We are a Christian Community seeking to be a Beacon of God's Light and Love for All
News and Events: Latest News
Read here about some of the most important issues and developments within the United Church and beyond. You can read elsewhere about Events taking place at UCD. You may also want to read the weekly notices, monthly news sheets and annual reports.
The Dorset Historic Churches Ride & Stride will take place this year on Saturday 12th September. The event takes place between 10.00am and 6.00pm, and participants can visit as many or as few churches and chapels as they wish. If you are interested in taking part through UCD, please contact Shawn Board via the UCD Contact form for further information. Half the money raised through sponsorship will be returned to participants' own church. As in previous years, the United Church Dorchester is also looking for volunteers who can welcome Riders and Striders, oversee sponsor sheets, provide directions to other churches, etc. If you think you might be able to help at any point during the day, please contact Shawn, and he will both organise a rota and provide detailed guidance nearer the time.
Dorchester Poverty Action (DPA) is hosting an open meeting to discuss support services for the community. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 30, at 7pm at the Dorford Centre and will focus on the work of social prescribers at GP surgeries and the services offered by Access Wellbeing. Access Wellbeing provides early help for anyone over 18 to prevent issues related to finances, work, or housing from escalating. The meeting will also highlight how DPA works with these and other organisations to support local residents. Last year, DPA distributed £76,000 in grants to help improve the wellbeing of people in the DT1 and DT2 areas, which represents a 28 per cent increase in individual grants over the past year.
As part of the continuing development for Light up Dorset, a PrayerWalk App has been made available for people to ‘Walk. Pray. See Dorset Transformed.’ Full details are available on the Light Up Dorset web site, with lots of ideas for individuals and groups to use the app and pray for Dorset as they walk.
We are opening the church for a time of quiet reflection for the community and church members to come and light a candle and pray for peace, and to pray for our increasingly fragmented world. Many of us are feeling helpless and unsure of what is going on in our world and how we should respond. Lighting a candle for peace gives us an opportunity to stop and pause as we pray for peace. You can stay a while or stay for the whole time, between 10.00am – 12.00noon on Saturdays June 13th, July 11th, September 19th, October 3rd, November 7th and December 5th
The Dorset South and West Circuit is very pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Bronze ‘Eco Circuit’ Award. This is given by A Rocha UK, who support and recognise the work of churches and circuits which focus on making their community as ‘Eco’ as possible. Thanks also go to the many local churches in the area whose own work has contributed to this award.
It is now some time since Traidcraft went into administration. However, a limited number of their own brand products have been re-launched by Transform Trade, including tea bags, greetings cards and toilet rolls. The United Church remains committed to Fair Trade. We have recently been awarded our Fairtrade Place of Worship certificate and we continue to use Fair Trade tea and coffee at church events. The Church shop stocks many Fair Trade items, including Divine chocolate, cocoa, coffee, peanut butter, honey, Fair Trade cards and gifts from Shared Earth. Thank you for your support.
