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Bury Unitarian Church
 
 

 


Anne Mills has been Vice-President of the General Assembly since April 2019
and President since May 2021.

Here is her diary since her installation as Vice-President to the end of her Presidency
 


ARRIL 2019

Since my installation, on April 18th, I have conveyed greetings from the GA, at Bury, twice (once during the GA Feedback Service); at Wakefield, after their burglary; at Plymouth; at Evesham; and at Padiham, where Rev. Jim Corrigall was conducting his last service before his retirement. I attended the launch of Ann Peart's new book, at Luther King House; I wrote the review of this for The Unitarian; I attended the Summer Meeting of the Manchester District Women's League, at Stand. I acted as the Authorised Person for our first same-sex wedding at church---the very first such wedding in Bury! I emailed Fran Pickering, to offer commiserations and thanks, as she ends her time as editor of The Unitarian; I also emailed Natasha Stanley, to enquire about the future of this magazine. I visited Essex Hall, met some of the staff there, and enjoyed a positive discussion with the new Chief Officer, Liz Slade.

On June 15th, I attended the AGM of the North West Provincial Assembly, at Monton; this was preceded by a service, at which I presented the greetings of the GA to those present. On June 16th, I conducted the service at Bank Street Bolton, which was followed by an agape lunch. In the late afternoon, I attended an Interfaith Service and Peace Pole planting, at Rawtenstall, organised by the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry. On June 21st, I was invited to attend the Annual Dinner of The Hibbert Trust, which was held at Luther King House, in Manchester, where I gave the after-dinner speech.

July has been a less busy month---fortunately, because I have needed time to gather material for services later this year. On July 11th and 12th, I attended the 60th Anniversary Celebrations at The Derby School, Bury, where I was a pupil, from its inception, in 1959, until 1965. I was invited in my official capacity, and met and conversed with Lord Derby, the nephew of the school's founder, and with The Mayor and Mayoress of Bury, Councillor Trevor Holt, and his wife, Evelyn; I also spoke at length with the school's Head and Deputy Head. On July 13th, I attended the Formal Welcome of Rev. Shammy Webster, at Stand Unitarian Chapel, Whitefield, where I presented the greetings of The General Assembly to the congregation and offered some thoughts on Ministry, both of which were very well-received. The Mayor and Mayoress were also in attendance, on that occasion. On July 28th, I conducted a Flower Celebration Service at Bury, which was successful; footage of the service was filmed for inclusion on the special DVD, which is being compiled as a record of our 300th Anniversary events. During July, I have attended two funerals at Bury and one at Bank Street Bolton; all three services paid tribute to active members, who will be greatly missed.

AUGUST 2019

August and September have been busy for me, not only in the execution of my duties, but in preparation for future events. Roger and I attended the service at Bank Street Bolton, on August 4th; lead had been stolen from part of their church-roof, and two rooms were badly-damaged by leaks; we went to sympathise and were made very welcome. On August 6th, I represented the church at the funeral of Daniel, our cleaner Aggie's son---a poignant occasion; the family has greatly appreciated the support given by our church. The following Sunday found me conducting the service at Rochdale which went well, despite the pianist missing two lines of music out of the first verse of one of the hymns! I acted as the Authorised Person at the wedding of Lorraine and Peter Hunter, on August 25th, on a beautiful late summer day, and a wonderful occasion it was. A NELUM Forum was held at Walmsley Chapel, on August 31st, and I was present; there is a clear mood for change, but this will need to be translated into action in order to succeed. September 1st involved conducting two services---at Ainsworth in the morning, and Rawtenstall in the afternoon; both were well-received, and it was a pleasure to spend time with both congregations. On the following Friday, I attended a Film Evening, at Rawtenstall, and thought it most enjoyable. September 15th brings services to conduct at Hale, and at Dean Row, in the morning; later in the afternoon, I shall attend an Interfaith Service at Rawtenstall; these are held once every two months and are becoming increasingly popular. I will be paying an official visit to Bury, on September 20th, on the first of our Heritage Open Days, and am looking forward to all the material to be displayed then.

The month ends on September 29th, when I have been invited to conduct the Anniversary Service at our church in Aberdeen; this visit will be combined with a holiday, which will reduce the travelling somewhat. In my spare time(!) I continue my routine duties at Bury, which are many and varied. Picking up from where I left off, last month, I can report now on my visit to our churches at Hale Barns and Dean Row, in Cheshire this occasioned a very early start for Roger and me! However, both services that I conducted went very well, and I returned home with beautiful flowers from both congregations; we were made extremely welcome. Rev. Jeff Gould kindly invited us to lunch, and it was good to chat and catch up with his news; he is nicely-settled in his new apartment and happy in his ministries; he sends good wishes to everyone at Bury who remembers him. Now---two services in one day sound like enough, but we also attended Rawtenstall's Interfaith Service, at 5 p.m. These services are becoming well-established, and friendships are being forged; I am in touch with a lady at St. Gregory's R. C. Church, in Chorley, and we intend to visit each other's churches there, in due course. Two members of Rawtenstall's Spiritualist were present for the first time, on this occasion, and very pleasant and interesting we found them. On September 29th, I conducted Aberdeen Unitarians' 186th Anniversary Service; they are a very friendly, generous and hospitable congregation---a pleasure to be with! Their Chairman, Dr. John Robinson, asked me, specifically, to convey the greetings of the Aberdeen congregation to everyone at Bury, and I am very pleased to be able to do so. Rev. Dr. Ann Peart attended our Women's League Project Evening, on October 3rd, when she discussed her latest book, about eminent Unitarian women; as the reviewer of the book for "The Unitarian", I helped to entertain Ann. On October 5th, I attended Kate and Ade's wedding, where I acted as the Authorised Person. On the following day, I conducted Padiham's Harvest Service, which went very well, and was invited to lunch afterwards. In the afternoon, we attended Ainsworth's Harvest Festival, conducted by Rev. Lynne Readett; afternoon tea was served, afterwards, so the weekend comprised a great deal of eating. I have already been warned to buy a size bigger in clothes, in preparation for next year!

OCTOBER 2019

My next duty will be to meet and greet our national President, Rev. Celia Cartwright, when she visits Bury to conduct our Harvest Festival, on October 13th. My calendar is already filling up with engagements for next year, so busy days are ahead! On October 13th, Rev. Celia Cartwright, the G.A. President, conducted our Harvest Service, and we were pleased to welcome Celia and her friend and mentor, Claire Griffel, to Bury. I acted as host for the morning, by looking after Celia, by reading the notices, and by entertaining her and Claire to lunch afterwards. Celia offered the greetings of the General Assembly to the congregation, and I was pleased to note that her words were much in tune with mine; we write our own speeches for services and events and make them as appropriate to the occasion, and the congregation, as we can. A two-week holiday in Lanzarote followed for me, and I was glad of the opportunity to rest and relax. On Remembrance Sunday, I laid the wreath at Bury; it was an honour to have been invited to do so; later, I watched a recording of Celia at the Cenotaph in London, and thought how beautifully she represented our denomination.

On November 17th, I shall conduct the afternoon service at our Flowergate, Whitby, Chapel; I am looking forward to seeing the church and to learning more about its history. On December 1st and 8th, I shall be at Bury, to attend our 300th Anniversary Service and our Candlelight Carol Service, respectively--- dates which have been in my diary for months, as I was determined not to miss either of them. In the first 13 weeks of 2020, I already have 11 engagements booked; the last of these takes place on the day that British Summertime begins, and comes just before the Annual Meetings, in April--- what a short winter this will have seemed, especially when I factor in my usual duties at Bury! service at Flowergate Chapel, where Roger and I were made very welcome; at the end of the service, we celebrated the Golden Wedding Anniversary of two of their members, with afternoon tea---a lovely touch. Flowergate Chapel is truly a hidden gem; it is not visible from the street, but tucked away behind a dull green, wooden gate, and its exterior notice-board is obscured by a street-lamp. This is a great pity, as the chapel is delightful---simple, and tranquil, with some beautiful stained-glass windows. We were able to try out a newly-prepared audio-tour, which took us round the town (not without mishap!) and gave much information about Francis Haydn Williams, a former Minister, and something of a revolutionary; see the Flowergate website for further details! December brought many services at Bury; on December 1st, at our 300th Anniversary Service, I welcomed visitors to our church, as well as conveying the greetings of those who had been unable to attend.

At our Carol Service, I sang with the choir, and also presented thoughts on how we might approach the Christmas-season. I attended services at Bury, on the 15th, 22nd, 25th, and 29th of December, and went to Padiham's Candlelight Carol Service, on the 15th---an excellent service, enhanced by the trees of their Christmas Tree Festival. An event of a rather different kind took me to Atherton, on Saturday, December 21st, when I attended the memorial service for the Pretoria Pit Disaster there. This occurred in 1910, with a new memorial-stone being erected 100 years later; the memorial-stone is inscribed with all 344 names of the miners who died when an explosion occurred, and the tremendous loss of life is commemorated annually; wreaths are laid, and the National Union of Mineworkers' banner pays silent tribute, too. Rev. Lynne Readett is the first Unitarian Minister to be asked to conduct the service of remembrance, which I felt was worthy of support---and very moving I found it.

JANUARY 2020

January began busily, with two services to attend on the 5th: Brenda Catherall conducted her last service at Chowbent before she retired, and I was privileged to be able to present the greetings of the GA, to congratulate her on a highly-successful 30-year ministry, and to wish her a long and happy retirement; the day was also Brenda's 64th birthday, so she had much to celebrate. In the afternoon, I attended the service at Rawtenstall, when a triptych, specially-commissioned by the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry, was unveiled; each painting, by local artist, Joyce Wicks, had been inspired by scenes from the chapel-windows, and they were superb. Ade read a piece in which he argued that the hymn, "Jerusalem", was the perfect hymn for Unitarians, as it questioned everything and urged everyone to fight for freedom and right. Kate and Marian sang with Roundelay, whose music filled the chapel wonderfully---altogether, a different but inspiring service. On January 12th, I conducted my first service of 2020, at Bank Street Bolton where I received the warm welcome I have become accustomed to receiving there; they are always a most appreciative congregation.

The incoming GA Vice-President, who will serve from April, 2020, for a year, is Rev. Sue Woolley, who ministers to The Midland District; I have sent our congratulations; she will do an excellent job, I know!

On January 19th, I was present, at Bury, for the Junior Church Prize-giving. It was an honour to be asked to present the prizes, and pleasing to me, too, that all six of our Sunday School "regulars" were able to be present, and supported by family-members. I compared present-day Prize-givings with those I remembered from my youth (incredibly, in the 1950's and 1960's!) The children's eager anticipation of their books never changes, and I was able to bring the last prize I ever received from Bank Street to show them; I realised that my name was spelled wrongly, and I'd never noticed, in all that time! Prize-giving allows us to appreciate our Junior Church members' presence and gives us the opportunity to see how they've developed, during the past year. They are all a credit to us, as well as an important part of our church-life. Ashleigh-Jade has decided to remain in church throughout each service; she has been stewarding for some time now, and is keen to be involved in our readings---the first of which took place at the Prize-giving, and we thank her for that. We also showed our appreciation of June's hard work with the children, and her willing contributions were rewarded by a bouquet of flowers.

January 26th found me conducting the service at Stand Chapel, and it was good to meet the members there again. Owing to a misunderstanding over the start-time of the service, I was a minute or two late, but all was well, eventually, and I was able to reassure the congregation that, by the end, they had heard all the right bits, but not necessarily in the right order! No harm was done, but, nevertheless, I shall double-check, from now on! At the end of January, I found myself in print---twice! The article I had written about the Pretoria Pit Disaster appeared, on its own, on the back page, of that week's issue of The Inquirer; there is a spare copy in the stand, in the foyer, if anyone would like to read it. I had also contributed an article about "Simplicity" to the Midland Union magazine (MU Now); there is a copy in the lounge; I may use this as the basis of a service, in the future. February 1st brought the Manchester District Women's League Lunch, Service and AGM; my contribution was to conduct the service; on the following day, I conducted the service at Ainsworth---a cheering occasion, as several red-letter days were being celebrated; there were balloons, too!

