Newsletter November 2011

From the Desk
Karl Stewart  and Mark Gartside
Well, as we sit here on a chilly November morning we’re taking a break from 
practicing for our ‘Songs of the Spirit’ concert next Thursday.  
We’ve been talking about how it’s really great to be part of a religious organisation 
that actively encourages questioning and being true to yourself. 
As ‘Occupy’ movements spring up in cities around the world, we’re trying not to be 
cynical about the possibility of change. At the very least we hope that these kind of 
movements will get people thinking, and bring some of these issues into 
consciousness, so that we can become more aware of the choices we make every 
day. It doesn’t have to be an ‘all or nothing’ situation. We don’t have to give up all 
associations with Capitalism in order to make changes to the life of our community 
and of our planet. The mere fact that more people are becoming aware that they 
have the choice to take the car or the bus, to buy pre-packaged fruit or loose, to 
recycle or just throw everything in the bin, to look at where the products they buy 
come from, means that we are reawakening to the fact that we have a choice, and 
who knows – if we all do a little bit, maybe we can safeguard the future of our 
beautiful earth.

Diary

Sunday 6th November: Service with Lindy, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 6th November: Service with Lindy, 6pm, UMB (Flowers and Teas - June).
Wednesday 9th November: Women’s League Meeting, 2.30pm, Grace Cooper’s flat - 24   Shearwater Court, Stapleton (let her know if you’re coming on  0117 965 9129).
Wednesday 9th November: Christmas Services Planning Meeting, 7pm, Lindy’s house - 9, Chakeshill Close Brentry (Lindy will also be gather Christmas Services ideas after both services on 6.11.11).
Thursday 10th November: Poetry Group -  ‘Bonfires and Witches’, 10.30am - 12.30pm,  58 Old Gloucester Road – All welcome! 
Thursday 10th November: Songs of the Spirit – a concert featuring original songs from Mark and Karl, 7.30pm, Frenchay Chapel – suggested donation £5.
Sunday 13th November: Remembrance Sunday Service with Bernard Omar, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 20th November: Service with Lindy, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 20th November: Service with Lindy, 6pm, UMB (Flowers – Sally, Teas – Frances).
Monday 21st November: Open Circles Meditation and Sharing Group, 6.15-7.45pm, Frenchay Chapel.
Wednesday 23rd November: Interfaith Week Event, 4-6pm, Lord Mayor’s Chapel, College Green.
Sunday 27th November: Advent Sunday Service with Grace Cooper, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 27th November: Bright Lights Party and partial tree dressing, 3-5pm, UMB.
Thursday 1st December: Putting up the tree and decorating the Chapel, , 10.30am,  Frenchay Chapel.
Saturday 3rd December: Open coffee morning with sales table, 10.30am-12.30pm, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 4th December: Festival of Lights including tree decorating with Lindy, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 4th December: Festival of Lights including finishing off tree decorating with Lindy, 3.30pm, UMB.
Wednesday 7th December: Poetry Group - ‘Christmas’, 10.30am - 12.30pm, 58 Old Gloucester Road. 
Wednesday 7th December: Bristol Inter Faith Winter Celebration, 7pm, UMB.
Sunday 11th December: Gift Service (bring appropriate gifts for adults / children for Julian trust), 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 11th December: Gift Service (bring gifts as above), 3.30pm, UMB.
Thursday 15th December:  Women’s League Bring and Share Meal, 6.30pm, UMB (With a Bring and Buy table to raise money for ‘Combat Stress’ - Charity raising money for war veterans mental health issues).
Thursday 15th December: Christmas Concert - featuring Mark Darkside and friends, 7.30pm, UMB  (following on from Bring and Share Meal) - Retiring collection for chapel funds.
Friday 16th December: Come and celebrate Charles Dicken’s 200th Anniversary with readings and carols, 7pm, Frenchay Chapel  - Victorian Dress optional, refreshments available, £5  entry in aid of chapel windows.
Sunday 18th December: Service with Lindy, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel
Sunday 18th December: Walk around Westonbirt Arboretum to see the lights, meet at 3pm at Frenchay Chapel if you want a lift, or meet there at 4pm.
Sunday 18th December: Joint Carol Service, 3.30pm, UMB.
Monday 19th December: Open Circles Meditation and Sharing Group, 6.15-7.45pm, Frenchay Chapel.
Sunday 25th December: Christmas Day Service, 10.30am, Frenchay Chapel (no service at UMB).
Sunday 1st January: There will not be a ‘service’ at UMB although the chapel will be open as usual at 3.30pm for a ‘circle gathering’ to share poetry/readings/music.

