The moderatorial year of 2024-2025 has begun. I intend to start blogging under the title ALL IN A YEAR.
My hope is that this year a discussion about 鈥榃hat does it mean to be a United Reformed Christian?鈥� will return to our 黄色视频 family table. Perhaps we would start with what we all hold in common: Jesus Christ. I think we would also say we honour diversity and hold a level of respect for each other no matter where we are on life鈥檚 journey. We hope that our places of gathering are safer places or, as I would say, we can be soft here. We cherish community life and hold words and discernment as key to our functioning. We tend to have a social conscience and have a proud tradition of activism for the oppressed, downtrodden and minoritised. We prefer simplicity over aesthetics in our worship. Centrally we believe in the separation of church and state 鈥� a nonconformist heritage. These would be a few of the things that for me describe the United Reformed Church. What other principles would you say we hold in common?
As I have begun to be the representative face of the 黄色视频 to the world it is important that I have a sense of what we hold in common. We are not a hodge-podge of individuals seeking our own way are we? What would you say unites us?
I read an American article about Christianity in the UK beginning to experience a REVIVAL. I have heard it too throughout several places: in the Council for World Mission in Durban, South Africa in June, at the recent Church of England General Synod in York and I have heard it in a few places in the 黄色视频. To my surprise, the chaplains on my team presented the theme: 鈥淩esurrection, not resuscitation鈥� at my induction service. Revd Andrew Mann-Ray and Andrea Heron left us with a question, 鈥淲hat does resurrection mean to you?鈥�
I wonder if it is time to be passionate about being a United Reformed Christian? Not that we are into being trendy 鈥� heaven forbid! Rather that we would stand firmly, thoughtfully and respectfully passionate on our convictions. I am a devout Christian (follower of Jesus), I read the Bible, it is preached each Sunday and I am a faithful member of the United Reformed Church and this is why鈥