February 9th saw me at Newcastle, to conduct morning-service at the Church of the Divine Unity, in the city-centre; the church-premises are magnificent, and the worship-area will easily hold 600 people. Sadly, this space is far too large (and expensive) for the current congregation, who use a lower-ground room for their activities, including services, nowadays. The building is up for sale, a good offer has been received, and this is under consideration; if the transaction is completed, this would enable the congregation to remain where they are and to refurbish their smaller premises, whilst the remainder of the building will be transformed into an Arts and Theatre complex. We used our time in Newcastle to do a little sight-seeing and found that the centre is attractive and interesting, whilst coastal resorts, such as Whitley Bay and Tynemouth are very beautiful, even if Storm Ciara was raging!

By the following Sunday, I had travelled to Kendal, to attend the Formal Welcome to their new Minister, Rev. Amanda Reynolds. I gave the Greetings from the General Assembly, plus some thoughts on successful Ministry; I also wrote a report for The Inquirer, which was printed in the March 7th issue. Rev. Beryl Allerton conveyed the Greetings of NELUM to the congregation, and Val Chamberlain represented our congregation. The GA Chief Officer, Elizabeth Slade, was also present, and spoke about her work, and her life as a Unitarian. This was a wonderful service, on a memorable afternoon; Mandy was delighted with the event and quick to express her pleasure; she is an excellent Minister and already much admired by her congregation.

Unity, Bolton, was the next service I conducted, on February 23rd; I had been asked to talk about my year as Vice-President, so, using my calendar-pieces, I constructed an address for them. They were very pleased, and even Roger commented on how interesting it had sounded---and he was there at the time! After that, I attended services at Bury, in March, as I had no official engagements until the 29th; this included chairing the discussion of the GA Motions, on March 15th, after the service. Unfortunately, Coronavirus took over, before then, and Ansdell and I were obliged to cancel the visit. My three Presidential visits in April have all been cancelled, too, by mutual agreement, and cancellations are now the order of the day. The cancellation of the Annual Meetings means that I will not be installed as the GA President, as I had expected, but will continue as Vice-President, until the Annual Meetings, next April. 

APRIL 2020

Despite the restrictions we’re currently living under, I’m far from idle; there is still church-business to which to attend, and other groups with which I’m involved also make demands on my time. I was invited to write a service for Sheffield Fulwood and Underbank churches, to be used on April 26th, when I was booked to conduct a service at Upper Chapel; my service, now completed, has been sent to four ministers in the Sheffield area. Rev. Maud Robinson delivered the service I had written, and it was well-received. A similar written, read-at-home service has been requested for another church, for an Anniversary Service, on June 7th, as I’m not able to conduct the service in person. I find that this requires rather a different technique, as it must be composed for one or two people to read to themselves, or speak quietly, rather than being delivered by one person, to be heard by others; also, as it is shorter than a normal service, its message has to be more immediate, and its content very relevant to the current situation.

Celia Cartwright, Sue Woolley and I have suggested that that there should be a Presidential Team for the next year; the three of us will carry out such duties as are required, between us. I'm pleased to be able to report that this scheme has now been approved by Elizabeth Slade, the Chief Officer, and by the Executive Committee, and there will be announcements about this arrangement in The Inquirer, in UniNews, and on the Unitarians website.

When my Sheffield service was being delivered, Roger and I joined the congregation at Fulwod, via Zoom; on June 7th, my Anniversary Service for Chowbent will be sent by email and by post to the members of the congregation, and Roger and I will read the service at home, lighting the chalice-candle on behalf of all the congregation and remembering them in our prayers. Kendal's 300th Anniversary Service, on May 31st, had to be cancelled; instead, a different---but very enjoyable---service was transmitted by Zoom, and Roger and I joined it, but not, sadly, in person, and I gave one of the readings---a first for me!. For the time being, I keep busy with work for our church, trying to keep in regular contact with as many of the congregation as possible; I have duties connected with the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry; and Celia, Sue and I will be keeping in touch with one another, and with Liz Slade and Marion Baker, so that we can liaise with the EC, once a month. Padiham has now begun to transmit Zoom services, and I have logged on to three of these, so far, and have been impressed by how quickly the technology has been mastered. It has been interesting to sample Zoom services presented by other Unitarian churches---a chance to hear a variety of styles and material, without moving from home! I also take as many opportinuities to sample other Zoom occasions, such as Chat Sessions, Coffee Mornings, and Afternoon Teas; no chance of gaining weight, though, as I haven't yet had a bite to eat!

There is little to report,in August, as lockdown continues, and life proceeds according to the new normality. On the first Sunday in June, I produced the Sunday Service for Chowbent; this was a read-at-home service, to celebrate the chapel's 299th Anniversary, which considered the contribution made to Chowbent by Caleb Wright, a considerable benefactor of theirs, and of the local area; he was also the first M.P. for the new constituency of Leigh. Next year, I hope to able to be present in person, when Chowbent celebrates its important 300th Anniversary!

I continue to tune in to services and other events at Padiham, Kendal, Stand and Edinburgh, and enjoy the variety of material and style available. I have been invited to deliver a service for St. Mark's Unitarian Church, Edinburgh; as this will be via Zoom, I am quite apprehensive! Padiham's first Zoom service was subtitled "Be kind---it's an experiment!" I know the feeling! Kate conducted Bury's first Zoom service, on June 14th, from her kitchen-table; it was good to hear her voice again, and we found this a moving service, especially when each member was mentioned by name and formally remembered. Thanks to Kate for everything she is doing for us, in order to sustain us and help us through this difficult time; thanks, too, to Ade for dealing with the technical-requirements of Zoom. All went beautifully.

JULY 2020

During Kate's leave, in July, I have offered to write a service for Bury, and this will be available for the 19th; details will follow, once Kate and I have agreed what is to happen to provide cover during her absence. I continue to work hard, on the congregation's behalf; despite our continued closure, there is still much to be arranged, and discussions and decisions are ongoing. As I write, churches are reopening for private prayer, but we are still a considerable time away from a full reopening; in some ways, I wish it could be soon, but a prime consideration must be that nothing should threaten the health of our members, many of whom are very vulnerable indeed. I send everyone my best wishes; be patient---we will be together as soon as possible!
There is little to report, this month, as lockdown continues, and life proceeds according to the new normality. On the first Sunday in June, I produced the Sunday Service for Chowbent; this was a read-at-home service, to celebrate the chapel's 299th Anniversary, which considered the contribution made to Chowbent by Caleb Wright, a considerable benefactor of theirs, and of the local area; he was also the first M.P. for the new constituency of Leigh. Next year, I hope to able to be present in person, when Chowbent celebrates its important 300th Anniversary!

I continue to tune in to services and other events at Padiham, Kendal, Stand and Edinburgh, and enjoy the variety of material and style available. I have been invited to deliver a service for St. Mark's Unitarian Church, Edinburgh; as this will be via Zoom, I am quite apprehensive! Padiham's first Zoom service was subtitled "Be kind---it's an experiment!" I know the feeling! Kate conducted Bury's first Zoom service, on June 14th, from her kitchen-table; it was good to hear her voice again, and we found this a moving service, especially when each member was mentioned by name and formally remembered. Thanks to Kate for everything she is doing for us, in order to sustain us and help us through this difficult time; thanks, too, to Ade for dealing with the technical-requirements of Zoom. All went beautifully.

During Kate's leave, in July, I have offered to write a service for Bury, and this will be available for the 19th; details will follow, once Kate and I have agreed what is to happen to provide cover during her absence. I continue to work hard, on the congregation's behalf; despite our continued closure, there is still much to be arranged, and discussions and decisions are ongoing. As I write, churches are reopening for private prayer, but we are still a considerable time away from a full reopening; in some ways, I wish it could be soon, but a prime consideration must be that nothing should threaten the health of our members, many of whom are very vulnerable indeed. I send everyone my best wishes; be patient---we will be together as soon as possible!

AUGUST 2020

August has kept me busy, in ways that I could not have expected; September should be quieter---on paper, at least---and arrangements in October are still to be negotiated. I led worship, by Zoom, at Padiham, and at Edinburgh, on August 9th and 16th, respectively, and the services proceeded smoothly, from a technical point of view, and were received with much appreciation by the congregations concerned; it is always very gratifying when positive comments are expressed, and good to know that one's hard work has not been wasted. Padiham had invited members of Cross Street Manchester to join their worship, on August 16th; as I was unable to be present, I recorded a message of greetings and welcome for them, on behalf of the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry, and of the General Assembly. Brighton Unitarians celebrate their Bicentenary, on August 23rd, and I shall again offer greetings and congratulations to them, on behalf of the GA. The Presidential Team, which consists of myself, Celia Cartwright, and Sue Woolley, have access to a special email account and are jointly responsible for dealing with messages sent there. My involvement in the event at Brighton arose from such an email, as did a message of condolence to the family of a member at Stockton: Edna Anderson. It has been suggested that the Presidential Team should offer assistance with services, in order to help ministers and worship-leaders who are feeling very overworked, at present. My invitation to Belper, mid-September, has been cancelled, but I have offered to conduct a Zoom service for them, if they wish, and I am booked for a Zoom service at Kendal, at the end of the month.

On Sundays, Roger and I quite often attend the service at Padiham; all their Zoom services have been recorded and can be accessed on You Tube, including mine from August 9th. There will be services from other Unitarian churches to be found on You Tube, as well. Simply select the You Tube icon on your home screen, and, once you reach You Tube, type in an appropriate title (for example, "Padiham Unitarian Church Services"). In fact, You Tube offers a great variety of different types of entertainment: music, drama, comedy, lectures; and it is easy to access, as long as you have a suitable device. I should mention here that, for the Zoom services that I lead, I need a recording-studio; I have to make sure that the camera-angles are right; a plain background is a necessity; and different levels are needed for the chalice-candle, my service-words, my computer---and a glass of water, of course. I have found cardboard boxes to be very useful, and my recipe-book holder is just right; so far, nothing has overbalanced! I have no plans for a career in the film-industry, however.

I extend my thanks to Kate, once more, for everything she is doing for Bury Unitarian Church. Each week, we are provided with a well-written, well-delivered, service, and one that is relevant to our current circumstances, as well as being interesting and thought-provoking. I can't always manage to read my service at home, at 11.15 on Sundays, but I make every effort to read and think about it, before Sunday is over. I do this in the belief that all our members are doing the same, and I sincerely hope that this is so. Our efforts towards reopening for worship, this month, have been substantial and have required time and thought, too. Kate has done a magnificent job with the documentation she has collected together and circulated, and in the meetings she has chaired. Ade, too, has been busy, not just as our technical supervisor, but also as our Property Manager; there has been a great deal of work to be done, in this capacity. He is being ably assisted by our HARP Team (Howard, Ade, Roger, Peter)! Thank you to all of them.

SEPTEMBER 2020

If all goes according to plan, this month will bring live services to Bury Unitarian Church, again; these will not be what we have been used to, and you may not find them very satisfying, but they will mean that, in a small way, we shall be able to meet together, once more. If anyone had told us, in March, that it would be six months before we were able to come together, we would not have believed them, and this was not naïvety; we simply had no idea what was in store for us. In the hope that I shall see many of you, in person, at some stage during this month, I send you all my love and very best wishes, and Roger joins me in these sentiments. Last month, I hoped for a quieter time; I should have known better! During September, I have conducted two Zoom services: one for Belper, and one for Kendal; such services are rather different from live church-services; they are shorter, for a start, and too much "talking at people" leads to a lack of concentration, after a while, which means that the "talk" needs to be separated by other worship-elements. I enjoy choosing my music for my services, rather than leaving the choice to a church-organist or pulpit-supply secretary; I can select music which highlights my theme, which is an advantage; at Belper, for example, in a service about Memories, I played the Bob Hope/Shirley Ross rendition of "Thanks for the memory"---a bittersweet song of reminiscences which recall the fabric of a life shared. You'll find it on You Tube.I was recently asked, in a way that presupposed the answer, whether I had been very busy; when I replied that I had been, this brought forth expressions of great surprise. I explained that I had various duties at Bury, with the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry, and with the Presidential Team. I keep in regular touch with Celia and Sue, and the messages that pass between us vary from the profound to the trivial! Recently, the password on our special account expired, as it does regularly, about once every two months; at that point, we have to contact Essex Hall, to request a new one; of course, we can never remember the new password; mine is written down, in several places, but always manages to be lost when I need it! Such is life! 

