Oldham Unitarians

NEWSLETTER

January – April 2010

Celebrating our new stained-glass window

Dates for your Diary …

Sunday Services 11.00 - 12.00

January
03. Service conducted by Rev. Dr. David Doel
10. Service conducted by Danny Crosby
17. Discussion Service
24. Service conducted by Danny Crosby
31. Service conducted by Tom Grimshaw

February
07. Service conducted by Rev Dr David Doel
14. Service conducted by Danny Crosby
21. Service conducted by Mike Cuerden
28. Service conducted by Danny Crosby

March
07. Service conducted by Rev Dr David Doel
14. Service conducted by Danny Crosby
21. Service conducted by Chrissie Wilkie
28. Service conducted by Danny Crosby

April
07. Service conducted by Rev Dr David Doel
14. Service conducted by Danny Crosby
21. Service conducted by Shammy Webster
28. Service conducted by Danny Crosby

Dear Readers and members,

At the time of my writing Christmas is almost upon us; I trust you had a merry one. Although Christmas and New Year are busy, they do offer time to reflect on the passing year.

Our chapel life goes on strengthened by the regular presence of Danny, our student pastor, who provides spiritually stimulating food for thought. He is also maintaining our position in ecumenical circles in Oldham as well as contributing to other areas of chapel life.

We have installed new windows which have opened us upto the world and brought an enlightenment, even if only in the most mundane sense so far! One of the windows is of stained glass and there is more about that later.

We hope to appoint a part-time minister from next summer and are making moves to advertise the position and go through a selection process in the coming months.

On behalf of Chapel committee I wish you all a happy and peaceful new year.

Trevor Clarke

Wonder: A Scientific Oratorio

Alan called it a series of "Happy Coincidences", I wanted to call it "synchronicity", but I think the truth is probably what Jung describes as "Collective Unconsciousness". A series of events came together to produce this incredible one, that I feel grateful to have witnessed. There were many forces at work, seemingly invisible ones, which brought this project together at this time. I suspect they were the same ones that brought me there, that very night. It was exactly what I needed as I just learnt of my uncles death from a disease I had escaped from, thank God, only a few years previously.

A couple of weeks ago I experienced a performance of "Wonder: A Scientific Oratorio", which was composed by Oldham chapel's own Alan Williams. The Genesis of the piece was a result of a conversation that Alan had with his father Prof David Williams, an eminent astrophysicist. Prof Williams was frustrated by musical accounts of the creation of the universe and life that were factually incorrect in the light of current scientific understanding. From this conversation Alan embarked on creating a piece that would reflect the physical universe as we know it. Now it just so happens that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy as well as the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death. Haydn is perhaps most famous for his Oratorio "Creation", whichfollows the biblical account in Genesis. The production was a combined effort between Salford University, Jodrell Bank Centre Astronomy, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Singers and the Salford Singers. These forces came together along with Alan and his librettist, Philip Goulding, to create this incredible event.

Now while all this is going on I myself, as part of my ministry training, am taking a course titled "Where Artists, Scientists and Theologians Meet". "Well, how perfect" I thought. "As one of my assignments I can review Alan's Oratorio". I also took the opportunity to interview him about it. We had a fascinating hour, over coffee at Salford University, discussing the piece and other matters artistic, scientific and theological.

So what about the concert itself? Well it was a mind-blowing multi media event. Two huge screens showed visual images, taken by Jodrell Bank and from the BBC archives, which aided in bringing the piece to life. There really was no let up and it certainly left me with a sense of awe and wonder at what life is and how we came into being, in a purely material sense. I was particularly struck by two small elements, which stood out, at different moments. One was the sudden visual imagery of the periodic table, the elements following one after another, as the universe burst into life. The other was the use of jazz trumpet to signify the beginning of life on earth; wonderfully spontaneous and appropriate I felt. The story was beautifully held together by a dialogue between two scientific lovers, Thea and Marcus, both of whom are overshadowed by death. Thea seeks solace in her observation of space, while Marcus sees only desolation. This is emphasised at one point by the use of a single word by each character. Thea sings "magnificent" and Marcus responds with "desolation". While this dialogue continues the whole saga of the creation of the universe up until and including life on earth continues, built around eight choruses. It worked wonderfully well.

Now, as a Unitarian student minister, where does this piece leave me? Well, with a sense of deep gratitude for the miracle that is life itself. How precious it is. The piece achieved what it intended to do. It gave a scientific account of how life began and it produced in me a deep sense of awe at what life actually is. That said I'm not one of these folks that accepts that this is all there is. I still sense and believe that there is a power underlying all this and I am grateful that I feel a part of that and that it can, and does, transform human life.

I also want to express how proud I am personally that Oldham Chapel and the Unitarian denomination as a whole have people like Alan to share community and worship with.

I will end with these words by Justin Sullivan. They seem appropriate as a prayer of gratitude for the wonder of life itself and in memory of my uncle Colin. "Pain is what you live. You can try to change the subject, in the dark the hands reach out; but I still feel the wonder as the sky turns to fire, a catching in the heart, standing between the worlds, in the changing of the light".

Danny Crosby

During the Second World War an American Unitarian, Reverend Charles Joy, was stationed in Lisbon to help refugees from Nazism escape to safe havens. As executive director of the Unitarian Service Committee he felt that this new, unknown organisation needed some visual image to represent Unitarianism to the world, especially when dealing with government agencies abroad. He commissioned a Czech refugee and cartoonist, Hans Deutsch, to design something that could be used on official documents, and thus an early version of the modern chalice came into being.

Our stained glass window was designed by John Orson, a local craftsman. We wanted it to be based on the chalice which is the symbol of our faith. It's stunning to look at and we thank John for his efforts, done at short notice and with skill and sensitivity.

The window was dedicated by Rev. Alex Bradley, MDA president, at our anniversary service on 22nd November 2009.

The picture doesn't do it justice really.

 

Bunhill Fields

During a recent visit to London I went to Bunhill (Bone Hill) Fields in Islington, a non-conformist burial ground from the 1650s to the 1850s. One of the founders of British Unitarianism, Theophilus Lindsey, is buried there (left).

The burial ground is a much-used thoroughfare in a busy area, but is also a quiet haven for office workers at lunchtime and some tourists. Most headstones are closely packed but one or two 'celebrity' stones are isolated; these include Daniel Defoe (right) and William Blake (far right with flowers, and coins left on the stone). John Bunyan is also nearby.

Across the road, behind some flats, is a Quaker meeting house and a small park which once was a Quaker burial ground. In the garden of the meeting house lies George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement.

TC

Oldham Unitarian Chapel founded in 1813

is open to all who wish to worship with an open mind,
in a spirit of freedom, reason and tolerance.

We do not all hold the same beliefs, rather each person is encouraged
'to develop his or her faith in a continuing search for truth.'

President: Mr T. Clarke
Treasurer: Mrs K.M. Pearson
Secretary: Mrs C. Hall

Unitarian Chapel
Connaught Street / King Street
Oldham
OL8 1 EB
Tel: 0161 620 1810

Lettings Officer: Mrs M. Nuttall – Tel: 0161 287 3371

Registered Charity No. 1111295