Welcome to our church
We hope that you will find much to interest you here and will want to join with us as Christians in Fareham. Our church mission statement is "Sharing Jesus' love with the world today". This means we, all ages, come together each week for Sunday worship to listen for God's word for us. The rest of the week we try our best to act on what we have heard both in church and through our own prayers. We try to care for each other to the very best, and this love and care then flows out through all of us in our work, leisure and home lives. Wherever you are as regards faith in God, come among us and help us together, to grow closer to him day by day.
You may or may not be aware that there are now daily reflections, written by all kinds of contributors, made available by the United Reformed Church as emails. You can subscribe here to receive them. You can also find them on our website or on Facebook.
On the Death of His Holiness, Pope Francis
The United Reformed Church, with Christians everywhere, mourns the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, and extends its sympathy to Catholics who will grieve this loss most keenly. A reflection has been prepared and we hoped you find it useful in public and private prayer and reflection.
Eternal Majesty, we commend to You our brother Francis, give him the rest he so sorely needs.
Faithful Shepherd, help us to model in our lives and ministry, the mercy, radicalness, and missionary zeal of Your servant Francis, that Your kingdom will come.
Abiding Spirit, guide the College of Cardinals as they pray, discern, and elect a new pope, that that the ministry of oversight and leadership embodied in Pope Francis may bear good fruit. Amen
Alleluia - Christ Is Risen
God, we are blind, but you open our eyes, to see your glory revealed through your son Jesus Christ,
who died and rose again to lead us into life.
God, we are deaf, but you unstop our ears, to hear the power of your resurrection story.
Once we were dead but now in Christ we are alive.
God, we are dumb, but you set free our tongues, to rejoice and sing with all the hosts of heaven:
Holy, holy, holy is the one who infuses our world with the Spirit of life,
Holy, holy holy is the one who redeems and makes whole all who respond,
Holy, holy holy is the one in whose light we see that all creation will be made new.
Christians Together in Fareham - Good Friday Service of Witness
Christians Together in Fareham met for a service of witness at the Podium, West Street, Fareham on Good Friday.
Many walked from their own church carrying a banner or cross.
Hot cross buns were shared with visitors to the town centre during and at the end of the service.
Prayer for the Covid-19 Day of Reflection
The UK Government asked people to use Sunday 9th March as a day to reflect on Covid-19 as we approach the 5th anniversary of the first lockdown. This is one of the ten recommendations set out by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration. Fareham URC offers this prayer at this time of reflection.
Prayer for Covid Anniversary
Has it really been 5 years Lord?
- 5 years since lockdown, fear, heroic NHS staff, and a daily death toll on the news?
- 5 years since panic, uncertainty, and incompetence mixed with dedication, unity, and scientific ingenuity?
- 5 years since law breaking was contrasted so strongly with law keeping?
It feels so much further away than just 5 years.
- We’ve seen several different prime ministers and a different monarch; there again we’ve got the same US president back.
- The homeless have been returned to the streets – seems it was too expensive to keep on supporting them after all.
- Politicians are busy rewriting history, seeking to influence which lessons are to be learnt...and we live with the trauma.
So, we remember before you Lord those who have died, those whose lives are still wounded with grief and long Covid and those who gave their lives through caring.
We give thanks for doctors and scientists who found a vaccine so quickly, for advisors and planners who got the vaccine delivered so well, and for those who devised treatments to relieve suffering.
But Lord, we’re left with the pandemic’s legacy - unanswered questions, unresolved grief, and unaddressed anger which sit alongside our gratitude and admiration.
We wonder, Lord, what we can learn from the pandemic, whether we’re ready to hold to account
- those who failed to plan,
- those who could not lead with integrity,
- those who profiteered from suffering, and
- those who evaded justice.
We’re left wondering how to deal with both the trauma and the memories, and, most of all, Lord we wonder if we’re any better prepared for the next one.
So give us your wisdom, Lord, that we can navigate these times, and our memories, with honesty, grace, and the ability to bring change. Amen.
Ecumenical Prayer for Peace in the Middle East
We pray for the people of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. We long for peace and for an end to violence and destruction of every kind.
We unite our hearts with all who are suffering, with those who have lost loved ones, and with all who cry out in anguish.
Please God have mercy on us. Hear our voice that we not despair.
That we will witness life with each other, that we have mercy one for another,
That we share sorrow one with the other, that we hope, together, one for another.
Inscribe our lives in the book of Life, for Your sake, our God of Life. Let us choose Life.
For You are Peace, Your world is Peace and all that is Yours is Peace,
May this be your will. And let us say
Amen.
Intercessions in difficult times
Eternal One, we praise and give you thanks for all that is good in our lives
- for those we love,
- for those whose company we enjoy,
- for the beauty that surrounds us in the created order,
- for the random acts of kindness we see day by day,
- and for all that adds value and worth to our living.
Lord Jesus, you often told the rich off for ignoring the poor, you weren’t a great guest at dinner parties, rebuking the host for the guest list, telling folk not to grab the best seats, and to give without any hope of earthly reward. We lift to you, dear Lord
- all who are desperate in these days,
- all who already struggle to pay their bills,
- all who are in worry about heating their home,
- all who cannot make any further savings, and
- all who will go cold and hungry.
Holy Spirit, you are the creative spark which sets us ablaze, you are the warmth of love that leads us to serve the poor, you are the fire in our bellies that leads us to cry for justice; Inspire, we beg you, those who aspire to lead our nations
- to work for justice,
- to be creative with building our economy, and
- to offer relief to all who dread the coming days, weeks and months.
Eternal One, in the midst of our praises and our prayers, we’re worried,
- worried about our own bills,
- worried about our church’s bills,
- worried about how the groups who use our church will afford to continue,
- worried about how we can make a difference in these difficult times.
Keep us ever alive to your spirit, allow us to find ways to open our doors and our hearts to your promptings, to unleash our resources of time, talent and treasure, that none may go cold or hungry.
Amen
A prayer for Ukraine
God of all, with alarm and concern we bring before you the military intervention in Ukraine.
In a world you made for peace and flourishing, we lament the use of armed force.
We mourn every casualty of this conflict, every precious life extinguished by war.
We pray comfort for those who grieve and those who are fearful.
Hear our longing that leaders and nations will honour the worth of all people by having the courage to resolve conflict through dialogue.
May all our human failings be transformed by your wonderful grace and goodness.
We ask this in the name of Christ, the author of peace and sustainer of Creation. Amen.