Upcoming events at UMB for 2012:

Late in January: Sound of Music Sing-along in aid of chapel funds.

Later in the year: Sharing Shakespeare – an evening of dramatically reading our favourite bits from Shakespeare: monologues, duologues, sonnets.

Later in the year: Madonna Tribute Evening and Disco. First half: interpretations of Madonna songs from anyone who want to contribute (not karaoke). Second half: an all Madonna disco!

Articles

Reports from Bernard Omar

Harvest Lunch: On October 2nd members enjoyed the Harvest Lunch proposed by Diane Roberts and supported by Nicola and others. The writer was sorry to miss it but was in France at that time. It was reported to have been a very happy occasion.

Breaking News: "The writer was informed that a descendant of Robert Bruce wished to visit to see his tomb which is outside the rear of the Chapel behind the pulpit . Two generations visited on Sunday afternoon 23rd October. They had extensive knowledge of their early relations going back beyond Robert Bruce. Treasurer of the Chapel for some twenty three years and one time President of Bristol Merchant Venturers, Robert died in 1838. His son of the same name is buried in the same tomb. It is hoped to obtain further details to include in the Chapel information file.

Reports from Susan Wildman

Harvest Festival: A cheque for £80.40 from Frenchay and UMB was handed to the Julian Trust night shelter along with gifts of food, all of which were welcome. Thank you to all who contributed.

Women’s League: The League's Triennial meeting held at Great Hucklow on 18th - 20th October was very successful. National President Barbara Clifford conducted a service in the chapel. The evening entertainment given by Phil Croft and Patrick Smith was enjoyed and brought laughter all round. Lindy Latham's illustrated talk on her travels in India was much appreciated and we learnt a lot about the Unitarians in the Khasi Hills. We had a sunny afternoon for our visit to Buxton. Business discussions were lively and we all enjoyed the meals. Thanks to Mary Wightman of Dundee for organising the event.

Summer School report from Sarah Sherman

At Summer School in August the young peoples group, which I was in, was working on being eco friendly and learning more about the environment and wildlife. We did a lot of interesting activities in this topic like when we took samples of soil from different areas of the Nightingale Centre's grounds. After we took the samples we looked at them under a microscope and used what we analysed to find out which was the healthiest soil.

We also learned about gardening and how to keep soil healthy, such as not turning or stepping on it as this can damage any wildlife that is giving the soil nutrients. Another area of the topic we looked at was trees. We visited the Nightingale Center's woods and went on walks. We looked at the soil there, the trees and the insects and other animals. We learned about the trees roots and the nutrients they take from the soil. I even did a talk at the end of Summer School about our topic on trees.

We learned that these subjects are incredibly important as because we learned them when we are children , like everything we learn, we could use them for the rest of lives to be more eco friendly and much better at preserving wildlife.

Thoughts on ‘Belief’ from Mark Gartside

At the Build Your Own Theology course we are currently trying to write our own ‘Credo’s, with regards to what we individually believe in. At an Anglican service I attended for my work the other day, I was struck by the reciting of the Nicene Creed, which is the statement of faith used by most Christian Churches, which dates back to 325 CE. Furthermore I was asked by an Anglican Priest recently, ‘what unites Unitarians, if they don’t share a common creed?’ In response I said to him that it is our shared search for religious truth and meaning that unites us. It is a common purpose, rather than a common belief that brings us together. It seems to me that what we believe in is bound to change and evolve as we acquire knowledge and experience throughout our lives, and that to doggedly hang on to beliefs that no longer serve us, can lead us into pain and confusion. In addition to this, the reality of religious truth is so awesome, ephemeral, and personal, that surely it cannot be summed up in language. Every statement, every word begs more questions, and there are countless permutations of interpretation, not just between individuals, but within an individual. Yet I do feel it is important to strive to articulate what we believe in, and to share this respectfully with others, as we journey together on our quest to understand.