Great Meeting Chapel Leicester

Transcription

1 Great Meeting Chapel Leicester Newsletter for February and March years of Freedom, Reason and Tolerance

2 Great Meeting Chapel Newsletter for February and March 2011 SERVICES IN FEBRUARY Sunday 6th 11am The Minister Sunday 13th 11am The Minister Sunday 20th 3pm Hugh Beavin Sunday 27th 11am The Minister SERVICES IN MARCH Sunday 6th 11am The Minister Sunday 13th 11am The Minister Sunday 20th 3pm Gavin Lloyd Sunday 27th 11am The Minister All contributions intended for inclusion in the April/May edition of the Newsletter should be handed to the Minister by Sunday 20th March please.

3 DIARY FOR FEBRUARY Friday 18th 8pm Friday Group meets in the Garden Room - subject - Confucianism. Friday 25th 7.30pm Poetry and Prose in the Garden Room Favourite readings accompanied by cheese and wine DIARY FOR MARCH Saturday 5th 2.30pm East Midland District Quarterly Meeting at Mansfield Friday 18th 8pm Friday Group meets in the Garden Room - subject - Judaism. The Coffee Shop is open every Saturday morning 10.30am-12.30pm. Further dates and times of the Vestry and Making Things Happen Group meetings will be announced from the pulpit. Our thanks to Tony Fletcher for many of the photographs included in this edition of the newsletter.

4 From The Minister... Dear Friends, In the contemporary climate when non-religion and atheism are being actively promoted in this country, the challenges to belief are many and varied. Often the charges against it are on the grounds that belief is based on error and is demonstrably wrong or ridiculous. Some very prominent, popular and well-known individuals, scientists and entertainers, publicise atheism, and those of us who work within the context of religion have often struggled to create persuasive responses to their assertions. No one can ultimately say whether religion is based on reality or not. But we do know that being religious, as opposed to not being religious, helps.. Here within the Unitarian denomination we understand that our faith is about being religious in the most rational, sensible and reasonable way possible. In one sense ours might be seen as a philosophical way of being religious. It is a way which does not compromise our understanding, or require us to be credulous, or involve us in silliness or mumbo-jumbo. Of all the denominations ours makes the least demand upon us to compromise our intellectual integrity. Being religious, as apposed to not being religious, helps by providing a structure to life: by means of rites of passage and meaningful ways of expressing griefs or joys, thanksgiving, forgiveness and praise. Our religion provides us with the most sublime context for these, which we in turn animate by our emotions. We are not left to suffer blindly like the animals, or to be inarticulate in joy. Religion promotes the higher expressions of experience and is a real assistance during the times of trial. If this is not worth having, and people would rather be unaccomodated by faith, that of course can be their choice. But I have no doubt whatsoever that being enfolded by a reasonable system of belief is a shelter against the storm, a fireside against the cold, and a means of understanding and sympathy we can share, not only with our nearest

5 and dearest, but with all who hold similar convictions. It is possible to opt for a comfortless non-belief, or it is possible to choose to be included in the optimism of faith....choose life, that thou and thy seed may live. (Deut 30,19.) Arthur. The End of Winter The sun broke down so long ago, Filled my garden full of snow; Came wind and rain, yet still the same My garden continued to grow. I forgot the ways of plants and seeds, Forgot in my fingers the kinds of their needs; Came flood and drought, and still without doubt My garden continued to feed. I neglected the lawns, neglected the beds, Even tore off the stems and turned them to shreds; And the earth heaved a sigh as if it would die, And yet tentative blooms raise their heads. The sun broke down so long ago; I lost nearly everything I used to know; But I learned to neglect, and I learned to forget: And my garden continues to grow and grow, And my garden continues to grow. A.S

