UK Spiritualist Churches

Originally Posted by JeremyMM

Hi Mac,

I think that's the problem - we all want to enjoy the experience but are quite often disappointed. Churches are often run by cliques which can also be off putting.

Cheers

Jeremy

hello Jeremy

Cliques can be a problem in any organisation. The major problem is, I suggest, more that the Spiritualist church has no figurehead, no mouthpiece and no contemporary teachers as SB and the others. The SNU is a laughing-stock amongst those who've followed the PN saga.

What do we have left?

Originally Posted by mac

Good posting! I'm nearly 64 and I find churches feel out-of-date, the so-called Divine Services especially so. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Spiritualist so if I find 'em this way, I'd expect young 'uns to go once and never return...

It's a shame as the churches can be lovely and without the nonsense of mainstream religions, they ought to have huge appeal for the true enquirer.

So many of our figure-heads are now in Spirit: Gordon Higginson, Harry Edwards; Ivy Northage; Tom Johanson - to name just a few. I agree that without one voice any organisation is going to find it tough.

Originally Posted by JeremyMM

So many of our figure-heads are now in Spirit: Gordon Higginson, Harry Edwards; Ivy Northage; Tom Johanson - to name just a few. I agree that without one voice any organisation is going to find it tough.

"I agree that without one voice any organisation is going to find it tough" To the degree that I don't see a future unless there's a complete turn-around.

Not in my lifetime I expect.... I'd love to be wrong, though.

oh my oh my what have you done Abs lol. My favourite pet hate.

Altrincham is a nice enough church as a one off now and again, but it's the same as most. Once you start going on a regular basis the back stabbing and jealousies start to emerge.

I was a member at Denton for quite a while, run by a little fella named Albert and I loved him to death (scuse the pun) what a fabulously serene energy he had. To me, he was the epitome of Spiritualism per se. No matter who you were, he would always always always make you welcome, offer some kind words, give you a smile, you get my drift. Then there were the clux. I'm not going to name them for obvious reasons, but what I will say one of them is a Minister AND a teacher down in Stanstead. How the devil he's managed to keep that position for so long is beyond me. Where his empathy, compassion, integrity, love has gone I don't know but him and his wife .. and mac I may have spoken with you a while ago about this .. between the two of them can put a 'fledgling' (how I soo hate that word grr) down in one fell swoop. The confidence that pair knocked out of me at the beginning was no ones business. Well in more recent times too if I'm honest. We all go through bad times where we just can't seem to link. If we're under the weather or whatever and to be fair to the bloke he was pushed on cold as the medium hadn't turned up. Anyway he just did not get a mediumistic link at all. Now and again he'd get a psychic link and someone would take it, that's how general it was. His wife came on and took over. You could feel how sorry people felt for him, nobody called him, nobody judged him .. well none that I was aware of anyway. We had open circle at the end and all night I'd got spirit digging me and I KNEW who I was going to, the lady at the front so I got up gave the message and it was crystal clear. She said to the fella and his wife when we were having coffee after, You want to have this girl (!!!) in your closed circle, she's turning into an excellent medium .. the woman turned round and said well he can ave er I'm not .. and walked away, he followed after her. I was absolutely mortified. I've never been back since.

But that aside, for the most part there is just too much jealousy and doctrine within the SNU and imo if they carry on, they're going to lose the membership altogether if they don't stop all this archaic teaching. I'm sure, having read and heard so much about Gordon Higginson (I must admit I do so admire that man) if he were still alive there'd be none of what's going on today. I believe he was thoroughly unique in his approach, he was groundbreaking and a go getter - coupled with being a sensitive, empathic, caring man who took the time to know people, to listen to the world around him, to listen to spirit and be guided by them.

Crewe's a lovely church though. I platformed there, the energy of the place was incredible, and the people were lovely. Bristol's also a lovely church and so is Middlesborough. I've done seminars at both those, and met some lovely lovely people. But yet again, you come away, and find out that the same things are going on in those that are in your own church, so it's nationwide.

Ah well, I'll go back to me hideyhole now I've had me say .. great thread Abs, nice to see you again

Love light and laughter
Jue xxx

If they would just bring in younger mediums, allowing them to bring new ideas to the table, enabling the SNU to move into the 21st century it would get people back into the churches. that's all it would take, but instead what's happening. Ego is getting in the way, pure and simple.

[Orbie]

Ive not had the guts to get to Altrincham even though I emailed them explaining my hearing problem and the problems this would give me in a development circle, as well as asking for their advice. Have to say they sent a lovely reply and recommened I mailed Stanstead Hall.

Both times at other local snu churches I got a no we are not interested our circle is closed. I was desperate for support and just got a cold shoulder, I was amazed at the response.

