From
the Desk
“Each
seeking faith is seeking light, and light dawns up our seeking,
No
dogma can restrict; all are in honest meeting.”
An
extract of the words of a hymn written by Brian Wren;
sometimes
sung in our services.
Dear
All,
Many
of us will have prayed or lit a candle for the very unfortunate
tragedies that have happened over the past weeks. I'm sure we all
find ourselves in disbelief that there are people so poor in mind and
spirit, that they feel led to taking such extreme actions.
For
those left behind we can't begin to know how people feel at this
time; the sadness and unrest at the loss of loved ones. As we think
of those around the world I hope that our thoughts, prayers, and
candle flames reach them in the spirit, and that our own example of
being a congregation of a faith people, will show some right and a
just way, as the weeks continue. May we be the beacons in all our
individual ways, of an example of peace. Amen.
There’s
learning afoot: myself, Mark, Paul and Anna will be going to Great
Hucklow, or as the locals Uklaww; (imagine the accent); for the ever
enriching Summer School. With that we all hope to bring back all we
learn to use in varied ministries. For some of us that will be
leading services, giving talks, workshops, groups and worshipful
alternative gatherings. This year's course is called 'This Changes
Everything'. Hopefully as we learn from this, it may change many
things for each one of us. Not only spiritually, but personally too.
It will also be a great pleasure to spend time with our treasured,
and esteemed previous minister, Lindy.
As
the next few weeks ahead will bring new dimensions, I hope we can all
join a rich and fruitful harvest in which have all sown and reaped
from together. As we join and draw in this, in the togetherness of
our Bristol family, may we share it in some way with all we meet.
Yours
with love and care, Karl Stewart. Chair UMB.
In
other news......... Bang, Toot, Ting-a-Ling, Honk, what's Susan up to
now?
Yep
you guessed it, Susan organised it, and the Women's League held a
percussion workshop. In co-ordination with one of our UMB tenants
Matthew Richards from UMB. There were 45 of us there and a shared tea
afterwards. The national chairwoman of the league was there with her
family, who travelled from Bolton near Manchester. Than you greatly
to Sally, Jane, Frances, Susan and Anne Butler from Crewkerne
congregation, for their help with the tea after, and to all who
brought a contribution, and a donation and purchase at the Women's
League book stall, raising funds for the yearly project.
With
Thanks and appreciation, Karl.
Grace
Cooper’s 90th Birthday
Hello
All
Grace Cooper will be 90 on Monday 8th August. On Sunday 7th August her
cousin Susan is inviting anyone who knew Grace and would like to come
to a tea at Frenchay Chapel at 2.30pm.
If you would like to come could you please email Diane Roberts by Wednesday 3rd August so that she can give Susan numbers.
She has emailed all the members of Frenchay and UMB that she has details
for, so can you please let anyone else know who I have left out.
Frenchay and UMB are giving Grace a flower arrangement which Diane will
organise and bring on Sunday 7th to give to her.
Grace Cooper will be 90 on Monday 8th August. On Sunday 7th August her
cousin Susan is inviting anyone who knew Grace and would like to come
to a tea at Frenchay Chapel at 2.30pm.
If you would like to come could you please email Diane Roberts by Wednesday 3rd August so that she can give Susan numbers.
She has emailed all the members of Frenchay and UMB that she has details
for, so can you please let anyone else know who I have left out.
Frenchay and UMB are giving Grace a flower arrangement which Diane will
organise and bring on Sunday 7th to give to her.
Rajah
Day 2016
Cancelled :-(
Due
to a number of unfortunate decisions the usual Rajah Day
Commemoration has had to be cancelled for this year only, but the
event will be restarted in 2017. I hope therefore to see the usual
encouraging Unitarian faces in the audience on 24th. Sept. 2017.
Many
thanks, Carla Contractor.