6 Farewell to Marjorie Evans It is with great sadness that we record the death on the 20th January last of Marjorie Evans, widow of the late Rev Leslie Evans minister at Great Meeting from 1973 to 1983, and Minister Emeritus thereafter. Marjorie passed away at her nursing home in Macclesfield where she had moved only last year to be near her family. She was 89 years old. Marjorie was a dear lady who stands out in my own mind for several reasons. One of the most important is that during the many years I knew her I never heard her speak ill of anyone or ever criticise anyone adversely. Marjorie and Leslie on their Wedding Day in 1942 I remember with affection her unabashed pride in her children s and grandchildren s achievements, always having some recent photographs to show to all. She also relished the finer things in life. She would delight in telling me about special days out to a grand hotel and holidays with her family,. Well dressed and well groomed, Marjorie was always attentive to her appearance,- and these things mattered to her. She was a loyal and long-time attender at Great Meeting of course, and always in the company of Les who, after he had retired, was of valued assistance to me. And after we lost Les, Marjorie carried on maintaining her standards in the most courageous way. Marjorie was gracious and charming. She was described to me by Les at the time they were courting as tripping along like a little lamb.

7 Latterly she became fragile and tentative as her memory started to fail her, but for a long time she remained undeterred, peppering her conversation with what s his name s and thingy-ma-jigs. There was great sadness at Chapel when I announced her death the following Sunday: and it goes without saying how much we will miss her. Eric Bolam from the Nottingham congregation described her loss as the end of an era, and so it is. Our deepest sympathies are extended to her children Jill, Philip, Paul and Raymond and all the members of their families. Marjorie s funeral will take place at the Macclesfield Crematorium on Thursday 3rd February at 2.40pm, the minister officiating. ( At the time of writing a memorial service at Great Meeting is being considered). Arthur Marjorie (far right) pictured here in Betty Heathcote s garden at Leire with chapel friends in the early 90 s ( from left to right) George Baker, Ron Butterworth, Joan Baker, Annie Stewart, Arthur Stewart, Alec and Freda Betts, Manju Sood, Judith, Kielty, Pam Walker, Betty Meadows, Cyril Evans, Betty Heathcote and Marjorie.

8 A Pilgimage Amaravati Buddhist Monastery Every year, at the end of the monsoon rains, Buddhists celebrate Kathina. This festival was instuted soon after the Buddha s passing away in north India about 2500 years ago. Kathina celebrates the end of the settled season indoors after which the itinerant monks and nuns can The gold-plated Buddha statue resume their travelling lifestyle, never staying seven consecutive nights under the same roof. Of course, followers can t let them leave the village without a good send-off and a set of clean clothes, so the custom arose for the lay-folk to give them a good meal, replenish their meager requisites and give them a set of new robes. This has been repeated without interruption to this day, in modest village festivals to those in large monasteries but always involving lay followers and the monastic sangha. Amaravati is a large monastery near Hemel Hempstead with some 50 monks and nuns and a large national following of lay-supporters. Initially founded after several false starts in Hampstead from 1962, the current large monastery was consecrated in It is a kind of missionary outpost in the west, largely funded by the Thai government and Thai nationals, but has grown to three further monasteries in the UK and a dozen in other countries. The practice is the Thai Forest tradition, based principally on monastic rules and meditation, contrasted with the more frequently seen urban temples housing monks and nuns offering a pastoral role. But Kathina 2010 was very special. This year the Abbot, Ajahn Sumedho chose to retire and go back to Thailand. Fully ordained as a monk in 1967, for the past 33 years years he has continually taught, and initiated an ordination lineage, particularly for nuns, and established Amaravati and a dozen further monasteries around the world. An American by birth, Luang Por (Our Father) has been a most influential teacher, unwittingly fostering a large following and firmly establishing his particular brand of Buddhist practice, based on that of the renowned Thai teacher the late Ajahn Chah. His 10-day retreats have been an extraordinary experience and deeply motivating, being

