Pastoral Thanks, News and Prayers

• Please remember Hettie in our thoughts and prayers – She is currently experiencing a really difficult time and she has asked us to share this and to remember her.
• Message from Kath Couchman – Thank you again to our wonderful Church family for all the concern shown while Dave was in hospital. Dave is home and doing well now, praise the Lord.
• It is so good to have that support, thank you again, with love in the Spirit, Kath
• Message from Colleen – I just wanted to say thank you to everyone from the church that were so kind to send me a birthday card, they were all very much appreciated. I had a wonderful day celebrating.
• We think of those of our fellowship, who are suffering from chronic conditions and illnesses, many of which have been exacerbated by the tremendous heat of the last couple of months. We are thankful for the cooler weather, and hopefully some rain, bearing in mind that drought is ongoing in many countries. As we enter the Season of Creation, help us to focus on prayer, worship and practical action, to protect the earth, and try to repair our relationship with creation, in any way we can.
• We think of those of our fellowship, who are not able to come regularly to worship any more, due to age and ill-health. May we be mindful of each of
  them, and keep in contact, to let them know that they are still remembered and cared for.
• We remember our friends who are grieving the loss of loved ones. We pray that they will be comforted in their sorrow, and our prayers help to sustain them, at this time.
• We think of children, some known to us, who will be starting school for the first time, this coming month; also, to those going to new schools. We pray that they will not be daunted and will settle in well to their new surroundings.
• We are pleased to hear that Marcia’s granddaughter will be starting her studies, in computer science, at Bath University. Our best wishes go with her, and to any others who we may know, as they start their studies, or work, in new surroundings.
• “We pray for those who have received exam results, during the last couple of weeks. Be with them in their joy, and in their sadness. Remind them that they are loved and valued and that their lives can never be reduced to a grade on a paper. For they are precious in your sight” (PRAYER FROM METHODISTS ONLINE)
• Thank you letter to Church Members from the URC concerning the Ministry and Mission Fund (the full letter can be found on the notice board in the hall).  Dear Friends,
  This letter is designed to give you an indication of the denomination’s central finances but is necessarily a brief over-view. Your church (or group) treasurer has a letter giving more detail.
  In recent years, on the Ministry and Mission (M&M) Fund, we have seen a gradual decline in church contributions and the shortfall on synod’s pledges have been made up by the synods themselves. We are hugely grateful to the synods for their generosity but recognise this is not sustainable over the long term.
  The central URC budget for expenditure (for 2026) includes several areas of expected costs reduction, significantly in staffing. Some very hard choices have been made and implemented. On the other hand, the URC needs to buy in expertise that we need for our world of increasing regulation and oversight, in view of the scarce resources available from volunteers. We hope that at local church level you will take a moment to reflect on the expertise (paid and unpaid) that steers the URC through all we have to do to be compliant with complex regulation (Please pray for us!).
  We know you have some of these challenges at local level too. We hope that one of the outcomes of the Church Life Review and Church Life Fund going forward will be the availability of URC resources and advice that can be accessed by local congregations.
  The annual audited accounts of the URC (for the year ended 31 December 2025) are now finalised and were published just before General Assembly. You can find a copy at https://urc.org.uk/trustees-report-and-financial-statements/
  So, thank you to all who continued to contribute to your local church, thank you to all those churches who met their commitment for 2025 in full, and thank you to all those who, in adversity, continued to treat the M&M Fund as the first priority and paid what they could.
  If you have any questions or comments arising from this letter, please speak to your church treasurer who has been provided with more detailed information.
  Yours in Christ,
  Alan Yates (Treasurer) & Vaughan Griffiths (Deputy Treasurer

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