This month, I have spent a great deal of time reorganising October; I could see, beforehand, that it was going to be a heavy month, with 10 engagements altogether, and I thought it best to begin to plan well in advance. But what should I plan? Were engagements going to be cancelled outright, transferred to Zoom, or actually be held? Services would be different, depending on whether they were actual or virtual. In the end, nearly everything will be virtual, but negotiations have been lengthy and time-consuming---and are still unfinished. 

Roger and I attended the September service at Ainsworth, and enjoyed it very much; we are back there, in October, when I conduct their Harvest Festival for them. We participate in Zoom services, on most Sundays, and, on September 20th, were delighted to listen to the service at Padiham, conducted by their former minister, Rev. Jim Corrigall. One great advantage of Zoom is that it's easily possible to join other church-services, conducted by different leaders, and, as not all services are held on Sundays, at 11 a.m; a greater choice is available. 

As mentioned elsewhere, we have been holding actual services, every Sunday afternoon, this month; this, of course has added to Kate's workload, as it has to be taken into account. She is working very hard, on our behalf, to supply various forms of worship, to cater for everybody, and I do thank her most sincerely for all she is doing for us. Ade, too, is being kept busy, supervising the premises and stewarding services; thank you to him, too. The fact the we are able to be open at all is due to several people: those who make the decisions, and those who oversee the practical arrangements; thank you to them, also. In time, we hope to be able to relax some of the more severe restrictions, but a great deal will depend on what the government allows, and the present figures are not encouraging. We must be patient for a while longer, it seems. It has been good to see people at services, throughout September, and I hope that this will continue. Whether or not we have met recently, Roger and I send you our love and warmest greetings; we are trying to keep in touch, as much as possible, and, one day, we will all be able to be together again, I feel sure! Look after yourselves.

OCTOBER 2020

I knew that October would be busy---and I was right! At the very end of September, I conducted a Zoom service at Kendal, and it was enjoyable to feel to be amongst friends; the service went well, but, unfortunately, afterwards, when we were all put into breakout-rooms, our internet-connection failed, and we found ourselves cut off; the same happened, the following week, after the Bury service. As I mention, elsewhere, I conducted Ainsworth's Harvest Festival for them, on October 4th, and found it a strange experience, after 7 months without live services! I managed to introduce the traditional Harvest-hymns into the service without singing them all; at least we had the pleasure of hearing them played on the organ. Despite fears that attendance would be low (the service was nearly cancelled), we attracted a good number, and all went well.

Over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of October, I found myself Zooming to Newcastle: on the Saturday, I attended the Northern Unitarian Union's AGM and gave them a talk about the duties of the GA Vice-President, both before and after Coronavirus struck; I had a picture of one couple on my screen, whilst I was speaking, and found their reactions very inspiring; I wish my audiences always looked so enthralled! On Sunday morning, I led worship for the NUA congregations; there are only two: Newcastle and Stockton, in this very small district, yet they work hard and make a significant contribution to our denomination. Again, all was well, and a large number of participants was present; this time, I managed to socialise, afterwards, too!


The following weekend should have seen me in Scarborough and Whitby, but it wasn't to be; Whitby cancelled early; they are a small congregation, and are struggling; Scarborough was very late in reaching a decision; I'm not sure whether they have been having services at all, during lockdown, and October 18th should have been their Re-opening. Alas, even the lure of being addressed by the Vice-President failed to attract; their COVID-19 cases were on the rise, and they decided to stay closed! But the negotiations that preceded this decision were lengthy and time-consuming; it was a good job that I didn't have a service to compose, as well! I was, however, asked to contribute to Padiham's service, then, as they were entertaining members of their local Sufi community; right at the last minute, I wrote and delivered Greetings for the GA; a Welcome to the Sufis, and an explanation of what the GA was, and how it worked; and a Reflection on my life during lockdown. Last weekend was almost a re-run of two weeks ago, when I was the guest-speaker at the Yorkshire Unitarian Union's AGM, on October 24th, before conducting morning-service at York, on the 25th. The week that follows should be more restful---only 5 official meetings, plus a few informal ones---so far! Please note that, between November 1st and 17th, I shall be on leave; I feel that I'm in need of a rest and a break!


Kate is now back from her "holiday" and taking up the reins, once more; I hope she is feeling rested and refreshed; thanks to her for her efforts, at each end of October; thanks to Ade, for carrying out all his duties, too; there is much to be done, and we are grateful to both of them. As you will know, we are now on the Third Tier, in our pandemic classification, and our restrictions remain stringent; what a testing time we've endured! It's been very pleasant to see everybody who has attended actual services, and I hope to see more members, this month, as we return to our usual morning-worship time. Roger and I send our love and best wishes to everyone; let us hope and pray that, by the end of November, we will feel that we have made progress towards the "new normal".

November was, thankfully, a quieter month, which gave me the opportunity to relax, and to finish off various tasks which had been left in abeyance for far too long. Despite my "leave",  I was kept busy during the Remembrance period; I contributed to our own service, and to the one at Golders Green, on Remembrance Sunday; gave a reading at The Lancashire Collaborative Ministry service, on Remembrance Day, and two further readings at the Uni-sing! Remembrance session, on November 15th. I supported Ainsworth's Remembrance Service, on November 1st---which, sadly, meant that I missed Bury's last service before

Lockdown 2, when the organ was played for the first time in more than 8 months, which, thus, constituted a memorable occasion. On November 16th, we Zoomed to the service at Sheffield Fulwood and Underbank, where Rev. Maud Robinson delivered her service with great conviction. November 21st was the date of Zoom Societies Day, organised by the GA, which I attended, as did Kate and Val. Findhorn was represented and provided a most impressive presentation; the other societies participating were the Unitarian Renewal Group, the Earth Spirit Network, The Peace Fellowship, and The National Unitarian Fellowship. Every session was interesting and informative, and all present agreed that a similar day, next year, would be welcomed. On the following day, I was invited to attend the service at Bank Street Bolton, which I greatly enjoyed: I have conducted several services there and always feel that I am amongst friends. Sadly, their organist, Keith, has died, very recently; Keith was a man of great talents and will be much missed. Later that day, I attended the LCM's Interfaith Service, where, once more, I met friends whom I had not seen for many months and shared readings, music, and conversation with them. I hope to attend the service at conducting the service then; Ralph served as the Minister at Hull but now lives in Melbourne each month. I am due to conduct Belper's service, on November 24th, and am looking forward to that. December seems as if it will be busy, again, and I have several engagements to attend, and for which to prepare. Once more, we enter into unknown territory; will we be able to open, or not? No doubt all will be revealed, in due course! Lockdown 2 has thrown our plans into confusion, and it is difficult to move forward, amid such uncertainty. Kate continues to provide a stable presence, both with her services, and with her personal communications, which I, for one, value. Once again, I thank her for her efforts, and I commend, especially, our Remembrance Sunday Service, at which those of us on Zoom, at least, were able to see our War Memorial, listen to The Last Post and Réveille, watch our wreath being laid, and hear the Roll of Honour read; we might not have been able to meet together, as we had hoped, but we knew that the acknowledgement of the day's significance had been made, in as heartfelt and sincere a manner as it usually is. I thank both Kate and Ade for a moving service; the technology was as necessary as the content, on that occasion.

DECEMBER 2020

As we approach Christmas, we are again beset by uncertainty; all we can be sure of is that this Christmas is unlikely to be what we would prefer, or enjoy. We can only accept what is necessary, and hope for the best possible outcome; let us make up our minds to count our blessings and try to see the most positive side of whatever happens. As usual, Roger joins me in sending all of you our love and very best wishes, not just in our day-to-day life, but during the Christmas season. We wish you a peaceful and healthy Christmas, and a New Year in which our hopes of every kind are fulfilled.

As I suspected, December and January were busy months. On November 29th, we attended the Newcastle's zoom service, which Rev. Ralph Catts conducted; it was excellent, and all praise to Ralph for working so late into the evening; he was transmitting from Melbourne; the wonders of modern technology! Earlier that week, I led worship at Belper and found the members, once more, a friendly, receptive group. December 4th brought my own brush with technology; I was asked to supply a 10-second video-clip as a contribution to Cross Street Manchester's "Anthems for Advent" event---a wonderful collection of readings, music and prayers---all in aid of charity. Suffice it to say that my brief piece took two hours to sort out, but all was well, in the end! On the following day, Kate and I took part in a chat-session which involved a hook-up between Newcastle Unitarians and The North Shore Unitarian Church in Chicago; this proved interesting and informative; and several other congregations from different parts of Europe also joined in, so we were truly a cosmopolitan gathering. On December 6th, I had been invited to offer Greetings from the GA to the East Midlands Union, at its Annual Meeting; this was combined with their Christmas Service and turned out to be a beautiful, joyous occasion, attended by over 120 people; it was a pleasure to spend time with them all.

Sunday, December 13th brought the Ainsworth Christmas Service, which I had been asked to conduct, in person; we kept being told that Christmas, 2020, would be different, and my service was definitely not altogether traditional; a tribute to Dorothy Roberts was included, as were 70th Birthday greetings to Shirley, but everything fitted together, and the atmosphere was one of seasonal cheer. In the afternoon, we joined another hook-up service---this time between Padiham, Dublin, Cork, and the Fourth Unitarian Church, in New York. The Lancashire Collaborative Ministry held its special Christmas Service, on the afternoon of the 19th; all the NELUM churches were invited, as well as many others, and at least 70 people attended and enjoyed an excellent service; my contribution was to deliver the final reading, which I was happy to do. The next day, off-duty, for once, I was able to attend the services at Padiham and at Bury, both of which concentrated on the nativity, and how it might be interpreted, metaphorically. Bury had decided not to hold a service on December 27th, so we zoomed to York, to join their "Serendipity" service, at which those present were asked to bring a reading, or similar contribution; you can read one of the poems elsewhere in this issue. To mark the New Year, we returned to York, on January 3rd, for Rev. Stephanie Bisby's first service as their Minister; I had previously written to her to congratulate her on her appointment, and I wish her good luck in her work.

JANUARY 2021

I was invited to join Padiham's new Discussion Group, on January 14th, to introduce the evening's topic: Debt; a good conversation ensued, and the LCM Minister, Rev. Shannon Ledbetter later formulated a Debt Statement, which, hopefully, will receive an airing on Radio Lancashire, in the near future. I was back with Padiham and the LCM, on January 17th, to lead worship, when I took as my subject the idea of "Circling Years"; the service was well-attended, and I was complimented on its thought-provoking qualities.

I congratulate Kate on the quality of her Christmas services in 2020, many of which had to be conducted online. Her Christingle Service, on December 13th, was a joy to attend, as we decorated our oranges and tried to work out how to keep our candles alight without setting everything else on fire! Christmas Eve's Communion Service was moving and reverent, and very much in keeping with the mood of the moment, as was the Christmas Day Service; we celebrated, but with restraint, and looked forward to improvements during 2021, especially nearer to the Christmas period. I was particularly impressed by our crib scene, last December, as it was differently arranged so as to flow down the steps of the dais, with Mary and Joseph moving closer to the stable, as we approached Christmas-time. Many thanks, once again, to both Kate and Ade, for all their hard work producing services, each week; Christmas is always an extremely busy time, and they thoroughly deserved their break, afterwards.

