The United Reformed Church Chesham

Preparing not pausing

Dear Friends, June 2025

This is the title given to our joint Pastoral Profile as we seek a new Minister together with Trinity URC High Wycombe and Cores End URC. The title was suggested by our Interim Moderator Alan Yates after he learnt of its use by an Anglican Church seeking a new Minister. It was enthusiastically agreed to by the Elders, from the three churches, who were involved in preparing the document. If you have not seen the Profile or its summary there is a copy of both on the table in front of you as you enter the church.

This development has been made possible by the retirement of Revd Terry Hinks the former Minister of the other two churches involved. Alan Yates foresight and the magnificent work of his wife Kate in supervising the preparation of the document and the Summary Profile means that the vacancy has already been declared and the pastorate approved by our Synod Pastoral Committee and the Synod Moderators have agreed to release the vacancy.

The vacant post will now be advertised to all serving URC Ministers in the UK. They will have access to the Summary Profile. Those Ministers expressing an interest will be sent the full Joint Profile. Meanwhile a vacancy group has been created comprising the Interim Moderator and three Elders from each church. The Elders representing our church are Naomi Butler, Heather Pugsley and Alan Callow. We anticipate the Synod Moderators will give the vacancy group the Personal Profile of one or more potential candidates and the group will decide if they wish to proceed with one of them.

Please pray that the members of the vacancy group will be able to discern the leading of the Holy Spirit in discerning a call to this important position. If the vacancy group and candidate believe this is indeed an inspired and appropriate call we will invite the candidate to visit us over a weekend to meet appropriate groups and lead a service at one of the churches. Each Church will then hold a Church Meeting, ideally at the same time with a vote by each member as the Spirit leads them.

Meanwhile we continue to prepare with regular Sunday worship, a thought-provoking study on the letter of James, an extensive outreach to our local community and a small army of volunteers doing all the jobs necessary to keep everything going as we wait to see who the Holy Spirit is calling to be our Minister.

Alan Callow