Address to the Throne

To the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty

The General Assembly of the United Reformed Church now meeting in Warwick sends loyal greetings to Your Majesty.

We are meeting just a few weeks into the third term of office of Your Majesty’s Government, and look to it for further measures to improve the safety and quality of life of all our community, especially the most vulnerable and needy. We welcome all that has been done to enhance the dignity and well-being of disadvantaged people in our society – for example, in the areas of welfare provision and opportunities for meaningful employment – and look forward to further work being done in these fields. Many of our churches exercise a special ministry to people seeking asylum, and we have had occasion of late to express our dismay at the policy adopted by Your Majesty’s Government of forcing to return to their homelands people who have fled to the United Kingdom from countries where they face extreme danger, most notably Zimbabwe.

We are meeting over a weekend which is seeing unprecedented public demonstrations of concern about poverty and injustice in the developing world. As a church we find tremendous inspiration and hope in Our Lords announcement that He came to ‘bring good news to the poor’, and through our ‘Commitment for Life’ programme our churches and members seek to help make that a reality in different parts of what is known as the ‘third world’. We welcome all that Your Majesty’s Government has done in recent years to alleviate poverty in parts of Africa and other regions, particularly by removing the burden of debt which has impeded their growth and development, and we are adding our voice to the many millions raised in Hyde Park and Edinburgh this weekend in anticipation of the forthcoming summit of the leaders of the G8 nations at Gleneagles. It is our fervent prayer that real progress towards eliminating poverty through the introduction of fairer international trade rules, the cancellation of unpayable debts and the provision of more and better aid will he made at this summit.

As a church we also take seriously our calling to he stewards of Gods creation and we also look for action on the part or the G8 leaders to prevent the further deterioration of our planet. We believe climate change and global poverty, which are of course inter-linked, to be the two big issues demanding urgent action by world leaders. We are alarmed at the irresponsible way that we in the developed world continue to mistreat our planet, and call upon our leaders urgently to adopt measures to halt further damage before it is too late.

Six months after the tsunami in south east Asia we remember especially all who were bereaved in that unspeakable tragedy. Our prayers go to Almighty God for all who are suffering at this time, as well as for ourselves that we may have the courage and perseverance to bring hope and healing into situations of despair and pain.

We pray for the continued health and strength of Your Majesty as you offer leadership and service to the United Kingdom and to the Commonwealth.

Revd Dr David Peel, Moderator of General Assembly

Revd Dr David Cornick, General Secretary

 

 

 

  

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