9 in the presence of a monk whose behaviour and attitudes personified the teaching, and above all, giving the retreatants the confidence to follow. Over 1200 people attended this packed Kathina. Firstly, in very damp conditions, we ceremonially fed the monks and nuns as they begged in a long line, holding out their begging bowls into which we placed food. Afterwards, following the custom, we gave food to each other so everyone was satisfied. Then we congregated in the impressive temple, assembled from Thai components imported bit-by-bit about 10 years ago. Normally an overwhelmingly large space, today only 500 of us could get in, so latecomers had to watch on video. Ajahn Sumedho then gave us a memorable recap of his life in England, and much more - reflections on his early life as a confused young man in J.F. Kennedy s Peace Corps in South East Asia in the 1960 s, to his current status as a major leader in world Buddhism. Finally, most touchingly, he thanked us, his pupils, for allowing him to teach and presented everyone with an appreciation bag containing his teachings, DVD, photograph album and much else - things which we now treasure. Not a sad occasion at all: In Buddhism for living beings there are no endings nor beginnings, merely change. Dana - Generosity This is the beauty and joy of our humanity - being able to love, to share, to be generous; to give without caring whether anyone else knows or acknowledges it. Ajahn Sumedho Tony Fletcher & Diane Romano Woodward Ajahn Sumedho

10 Bearing Witness in Auschwitz-Birkenau.. Last November I visited Auschwitz for the first time, as part of an international, multi-faith retreat to bear witness to the reality of what happened there. We were about a hundred in total, including twenty young people aged from around the world, including young Jews and Muslims from Israel. The event has been running for 16 years now, created by the Jewish-American Zen teacher Bernie Glassman. I spent much of last year learning the history of the Holocaust before the retreat, and I was shocked and disappointed by how little I knew. Auschwitz I'd heard of, but not any of the extermination camps- Birkenau, Chelmno, Belzec, Sobibor, Treblinka, Majdanek. How is it possible for a reasonably well educated person not to have picked up these names? Now I know their history, I feel they should be a vital part of our basic cultural knowledge. I was also shocked to learn that the British first created the concentration camp system during the Boer War, and that over half of all Boer children under 14 died of disease whilst in those camps. Also, that the Germans used concentration camps and even one death camp for women and children, Shark Island, whilst colonising West Africa at the end of the 19 th Century, fifty years before the Nazis. Himmler's father was amongst the architects of the project. They considered the local African tribes racially inferior, and even conducted medical experiments on them. The Nazis built on ideas and methods already developed and tested by their fathers, only applied them on much vaster scale. We spent five full days in Birkenau, meeting each morning by the old train tracks in a big circle and reading aloud from the endless names of the dead. The Jewish shofar horn was sounded at the beginning and end of the remembrance. In the afternoon, clergy from four traditions, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist and Muslim, led inter-faith services, which we were encouraged to visit and take part in all. For many the retreat was very emotional- there were children of survivors, or children of Nazi prison guards, facing their family history for the first time. Discussion groups each morning gave space for reflection and sharing, and the young people had been encouraged to bring musical instruments. A wonderful Hassidic rabbi from Israel kept music and

11 singing going throughout the week, finding joy in the most unexpected of places. We sang lullabies in the women's death barracks and in the children's barracks, and lit candles around the pools where the ashes from the crematoria were deposited by the Jewish slave workers. It's hard to describe what I've learned from taking part. What struck me most, and surprised me, was that I experienced Birkenau as it is now not merely as a place of great horror, but also as a place of great peace- a graveyard and temple for all those who died there. Every step felt like walking on hallowed ground, every brick and stone had meaning- a hymn to the beauty of embodiment, of existing physically, which the Nazis tried to destroy there, and for so many did destroy. I was left not simply with a sense of the horror of the Holocaust, but with the value and meaning of those who had lived. I want to celebrate them for who they were whilst they were still living, not only remember them for what was done to them at the end. Chris Starbuck

