2025

By simply deconstructing our religious beliefs, we end up with an empty vessel. Much like the empty ice cream bowl that Rev Lovejoy in “The Simpsons” claims that Unitarians are: “There is nothing in it.” When we speak why do we so easily talk of the God we don’t believe in? Can we return to the heart of the matter, the God we might believe in? We will explore the house we live in, from the foundations to the decorations. We will begin by removing what we would like to leave behind, before moving on to construction. We will look at both: our heritage and contemporary spiritual and religious ideas. We will explore using personal sharing, solitary reflection and group discussion. Incorporating some music, song and gentle ritual. Offering a variety of media to aid our explorations. Our hope is that you will develop confidence in articulating your Unitarian faith, celebrating your own spiritual identity, and perhaps offering a home to the weary traveller. Arek and Danny will be accompanied by Molly the dog.

Our Unitarian toolkit is full of treasures and sometimes we need to pause for breath to find what we need on our journey towards wholeness. Finding the tools and anchors we need to ‘do’ liberal religion seriously isn’t easy, especially when – unlike mainstream religion – we don’t have the tools (of a codified theology) given to us. Yet being a Unitarian can feel like a ‘pick-n-mix’ approach to being religious. How can our way of being religious be more than a ‘take it or leave it’ spirituality? What then binds us? Is it the journey into living compassionately and what that involves for the way we live our lives? Is it standing up for justice and what that might mean in a religious context? We shall explore some of these questions and more through sharing our reflections in small groups, journaling, mindfulness and circle dance. If we choose a religious path it needs to be life enhancing and joyfully liberating because life itself can be serious and hard and we need as much encouragement as we can offer each other on the journey. In our time together we shall examine some of the ways in which we can access the spirit within and the spirit beyond so as to nurture and sustain us as individuals and in community.

Inspired by traditional expressions of religious life, and more recent experiments in new monasticism, this contemplative group will provide a chance to explore what it might look like for us as 21st century Unitarians to be bolder – more spiritually serious – and truly shape our lives according to our faith. We will consider various aspects of a well-balanced religious life – personal commitment and identity, prayer and practice, religious language and models of God, spiritual teachers, ethical principles, and faith community – and take time to reflect and take stock on how we actually relate to each of these dimensions in our everyday life. Through solitary reflection, guided prayer, creative expression, collective discernment, and sharing of wisdom, participants will be invited to construct a personal ‘rule of life’ – a simple framework of religious practices and commitments – which makes sense in the context of our own real-world circumstances and will help us live well and faithfully in the face of life’s inevitable ups and downs. Participants will be encouraged to do a small amount of preparation in order to get the most out of the group (we will send a worksheet to ponder a few weeks before arrival) but this is optional.

(note: Michael Allured stood in for Rita during the event)

‘A ritual is a journey of the heart which should lead us into the inner realm of the psyche and, ultimately, into that of the soul, what Meister Eckart referred to as “the ground of all being.” Rituals, if performed with passion and devotion, will enhance our desire and strengthen our capacity to live.’ – James Roose-Evans. In this group, we’ll explore our Unitarian heritage, as well as the other philosophies and religious traditions that have shaped us, daring to look more deeply into what we want to reclaim and what we wish to discard. We also aim to discover the theologies which bind us together as Unitarians, valuing the enlightened and rational approach of our tradition, while enjoying the freedom to continue developing our beliefs. We’ll be reflecting on what it means to live a good life, through exploring rituals, individual creative activities and sharing in small groups.

We all enter this world containing a precious flame – the symbol of our own unique energy, character and story. Our flame will give warmth and light to the world, and without it, the world will be poorer. In being true to ourselves, we help others be true to themselves also. Our flame cannot burn on its own, it is held and nurtured by others. From our birth to our death, our relationships nourish and shape us. The chalice is the symbol of our life-long experience of this relatedness, whose expression can be our participation in a free and creative religious community, where faithfulness to life and our intimations of God, can safely grow and flourish. During this week, we will explore our lives as flame and chalice- our own unique stories and our relationship with other people and the communities of which we are part. By means of story, deep listening, meditation, memory, gentle spiritual practice, creativity and laughter perhaps we can uncover the deeper meanings of our individual flames and encourage each other within the sacred chalice of religious community. [Note: we will meet at the same time as residential groups are meeting, from 10.45am-1pm Saturday to Thursday, and we ask all participants to commit to setting aside the time to attend all six sessions].

In this group we will consider what has shaped our spiritual/religious practices and how they have evolved and might continue to evolve over time. What is your personal ‘Rule of Life’ and how does it help you to live well and balance the different areas of your life? Sessions will involve meditation, shared discussion, and time for personal reflection, journaling and doodling. There is no need to prepare anything formal in advance, but it would be helpful to have thought about: 1) your main spiritual and religious influences and 2) what spiritual practices or other activities currently support you, and what else you aspire to include in your life. Sessions take place on Zoom, and there will be a WhatsApp group to help us share ideas and resources. [Note: we will meet at the same time as residential groups are meeting, from 10.45am-1pm Saturday to Thursday, and we ask all participants to commit to setting aside the time to attend all six sessions].