refugees and people seeking asylum. Founded in Derby, Welcome Churches has grown into a network of more than 1,420 churches offering friendship and practical support. In an encouraging article, the churches explain the benefits of being part of the Welcome Churches network. Learn how you and your church can get involved.

Christian Aid Week

Christian Aid Week 2026 takes place 10-16 May and this year’s campaign shines a light on the devastating reality of urban poverty in Kenya. Join our Christian Aid partners as we find all the creative ways we can give, act and pray in support of our global neighbours. Learn more about Christian Aid Week.
Image: David Macharia.

Stepwise launches two new streams

The URC’s discipleship development programme, Stepwise, is launching two new streams offering participants more choice, flexibility, and depth in their learning journey, along with an introductory taster session designed to help individuals or groups explore what Stepwise is all about before committing to a full stream. Learn more about Stepwise.

Middle East Justice Appeal

All We Can, a Methodist relief and development charity, is relaunching its appeal with the Methodist Church in Britain and the United Reformed Church, to raise money for partners who are delivering life-transforming, essential work in the Middle East. Learn more about the appeal which originally launched in November 2024 and how you can help.

Synod news

National Synod of Wales

Local churches in Cardiff who have put their faith into action by campaigning for months, have seen their efforts pay off after Cardiff Council became the first in Wales to endorse the global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a landmark initiative aimed at phasing out fossil fuels worldwide. Learn more about this story.

Wessex

Wessex Synod has welcomed a formal legal notice issued by Oxfordshire County Council addressing the repeated installation of flags on or near highways without consent. The Synod said: “We welcome any step that helps ensure our streets and public spaces are places of safety, dignity, and neighbourliness for all.”
Image: Les Chatfield/Wikimedia Commons/CC by 2.0.

Yorkshire 

A huge welcome to the URC Eldership family as Jane Simpson, Carol Rowe and Lucy Tiffany, were ordained and inducted by the Revd John Campbell as Elders of Dacre URC, a rural church in Nidderdale, and member of the NOW Mission partnership, a group of churches named after three of the Yorkshire rivers flowing from the Pennines to the sea. 

East Midlands

Whetstone URC celebrated the 90th anniversary of its current building with a Ritz-style tea. In the process the church raised £390 for its local air ambulance charity and £700 towards its roof repair fund. In total, the church has more than 200 years of witness in the village. 

Photos wanted for the 2027 URC Calendar

The 2027 URC calendar, titled “Transparent as glass”, will feature stained glass windows and glass sculptures from our churches and Local Ecumenical Partnerships. We invite you to send in your photos of large and small windows, and any sculptures made from, or including, glass. The calendar is supported by Edwards Insurance. Full details on the website.

Share your good news

If you have a good news story that can inspire, raise hope or show God’s work in action then please let URC Communications know. We would love to help share your news across the denomination and in local news outlets. Email the URC Press Office call 07976 753 950.

This month in Reformed magazine

Pop quiz — What’s the first name of singer-songwriter and musician Sheeran? What is the nickname of the person who commission articles for a magazine? Equality and Diversity are usually shortened to which two initials? Which Miliband brother is the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero? Which two letters, suggested by its readers, have been added to the name of the URC’s magazine? Learn how to get a free copy of the URC’s magazine.

Please order online using the URC Bookshop’s easy-to-use website www.urcshop.co.uk or by calling 020 7916 8629.

Book Nook Craft Kits are wooden, miniature, decorative dioramas designed to fit between books on a shelf, supplied as compete kits with miniature tools and battery-operated lights. They are a form of DIY craft which offer relief from stress, mindfulness and focus that can reduce anxiety and boost serotonin, as well as improve cognitive functions. £15.54 – £25.82 + p&p.

URC water bottles, made from recycled water bottles, are available in blue, green. This 500ml water bottle is made from RPET, a material made from recycled plastic water bottles which can be recycled again. Each bottle comes with an aluminium twist-on lid and handy loop attachment. 205 tall x 60mm diameter. £4.99 +p&p.

URC logo lightweight eco-friendly reusable raincoats are available in URC blue, purple, yellow or pink, the new URC lightweight, branded, waterproof raincoat comes with a drawstring hood, elasticated sleeves and popper fastenings. One size fits all older children and adults. £5.99 + VAT + p&p.

Sing and make music pin badge — a 3cm x 3cm soft enamel metal pin badge with the words from Ephesians 5.19: “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” Supplied with a butterfly clasp. £1.99 +p&p.

A range of gifts for book lovers are available, visit urcshop.co.uk/books.

Resources

URC Learning Hub

Visit the URC Learning Hub, the home for all the URC blended learning and self-access online programmes. Learn what the Hub has to offer.

Children and Youth Friendly Scheme

The Children and Youth Friendly Church Scheme can help your church improve the welcome it gives to children, young people and families. Learn how to join the scheme.

What’s On

Be recharged, equipped and inspired

RechargePLUS, an ecumenical event shaped by the National Synod of Scotland, Presbytery of Glasgow, and the Church of Scotland, takes place on 5 September from 9am-4pm at The Studio in Glasgow. The event is for people from all denominations and all areas of ministry to learn through creative, accessible, and intergenerational approaches. Book here.

Tackle big questions at FaithTalk 

Come and join in the conversations at our next FaithTalk webinar on 16 July at 7pm. FaithTalk is an occasional relaxed, open conversation held online to explore how we share our faith and tackle some of the big questions. To learn more and register for a link, see Evangelism in the URC.

Buildings for Mission Forum

How are you using your church building for God’s mission? The next Buildings for Mission Forum webinar takes place on 19 May at 7pm. Register here.

Become a Single Friendly Church

Do you want to welcome more single people into your church? Join Single Friendly Church’s free online event on 2 June at 11am to get practical tips for including single people in five areas of church life. Sign up here. 

Recruitment

For full details of all the latest job and volunteer opportunities, see www.urc.org.uk/jobs

Volunteer opportunities

Convenor to the Board of Studies – Westminster College
The Convenor of the Board of Studies is appointed by the College and agreed by General Assembly which appoint the postholder to the Board of Governors and also as a Trustee of the College.

Nominations Committee — URC Youth Representative
If you’re passionate about making sure young voices shape the future of the URC, this is your chance to step up, represent URC Youth nationally, and influence who helps lead the denomination into its next chapter.

Business Committee Youth Representative
We are seeking a dedicated young person under the age of 26 to join the URC’s Business Committee. If you want to help shape the future of the URC, increase your communications skill, expand your network, and help represent the next generation of URC leaders, we’d like to hear from you.

Safeguarding Committee – Convenor
Do you have current or recent working knowledge of safeguarding with children and/or adults at risk, and an understanding of contextualised safeguarding withing the faith setting? If so, please consider registering your interest for this role.

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The United Reformed Church
Church House, 86 Tavistock Place
London, WC1H 9RT
Tel: 020 7916 2020
Email: [email protected]

The United Reformed Church was created by church unions in 1972, 1981 and 2000, facilitated by Acts of Parliament passed in each of those years. It has a number of associated bodies: The United Reformed Church Trust (URC Trust) is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales (Registered Number: 135934); it is also a registered charity (Registration Number: 1133373). The United Reformed Church Ministers’ Pensions Trust Ltd is a limited company registered in England & Wales (Registered Number: 2821011). The United Reformed Church Retired Ministers’ Housing Society Ltd. is a registered Community Benefit Society under the Co-operative & Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Number 15986R). The Registered Office for all the aforementioned bodies is Church House, 86 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9RT. 

St. Margaret's United Reformed Church - South Shields

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