12 Great Meeting Accounting.. Early in January, Annie, Peter, Alison and I met to see if we could give more structure to the accounting of funds, as well as spread the activity required over a wider range of people. The outcome is that Annie will be dealing with room booking invoices and payments, as well as depositing the donations from the services. Alison and Peter will continue to have an overview, but as they are obliged to spend a lot of time in London it made sense to have local people to deal with the day to day activity. We discussed rationalising the bank accounts (there are 4) and making any payments which are required regularly by automatic transfer. In order to keep track of all of this activity we will be using a basic accountancy package, Kashflow that is stored on a server, so that those vestry members with the appropriate passwords can monitor the situation. It will also allow Annie to create invoices very easily and to them to customers, rather than having to print and post. We will not be using "internet banking per se, and will still have the cheque book for making payments, and using cash for other payments. One way of reducing the amount of cash that is handled is for those who wish to make a regular donation to the chapel funds to do so by automatic bank transfer. I personally give this way to two Buddhist monasteries which I attend on rare occasions but wish to support. I would find this method of payment beneficial as it is a challenge to find cash to put in the envelope each week! We will be approaching the bank for a suitable form, and when we have it ready an announcement will be made for those who are interested. We will still have the envelope system for those who prefer to give cash or for those who wish to pay automatically but wish to put a representation of their donation in the collection plate each week. We can also enhance the value of any donation by claiming Gift Aid. This gives us approximately an extra 28p for every pound donated, and can be backdated for donations from the last four years as well as for all future donations. Form will be available in the Garden Room or can be downloaded from I am working on the claim of Gift Aid from 2008 to the present, so if you have donated in that time, and are a taxpayer, please consider completing a form. Diane

13 Poetry and Prose with Cheese and Wine Friday 25th February at 7.30pm in the Garden Room You are warmly invited to bring along your favourite verse or prose to share with others over a glass of wine. All welcome

14 G M NEWS First Grandchild.. Warmest congratulations to Manju Sood, her son Mitesh and daughter- in-law Sheenal, proud grandmother and parents of Yadav Vijay Sood who was born in London on 2nd January Yadav is Manju s first grand child and nephew for Manish. Speedy Recovery.. Alan Bailey is now back at home, and by all accounts making good progress, following a recent hip replacement. We wish him a speedy recovery. Condolences.. Manju and Yadav Vijay To Cathy Bailey on the death of her mother before Christmas, and to Mike Druquer on the recent death of his father. Our sincere sympathy to Cathy and Mike and all family members.

15 News.. Mike s Moustache.. Now a distant memory! We are pleased to hear that Mike Drucquer and his fellow medics raised an amazing 900 as part of the international Movember campaign, which ran throughout November,in aid of awareness of prostate cancer. Well done Mike. Council of Faiths Exhibition.. Sir Peter Soulsby MP visited Leicester Council Of Faiths' Exhibition at High Cross Shopping Centre during National Inter Faith week. The Chair of LCO Faiths, Cllr. Manjula Sood welcomed him.and is very grateful for his support for the inter faith work. Multicultural and multiethnic Leicester is a beacon city in UK for the respect and understanding among different faiths. Manju Our Chapel Chairman Sir Peter Soulsby pictured here in Highcross with Manjula in her role as Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths

16 News.. Congratulations to Morag and Jennifer.. Morag Jones and Jennifer Jones have both recently passed their Music Theatre Diplomas with the London College of Music. The London College of Music Examinations is part of Thames Valley University and is very well known across the music industry. Jennifer and Morag both gained marks over 90% in their exam which is extremely high. They have both been singing for many years and have been professionally trained in both classical singing as well as music theatre. The Diploma exam requires a number of songs to be sung and performed in costume to an external examiner. As well as this, there is a 20 minute discussion which requires a broad knowledge of the history of music theatre. Morag and Jennifer have worked extremely hard to get this far and it has taken a lot of time and effort. At the moment Morag is working towards her Grade 6 Classical Singing exam and both she and Jennifer are hoping to make recordings onto a CD in the near future. Morag and Jennifer pictured singing with Concertante in chapel, June 2010.

17 News.. Could we have another Mayor in our nest.. Our chapel Chairman Sir Peter Soulsby MP has launched his campaign to be chosen as the official Labour Party candidate for the fight to become the first directly elected mayor in Leicester. Sir Peter threw his hat into the ring on Saturday by gathering 50 friends and supporters at a mini-rally in Town Hall Square. The Leicester South MP was preaching to the converted as he told the crowd: "This city needs a new start and I believe I am the person to make that happen." Our chairman said he was prepared to give up his seat in Parliament to devote his political energies closer to home. "I believe I am uniquely qualified to take on the role as the first directly-elected mayor of this great city," he said. "I realise that being the elected mayor of Leicester would be more than a full-time job, so if I was nominated by the Labour Party and then elected to the post, I know I would have to relinquish my seat as an MP." Sir Peter said his 30 years as a Labour councillor in the city and his 17 years as leader of the council had given him an insight into the role of elected mayor. "As we face unprecedented Government cuts to public services, Leicester needs an elected mayor with real experience and a track record at local and national level," he said. "As mayor, the everyday concerns of Leicester residents will always be my top priority. We need to build more housing for families and tackle anti-social behaviour on our streets." Sir Peter said he had a bold and radical vision for the city. "Over the coming weeks I will be setting out my vision for Leicester. It will not be business as usual at the city council with me as mayor." The selection process is likely to be completed by late February or early March. The directly elected mayor will oversee the council's 16,000 staff and

