A testimonial from Christina Smith

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

My name is Christina Smith and I am a lay person at Belper Chapel in Derbyshire.

15 years ago, when I was living in New York and raising 4 children, I was looking for something
that reflected my own values and would help me underpin these values for my children in a place
where I had no extended family or support and where the culture we were living in seemed very ego driven.

During a visit from my sister, who was a UK Unitarian, I went along to a Unitarian Universalist
fellowship - and as they say, the rest is history. I had found a place where we as a family, with all
our personalities and baggage were welcome, and where I could reinforce the message that it was how you lived your life that was important not what you possessed or the size of your house or even what grades you got in school.

I know that this fellowship and the youth programme that my older children had access to helped
them survive their American High School experience and their subsequent, and sometimes
tumultuous, journeys into adult hood. It also helped me survive their journeys too!

Recently, I was reminded again, of how important the Unitarian values and youth programmes are when my 14 year old daughter, who had been watching a TV programme about a certain designer who was working with teens who had low self esteem and body issues said, 'you know mum those teens need to go to Gt. Hucklow to learn how to accept themselves and be comfortable with who they are.' My reply to her was that I wished all children had access to the Unitarian Youth
Programme.

So in closing, this is why when I am 49 years old with, if I am very lucky 20 years of service left to
give, I have decided that, right here in the UK Unitarian movement, is where I want give it.
Because I know how important it is for families today to find a spiritual home that is welcoming
and affirming and one that will challenge them to grow, discover and accept who they are.

Thank you.

A testimonial from Jill Hudson

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

Unitarianism, is my saviour
It is the church where I can taste a different flavour.

All my life I had sought for spiritual truth
To the days of middle age from when I was a youth

I explored many churches and was always told the same
But I could never play the blind obedience game,

Never bow to creeds and beliefs that don’t ring true,
Not allowed to mention that I held a different view

So I set off on my lonely quest to find the truth again
And found the Unitarian Church – where I can use my brain

And where I can be free to reach my own conclusions
And not be forced to settle for some other faith’s illusions

Fifteen years on I’m certain that I found the path that’s right
And I’m glad to meet with others who have had the same insight

But what about those people, struggling in society
Who haven’t found the treasure of religious liberty?

How can we share our fellowship? How can we spread the word?
This is the crux that bothers me – for if we are not heard

We cannot take LIFE’s message to people near and far
We really need to advertise what Unitarians are

We’re living now on yesteryear’s fat – the legacy of the past
If we don’t increase our numbers, our movement will not last

So I implore you, delegates, to yourselves this aim apply
Because otherwise our movement will eventually die

We are the ones with power and the responsibility
There’s no one else can make us grow – only you and me.

So let’s make a pledge today – the focus of our lives
To ensure through our efforts Unitarianism thrives.

A testimonial from Phil Silk

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

Fellow seekers, sharers and servers, I am grateful that the GA is providing us with this opportunity to share personal views. ‘Without vision the people perish’. No one view will suit all or remain static, but I look forward to not only hearing, but reading the whole series – and to future dialogue.

As a named movement, our tradition begins in the Reformation, with the stress on the authority of the individual to interpret scripture, Church teachings and life itself. But it seems to me that the spirit of Unitarianism has been around as long as the human race, as I once told a Conservative Rabbi who was extolling the virtues of having a 4000 year old tradition. I think we should broaden our horizons.

I think the essence of Unitarianism is a liberal approach to life, a recognition that all individuals experience life for themselves, uniquely. By using reason – and emotion- we discover and we develop meaningful living. We also realise how integrated we are into society and nature; we are not really alone. Nor can we be certain of the full truth . Facts, yes; significance, no. ‘Unity in diversity’ is not just a slogan: it reflects reality as we experience it;it reflects the universe, the human race and the individual. Each of us is an evolving, social interpreter of reality, a unique actor in the drama of life. We are the meaning-makers in theory and practice.

We Unitarians are the living tradition, not a preservation society. Each of us, alone and together, will continue to search, share and serve. What we do will hopefully enrich the quality of life for all humanity and reality, living and non-living.

I would like to see us fulfil our potential as an evolving world religion. Can we, should we, be a religion for one world, open to the insights from ALL ages and ALL peoples, working WITH all people and FOR all people?.

This is my vision.

What is yours?

A testimonial from Carol Palfrey

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

I have only been a member of the Octagon in Norwich for about 18 months and this is my first GA. I therefore feel privileged to be invited to be part of the opening ceremony. I cannot guarantee that my contribution will be “inspiring and inspired” but I promise it will be enthusiastic.

I had been attracted for several years by what I had read about Unitarianism and the outlook of Unitarians I had met and so, in September 2009, I attended my first Unitarian service

Coming from a Church of England background, and being very British, I could not leap to my feet and shout “Halleluiah and Amen” but, when I heard the opening words, that was just what I felt like inside. The words were: “We meet here in a spirit of community, openness and love, and I hope that this morning’s worship speaks to something in you, inspires you and makes you think.” It did, and it continues to so.

