Lindsey Street, Epping, Essex, CM16 6RB
Contacts
Minister: Revd Karen Knight revdkaren@gmail.com
For general Enquiries please email: urcepping@gmail.com
For lettings please email: urcbookings@yahoo.co.uk
Website: eppingurc.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Epping-URC-100064853134060/
Sunday Worship at 11am
Our services are led by our minister or a minister or lay preacher from the ecumenical partnership and are usually made up of hymns and songs, prayers, Bible readings, an all age talk and a sermon. Our services also include junior church and are followed by refreshments. We celebrate Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every month and everyone is welcome to receive Communion. All are Welcome.
Junior Church
Members of our congregation take turns in leading junior church every Sunday except during August or when we have an all age service. The children usually leave after the second hymn and spend the rest of the service in our purpose built junior church room. Each session includes a theme, Bible story and craft/activity.
Preaching Plan, all 11am unless stated:
| Date | Minister/Preacher | Notes |
| 1st February | Rev Karen Knight | Holy Communion |
| 8th February | Len Ward | |
| 15th February | Efua Koi-Larbi | |
| 22nd February | Ruzive Mhirbidi |
Church Newsletter
Regular Activities
Toddler Group
Our toddler group meets every Wednesday between 10am and 11:30am during term time. Karin runs the group and arranges a wide range of thematically linked activities including crafts and stories in each session and a monthly Bible story. At special times of the year such as Christmas and Easter, the group has a short service in the church. We fundraise for various charities throughout the year including Children in Need, Comic & Sport Relief and Macmillan. The group is very popular and has a waiting list, so if you would like a place or any more information please email Karin at eppingurctodds@btinternet.com.
Coffee Mornings
We have occasional coffee mornings, normally on Saturday Mornings where we raise money for charities such as MacMillan, Christian Aid and Fairtrade.
About Us
Our Twinned Church in Zimbabwe
Since 2008 we have been twinned with Mbare UPC, Harare, Zimbabwe. Frequent communications are shared between the congregations and both African and English churches continually pray for each other in worship services as well as other times. In 2011 our then minister, Jason visited and Lindsey, a church elder has visited on multiple occasions. In 2014 and 2018 we were visited by members of the Zimbabwe presbytery. We have supported Mbare with fundraising which has helped to build a new school and replacing their water tower. We also share information in our congregation about Zimbabwe and Mbare through special services and events enjoying Zimbabwean food, music and slideshows.
Through this twinning our lives have been enriched, as by any new relationship: we have learnt a great deal about one another; individual members of congregations have built personal friendships; prayers have been offered and answered; visits have taken place in both directions; we have shared our joys and trials.
Eco Church
In 2019 we registered with Eco-Church to care for God’s earth and in September 2020 we achieved a bronze award and are currently working towards silver. Eco-church involves five areas of church life: Worship & teaching, Buildings, Land, Community & Global Engagement and Lifestyle.
We launched our quest to be an eco church with an eco-service celebrating creation and how we can safeguard it.
Some of the actions which we have done include
- Bug and bee hotels, bird feeders, wildlife friendly plants and compost bin in the garden
- Regular Eco Services
- Environmentally focused junior church and toddler group sessions.
- Including environmental issues in our church magazine and Facebook page
- Recycling stations (some in aid of local charities) for used stamps, ink cartridges & Mobile phones
- Recycling and using recycled paper and other recycled products
- Calculated our carbon footprint
- Using environmentally friendly cleaning products
- Fairtrade church
- Minimising resource use
- Promoting eco-church to other local churches
Churches Together
Epping URC is a member of Churches Together in Epping and District. Click here for more information: https://www.facebook.com/p/Churches-Together-in-Epping-and-District-100064332746482/
History
Epping URC can date its history to 1625 and is the second oldest church in the United Reformed Church and one of the oldest non-conformist churches in the country. Read about the church’s extensive history here: https://eppingurc.org/history/
Herts and Essex Border Mission Partnership 