18 News (cont).. balance the books on a 500 million budget. The role of elected mayor will be totally separate to that of Lord Mayor, and will be similar to the council leader but with extra powers, such as being able to select a cabinet. The public vote for mayor will take place in May. [Taken from an article in Leicester Mercury, Jan 17, 2011 by Adrian Troughton] We at Great Meeting wish Peter all the very best in his campaign. New Tables.. With money raised from the Coffee Shop, book and jam sales we have been able to purchase six large tables, primarily for use in the Christopher Wykes Room but also as dining tables and, of course, for the summer fete. Increased use of the Coffee Shop has brought in a profit of 872 this year. Sales of books raised 607, and thanks to Simon and John jam and olive oil sales raised 176. With this and donations, Morag has bought and arranged flowers in Chapel each week throughout the year and we have supplemented the cost of a variety of events. Thanks so much to everyone who has supported me on Saturday mornings and to all of you who have brought in your second-hand books, please, just keep them coming! Annie

19 News.. Proposed activities for During a recent meeting of the Making Things Happen Group ideas were put forward for events at Great Meeting and beyond for the forthcoming year Friday 25th February - Poetry and Prose with Cheese and Wine at 7.30pm in the Garden Room. March (date to be announced) - visit to the Jain Temple, Leicester. Saturday 9th April Sunday 15th May Sunday 12th June - Concertante Singers, 7.30pm in Chapel. - Pub lunch at Foxton Locks, following the morning service. - Summer picnic in the Chapel Garden following morning service. July or August (date to be announced) - Summer Fete in the chapel garden. Summer Visit (date to be announced) - to Calke Abbey and Stoughton Harold Church Sunday 25th September - Harvest Festival, Lunch and Sale of Produce following the morning service. October (date to be announced) - Leicester Rainbow Voices Concert in Chapel. November (date to be announced) - Congregational Lunch at the White Swan, Sileby. December (date to be announced) - Visit to Chatsworth. All members, family, visitors and friends welcome

20 News.. Coffee Shop Rota.. If you are free one Saturday to help with the Saturday Coffee Shop, please add your name to the sign-up sheet in the Garden Room or Diane with your chosen date. Chapel Flowers.. If you wish to donate and/or arrange flowers in Chapel, in memoriam, to mark a special anniversary, or to simply to take a turn, please contact our Flower Secretary, Morag Jones. Chapel Website.. Work continues on the Chapel website. A new page has been added specifically to advertise activities, clubs and societies currently using our rooms at Great Meeting. If you have copies of photographs, particularly of past members and chapel events, or simply photographs of the buildings or grounds, Annie Stewart would be very pleased to scan them for inclusion on the website. The intention is to use the photo album page as an archive of photographs both past and present relating to Great Meeting Please contact Annie Tel or anniestew@hotmail.co.uk Visit the website:

