Denominational News

Please note: The URC monthly Magazine has changed its name to REFORMED, to avoid confusion with the political party.

Every issue has regular articles. One such article is called “A Good Question” and this question has four answers. The latest is, Assisted Dying: Should the UK change the law?  The answers were provided by:

 Steve Faber, Moderator of the United Reformed Church’s West

Properly funded palliative care can alleviate the pain.

You wouldn’t treat a dog like that’. I’ve heard that a few times from those who believe humanity is best served by allowing those terminally ill and in chronic pain to receive assistance in ending their life. But that is wholly the wrong place to start the conversation.

Tony Brett, a member of St Columba’s United Reformed Church in Oxford, 

I worry about the vulnerability of those at the end of Life.

This is a sensitive question, wrapped in personal pain, ethical complexity, and deep spiritual significance. While I do not hold a rigid position, my reflections are shaped by my faith, my lay ministry to the dying and bereaved, and the loss of my own mother.

 Fran Kissack is a Chaplain in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS

‘Legislation must reflect our values’

The question of assisted dying is a question about the nature of the society we want to live in. Am I an island? Is my life all about me and my choices, or is it about us and the society of which we are all part?

 Anjum Anwar is a teacher and former dialogue development officer for Blackburn ‘Life according to Islam is God’s gift’

My understanding from an Islamic perspective is that all types of assisted dying are prohibited in Islam, whether that is direct or indirect. Islam has forbidden one to take one’s life intentionally. Life is given and taken by God with his permission, therefore, human intervention in assisting someone to die is forbidden in Islam, as is suicide, and comes under major ‘sin’ in Islamic theology.

If you would like to read the full article copies are available from Marcia.

CARDIFF CHURCHES SHAPE CLIMATE DECISION – The efforts of three campaigning Local churches in Cardiff have paid off after Cardiff Council became the first in Wales to endorse the global Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. The treaty is a landmark initiative aimed at phasing out fossil fuels worldwide.

For months, members of Cardiff-based churches – including Beulah URC, City URC and Canton Uniting Church – along with members of the wider community have been writing to councillors, hosting events, inviting speakers, and finding creative ways to keep climate justice on the agenda.

In March, Cardiff Council voted to endorse the global call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty which seeks to develop ‘a concrete, robust, binding plan to protect people and the planet from the multifaceted threats posed by oil, gas, and coal-from climate change and health crises to security and economic instability.

Eighteen nations have already joined the initiative and are participating in discussions on negotiating a Fossil Fuel Treaty to complement the Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change.

Before the vote, members of the three churches gathered alongside others from the Cardiff Eco Churches network. Working with partners including Climate Cymru and Global Justice Now, they showed their support for the motion, and for the wider vision behind it.  Now the motion has passed, Cardiff joins cities such as London, Edinburgh and Birmingham, in backing a coordinated global response to the climate crisis.

Eileen Newington, the National Synod of Wales’ Green Advocate, said: ‘The fossil-fuelled climate emergency is already causing flooding and extreme weather in Wales. A global exit plan will help protect people here and worldwide.

New appointments to key roles in the United Reformed Church this spring include the Revd Dr Phil Wall as Head of Ministries, Learning and Development. Dr Wall comes to the Offices of General Assembly from Milton Keynes where he served in young offenders chaplaincy. Before that he served for eight years in the Welsh valleys. Before ordination he worked as a Childline counsellor and a secondary school teacher. We send our good wishes to Phil as he starts his new job.

EcoTips from A Rocha UK

A Rocha have produced a calendar of small actions we can all take to help climate change. June is about encouraging people to get involved in various nature projects by taking part in citizen science or a local nature event.

Citizen science is a way for ordinary people to get involved in scientific research or data collection. There are many projects to choose from and it’s easy to make a contribution. Invite others to get involved with you too. Here are some projects that you could help with:

• Search your local beach with a shore survey: Shoresearch | The Wildlife Trusts
• Spend ten minutes counting pollinators: Welcome to the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) | PoMS
• Join in with Churches Count on Nature (6- 14 June): Churches Count on Nature – A Rocha UK
• Do a Bee Walk: Home | BeeWalk Survey Scheme
• Join Great Big Green Week (6-14 June): The Great Big Green Week

For more practical ways to enjoy, nurture and defend nature, sign up to

A Rocha UK’s Wild Christian email: Wild Christian – A Rocha UK

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