https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86882949446?pwd=kliXbdABEfbU8FjDMtNRNJ4Lr2lb5z.1
Meeting ID: 868 8294 9446
Passcode: 612407
A note about a change of trustees
As you all know by now, our buildings are in poor shape, and for over two years, the trustees have been working on a series of interlinked, possible solutions—which, despite genuine local support from residents and councillors, the City Council has effectively put a stop to. Many of you will have read the article about this in the Cambridge News, published just before I went on leave at the end of July (you can read that here). Since then, we have, alas, also heard that our one regular hirer, the King Slocombe School of Dance, has sold its premises over the road to Christ’s College for redevelopment into an HMO.
Naturally, these and other factors have necessitated exploring a whole new set of possible approaches, something that will obviously require yet more energy, and whole set of different ideas. This, combined with health, work and family duties, has meant that, on Wednesday last week, Celia and Jacqui told us that they felt they must step down as trustees. As they do this it is extremely important that we celebrate and thank them for their incredibly hard work in recent years. You really do need to know how hard they have worked on your behalf.
Consequently, alongside the celebration of Celia and Jacqui’s work, there is, of course, a real sadness that we will be losing them from the trustee body. However, we are extremely fortunate that Miranda Robbins (who has been actively involved with the congregation for well over fifteen years, and who married her partner Tim in the church during June) has offered to become a trustee. We thank her for that. For those of you who don’t know Miranda, you can read her Jesus College page at this link. This means that the Trustees are able seamlessly to continue with the already agreed next step, which is to get a thorough professional survey done of every aspect of our buildings to help us decide what other options we can realistically pursue in the coming year or so. That work will be done during October and, naturally, we’ll report the findings to you as soon as we have them.
We are doubly fortunate that, during July and August, Miranda was already actively working with us to begin scoping out new ways to tackle our situation and access other possible sources of funding both from our denomination and elsewhere. Additionally, a fair amount of networking was done with other local voluntary bodies to see what ideas and possibilities for collaboration might be possible.
Therefore, although we don’t immediately need another new trustee, we would dearly love to hear from any of you if you think you might be able to provide support to the trustees in this next phase of securing our buildings and the future of the congregation. Please speak to Sue, Aysha, or Miranda if you think you have any skills or knowledge that might be of help for these next steps.
And lastly, as was mentioned in the notices last week, please don’t forget to read the helpful letter found on the GA website by Liz Slade our denomination’s Chief Officer, about inherited infrastructure and church management. It will provide you with the wider denominational context to help you better understand our own local challenges.
A further notice about Marianna’s project, ‘River of Time — A Song Suite for Centenary 2028!’
Marianna writes:
This message is an invitation for congregations within the former Eastern Union district to consider taking part in a musical project, ‘River of Time’. I have included church secretaries, ministers/students in placement, musicians (where known), and newsletter editors (where known). Please do forward this, with attachment, to newsletter editors, and to musicians serving your congregation or gathering.
The project is inspired by the upcoming GA centenary (2028) and has both a national and a more local purpose. A collaboration between writers and budding writers, and myself as a song-composer aims to create a suite of choral/song pieces. This is to prompt local gatherings, or one district-wide gathering, as well as to offer choral music to our Annual Meetings.
The possible outcome for East Anglian congregations is to form a choir, Unitarian Voices Anglia, or to learn just a few songs from the selection, for an individual gathering.
Congregations may choose to receive further details and, later, musical scores/recordings, according to local ability.
Where possible, I may travel to lead a song session for congregations showing an interest. Alternatively, individuals may also receive support by zoom.
Below you will find a few details, including prompts for writing upon the theme of River of Time. Feel free to circulate this information via newsletter or print-off, whether or not a congregation as a whole feels able to host a gathering. Every person has a right to sing – whether experienced or just keen to have a go!
Yours faithfully,
Marianna Michell
(Retired Unitarian minister, and life-long musician).
The link for this coming Thursday’s Zoom “Kiitsu Kyōkai” Seiza Meditation & Conversation Meeting, this week, 17th September at 19:30-21:00
For more information, please visit:
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/p/kiitsu-kyokai.html
https://www.cambridgeunitarian.org/evening-service/
Join Thursday Zooms at the same link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85775868333?pwd=LEuyKnfbRJORbqsuzkhsonHui4ttwA.1
Meeting ID: 857 7586 8333
Passcode: 970614
Links to the minister’s address/podcast:
In written form at:
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com
Or as podcast episodes at:
A link to “Our Principles of Living” and “Ten Advices”
For additional national Unitarian news, please click on the following link:
Uni-news
https://us20.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=1590ea5f53cdc6fb8a17c311c&id=7bce4a21b7
Andrew James Brown
(Days off are generally Monday and Tuesday)
Minister
Cambridge Unitarian Church
Emmanuel Road
Cambridge
CB1 1JW
07477 462 110 (Mobile)
http://www.cambridgeunitarian.org/
Blog: Caute
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/
Podcast: Kiitsu—Returning-to-One
https://kiitsu.buzzsprout.com
Jiyū Shūkyō / Free-Religion
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/p/free-religion.html
Kiitsu Kyōkai (Returning-to-One Gathering)
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/p/kiitsu-kyokai.html
Seiza Meditation (Quiet Sitting)
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/p/seiza-meditation.html