Attendance at Sunday services increases by the week, and we are attracting more visitors as we go along. Sadly, the Christmas-period brought Lockdown 3, and, although churches could have stayed open, we took the decision not to do so, because of rising figures and the contagiousness of new strains of the virus. We opened on January 3rd, but not after that, although the situation is under review. Again, we are surrounded by uncertainty, and I am informed that the GA Annual Meetings, consisting of business-matters only, will take place online, this year; a likely date is April 24th, but this is not yet confirmed. On a more positive note, vaccinations are taking place at a great rate, in our area, and I hope that we will all receive them before much more time has passed. Roger and I have both received our first jabs, which is encouraging news: "light at the end of the tunnel" is a popular phrase, at present. By the time you receive this calendar, the nights will be a little lighter, the spring will be a little closer, and our hopes may be a little higher. We both send our love and very best wishes to everybody; keep warm, and keep well!      

.FEBRUARY 2021

The last month has been fairly quiet: cancellation, rather than booking, has been the order of the day, as regards official duties. At the end of February, I shall lead worship at Newcastle Unitarian Church, on Zoom, taking care not to cause any copyright-problems; this is becoming an important issue, as churches record services and transfer them to You Tube or similar platforms; indeed, we shall probably have to seek information as to where we ourselves stand, in the near future. During the last few weeks, Roger and I have visited Ipswich twice, to join their service; on the second occasion, we were fortunate to hear Rev. Cliff Reed preach---an extremely polished, professional service and sermon, entitled "Interesting Matters". Another Sunday took us to Mansfield, where Rev. Maria Pap gave us a very warm welcome, as well as conducting an excellent service on "Smuggling"; the members were very friendly, too, and we have been invited to return, which we'll be happy to do. Other Sundays have seen us visit Padiham and Bury, and I shall be spending the next week or so putting together my Zoom service for Mothering Sunday, at Bury; I'll be looking for readers for March 14th---be warned! Other than services, I've exchanged emails with our Chief Officer, about arrangements for the GA Annual Meetings, and this has led to telephone-conversations with Bob Janis-Dillon, our new Congregational Connections Lead, about my experience of attending, and leading, worship at our various churches. The "Leading change in the congregation" course is demanding, in terms of time and thought, but I hope it will prove useful, as we emerge from lockdown.

Kate and I have been extremely busy preparing for our forthcoming Congregation AGM; it is no easy task to hold this virtually, using only letter, email and phone, but we hope it will be successful. Please do respond to the various papers you receive, this month, and, in particular, send in your votes; we need at least 25 returned votes from church-members, in order to be quorate on the notional date of the AGM (March 28th), otherwise our work will have been in vain; every response is important, and every vote will count. Please help us!

At the time of writing (February 23rd), we have been told about our "roadmap" out of lockdown, and we are hoping that it will not be too much longer before we will be released from many of the restrictions that have prevailed during the past year. It has been most unfortunate that we have been unable to meet, all together, since then, and I do apologise to anyone who may have felt excluded by Zoom; we have tried to do our best, in difficult circumstances, and our main aim has been not to risk the health of our members. Kate, in particular, has been very active in her efforts to provide everything we need: services, pastoral support, calendars, information, and additional sessions of all kinds, and we need to be aware of her hard work, and appreciative of it. In thanking Kate, I also thank Ade for all his work, both in supporting Kate, and in looking after our premises.


I sincerely hope that it will not be long before we can open our church fully and permanently, but we must be patient for a while yet, it seems. My garden and my daily walks remind me that Spring is well on its way; vaccinations are in hand, and many of us are waiting for our second injections now. Roger and I send our love and best wishes; we continue to work hard on behalf of you all, and we look forward to the day when we will be able to join together, at church, as we were accustomed to do previously.

MARCH 2021

My main task, during March, has been to prepare the material for our own Mothering Sunday Service, on March 14th; this went very well, and the people who either attended it, or read it, seem to have enjoyed it. Roger provided the technical support for the service---no easy task---but all went off smoothly; we had sound when we needed it and not when we didn't, and some excellent photographs, into the bargain; thank you, Roger. Padiham Unitarians offered a taster-course for those interested in the technical side of Zoom services, which Roger found both interesting and helpful, and Robert Foreman, who ran the course, was of great assistance with our service; thanks to him, too. We enjoyed four readings from excellent readers; it's good to hear different voices, from time to time. Much to my surprise, and with a little help from their father, both my daughters attended the service, and enjoyed it, too!


Roger and I have attended the services at Padiham and Bury, on other Sundays in March; they dovetail nicely! On Easter Sunday, I have been asked to take the service at Blackpool, and this will be in-person; the material is nearly ready, with only one or two items left to complete. Unfortunately, this means that we will not be able to attend either Bury's service, or Ainsworth's, on that day, but our thoughts will be with both congregations.


Discussions about my contributions to the GA Annual Meetings continue; some of the portions are to be recorded, in advance, just in case, and it is seeming more likely than not that I will, finally, be installed as President; I will not , however, have the Presidential regalia, on the day, as this must remain with Celia Cartwright until she has finished chairing the Meetings and formally relinquished her post; it will then be couriered to me, and my Vice-President's medallion will be couriered to Sue Woolley. On the day, the installations will probably take place, between 4 and 5 p.m.; I will then conduct the Closing Devotions, so there is a fair amount of devising and writing to be done, before then; decisions are not completely in place; I will let everybody know, once I've been informed.


Preparations for our Congregational AGM have occupied my time, these past few weeks, and I'm most grateful to Kate for all her help with printing, collating, and distributing required material; Hopefully, all the extra work will prove to have been worthwhile---and maybe we shall have learned how to streamline our future AGM's. Thank you to everyone who voted, and for doing so in a helpful, constructive way; all compliments have been appreciated!


Once again, I thank Kate and Ade for all their hard work, this month; we have very much enjoyed Kate's Tuesday Meditation services and found them restful and soothing. All the usual weekly services continue, but it is no easy feat to produce services suitable for zoom and to be read at home, and April should bring in-person services, too. If our Easter Sunday re-opening should prove permanent, this will represent a huge and positive step. I really am looking forward to seeing many of the Bury folk, at church, in the very near future; in the meantime, Roger and I send you all our love and very best wishes.

APRIL 2021

 What a busy month April has been! The fact that we can socialise a little more, and that this has had to be incorporated into my accustomed routine has rather complicated matters! On Easter Sunday, I conducted the service at Blackpool and received a very warm, friendly welcome from the congregation there; all went well; we weren't apprehended by the police for travelling outside our area (allowable because I was working), and the roads weren't jammed with tourists. Once the service had finished, we walked into central Blackpool, as far as the pier, and enjoyed the views from the promenade; we noted how clean everywhere looked, especially when compared with Bury. We drove on, past Fairhaven Lake, to Lytham, and, finally, home. It was Roger's birthday, so presents and birthday tea had to be factored in, but he enjoyed his long day, in the end.

A week later, I attended a Book Launch and Poetry Workshop, in connection with Rev. Cliff Reed's new book, "Beyond Darkness" (available from The Lindsay Press for £9.99). Cliff was interviewed and talked knowledgeably about his writings, and, later, suggested topics for us to consider, to encourage our creative juices. I enjoyed the evening and am looking forward very much to reading and thinking about the book's contents.

The Lancashire Collaborative Ministry held its AGM and Committee Meeting, that same week, and I had suggested that I, as the Vice-President, could propose the customary vote of thanks to those present; as I'm the Secretary, I didn't like to thank myself, but the Chairman, Dot Hewerdine made good the deficiency; modesty forbids me to quote her, but I felt very flattered by her words; appreciation is always a very welcome commodity, I find.

I learned, from Val Chamberlain, who is the Secretary of The Findhorn Unitarian Network, the sad news that the two main buildings in Findhorn, in northern Scotland, where there is a successful centre of spirituality, had been destroyed, quite deliberately, by fire, mid-April. This had shocked and distressed the many people who have visited the centre and come to love it. FUN's AGM was held on April 17th, and I conveyed a message of sympathy to its members, on behalf of the GA, which was well-received; the text of this was sent out to all the members, when the Minutes were circulated, and I was asked, also, to send a similar message to the CEO of the Findhorn Centre.

We had known, in advance, that we would be unlikely to be able to attend Pam Oxley's funeral, on April 20th, on account of restrictions on numbers, but we were able to watch the webcast, which took place, at the same time---and a beautiful service it was, conducted with dignity by Kate, and including an excellent prayer by Rev. Beryl Allerton, and a reading by Kirsty, one of Pam's grand-daughters. I will miss Pam for her humour, her conversation, and her sharp wit; whenever we discussed lock-down, she would always comment, after a while, "It's a bit of a beggar, isn't it?" I think I will always remember that, and smile.

There were many preparations to be made, in advance of the Annual GA Meetings, and these consumed a great deal of time; my Acceptance Speech was recorded, about two weeks before the event, and this caused some continuity-problems: I had to wear the same clothes, despite very different temperatures on the day of recording and the actual day, and my hair kept growing! I also had to prepare the Closing Devotions for the Meetings and to liaise with the technical support team; in the end, my script was a marvel of colour-coding: black for the items to be delivered; red for my links from one to the other; and blue for instructions to the technical folk. All went smoothly, in the end, as the very first virtual Meetings took place, on April 24th. The Inquirer requested a copy of all my material, plus photographs, which had to be supplied, in order to meet the deadline for the next issue. I'll be interested to see what is actually printed, in the end.

Finally, at the end of proceedings, I became the new President; it wasn't the quite same as a live installation, but what took place was sufficient to satisfy the constitution, and I was duly elected, as was Rev. Sue Woolley, who became the new Vice-President. The entire day went surprisingly smoothly, despite a few problems with the electronic voting; Rev. Celia Cartwright did an amazing job, staying calm and self-possessed, as she chaired the entire event; and the Motions were debated with good humour, and in a pleasingly pleasant spirit. We drove to Cumbria, to collect the President's medallion from Celia, on the following Monday, to complete the handover and take more photographs, two of which can be seen in this issue. Maybe now, the facts will start to sink in, and the event will seem more real!

By now, as many of us have had two jabs, and the figures continue to fall, it seems that we might have cause for cautious optimism. We hope that restrictions on churches will continue to relax, but, for the time being, demands on Kate continue to be high; every week, now, we can choose from in-person services, zoom ones, or read-at-home ones, and we are assured that this situation will remain until we are fully-open, once more. This, of course, asks a great deal of our Minister, and I do thank Kate for all her efforts to ensure that no church-member is excluded or neglected, and for the time and trouble she expends, as she carries out her duties. Ade, too, is working very hard on all sorts of projects; he is covering a great deal of ground, in the process, and much is achieved. He should also be thanked for stewarding in-person services with calm authority, so that each person present reaches the correct seat before the start of the service. Thank you, both, for everything you do.

The cherry-blossom on the trees at the back of the church is a reminder that spring is proceeding apace; recent days have been sunny and pleasant, but the nights have been chilly; nevertheless, summer will soon be here, we hope. Roger and I send you our love and best wishes, and hope that we will see everyone soon.

May 2021

May began busily---no surprise there! On the 1st, I presented the Greetings from the General Assembly at the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry's Spring Jamboree Service; on the 2nd, I presented the Greetings, at Ainsworth's service, and, on the 9th, again, at Bury. During the first weekend in May, I was surprised and pleased to receive a beautiful bouquet from the GA, in appreciation of the work I had done, as the Vice-President, during the previous year; at Ainsworth, I was formally introduced as the newly-installed President and received a spontaneous round of applause. After that, I settled to serious work, as I had services to prepare: for Rochdale's Anniversary Service, on May 16th, and for Golders Green, on the 23rd; the first was in-person, and the second by zoom. Both went very well; Rochdale were pleased to be reminded of many happy memories, and Golders Green were still discussing my address (on "Change") more than half-an -hour after the service had finished.

