In Cambridgeshire we have a number of thriving Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) that have been formed in areas of new housing. Four of these, which include URC partners, have now been encompassed in a new URC Mid-Cambridgeshire Mission Partnership.
The Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church has been working for the last four years on creating Mission Partnerships. These are groups of churches that are not just about sharing a portion of a minister but consider how they can work together to enable the mission, discipleship and worship of each church to flourish in its community. One of the principles of Mission Partnerships is that there would be a home there for each of our LEPs. The Synod had noted that where there is an LEP where ministry has mostly come from another denomination, it can be hard to feel connected to the URC. Mission Partnerships are there to offer support and connection, but, we hope, without adding to the burdens of LEPs
St Neots URC has been in vacancy for many years and Fenstanton URC and the Free Church at St Ives went into vacancy in July 2024. In each case the elders led their churches during the time of vacancy, supported by a number of visiting clergy and lay preachers from various denominations.
Representatives from these three churches joined with others from the four LEPs in the area to serve on the group that met to prepare for the formation of the Mid-Cambridgeshire Mission Partnership. This Mission Partnership is unusual in that it has within it four multi-way LEPs – Bar Hill (founded in 1967); Cambourne (founded in 1999) Northstowe (initially a Church of England project that grew into an LEP in 2024) and Love’s Farm (a URC Mission Project that grew into an LEP in 2025). The leaders of the four LEPs have already found much value in connecting together and the URC Minister is delighted to have others to work alongside. Everyone is excited to see what creative ways of being church and sharing faith will grow from this partnership.
Cambridgeshire’s County Ecumenical Officer, Rev Mark Burleigh, adds: “It is exciting to see how the URC is supporting our LEPs and helping to ensure they maintain vibrant relationships with all their constituent denominations. It reminds me of the real benefits and strengths of being an LEP!”
Find out more about Churches Together in Cambridgeshire.
Photo L to R: Lythan Nevard (Moderator, Eastern URC Synod); Rev Wendy Wale (Bar Hill, Church of England); Alison Davis (St Ives, Fenstanton and St Neots URCs); Bill Miller (Cambourne, Baptist minister); Rev Beth Cope (Northstowe, Church of England).