Our History

The history of the United Reformed Church

The creation of the United Reformed Church in 1972 formally merged the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church in England and Wales. One Member of Parliament at the time described this merger as:

one of the most historic measures in the history of the Christian churches in this country.

The denomination expanded when Churches of Christ joined it in 1981, followed by Scottish Congregationalists in 2000.

The URC is a nonconformist Church. Put most simply, this means that we are not an "established" Church, with a formal link to civil authority like, for example, the Church of England has.

However, the URC is committed to working closely with Churches of all traditions, in prayer and social action, and many of our local churches are now united with local churches from other traditions (Baptist, Church of England, or Methodist to name a few).

The history of the Moravian Church

With the universal Christian Church we share faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We believe and confess that God has revealed Himself once and for all in His Son Jesus Christ; that our Lord has redeemed us with the whole of humanity by His death and His resurrection; and that there is no salvation apart from Him.

We believe that He is present with us in the Word and the Sacrament; that He directs and unites us through His Spirit and thus forms us into a Church.

The joining of two churches

St Margaret’s Harlesden joined with St George’s Willesden in November 1974 to become "St Margaret’s and St George’s United Reformed and Moravian Church".