How can I use the URC Resources Hub and Helpdesk?

Updated

The URC Resources Hub is the United Reformed Church's online library of practical tools, guidance and inspiration intended to help your church's ministry "thrive and grow." You reach it through urc.org.uk, and the site states that a video showing how to use the hub is provided alongside a staffed Helpdesk. Use it if you are looking for worship and activity material for a URC congregation or project; if you only want general information about the denomination, the main site pages will serve you better.

What the Resources Hub is for

The United Reformed Church describes the hub as a place to "equip your church with practical tools, guidance and inspiration to help your ministry thrive and grow." In practice that means it is aimed at people running or supporting local church life — ministers, elders, church-related community workers and volunteers — rather than at the general public.

The homepage places the hub alongside other URC services, including:

  • Reformed magazine — described as "Reforming, Reviving, Resourcing, Reporting," available in print or online, with a free copy offered.
  • URC Bookshop — worship resources, books, certificates, merchandise, badges, cards, free goods and gifts.
  • Featured videos on YouTube — practical stories and webinars, such as "Creating a wildlife-friendly garden" with Peter Musgrave, an Elder at Vine URC in Ilford, and the "A Church With People at the Margins" webinar series on community hubs, volunteers and funding.

These sit next to the hub rather than inside it, so treat the hub as one entry point among several when you are sourcing material.

How to get started

  1. Go to urc.org.uk and look for the Resources Hub section, listed on the homepage under "New URC Resources Hub and Helpdesk."
  2. Watch the walkthrough video first. The site says a video showing how to use the hub is available — this is the quickest way to see how material is organised before you start searching.
  3. Search or browse for the type of resource you need for your service, study group or community project.
  4. Download or note what you need, then check the URC Bookshop if you require printed or physical items such as certificates, cards or badges.
  5. If something does not work or you cannot find what you expect, contact the Helpdesk rather than guessing — it is described as staffed, meaning a person responds.

Expected result: you should come away with a specific resource for a specific task, or a clear answer from the Helpdesk about where to find it.

When to use the Helpdesk

The Helpdesk exists for problems with the hub itself — access, navigation or locating a resource. It is not a general enquiry line for the denomination, and the site does not state its hours, response times or contact details on the homepage, so check the hub pages for the current route in.

Use it when:

  • You cannot find a resource you believe should exist.
  • A download or link fails.
  • You are unsure which resource fits your situation and want guidance.

Common sticking points

  • Confusing the hub with the main site. The hub is a resource library; news, awards and synod information live elsewhere on urc.org.uk.
  • Skipping the video. The walkthrough is the intended orientation, so starting there saves time.
  • Assuming everything is digital. Some items — certificates, cards, merchandise — come through the URC Bookshop, and the site does not state prices or delivery terms on the homepage, so check there before ordering.
  • Expecting the Helpdesk to answer theology or policy questions. It supports use of the hub.

If your goal is simply to understand what urc.org.uk is, the homepage description is enough: a family of Christians worshipping in the name of Jesus in about 1,500 local churches across the UK. The Resources Hub is the part of that site built for equipping local church ministry.