DIARY FOR AUGUST and SEPTEMBER 2016
AUGUST
Wed
3rd Frenchay 7.00 pm. Kundalini Movement Meditation
SUN
7th Frenchay
10.30
am - KARL STEWART, UMB 6.00 pm – Peter Bruce
Mon
8th Grace Cooper’s 90th birthday. Open invitation - details from
Sue
Halliday 07979 40702
Wed
10th Frenchay 2.00 - 4.00 pm. Craft afternoon
SUN
14th Frenchay 10.30 am -
Mr GAVIN LLOYD
Service
followed by Congregational committee meeting at 12 pm
UMB
4.00 pm No Congregational meeting this month
No
service at UMB
Mon
15th Frenchay 2 pm - Book Club
6.00
- 7.30 pm Group Meditation - person centred, relax into
peacefulness
Tues 16th Frenchay 10.30 am Open Coffee morning
Sat
20th - Sat 27th. Unitarian Summer School at Hucklow, Derbyshire
SUN
21st Frenchay
10.30 am - Mr BERNARD OMAR
UMB
6.00 pm – Wade Miller-Knight (tbc)
SUN
28th Frenchay 10.30 am -
Mr FRANK BUTLER
No
Discussion Group at UMB this month
SEPTEMBER
SUN
4th Frenchay 10.30 am
UMB
6.00 pm - Ms Anna Sherman Naugle - ‘Water service’ (If you can
please bring a small container of water from somewhere you have
visited this year)
Wed
7th Frenchay 7.00 pm. Kundalini Movement Meditation
SUN
11th Frenchay 10.30 am
with Karl and Mark Stewart (Service followed by Congregational
committee meeting at 12 pm)
UMB
4.00 pm - Congregational meeting
Mon
12th UMB 7.30 pm. Stokes Croft Educational Foundation. Committee
meeting
SUN
18th Frenchay 10.30
am with John Wilkinson
UMB
6.00 pm with Wade Miller-Knight
Mon
19th Frenchay 6.00 - 7.30 pm Group Meditation - person centred,
relax into peacefulness
Sat
25th UMB 10 am - 4 pm. First session of ‘Rites of Passage’ course
(Please note that these meetings will now take place as originally
planned in Bristol and Plymouth.)
Wed
28th UMB 7.30 pm GROUP MEETING
SUN
25th Frenchay 10.30 am
UMB
6.00 pm – 4th Sunday Discussion Group
OCTOBER
SUN
2nd at UMB 6 pm Dedication of plaque in memory of Ray Raitt -
Service led by Rev Lindy Latham and Paul Wheeler.
PLEASE
NOTE
The
next ‘Catch up’ sheet covering August and September 2016 will be
issued on 4th September. Please send articles, details and dates of
events and services, to both Karl and Peter
by Wednesday 31st August - at the latest!
Summer
Solstice 2016 : Once in a Lifetime
Frenchay
(Bristol) Meditation Group celebrated the Summer Solstice on the day
(Mon 20th June) with one of the most delightful, kindly, sociable
evenings we can remember. People built up and encouraged a real fire
to grow in the brazier and gathered round it over a supper of quiche,
bhajis and strawberries.
We
lit candles for our personal hoped-for highlights of the summer
ahead. We sang a few songs from the Purple Book, with nature themes.
We listened to a recorded visualisation, a journey of the mind and
spirit, whilst the birds softly tweeted in the gently rustling trees
around us.
Then
the relaxed little group talked and shared, felt the sun go down
behind the Chapel’s tall trees, stoked the fire with brushwood and
logs, noticed the rising Full Moon looking like Saturn with her
costume of rings; and were positive, heartful company for each other
until the Anglican clock across the Common intoned the midnight hour.
We
were fortunate indeed to be able to clearly view the Moon with rings
of cloud encompassing, on this special night. The last time there was
a full moon falling on the Solstice was in 1967; the summer of Love.
Soldiers
on the June eve of the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago wrote of
the“round strawberry moon” shining down on them.
Hopefully
in 2062 there really will be more Peace and Love in our beautiful
world, where we plant the seed.
Andrea,
Wade, Kaija, Andrew, Peter.
Handing out same sex marriage stickers at Bristol Pride 2016
On
Saturday 9th July Karl and Mark Stewart handed out 240 of
these stickers at the Bristol Gay Pride march and festival. Mark did
the whole march in 3 inch high-heels and had blisters for weeks! All
for a good cause. Please encourage your gay friends to get hitched in
our chapels!
Women's League News
On
Saturday 23rd July some thirty people ranging from age 4
to 90 attended a percussion party led by Richard Matthews at UMB.
Many turned out to be expert drummers. Janet Poole, president of the
national Women's League, was present, with her cousin Sheila
Fitzpatrick. After the raffle and tea we were able to announce that
£50 would be sent to the National Deaf Children's Society.
Western Union AGM Report
The
Western Union AGM took place at UMB on Saturday 11th June.
30 people from the Western Union chapels attended, and many took part
in the communion led by Rev. Lindy Latham. Paul Wheeler of UMB
welcomed everyone to Bristol. The business meeting was chaired by
Gerald Witcher. Kay Millard gave the secretary's report. Bob Goddard
updated us on the finances, and the officers were re-elected. There
was a roll-call and chapel reports were given. The nation Unitarian
president Dot Hewerdine attend the meeting and led a workshop after
lunch. This was followed by a short service conducted by Dot, after
which we all enjoyed tea.