I have had three messages to write, along the way, one of which is printed elsewhere in this issue; this is the traditional Presidential message for the GA Weekend, which will take place during June 26th and 27th. At Bury, we do not usually hold a dedicated service, but individuals may wish to send donations in support of the Ministry Students' Fund---an excellent cause. When we receive details of where these should be sent, we will let everybody know. I was also asked to write a message, on behalf of the Peace Fellowship, which will be circulated to its members, asking them to support one of the four Motions passed, at the Annual Meetings: the Global Coronavirus Emergency Appeal---another worthy cause. The third message was one of Greetings to the International Association for Religious Freedom; this was recorded, in advance, and I was grateful to Robert Ince, the IARF President, for his help with the technology.

On May 13th, I met with our Chief Officer, and we discussed what we thought my role for the year might be; apart from visiting as many churches and congregations as possible, either online or in-person, it is to assess what is happening, across the country, to see where help is most needed and how requirements can best be met. May 18th brought my first Executive Committee Meeting; vast amounts of paperwork seem to be required reading, at all times, but I found the session reasonably straightforward to follow, and the necessary business was transacted efficiently; as I am an observer, rather than an elected member, I do not vote, so my powers are somewhat limited. During the rest of the month, I have been working my way through correspondence of all kinds, as a way of keeping in touch with members of our denomination---a task made more difficult when we cannot always meet together. I have an article to write for "The Inquirer", before the end of June, and June also brings commitments at three churches, with some time away factored in; I am looking forward to a break!

Once again, I offer thanks to Kate and Ade for the amount of work both of them carry out, on our behalf; they are always busy, and our church-life would be the poorer, were it not for their efforts and dedication. I hope they are enjoying their short break and will return to us feeling refreshed and renewed.

June sees the summer solstice, and it would be good to be able to sample some weather which is more seasonal---warmer, sunnier, and drier. Let us hope that we shall be luckier than we have been, during May! Roger joins me in sending best wishes to you all; look after yourselves.

June 2021


June 6th saw us at Kendal, where I had been asked to offer Greetings from the General Assembly to the congregation there. Over the years, we have attended a large number of services at Kendal, so we know many of the members, and are known to them; Margaret Pollard's cousin, Helen, is one of them, and we enjoyed renewing our acquaintance with her. Kendal are now offering hybrid services; some of the members attend in person, whilst others sign in on zoom, so all preferences are catered for. Rev. Amanda Reynolds, Kendal's Minister, conducted an excellent service, about St. Columba, an Irish abbot, who is credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland, and with founding the abbey on Iona. Mandy included several personal memories in her service, which was profoundly moving, at times, and those of us who had visited Iona, and remembered it as a truly "thin place" were reminded of our own experiences, too. Afterwards, those present enjoyed chatting together, outside, in the sunshine, in Kendal's Memorial Garden, which is now nearly finished and looking very attractive. Our trip to Cumbria enabled us to mix business with pleasure, and we spent the rest of our time in Arnside, Silverdale, and Grange-over-Sands---areas we know and like. It seemed strange to be back in the "real world" of hand-sanitising and face-masks, all the time, and I remain unconvinced that I am ready yet for this; I prefer to remain private, for some of the time, at least, until the Indian variant figures start to fall; we still have some way to go, I fear.

Nevertheless, we are off on our business and pleasure travels again, soon, as I have been invited to take services for Blackpool Unitarians, on June 20th, and at Ansdell, on June 27th. Blackpool requested the Flower Celebration service, which I composed, two years ago, so work on that was fairly easily completed; Ansdell's service still needs attention, as the address I wrote, when I thought I would be with them at the end of March, 2020, is far too out-of-date to be of use; I had been asked to speak about my experiences as the GA Vice-President, but the piece needs updating; as it stands, it belongs to a former life and age. The intervening fifteen months have brought incredible changes, which we would never have suspected when we began. On June 13th, I was invited to read the story at Padiham's service; this turned out to be rather more complicated than it sounds, as the piece was much longer than usual---a good five minutes, in fact---but it is an amazing piece, called "Together", written by Marianne Laidlaw, with illustrations by Luke Adam Hawker, which retells the story of our covid experiences; there is a video-clip of the illustrations online.

I was asked if I would write a regular column for The Inquirer, over the next year, and I have just completed this month's article and sent it off. Because of our holiday, everything is having to be done early, and quickly, which explains a lack of detail in some of the announcements in the July Calendar notices. I shall be sorry to miss the celebration of the Summer Solstice, which Kate is planning to hold, on June 22nd, at Holebottom; I hope, though, that as many people as possible will be able to attend this pleasant, different event, and make it the success it deserves to be.

Thanks are due to Kate and Ade, once more, for all their hard work, in difficult circumstances; we must beware not to overload them with our expectations of what they are able to do, in any given time-period. Please make every effort to help and support them, whenever possible. Thank you, too, to Betty Kenyon for leading worship, on June 13th; although I wasn't able to be present, I read and enjoyed her service at home; Betty, your efforts are also very much appreciated. Roger and I send our best wishes to everyone at Bury and hope to see you all at some stage, during July. In the meantime, be gentle with yourselves, and patient; we will be back in the world of the "new normal" before very much longer, I sincerely hope. Take care of yourselves! Anne. .

July 2021


My trip to Blackpool proved something of a mixed bag; for a start, it wasn't completely holiday-time, but involved a fair amount of work. I conducted a Flower Celebration for Blackpool Unitarians, which they enjoyed, despite the fact that we weren't able to give and receive flowers, at the start and finish, as we would usually have done. During the service, it was announced that the church would be hosting a Strawberry Tea, on the following Saturday, and I was invited to attend, officially. What a wonderful time Roger and I had! Social-distancing was managed expertly; tables of two were specifically-allocated; delicious savoury food was plated up and set out on the tables, in advance, and there was plenty of it, as there was when the time came to embark on the sweets! The mood of the afternoon was relaxed and pleasant---and the sun shone brightly! The event was a triumph and an achievement; we were hugely impressed! The next day, I led worship for Ansdell Unitarians---another enjoyable occasion, on which we were made very welcome and entertained to a socially-distanced lunch by a friendly, hospitable congregation. This was the first time, within living memory, that a serving President or Vice-President had visited our Ansdell church, and I was asked to convey greetings from everyone at Ansdell to all Bury Unitarians. I have been invited to return to both Blackpool and Ansdell, and I look forward with great pleasure to doing so.


I am not very keen on Blackpool as a resort, although we did venture up to the very top of the Tower, just to prove that we were proper tourists! Away from central Blackpool, however, we found much to enjoy: we walked for miles along the beautifully-maintained Promenade, in both directions; we visited Stanley Park, and the Model Village; we rode to Fleetwood on the tram; we toured Lytham Hall; and we walked round Fairhaven Lake---at the third attempt, as it poured with rain on the two earlier occasions! At the end of our trip, we returned home to host The National Women's League AGM Zoom Meeting; sadly, the in-person event, due to be held at The Nightingale Centre, had had to be cancelled, when the period of Covid-restrictions was extended by a further month.


July has not been overly-full of official engagements, but it has given me the chance to prepare a new service or two, to visit other churches, and to catch up with other work. On July 25th, I shall take the service at Walmsley, and am then very busy until the end of October. The first weekend in August takes me to the Newcastle area, to conduct two services in one day, and, on the next three Sundays, I have services booked---some in-person, and others by zoom. I have reported on The Women's League AGM, and on the NWPA AGM, after attending both meetings, and I still have an article to write for "The Inquirer" and messages to send to The National Unitarian Fellowship. I was invited to attend the Valedictory Service at Oxford for two students who had completed their ministry-training: Michael Allured and Robin Hanford; unfortunately, I was unable to attend, as this clashed with other commitments, but I sent Greetings and Congratulations to them both, and these were well-received.


May I take this opportunity to congratulate Abi, and Janine, on the successful completion of their training, too; their Ordination and Graduation took place on July 24th, and some of us were able to watch on Facebook, Zoom, or You Tube. Ministry-training is demanding, at the best of times, but Abi and Janine have worked in especially difficult circumstances, during the Pandemic. On behalf of our congregation, I wish them both well, as they embark on their ministerial careers.


Kate and Ade continue to serve us well in a variety of ways; thanks and appreciation to both of them, once more. We recently received a donation from one of our regular zoom service attenders; in an enclosed letter of thanks, the donor wrote: "The last sixteen months have been a difficult time both spiritually and financially for our churches, and your response has been truly wonderful. Thank you for your care, support, commitment, time and hard work." Sentiments well-worth echoing!
Best wishes to you all; stay safe, and keep cool!

 

September 2021


Since I last compiled my report, I have continued to be busy, and often find myself dealing with three services at once---which can become pretty confusing, especially when all sorts of changes and adjustments are having to be made! Whenever I visit another church, I have to find out whether masks are still being worn, what the position is as regards singing hymns, what's happening about the offertory, and whether anything unusual is due to happen on the day. I feel inclined to ask what "usual" is, these days!

September began with a visit to the Swansea area of South Wales, when I offered the Greetings from the General Assembly at the Valediction and Ordination Services of two new ministers. Rev. Melda Grantham, who runs our Welsh Department, held her momentous event on the afternoon of Saturday, September 4th, at LLywnrhydowen Chapel; the service was conducted by its minister, Rev. Wyn Thomas; the congregation turned out in full force, and the event was attended by representatives from Unitarian College; by many Unitarian Ministers from all over the country; by the GA Chief Officer and its President; and by family and friends. Melda now holds the distinction of being the first ever female Welsh Unitarian Minister; many congratulations to her! Rev. Rory Castle-Jones, the GA IT Officer, celebrated his Valediction, Ordination, and Induction into the Ministry of Gellionnen Chapel, on September 5th, when Rev. Ant Howe led worship, which included an inspirational address; again, the service was attended by as goodly a gathering as on the previous day, and there was much rejoicing and well-wishing of the two new Ministers, from all quarters. The two occasions, although for the same, very effective, purpose, were quite different in atmosphere; both were very happy occasions, however, which were definitely celebrated in style. It was a great privilege to be present on two such important occasions, and to know that two more very capable and caring pairs of hands had joined the ranks of the Unitarian Ministry in Wales.

On the following Sunday, I conducted the service for Brighton Unitarians, whom I was pleased to meet again; I had delivered a message of congratulations and greetings, last year, when they celebrated their 200th Anniversary; my service was much enjoyed, and I was thanked, at the end, for introducing them to four entirely new hymns from the purple hymnbook, and for supplying them with a service which lasted the full hour! This service was experimental, in the sense that it was a hybrid, or blended, one; the congregation were present, in person, but I delivered the service from my laptop, from home; my image was projected onto a large screen, which those present then watched. I was told that, technically, this had worked perfectly---a relief for all concerned.

September 19th saw me at Bolton, Walmsley, for my third service for them in three months; I have another to do, this month, and two more bookings, next year, so I shall need to write more services, soon. This service was special, as, after 18 months, Walmsley's organist, Jean, returned to play for them; she was applauded, at the start of the service, and rightly so. She commented, afterwards, that she'd almost forgotten how to play; she couldn't remember how the stops and pedals worked, but none of that really mattered; the splendid sound of the organ, accompanying the hymns and contributing to the service as a whole, created a magnificent atmosphere and gladdened all our hearts.

