The Free Churches Group was pleased to lead a delegation to Buckingham Palace to give a Loyal Address to King Charles on the occasion of His Majesty's Accession.
The ceremony for the presentation of Loyal Addresses by Privileged Bodies took place on Thursday, 9th March, 2023 and was followed by a reception.
A Loyal Address from the Free Churches, including
THE FREE CHURCHES GROUP, including representatives of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches
THE GENERAL BODY OF PROTESTANT DISSENTING MINISTERS OF THE THREE DENOMINATIONS, Presbyterian, Independent and Baptist
THE BODY OF PROTESTANT DISSENTING MINISTERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN (UNITARIAN) DENOMINATION
THE PROTESTANT DISSENTING DEPUTIES representing lay people of the Three Denominations
TO THE KING’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY
May it please Your Majesty
As representatives of the Free Churches, including the bodies of Protestant Dissenters enjoying the ancient and highly valued privilege of personal access to the Sovereign, we offer Your Majesty our loyal congratulations on Your Accession to the Throne.
At this time of complex change and crises, the need for spiritual support and loving communities has not been greater, and we thank God that we have a Christian monarch committed to serving this nation and the whole Commonwealth. These years of pandemic have been challenging, but we are grateful to God that our congregations have been enabled by the Holy Spirit to continue worshipping in new ways and serving their communities.
Ours are mostly gathered churches, experiencing friendship and care among ourselves, but at the same time seeking to be good neighbours in the way that our Lord Jesus Christ taught us by word and example – striving to share His love in our rich and increasingly diverse society. This concern for others has been demonstrated by an active involvement in education since the 17th Century, prison and hospital ministry since the 18th Century, and whilst some Free Church denominations have been involved in chaplaincy to the armed forces since the beginning of the 20th century, this opportunity has been recently extended to the full range of Free Churches.
We give thanks for the growing depth of love and understanding that exists between the many different Christian denominations within Your realm, and with communities of other faiths, and none. In all of these we have been grateful for the example both in word and deed that Your Majesty has displayed. The impact of global warming and the ecological crises are currently of concern to so many and we are grateful that this is a concern Your Majesty also shares.
We value the liberty we enjoy to worship according to our consciences and the freedom to proclaim the Gospel. We share with others a vigilant concern for the tolerance, freedom and mutual care we have enjoyed in Great Britain, represented by the privilege of address granted now through fourteen reigns, appreciating differences and valuing diversity.
May the celebration of Your Majesty’s Accession be a profound example of this United Kingdom coming together in celebration and an opportunity for many to demonstrate to Your Majesty their appreciation for Your service.
May the blessing of Almighty God continue to rest upon His Majesty the King.
This Loyal Address from the Free Churches is available to download HERE.
The Loyal Address - Verbal Address by Rev Helen Cameron, the Moderator of the Free Churches Group is available to download HERE.