United Kingdom
The United Kingdom includes the countries of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern
Ireland.

England

Country
British weather, British tea, the Royal family, fish and chips, all come to mind when one thinks about England. But more important than these associations is the fact that  Britain is one of the oldest civilized societies in Europe.  Britain’s Industrial Revolution, the extend of the British Empire, and even the Evangelical revival in the 18th century all have had an immense influence on the world.

People/Society
The people in Britain value moderate behavior and emotional reserve. The may get embarrassed by displays of emotion or excessive enthusiasm. In their society politeness and humor are revered. They are well known for their wry sense of humor. But English society is also known for their love of traditions and customs. Social status in society is defined be one’s education, neighborhood and profession.

Religion
English society in general is secular, but the majority of the 49.85 million people traditionally belongs to one of Christian churches. About 3 percent of England’s population is Muslim, 1 percent is Hindu, and 0.7 percent is Sikh. In the past, the Church of England exercised great influence over the nation, but today the importance of the established church is quickly diminishing. One in 10 adults regularly attends Sunday church services; of these only about one-third attends the Anglican Church.

Wales

Country
The Welsh are descendants of the ancient inhabitants of the British Isles, who lived there, before the Romans invaded the country in the first century B.C. and before the tribes of the Angles and Saxons came in the fifth century to establish dominion over what later became England. Wales today is part of the UK, although the Welsh have a limited self-government through the Welsh assembly.

People/Society
The Welsh regard themselves as people different from the English.  They have a reputation for being warmhearted, gregarious, articulate and democratic. They are described to be individualistic, inquisitive, but also emotional and quick-tempered. The Welsh are more outgoing and open than people in England. Status in society is determined by the level of education.

Religion
The population of Wales is about 2.94 million people and constitutes a mostly secular society. About 18.5 percent of the Welsh people claim no religion at all; less than 10 percent attend any form of religious worship. However, traditionally mostly everyone belongs to one of the many
Protestant churches in the country.

Scotland

Country
Located to the north of England is Scotland, a country with beautiful highlands and deep blue lakes. The Scots are descendants of Celtic peoples, and the country was named after the colony of Scots who had come to Ireland in the sixth century and later united with the original inhabitants. For centuries, the Scots fought for independence against the Vikings in the north and the English in the south. Finally, Scotland united with England and shared the ups and downs of the kingdom. Today, the country is a distinct political and cultural entity.

People/Society
The Scots are very proud of their heritage and have a strong sense of national identity. They are known for their courtesy and their reserve with acquaintances; they often seem to be critical and very independent. The Scots display character traits like rashness, moodiness, but also the ability to relentlessly persevere. People value honesty, integrity, and generosity, loyalty to friends, the ability to work hard and a good sense of humor. Social status in society is measured by education and occupation.

Religion
Of the five million people in Scotland, about one million officially are members of the Church of Scotland (or Presbyterian Church), Scotland’s national church. Religion is still very important in the highlands, but the rest of the society is becoming increasingly secular, and 28 percent claim to have no religion. Other denominations represented include the Roman Catholic Church and various other Protestant churches.

Northern Ireland

Country
Northern Ireland consists of the six northern counties on the island it shares with Ireland. Northern Ireland’s ongoing religious and political conflict has shaped the history of the country and dates back to the 12th century, when an Irish king asked the English to come to his country. The ongoing conflict between England and Ireland resulted in the division of the island into the Catholic-majority Irish Free State in the south and the Protestant –majority Northern Ireland in the north, which remains part of the UK.


People/Society
The people in Northern Ireland are friendly and sincere people; they appreciate honorable people and those who keep their word. The ongoing political conflict has worn the people out and therefore they long for peace.

Religion
Of the total population of 1.7 million in Northern Ireland, 53 percent are Protestant and 44 percent are Catholic. The largest Protestant churches in Northern Ireland include the Presbyterian Church, the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church. Most people in Northern Ireland identify closely with a church and attend services regularly.  

History
The ministry of the church in the United Kingdom began in 1915 when the Church of the Nazarene merged with the Pentecostal Church of Scotland. Today, there are approximately 100 Nazarene churches on the British Isles, organized in two Districts - North and South.

The Church Today
The British Isles North District comprises the English counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Cumbria, all of Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 2005 there were 37 churches on this district with 1,864 members and 1,939 people on average in worship attendance.
For a list of churches, please refer to the district Web site: www.nazarene.org.uk

The churches in the south of the UK are organized in the British Isles South District.  In 2005 this district reported 53 active congregations with 1,612 members and an average weekly attendance of 1,859 people.
For a list of churches, please refer to the district Web site: www.uknazarene.org

The British Isles South District is also home to Nazarene Theological College, founded in 1943 in Scotland and now located in Didsbury, Manchester.

Other countries in the Northern Europe Field:  Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland,  and  Switzerland.