The last Sunday of the month was spent with Rochdale Unitarians, as they celebrated their Harvest Festival. The communion-table was beautifullydecorated with flowers, fruit and vegetables, as was the main churchentrance, but the congregation weren't asked to bring harvest-gifts, this year, for hygiene reasons; nevertheless, we celebrated a special season of the year with enthusiasm and sang the traditional hymns with gusto, as we considered several of the different kinds of harvests it was possible to have, whilst retaining the harvest-traditions to which we've become accustomed. This wasn't quite "back to normal", but it felt quite close to it---a good omen for 2022! During September, I have written an additional message for the British Red Cross Appeal which one of our Annual Meetings' Motions agreed to support; following recent events in Afghanistan, the appeal has been extended to include this unfortunate country, where people have been rendered homeless and left with practically nothing; those who have fled the country, as refugees, have not fared any better, and practical and financial assistance are urgently sought. Please keep the people of Afghanistan in your thoughts and prayers; for many of them, the situation is desperate.

On September 18th, Roger and I attended a course, organised by the Unitarian Digital Resources Network, about hybrid, or blended, worship, as we felt that it might be useful to gather information about its requirements. Basically, now that many of our churches are open, more or less as usual, it should be possible for in-person and online elements to be brought together, in the one event; for example, a group may gather in an inside space, where cameras and a computer are provided for those who wish to attend from elsewhere. There are many aspects of hybrid events to be taken into account, we discovered, and the session was very informative. This type of event would benefit both our Camera Club and our Book Club, and may also be useful for our services; the additional equipment would not be hugely expensive, but we would require a camera or two and a computer, and people would need to be willing and able to operate one or both. This course was also held, earlier in the year, in July; if you attended that, please contact us, to let us know; we ought to pool our information and make some decisions. We will share more details later.

Another event we attended was the Autumn Equinox Meditation, on September 21st, at Holebottom; a small group of us gathered together to celebrate the equinox and the solstice, and to reflect upon the period of transition represented. Once the meditation had finished, we chatted, quietly, as the sun went down, on a beautiful evening, which became more attractive as it proceeded, until the sun finally set behind the trees. Generally, we remain in transition, capably steered through it by Kate and Ade, who continue to monitor elements of our church-community life, whilst normality slowly returns; thank you to both of them for their care and concern.

October brings me another month of busyness, in various directions, but Roger and I hope to see some of you, before too long, and, in the meantime, send you our very best wishes; look after yourselves

 

October 2021

October has been yet another very busy month, although we did manage a few days of holiday at the start, which enabled us to relax, and which we greatly enjoyed. On the first Sunday of the month, we enjoyed attending our own Harvest Service, at Bury, after an absence of several weeks. Kate preached with her usual cheerful effectiveness, and the contribution of items for the Food Bank was heartening to witness; Harvest-time, as well as its practical side, is a season for thanksgiving and gratitude. This was a theme that I pursued, on the same afternoon, when I conducted Ainsworth's Harvest for them; I considered memories of Harvests past, mostly with pleasure, although my inability to decorate and fill a Harvest-box artistically haunts me to this day! This service was conducted in the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Bury, Councillor Shaheena Haroon, and her Consort and husband, Raja Khan, and Shaheena very graciously welcomed the congregation, as well as thanking them for their attendance, afterwards. As always, the chapel was beautifully decorated, by Shirley and her team, and, later, there were harvest-items available for the congregation to take home. A delicious afternoon tea was served, and much enjoyed, and not a little conversation ensued. A good time was had by all!

On the following Sunday, I again conducted a service for Walmsley, Bolton, at the end of which I received a compliment---I think! One of the congregation, on his way out, remarked: “Some people 'ave it, and some 'aven't; you 'ave!" And off he went! Afternoon Tea followed immediately after the service, and, no sooner had everyone been served, than the papers for the Congregational AGM were distributed, and the meeting began. It is always interesting to observe how other churches organise themselves, whether for worship, business, or social-activities, and I congratulate Walmsley on their efficiency and pleasantness. I was able to offer useful information, during the meeting, and I delivered a short prayer, at the end, so I felt that I had earned my tea!

From Walmsley, we drove to Padiham, who had invited us to attend a special South African Evening. This began with an exhibition of drumming, which set feet tapping, and created great excitement. The main part of the evening was devoted to a talk from a black South African woman, Protasia, who recounted stories of her life, both there and in the UK; she has been spectacularly successful, in various spheres (nursing, teaching, lecturing, and social-justice work, to name but a few), and her account was heart-warming and heart-breaking, by turns. When she met her future husband, he turned out to be white, Roman Catholic, and a priest, so there were several barriers to be overcome, before the two of them could marry. This was inspirational, and I'm eagerly awaiting Pro's book, which, she says, she has "nearly finished" (but in African time!) Meanwhile, I'm reading her husband's life-story and finding it fascinating. The evening ended with mountains of delicious South African food---and conversation---both of which Unitarians always seem to enjoy! Those of you have attended our zoom services might like to know that Valerie Walker was present in person, and she and I enjoyed a lengthy conversation.

A zoom service followed, on the next Sunday, when I "returned" to Newcastle, for the fifth time. A small but enthusiastic congregation were in attendance to listen to my service about "Change", which I had expanded considerably since I first devised it, in July, 2020. Newcastle are in the throes of selling their premises, but the sale has been delayed because various checks by the local authority are needed, but haven't yet been carried out. The congregation have been meeting in person, for a few months, but have now returned to zoom, whilst the sale completes and refurbishments are completed, which is expected to take several months; they will be able to retain a modest hall, in their building, once the work has been done, and can then decide how to proceed into the future. I wish them well!

On the day before the Newcastle service, I had attended a family funeral, in London, so the weekend was one of travel, and very tiring. Ironically, I had been invited to attend the London District Provincial Assembly's Autumn Quarterly, in Croydon, in person, but had had to decline, on account of other commitments. Rev. Jim Corrigall was to be inducted as the LDPA Minister, and I was asked to provide Opening Words for the event, as well as Greetings from the GA, and congratulations to Jim, which I was delighted to do; I worked with him for over five years, when he was The Lancashire Collaborative Minister, and came to admire his work greatly; he will be excellent, in his new role! The meeting also welcomed four new ministers: Revs. Michael Allured, Robin Hanford, Jennifer Sanders, and Jane Blackall, all of whom are enthusiastic and committed in their work, and will be assets to the denomination. Jane was valedicted and ordained, by zoom, on October 8th---a ceremony I attended and enjoyed; Jane herself spoke well, and she was praised, during the event, by such eminent people as Revs. Sarah Tinker and Bob Janis-Dillon. It is gratifying indeed to see so many new ministers emerging from Unitarian College and to know how excellently they have been prepared for the demanding paths they have chosen. I received a very last-minute invitation to Rev. Laura Dobson's Valediction and Ordination; luckily, I was free on the evening of October 22nd, and greatly enjoyed the service, directed by Ant Howe; Laura's deep spirituality and true sense of vocation were stressed, throughout, in a beautiful service. She is to undertake a joint ministry at Chorlton and Macclesfield, where she will prove to be a valuable asset. The following Sunday saw me at Dukinfield, to conduct their service; the Old Chapel is a beautiful building (although difficult to maintain), the congregation were welcoming and appreciative, and we spent a pleasant afternoon together. From my vantage point, behind the lectern, I could see the church's fine stained-glass windows, through which autumnal sunshine was filtering gently---a splendid sight, but one generally denied to the congregation; I expressed my pleasure at the picture in front of me, in the hope that everybody would remember to glance in the same direction, as they left.

I continue to carry out my duties for Bury and for the LCM, and, on occasion, I am called upon to respond to demands from the Chief Officer, from the Executive Committee, and from individual Unitarians; I try to help, if I can. Those of you who know Christine Leather, from Blackpool, may have heard that she fractured her wrist, on October 3rd, on her way to Ainsworth; Celia Cartwright has been ill with covid and post-fatigue syndrome, but is now recovering; I have sent get-well messages to both of them.

Kate and Ade have been able to take holidays and leave, during October, and I hope that they return from their breaks refreshed and renewed; we must continue to appreciate all their efforts in keeping the church functioning smoothly, in what are still troubled times. Covid remains with us, and it seems reasonably likely that restrictions might be re-imposed on us, if figures do not start to fall again, in the near future. Let's all do our bit by having our Covid booster and flu jabs, as soon as we can; Roger and I have had all ours, so we can claim to set a good example!

Best wishes from both of us; stay warm, safe and well, this winter

November 2021


After more than three months of leading worship, practically every Sunday, I have been able to change the pattern a little, during November, although the month has been no less busy---just different! November 7th took me to Ainsworth, to attend their Remembrance Service; although I had no official duties, I contributed memories of mine, based on Remembrance, during the proceedings: on one occasion, we were on holiday, in Bayeux, France, and visited the First World War Cemetery there; on the second, we visited the Second World War American Airforce Cemetery, in Cambridge; in both cases, the many rows of headstones indicated a huge loss of very young men, and both emphasised the waste of life and potential involved, during two separate periods of time in the first half of the Twentieth Century---a poignant reminder of what had been lost.


November 14th saw me in London, at The Cenotaph, in Whitehall, to represent the Unitarian denomination---a great honour and a memorable and moving occasion for me. A new, amalgamated, department organised the event, and decided not to offer plus-1 invitations to VIP guests, and not to provide refreshments, afterwards; I was disappointed by the change, as I had hoped that Roger might have been able to share the experience, in return for all the support he has given me, during the past two and a half years. Travel-arrangements to Whitehall caused problems, in many quarters; my driver put me down near Admiralty Arch and left me to fend for myself; I was eventually rescued by Bob, to whom I shall remain eternally grateful---I'm sure his senior responsibilities do not include looking after lost old ladies! Once inside the Foreign and Commonwealth Department building, the faith-leaders congregated in a corridor, ready to take their places, when the time came; I found the other leaders very pleasant, and we all chatted easily. Some of the politicians gave us a smile and a greeting, as they passed us; I was interested to see what tall, broad, powerful men John Major, Tony Blair and Lindsay Hoyle are; Rishi Sunak and Sadiq Khan, by contrast, are both short and slight, but no less impressive. The faith-leaders who had attended the Service on other occasions were kind enough to pass on the benefit of their experience (where to look to see the Royals queuing up, and remembering to look up at the cameras, once we stepped outside). We were stewarded into place, according to the numbers chalked on the ground, and, before we knew it, the Service had begun, with a gun-salute before and after the impressive two minutes of absolute silence. The television-broadcast almost certainly gives better coverage in terms of an overview of the event, and, since returning home, I have enjoyed watching what I was unable to see live! Once we regained the F and CD premises, the faith-leaders prepared to leave---but not before some of us managed a group photograph, outside 10 Downing Street, taken by an on-duty policeman. Later, in the early afternoon, Roger and I went back to the Cenotaph, to view all the wreaths there and to take our official photographs of them, and me. I was approached by, and gave an interview to, a French journalist, who is based in London, but works for the French media; she seemed concerned, mostly, about the Queen's state of health, which is currently giving cause for concern and speculation. We rounded off our afternoon by visiting the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey; in the grounds, more than 100,000 poppies and crosses, representing those who had lost their lives, have been planted by volunteers---a moving sight and a fitting close to a day on which I had been reminded most forcibly, as I always am, at this time of year, of the sacrifices made so that we, today, can live in relative peace, freedom and security. Both before and after the Service, I received many messages of goodwill and support from fellow-Unitarians across the country, all of which I greatly appreciated.

The timing of my London trip meant that I was unable to attend the funerals of Mike Connolly and Jean Taylor, but both of them were in my thoughts on the appropriate days. Mike was supportive of our church and its events whilst he was Mayor of Bury, and Roger and I came to know him better, later, when he volunteered for Pipeline and became a member of "our" team. His was a life devoted to public service, and his many contributions will be missed. Whenever I think of Jean, I remember a bright, cheerful person, who was always lively and smart; for many years, she supported all our ventures and was a stalwart of our Efforts Committee; she rarely admitted to feeling under par but, instead, did her utmost to lift others' spirits and offer kindly words---an admirable quality. I will remember Jean with great affection.

