Called to be God's people, transformed by the Gospel, making a difference in today's world.
This is the United Reformed Church.
In Fareham, this church has been a place where people could meet together in the name of Jesus Christ to worship God, since 1691. Originally the church was in West Street and moved to the present building in 1994. The name of the church has changed over the years, beginning as The Meeting Place, becoming the Independent Chapel, then the Congregational Church and in 1972 The United Reformed Church.
The United Reformed Church plays a dynamic and challenging part in the British Christian community.
Although one of the smaller mainstream denominations, the United Reformed Church plays a dynamic and challenging part in the British Christian community. It has brought together English Presbyterians, English, Welsh and Scottish Congregationalists, and members of the Churches of Christ, through unions in 1972, 1981 and 2000.
The United Reformed Church combines its commitment to the Reformed tradition with a passionate belief that all God's people should be one. It seeks to work with Christians of all traditions, and rejoices in being part of more than 400 Local Ecumenical Partnerships. It is also committed to theological and cultural diversity. It has declared itself a multi-cultural church, rejoicing in the gifts of members from across the world and seeks to hold together a wide variety of theological understandings; the valuing of different insights helps the church understand the wonder of God. Worldwide, more than 70 million Christians are members of the Reformed family of churches.
Worldwide, more than 70 million Christians are members of the Reformed family of churches.
They uphold the historic Trinitarian creeds of the church universal and find the supreme authority for their lives in the Word of God in the Bible, discerned under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They order their lives through councils of the church, where ministers and lay people together seek the mind of Christ.
The United Reformed Church is organized into 13 local synods.
The church in Fareham is part of the Wessex Synod.
The church has adopted the following Mission Statement:
We at Fareham United Reformed Church seek to glorify God and share the good news of Jesus Christ. To do this we need, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to:-
- Be a welcoming inclusive Church
- Provide opportunities to share faith and grow closer to God
- Provide opportunities to worship in diverse, stimulating and relevant ways
- Work with other Churches Respond to the needs of the local Community
- Work for a just world.
There am I in the Midst, a history of the church published to celebrate the tercentenary, by Madeleine Brand is available and can be purchased by emailing the Church Secretary secretary@farehamurc.org.uk As an active part of Christians Together in Fareham (www.farehamchristians.org.uk), the fellowship work and witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ with other churches in the town of Fareham.