Nice to hear they were lovely at Altrincham, might get my big girl trousers on and go sometime!!

[jazz]

Hi I'm involved with the Hebden bridge church and have been for almost 2 hrs .it's the most amazing church for me .I'm training in healing and in the most amazing development group there .I quiet often chair the service too which gives me confidence I will defernatly serve Hebden bridge as a. Medium when I'm good enough / ready can't wait for the day to come . Please come and join our service sometime and introduce yourself we r a loveley warm bunch of all ages hrs ago I remember churches used to be attended by wot I called at the time little old ladies lol .. Ok I'm 53 depending on Ur age I may b one of those little old ladies lol lol lol .I'm so happy I'm delirious lol we have a laugh too . Any way I could ramble on 4 ever bout it .oh and yes I'm not daft about not knowing that church can b clique and a word that makes me laugh is : my church : I wonder if iv even used it here lol.there's been a bit of a shift /upliftment in Hebden church recently and we have got a new blast of energies and the new year will be even better . By the way it is an snu church so we do have to follow guide lines sometimes boring and old fashion ancient 1 that I personally think needs to move into present etc but the principles r basic and common sence tho the : wording/language is not my cuppa tea etc god . Brother hood , man blah blah blah but that's me speaking as not just a strong woman and feminist but also a lesbian ! So yeh the wording defo needs challenging lol and no appolizies to the snu either .will I be challenged on that 1 ,not by my church haha there's that word again MY CHURCH .but maybe by the old school snu but never mind eh.............. Love lite and rainbows to u and all jazz Hebden bridge. Spiritualist church west Yorkshire England uk. Xxxxx

Originally Posted by jazz

Hi I'm involved with the Hebden bridge church and have been for almost 2 hrs .it's the most amazing church for me .I'm training in healing and in the most amazing development group there .I quiet often chair the service too which gives me confidence I will defernatly serve Hebden bridge as a. Medium when I'm good enough / ready can't wait for the day to come . Please come and join our service sometime and introduce yourself we r a loveley warm bunch of all ages hrs ago I remember churches used to be attended by wot I called at the time little old ladies lol .. Ok I'm 53 depending on Ur age I may b one of those little old ladies lol lol lol .I'm so happy I'm delirious lol we have a laugh too . Any way I could ramble on 4 ever bout it .oh and yes I'm not daft about not knowing that church can b clique and a word that makes me laugh is : my church : I wonder if iv even used it here lol.there's been a bit of a shift /upliftment in Hebden church recently and we have got a new blast of energies and the new year will be even better . By the way it is an snu church so we do have to follow guide lines sometimes boring and old fashion ancient 1 that I personally think needs to move into present etc but the principles r basic and common sence tho the : wording/language is not my cuppa tea etc god . Brother hood , man blah blah blah but that's me speaking as not just a strong woman and feminist but also a lesbian ! So yeh the wording defo needs challenging lol and no appolizies to the snu either .will I be challenged on that 1 ,not by my church haha there's that word again MY CHURCH .but maybe by the old school snu but never mind eh.............. Love lite and rainbows to u and all jazz Hebden bridge. Spiritualist church west Yorkshire England uk. Xxxxx

Hi Jazz,

It's great to hear someone who's enjoying there spiritualist church as much as you are. I have a feeling it's your energy, enthiusiam and love that's adding the right ingredients there. Unfortunately my recent experiences with churches is not a positive and I don't go unless I take a service. I do think that the SNU is well meaning, but only represents a small percentage of spiritualists so maybe it has limited views? Keep on keeping on!

Jeremy

Iv not been able to attend church for health reasons, but I used to be a regular at Eltham Church, Welling Church (when it was at the Kitchener Pub) and a few others. My favourite place to be would the Arthur Findlay College services.

The problem I did find was the cliques in most of the churches. They make it very uncomfortable to attend. Iv been told off for not wearing tights in the Summer - it was in the 80 degree heat. Then all the regulars sat on ones side of the church while the newbies on the other (I attended the church for over 4 years but was still a newbie and thus denied membership and SNU membership).

I agree the standard of mediumship even back then was shoddy. They made it virtually impossible to get into development class and healing courses unless you went to EVERY service for a year and then if the face didnt fit.

Personally Iv found the voice chat forums to be an ideal place for Spiritualism to thrive. Many people cant leave their houses due to disablity and ill health; Im really surprised no one has got on the band wagon and got a Internet Church up and running.

[Orbie]

Ahhhh now that made me smile....tights... I got told the same thing on my first interview for a teaching post, it was 80 degree heat too! I didn't ask how my lack of tights would impact on my teaching ability but I wasnt 46 then!!

Out of interest anyone here go to Altrincham by any chance?

Denton Manchester is a very welcoming church ....accessible too