My latest article for "The Inquirer" appeared in its November 13th issue; the next is due, mid-January. I return to London, on November 25th, for the Executive Committee Meeting, the next day; on the 28th, I am due to conduct the service at Hampstead. I have three services to prepare and lead, in December, and my diary for 2022 is filling quickly, with more than half the dates already taken. "No rest for the wicked" is a term I understand only too well!

My time in London included a few days of holiday, so that I was able to spend time with family and friends. We were taken to Skygarden, on one day, and found it a magnificent experience; it is situated 35 storeys from ground-level, and offers a 360 degree view over central London; of course, we suffered from not knowing London well, but, even so, we were able to identify many familiar sights, such as The Shard, The Post Office Tower, and The Millennium Wheel. We took walks along the River Thames, on other days, and, on November 13th, were lucky enough to be in time to watch The Lord Mayor's Show, as the procession returned from The Law Courts to the Mansion House; the gold coach is magnificent and was loudly cheered by the onlookers; in all, the crowd was well-behaved and good-humoured, and not too numerous. This weekend was heavy on the feet, legs and backs, but well worth it for the experiences!

Thank you, once again, to Kate and Ade for all their hard work, on behalf of all of us; there are always many tasks for both of them to undertake; some of these not only require their presence at particular times, on particular dates, but need time for additional space, both beforehand and afterwards, which makes their workloads heavy. Please give them both as much help and support as possible; they need it!

As we move (too quickly!) towards the Christmas season, I feel sad that I shall not be able to share the many Bury Christmas services and events that I have been accustomed to, previously, but I shall be thinking of everyone and sending seasonal greetings. Roger joins me in sending very best wishes to all our members; let us all enjoy our Christmas celebrations and look forward with hope and confidence to a peaceful, healthy and contented New Year.

December 2021 - January 2022


On November 28th, I conducted the service at Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, taking as my theme "Parallels in History", which fitted in with their month of "History" services generally. A group from the chapel met, that evening, to discuss my service---a small group, but an interesting discussion, according to Rev. Kate Dean. Rev. Jim Corrigall, now the London District Minister, attended the service (as did Derek McAuley) and stayed on for lunch with a group of us. December 2nd brought an Open Meeting of The Women's League, at Cross Street Manchester; 19 people were present, and we spoke at length about the need to revitalise the League, to confront contemporary issues (such as debt, homelessness, and drug and alcohol abuse, and to continue with our fund-raising efforts. The mood of the meeting was positive, and the message to the denomination is that WL is very much alive and kicking! On December 7th, we were invited to attend Dukinfield's Christmas Social Evening, which was very enjoyable; we were asked to take a reading, if we wished to contribute (preferably a humorous one); the piece I found ("The 12 Days of Turkey") reminded me of the days when my father's employer always sent a huge turkey to him, for Christmas; by the time we'd eaten turkey sandwiches, stews and soups for a week, we were heartily sick of turkey!


December 12th saw me at Padiham, to conduct a Nativity Service, in the morning, in person, and at Oxford, by zoom, in the evening, to lead a Christmas Service. Both went well, despite concerns from both congregations. Padiham, who have had great success with zoom meetings, have found it difficult to transfer to hybrid worship; however, at my service, everything worked perfectly! Oxford, who had discovered that Omicron covid had invaded the university, just at the end of term, were instructed not to hold live services, for the time being, and the December 12th morning live service was cancelled at very short notice. My theme was "The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come", which we all enjoyed. The following Sunday found me in the Blackpool area: at Ansdell, first, to conduct a service of Readings and Carols, in the afternoon, and to enjoy a late lunch; and a raffle offered a chance to raise money for a local charity. I'm not sure what happened, but we seemed to go home with far more than we'd taken, as did everyone else! We decided to stay on, in order to attend Blackpool's Carol Service, that evening; within two minutes of entering the church-premises, I'd been asked to give one of the readings, as a volunteer hadn't turned up! We enjoyed ten readings and ten carols, and even managed a short trip through the illuminations, on a day which was long, but very pleasant.

Roger and I attended Bury's Christmas Day service, suitably fortified with bacon butties, sherry and shortbread, and it was good to attend a service in which I was not required to officiate, in any way; opportunities for that, these days, are few and far between! We were able to do the same, on Boxing Day, when we zoomed to Altrincham, to share in their worship. On January 1st, in the evening, I had been invited to participate in a Sheffield District New Year's Day Service, via zoom; I contributed the Welcome, the GA Greetings, and the Chalice-Lighting and Words, when I read a prose poem, "The Fourth Candle", which sent a strong message of hope to those present. I even splashed out on a new candle for the occasion! January 2nd involved more zooming, when I conducted a service on "Change" for the members of Bolton Bank Street Chapel; they have taken the decision to close, probably in April, when one last service will be held, in person, in the chapel; until then, all their services will be zoom ones. We decided to attend Newcastle's zoom service, on January 9th, as Rev. Sue Woolley was leading worship for them; we were glad we had; Sue's service ("The Seven Paths to Wisdom") was excellent and very thought-provoking. The attendance, however, was fairly small, as it seems to have been in many places, and I am concerned that numbers generally are falling; the longer we remain under restrictions and prone to covid, despite vaccines, the more likelihood there seems to be of congregations diminishing, and we must give this some attention. If numbers continue to fall, it could be difficult to restore them, in the future. That evening, we attended an Interfaith Service at Rawtenstall; again, low numbers prevailed, and all those present were Unitarians---although a regular attender, from one of Chorley's Roman Catholic Churches, had sent a reading. We were considering the subject of "Communities", to which I contributed an article written by Rev Stephen Lingwood, on "Hospitality". January 16th found me at Ansdell, again; where numbers were small, but appreciative; the church there is small, but very attractive, and always kept immaculate; it is a pleasure to visit.

Other work done, recently, has included the writing of the President's Christmas Message to the denomination; the compilation of the President's Annual Report, in preparation for the 2022 Annual Meetings; the composition of an article for the January "Inquirer"; a contribution to a congratulatory message for the people of Wahmawlein Village, near Meghalaya, in north-eastern India, as they celebrate their Silver Jubilee, later this month; and a Presidential Report for the Executive Committee's latest meeting.

Once again, thanks are due to Kate and Ade for all their efforts to keep our congregation together, in continuing, difficult times. On January 9th, when Kate was unwell and awaiting the much-delayed results of a PCR test, Ade set to work to erect a screen in the worship-area, so that Kate could broadcast her service to the in-person congregation; this was over and above the call of duty, and we owe them both huge thanks. Luckily, the testresult was negative, so all was well.

We have all managed to survive most of the first month of 2022, even if the general situation doesn't seem to be a great deal improved; Boris Johnson's Plan B restrictions end, on January 25th, which would seem to indicate progress---but we've been here before and, perhaps, are rather less optimistic than we might have been, at this time last year. Roger and I send everybody our very best wishes, in hopes that the winter weather becomes a little warmer and less muddy, underfoot. I am booked to take the service at Kendal, on January 23rd, so we will use the opportunity to spend a few days in Silverdale---always a pleasure for us! Look after yourselves, and keep safe.  

February 2022

When I wrote last month's report, we were just about to take a holiday in Silverdale, as I was in the area, in order to conduct the Sunday service for Kendal Unitarians. Going back to Kendal's beautiful chapel was a delight for me; we have spent a fair amount of time there, over the past few years, and it feels like home---not only is the building familiar, but I feel I know so many of the congregation; it was good to greet Griff and Sally Jones, Don Kerr, Jo Rogers, and Helen Pollard, amongst many others. Mandy Reynolds, Kendal's Interfaith/Unitarian Minister is well-known to me, too, and the church-atmosphere is always welcoming and friendly. My service, on the subject of "Freedom", went well, and I was grateful to Bury members who chose to join by zoom, that morning. Mandy's notices were enlivened by her story of the cat she had recently adopted, from a refuge; she was supposed to confine the cat to quarters, for several days, once it arrived at her home---but the cat obviously hadn't been told this, and escaped, to explore, within 24 hours! A truly Unitarian animal! Our time in Silverdale was both enjoyable and relaxing; whilst the weather was cold, it was dry, on the whole, and we were able to enjoy familiar walks, all week (not to mention stocking up on Cartmel Puddings).

We attended Bury's service, at the end of January, on a rare Sunday "off"; it has become unusual for me to attend someone else's service, these days, rather than conducting my own, at a church other than Bury! February 6th took me to Walmsley, Bolton; this was my fifth service for them, over a period---again, I feel at home there; I recognise faces, even if I can't always remember names! The same could be said about Padiham, when I attended a service, there, on February 13th; at the same time, I was able to collect copies of "Our Extraordinary Year", now on sale from members of the LCM; see the separate article for further details. Latterly, I've been putting together a piece for the London District's event, FUSE 22, over the weekend of February 19th and 20th; my task was to offer a Welcome, Greetings from the GA, and a short talk about "Pilgrimage, in order to prepare the way for the keynote speakers, Alastair McIntosh and Jennifer Kavanagh, whose subject was: "The Pilgrimage of Life: Journeys of Spiritual Unfolding". Alastair has a knowledge of the subject of spirituality, which is both broad and deep, and his willingness to share that knowledge is ever-present. Jennifer spoke movingly about her work with the vulnerable and homeless on the streets of London, and her words were an inspiration to everybody present. The early part of the first afternoon offered a choice of four workshops; I attended the one on Street Signs ---a type of meditation I'd not experienced before, but very much enjoyed and found rewarding.

Zoom offered an information-session about the chapel at Great Hucklow, mid-February, as the third of the "Meeting the Congregations" programme; the speaker was Ed Fordham, one of the chapel-trustees, whose energy and enthusiasm were impressive; likewise, his ideas about the future of his chapel, which those present felt ought to be offered as a prototype for other congregations. Services, at present, take place on the first Sunday of the month, at 11 a.m. During February, I have been involved in meetings which are devoted to preparation for the GA Annual Meetings, in April; there's much to discuss, and a great deal to be done! I was also invited to attend a meeting of The Stipend Review Committee, which decides stipendincreases for Ministers, and considers other, associated payments; very interesting! I have been glad of a breathing-space, in February, as I can see that March and April are going to be busy, and I have been using my time for various preparations.

Both Roger and I were saddened by the recent death of Allan Hodgert, and we send our sympathies to Barbara, and to Allan's family; his funeralservice, on February 10th, offered both sorrow and joy: sorrow that we have lost a popular, long-standing member of our congregation, but joy as we celebrated his long, full, varied life. I remember Allan asking me, some years ago, at a Lunch Circle Meeting, if he could borrow a hymnbook, so that he could choose the hymns for his funeral; the final number totalled about twenty, if I remember correctly! We will miss Allan; I suspect many of us will still expect him to appear during services, and will think of him particularly then, and remember him with affection.

I usually end these messages with thanks, and, this time, I do so, on my own behalf, in part. Following my decision to discontinue our church Traidcraft Stall, I was surprised and pleased to receive a thank-you card and wine (fairly-traded of course!) from the congregation. Thank you, everybody; both were greatly appreciated; I hope to remain a member of Bury's Fair Trade Group and to support Fair Trade into the future; we will remain as a Fair Trade Church, as long as we continue to purchase appropriate coffee, tea and sugar for church-use, and I very much hope that we can make this gesture of support for an extremely worthwhile cause.

I do, however, also thank Kate and Ade for all their efforts, on behalf of our church; now that covid-restrictions are to be discontinued, there is work of a different kind to be done, as we adapt to changes, yet again. We have been well-served and supported by Kate's and Ade's contributions, during the past two years; this has been a difficult, exhausting period for us all, but especially for them; how we would have managed, without them, hardly bears thinking about, and we must continue to express our gratitude for everything they have done, and will do.

Roger joins me in sending very best wishes to everybody; may we all remain safe from covid, as far as possible, and look after ourselves and those closest to us. Spring should be just around the corner (once we survive the rain and various storms); in the garden, the crocuses are growing; the rhubarb is greening; and the trees are starting to bud; all we need is warmth, sunshine---and hope! May it be so!.