21 Continuing Support for Asylum Seekers in Leicester... It will be of great benefit to genuine refugees if we at Great Meeting can continue to make contributions to provide some of the basic necessities of life. A box is available at Chapel as a collection point for donated items. The British Red Cross (244 London Road) has an on going need for the following suggested items, plus anything else you would normally buy for yourself or your family: Tinned goods: tomatoes/ kidney beans/ chick peas/ tuna/ mackerel/ corned beef/ tinned fruit/ tinned vegetables/ baked beans/ soup Dried foods: rice/ maize meal/ lentils/ cous cous/ dried fruit/ noodles/ sugar/ porridge/ flour/ pasta Long life goods: cooking oil/ cereal bars/ nuts/ cereal/ crisps/ indian savoury mix/ chocolate/ biscuits Drinks: fruit juice/ tea/ coffee/ drinking chocolate/ dried milk/ long-life milk/ squash/ water Toiletries: toothpaste/ toothbrushes/ soap/ toilet paper/ shampoo/ sanitary towels/ face and body creams/ shaving equipment Baby items: nappies/ baby wipes/ oil/ baby milk/ baby food jars/ baby bath liquid Also: tin openers/ cutlery/ crockery/ pans/ towels/ sleeping bags/ t-shirts/ supermarket and other shopping vouchers/ mobile telephone top-up vouchers/ writing paper/ envelopes/ stamps Many thanks For more details contact Gill on: or Leicester@cityofsanctuary.com

22 The Presence of an Open Heart Monthly Zen Meditation Practice for Anyone First Thursday of Every Month, pm The Garden Room Great Meeting Chapel Zen is the art of entering fully into the present moment, able to appreciate whatever arises as the beauty of our own life. The monthly session will teach simple Zen meditation based on the Chinese and Japanese tradition, together with an opportunity to speak about your experience and learn from each other. No experience is necessary, and people of any faith (or none!) are welcome- the practice will be taught free from any particular religious angle. The sessions are led by a member of the International Zen Peacemakers community, who apply the spirit of Zen to social service, peace work, and multi-faith cooperation. Suggested donation 4/ 5 greatheartzendo@gmail.com for info, or call Chris Starbuck on

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24 Great Meeting Coffee Shop Every Saturday Morning 10.30am-12.30pm Take respite from the hustle and bustle of the shops. Come and join us for a chat or a quiet read of the newspaper. Fairtrade ground coffee, tea, soft drinks, cake and biscuits on sale. Homemade preserves for sale

25 G M on the Map Following a recent reorganisation of the road network in the vicinity of Chapel, the most direct route remains - from Vaughan Way, via Church Gate, St Peter s Lane and East Bond Street. When leaving Chapel - via St Peter s Lane, Mansfield Street and Abbey Street onto Vaughan Way. See Map below. Leicester City Centre showing Great Meeting Chapel Great Meeting Chapel Great Chapel Meeting Chapel

26 DIRECTORY: MINISTER: Rev Dr Arthur Stewart, 11 Herrick Close, Sileby, Loughborough, Leics, LE12 7RL. Tel: Mobile: PRESIDENT: Dr David Wykes F.R.Hist.S, 4 Quickthorns, Blackthorns, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 4EE. Tel: Director@dwlib.co.uk CHAIRMAN: Sir Peter Soulsby MP, 288 Evington Road, Leicester, LE2 1HN. Tel: Mobile: SOULSBYP@parliament.uk TREASURER: Dr David Wykes F.R.Hist.S, 4 Quickthorns, Blackthorns, Oadby, Leicester, LE2 4EE. Tel: Director@dwlib.co.uk ASSISTANT TREASURER: Lady Alison Soulsby 288 Evington Road, Leicester, LE2 1HN. soulsbya@parliament.uk ACTING SECRETARY: Rev Dr Arthur Stewart, 11 Herrick Close, Sileby, Loughborough, Leics, LE12 7RL. Tel: Mobile: ArthurStewart@live.co.uk

27 NEWSLETTER COMPILER: Mrs Annie Stewart 11 Herrick Close, Sileby, Loughborough, Leics. LE12 7RL. Tel: Mobile: FLOWER SECRETARY: Mrs Morag Jones 10 Scraptoft Lane, Leicester LE5 1HU Tel: ORGANISTS: Mr Qyan Arnachellum, Mobile: Mr William Northmore, Mobile: CARETAKER: Mr Stephen Lynch Mobile: LETTINGS: CHAPEL WEBSITE: CHAPEL ADDRESS: Great Meeting Unitarian Chapel, 45 East Bond Street, Leicester, LE1 4SX.

28 Chapel built in 1708 Great Meeting Unitarian Chapel 45 East Bond Street Leicester LE1 4SX