I think the Unitarian church is uniquely placed to respond to the spiritual needs of the twenty first century. It provides a supportive religious community in which everyone can seek their own truth and express themselves without fear of criticism or condemnation. It has the potential to resolve the dilemmas of those whose own religions traditions have proved more of a hindrance than a help, but who still feel the need to belong. Belonging without believing is a philosophy which many people would find liberating. Unitarians are proud to be able to extend their welcome to people of all religious faiths and none – what could be more appropriate in multi-cultural Britain? I believe that Unitarianism has the power to make the current acrimonious disputes between atheists and believers irrelevant. We are a faith tradition for today’s world. But not enough people know about us.
I hope that together we may find new ways to offer our special gift more widely.

A testimonial from Alison Mercer

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

I've heard and read so many words about Unitarianism and the things which we value about it: freedom, choice, warmth, tolerance, acceptance, community, support... oh so many words. But they could be used to describe several liberal faith groups. What makes Unitarianism so great?

Diversity within an organisation has been seen as a weakness: too many factions to keep happy. But in the case of Unitarianism, our diversity is a strength. Consider this: we are everyday people, different ages, lifestyles, educations, backgrounds, needs and expectations. And yet we are bonded together. Not by shared theological perspective, prescriptive creed, ethnicity or culture, but by something more powerful: the values and dreams we hold in common are forged not by certain words on a page, but in the honesty of our hearts and minds. We also recognise that hearts and minds are not entirely unchanging. Consequently, we share a fellowship in which we can be as we are, while we become the people we seek to be.

We're able to be this way because of past Unitarians who had both vision and courage: the vision to see what Unitarianism could become and the courage to let go of enough of the past to move forward. Just as 19th Century Unitarianism had to differ from that of the preceeding Century, so 21st Century Unitarianism finds itself in changed times. If we are to follow the example of our predecesors, we need to find vision and courage to look at what we are (not just what we think we are) and the courage to let go of what we must in order to let it flourish.

I believe our fellowship still contains people of vision and courage who will help us: to come to terms with and better serve our modern day multi-cultural and multi-theological congregants and potential congregants; and to become more outspoken and active in promoting and supporting our core values to the world at large. It's too good to keep to ourselves!

If you love something, set it free...

A testimonial from Christopher Sande

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

“It is necessary that religion should be held and professed in a liberal spirit.” So said the great William Ellery Channing.

To me these words epitomise the beauty of our approach, and I am thankful for this Unitarian spirit for it has provided me with a cherished and cherishing family of faith. Our commitment to freedom of belief, freedom of thought and freedom of inquiry, leads us to approach our religious life with complete liberty, released from all creeds and all dogma, though not inevitably or necessarily from valuable, unifying shared beliefs. This liberty has given me the confidence to play a full and enthralling part in the life of my local church and also shortly, in the form of secretary, in the life of our district association, as we strive in serving our local communities and our wider movement. Coupled with this liberty is the Unitarian commitment not to sacrifice human needs, human wants and human nature on some religious alter, but instead to elevate them all in the service of the One, however understood, who is greater than all of us, yet present in each of us. This can only lead to our special covenantal understanding of fellowship, which embraces all people with a true and loving welcome.

A great man, whose words inspire me daily once said “blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness.” I hunger and thirst for our blessed and unique voice to bring greater unity, peace and vision to all those around us in our diverse society. To help enthrone kindness, virtue and compassion as inspirational and aspirational ideals to be sought-out and followed. I am sure the future will continue to see more people of all faiths and none joining with us in sharing the hope that though we may not think alike we might certainly love and care alike."

A testimonial from Wade Miller-Knight

Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:

A friend recently rejected Unitarianism. He said: “Unitarianism’s like a tea-shop with no cakes.”

Tea and sympathy, but no cakes. Nothing of substance.

The “cakes” we need are spiritual depth. A quality, an intensity, that makes our Unitarian faith more to us than one hour a week.

Depth from spiritual practices. Take-home practices that make an interesting Address and nice hymns on Sunday the start of our spiritual week, not the whole. Active, daily, practices that put spirituality at the heart of our whole being.

The most effective deepening practice, in my experience, is meditation. By ‘meditation’ I don’t mean thinking about… anything. I mean a spiritual centring in. Giving our mind-chatter a tea-break. Going into the secret silence of the soul, the stillness we feel when we find the ‘pause’ button on busy-ness.

I experience that after meditation people feel softer and more spiritually centred than they arrive.

I have started a meditation circle in St. Albans Fellowship. Groups are meditating in congregations from York to Mansfield to Godalming. We can show you how.

And there are several other practices that can deepen our spirituality:

• Focused study of sacred texts with heart reflection. Technical name: “lectio divina”. Some Unitarians do it. They can show you how.
• Gratitude. Once or twice daily, thank God. Consciously. Religiously. 
• Feel God’s presence. Love God. Whenever. Wherever. Genuinely. Frequently.

Simple? Yes – but it requires conscious choice.

Whatever specific methods you choose, the aim is spiritual deepening. Nourishing our spiritual being abundantly. People living at spiritual depth grow spiritually. A congregation whose people are growing spiritually is a spiritual magnet. Newcomers will feel the energy. Before they know how, or why, they will sense we Unitarians can nurture their soul. There will be “cakes” – spiritual substance - in our “tea-shop”.