 

March 2022

March, as I predicted, has been extremely busy, and April looks set fair to be similar, as I prepare to chair the GA Annual Meetings---a daunting task! I have already attended several meetings which provide much-needed background, and these have involved a wide variety of people; I've scribbled notes furiously, at each meeting, and added details from emails, and am just hoping that everything will come together, when necessary. There will be more to do, later!

 

March 6th took me to Scarborough, to lead their worship; seven of us, all told, were present, including me and Roger, but the service was appreciated; it was rather more informal than I'm accustomed to; whilst we sang the hymns, I perched on a chair at the front, with my back to the rest of the congregation, whilst everybody else remained seated, and the tune was played through a computer. Scarborough remained closed for a long time, after lockdown, and is still struggling to find its feet; I had promised to visit, in 2020, but was rather later than that. The actual chapel was destroyed by fire, in 1958, and was subsequently turned into flats for vulnerable people, so the Scarborough congregation uses what used to be the Sunday School Hall; it's a bright, cheerful, welcoming space, and wellsuited to its needs. The first same-sex wedding in the whole of Scarborough is due to take place there soon, and this event is eagerly awaited.  

We enjoyed a few days of holiday, visiting York, Malton, Whitby, and central Scarborough---places we've previously enjoyed. The weather was dry, but cold, but it was good to spend time in the fresh air, without having to worry about rain (for once!) We then drove to London, where I was due to attend a day of Executive Committee Meetings, at Essex Hall, on March 11th. Roger also had an appointment---to insulate the loft, at my sister's house. Everything was successfully accomplished, to everybody's satisfaction, by the end of the day! Attending EC Meetings has proved an interesting experience, during this past year, and I've been impressed by how hard its eight members work, and by how committed they are; every meeting has taken place pleasantly, and the business has been completed very amicably. One decision taken, on this occasion, concerned the collection at the GA Anniversary Service; in a departure from tradition, the 2022 collection will be donated to Ukraine, rather than to GA funds, and individuals, congregations, districts, and participants alike are urged to contribute to this very worthy cause.  

Our time in London was short; we drove back to Bury, the next day, so that I could take Dukinfield's service, on March 13th. As before, I found this congregation to be very hospitable and welcoming, and my service was enjoyed by larger than usual numbers. The stained-glass windows at Old Chapel are beautiful, especially when the sun shines through them, as it did, on that day, but it's a pity that the only person who can see them, during the service, is its leader! I did remind everybody to enjoy the sight, as they left! Sometimes, we take familiar sights for granted and fail to appreciate them as we should!  

We were unable to attend the March 1st Vigil for Ukraine in person, but duly observed our silence, at home, which we found very meaningful and moving. My mind had been exercised as to whether a national Presidential message should be circulated, and I spent a goodly part of March 1st, thinking about this, consulting with others, and participating in various arrangements. The result of the combined efforts of half-a-dozen people produced a statement on behalf of the GA (written by Rev. Jo James, of Mill Hill Chapel, Leeds) and a message from me---a brilliant example of how quickly and efficiently tasks can be achieved, when goodwill exists. Both messages were posted on the UK Unitarians' website, on March 2nd, under the heading "Solidarity for Ukraine". A "Moment of Silence and Reflection for Ukraine" was held at 8 p.m; on March 18th; it was possible to join this event, conducted by Rev. Mark Hutchinson, via Facebook Live, which we did, or to observe the moment at home. And our own Vigil produced an excellent contribution to the appeal by the British Red Cross for funds for Ukraine; there are so many ways of giving, and aid is so desperately needed.  

Pepper Hill Chapel, Shelf, out on the moors near Halifax, which we visited on March 20th, is a beautiful little chapel, both inside and out; its exterior is immaculate, and its interior airy and well-proportioned, catering exactly to its congregation's needs. Before the service, I asked whether I should use the pulpit; the answer was that I should give the service from the lectern--- although I would be asked to go into the pulpit, briefly, at the beginning of the service; this was, apparently, a tradition, and something of a joke, according to John Midgley. I played along---to be informed, after photographs had been taken, that I could now be admitted to the select company of those who had stood in the highest Unitarian Pulpit in England! Fame, at last! The congregation, augmented by a group from Bradford (some of whom I recognised from Uni-sing!) were friendly and appreciative, in the extreme; not only did they encourage me, as I led the service, but they laid on a delicious lunch, afterwards, This was indeed a wonderful experience! Nobody could remember an occasion on which Pepper Hill had ever been visited by the current GA President---and this has been a byproduct of the pandemic. I understand that, usually, many of the larger Unitarian congregations in the country organise themselves to invite the President to their churches, every year; but, this year, when so much disruption has occurred, this hasn't necessarily been the case, with the result that I've been able to accept invitations to different, smaller, chapels; in the end, good has resulted from a seemingly negative situation.  

My visit to Blackpool, on Mothering Sunday, was my third, in a year, but I feel I have come to know them well, in a short time; they are a very welcoming, friendly congregation, who enjoy their services, as well as their social-time; my service was well-received; every person present was given daffodils, which I distributed, at one point, and the recorded music we took with us was greatly enjoyed; the final piece stopped abruptly, halfway through, to groans and protests, so Roger had no option but to play it all through again! We took a photograph of the whole congregation, after the service, outside the main door, in bright sunlight, to be used in Blackpool's next newsletter, which I am eager to see. This congregation works hard, too; they need expensive roof-repairs and hold a table-top sale, every Saturday morning, but are having two special Easter sales, to raise a little extra money. Our support of their efforts involved us in buying a great deal of cake---but that's another story!  

Kate and Ade have enjoyed some holiday-time, during March, and I hope they have enjoyed the benefit of it; they have both worked long and hard, on behalf of our congregation, for which we are duly grateful; we are very fortunate to be able to call on them, so frequently, for a great variety of requirements. Kate broke her holiday in order to conduct a celebration of the Spring Equinox, on March 21st, and a small group of us attended a brief meditation-service, at Holebottom; signs of spring were all around us: buds on the trees and clusters of daffodils along the edge of the land. And, of course, we've all become aware of lighter evenings and mornings, even before British Summertime began. Let us hope that good weather, just now, presages a beautiful summer, which we can all enjoy. Roger and I send everybody our very best wishes; look after yourselves.  

April 2022

This will be my last PM column---one which I've written, every month, for the last three years, to let you know what I've been doing whilst on my travels; it's become a unique diary of events, on which I can look back with a certain amount of pleasure and satisfaction. As of noon, on April 21st, 2022, when I installed Rev. Sue Woolley, as the new GA President, I relinquished my post; more about the Annual Meetings, later.

On April 3rd, I conducted a zoom service for Newcastle Unitarians, the last in a series of several---or so I thought! I'd barely finished, when I was booked again! Newcastle have been trying to complete the sale on their premises, since 2020, and have had to be very patient, during this time. Over this past winter, they have met on zoom, as they were unable to heat their premises, and keep them covid-free, at the same time. They hope to complete by the end of April, this year, and will then hold live services --- but only for a short time; I was asked whether I'd like to conduct one last, live service for them, in June, before their refurbishments begin: an invitation I accepted gladly. I've been asked to conduct several other services, this year, at different places, and am pleased to do so, although I shall limit myself, in order to rest and relax, and to take plenty of holidays!

During May, I have accepted four post-Presidential engagements: to an Anti-Slavery Service, at Cairo Street, Warrington; to the Closing Service, at Bank Street Bolton; to the Re-Opening Service, at Chorley; and to the Induction of Rev. Stephanie Bisby, at York. I shall have a contribution to make, on each occasion. This year, we have no incoming Vice-President, so it may be that I shall be asked to assist Sue Woolley, from time to time.

Much of April (and March, too) has been spent in preparation for the Annual Meetings, with zoom meetings of all kinds, with different groups of people. I was invited to attend a meeting of The Stipend Review Committee, which sets the levels of various payments, including the Ministers' stipends. I attended The Newcomers' Reception, for the Annual Meetings, which was held during the previous week, for which I was asked to make a short speech. I devised the Ceremony of Welcome and Thanksgiving, which formed part of the Anniversary Service; eight new ministers were welcomed; six ministers who had retired were thanked; and six ministers who had died were commemorated. I met several times with The Chief Officer, Liz Slade, and our Operations Manager, Andrew Mason, to establish how the Agenda was to be organised and implemented, and, on different occasions, these meetings involved the members of The Steering Committee, and our Youth and Safeguarding Officer. As the programme for the three days of meetings emerged, I constructed a detailed running-order and read our Constitution, By-laws, and Standing Orders (many, many times!) I also prepared my speech for the Associate Members' Reception, which constituted one of the breakout sessions. People, generally, were prepared for the Meetings to be troublesome and difficult. One person wished me luck, adding that I would need it; a few days later, he commented on how well I was doing---much better than he had thought I'd be able to do! With friends like that, who needs enemies!

I was apprehensive about chairing our Annual Meetings, to say the least, and there was a certain amount of concern amongst people to whom I spoke that the Motions would prove contentious, and that those present would feel quite nervous and unsettled about participating in the sessions. We need not have worried, as everybody seemed glad to be able to gather together, after a three-year gap, and the business was generally conducted in a civilised, pleasant atmosphere. From my point of view, everything went very smoothly; there were few hitches (which nobody noticed!) and the plenary sessions ran more or less to time. As about a quarter of those present were first-time attenders, extra explanations were necessary, at times, but the old hands were very patient; maybe there was information even they had forgotten, after such a lengthy interval! I received many appreciative comments, as we went along, and it was wonderful to be able to chat with so many Unitarians. Everybody was extremely supportive, and, in the final session, I received not one, but two, standing ovations. Given that we all---the Chief Officer, the three members of the Steering Committee, and I---were all first-timers, too, we did surprisingly well; this was an excellent team-effort, and my memories of that particular day will remain with me, in the long term.

Finally, my term of office was over; I handed my medallion to Sue Woolley and retired (gracefully, I hope) from the stage. My feelings were mixed: I was sorry to have finished, as my three-year reign had been full of amazing experiences, but I had to admit to being ready for some time to myself. On April 24th, I attended morning-service at Bury, when, for the first time, the original plaque from the 1719 church was on display, in the worship-area. Betty Kenyon explained the history of both church and plaque, in order to demonstrate the plaque's importance. It has now been mounted and framed, and a small legacy from Jean Taylor, who died late last year, has been used to cover most of the cost; an explanatory note will be fixed to the back of the plaque, so that its historical importance, and the legacy, are noted. At the same time as our service was taking place, Padiham's was in progress; Padiham's GA delegates were reporting back to their congregation; my role at the Annual Meetings was to be discussed, and the hymn that I wrote, just over a year ago, and dedicated to the memory of Pam Oxley, was to be sung. These two memories were more poignant, and made the weekend feel quite emotional.

It has been customary for me to thank Kate for everything she does for the congregation at Bury, and I do so, finally, as I express my gratitude to her, particularly, for her tremendous support, both before, after, and during the Annual Meetings. I also thank her for describing my work, in very complimentary terms, to the congregation, and for arranging gifts of flowers, for me, and whisky, for Roger, in acknowledgement of my GA Presidency. I thank Ade, too, for the many, varied tasks that he undertakes, on behalf of our church; this included, on my return from the GA, re- assembling our banner, which had taken pride of place during Tuesday's procession. I send, too, my congratulations to Sue Woolley, the new GA President, and to our own Susan (Holt), who was installed , at the Meetings, as the National Women's League President; for a few hours, Bury Unitarians possessed two Presidents, and that was well worth celebrating. My task, now, will be to decide what avenues I wish to explore, in the future; many matters have had to be put on hold, especially during the past year, so they need attention; but I must establish my priorities, before I proceed on my way. May and June will be busy, for a start; after that, I shall take life as it comes.

Roger and I send you all our love, thanks, and very best wishes; let us hope that covid is behind us, and that life will become more certain and settled, as we contemplate the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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