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Meeting ID: 868 8294 9446
Passcode: 612407
Marianna Michell’s thought for the day can be read at this link
Clare Southall’s thought for the day can be read at this link
Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Unitarian Church Cambridge CIO to be held in the Unitarian Church, Emmanuel Road, Cambridge CB1 1JW, and on Zoom, following the service this Sunday 26th April 2026 at 11:45
Sue Tombs writes: “Our Church’s AGM is on Sunday 26th April 2026 – everyone is most welcome to attend either in person or via Zoom (Members and Friends) but only Members may vote.
Click on the following links to read the 2026 AGM Agenda and the 2025 AGM Minutes.
I have reminded Staffords our Independent Examiners that our AGM is this Sunday and I expect to be able to email out the Annual Report before Sunday in a separate email, so everyone can read it before the meeting.
As this is the coming Thursday is the fifth Thursday of the month, there is no Kiitsu Kyōkai Zoom meeting this week. The next Kiitsu Kyōkai Seiza Meditation & Conversation Meeting will be on Thursday 7th May 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:
Minutes from the “Life of the Church” Meeting that followed the morning service on Sunday 19th April in which we shared some ideas about meditations we feel might be appropriate to use on various occasions during our Sunday Morning Service of Mindful Mediation, Music and Conversation
LIFE OF THE CHURCH MEETING: 19 APRIL 2026
Cambridge Unitarian Church CIO
PRESENT: Andrew Brown (Minister), Sue Tombs (Trustee), Elden Horner (Trustee), Aysha Madha, Richard Rathbone, Jerry Carr-Brion, Tony Burns, Celia James (Trustee).
A. Meditations and Liturgies
The group met for 45 minutes following coffee to continue a congregational discussion regarding the expansion of our range of meditations and liturgies. We feel it is important to have at least one option available for use during local, national, or world events—whether they be painful or celebratory.
Andrew explained that while the emphasis and intonation of a meditation can be subtly varied by the leader, this is difficult to do “off the cuff” for those less experienced in leading services. Expanding our collection will, therefore, be a helpful resource for everyone.
Jerry Carr-Brion shared a harvest-themed meditation that could be added to our current Mindfulness Meditation.
Marianna Michell submitted a piece guiding participants through their physical experience, beginning: “As we begin, we note that though we sit alone, others are present by our side, in front, or behind us…”
Ruth Gilman provided a piece from the Othona Community, with which she has a long-standing association.
Aysha Madha has offered to source or write a “Loving-kindness” meditation along the lines of the one we used on the weekend of her Self-Compassion course last year. This would be used at specific times of the year or when we face situations demanding an attitude of compassion, such as the outbreak of conflict at home or abroad.
Andrew Brown introduced a “Returning-to-One” (Kiitsu) meditation he has written. This draws together the concepts of Self, Other, Cooperative Community, and Cosmic Cooperative Community found in our “Principles of Living.”
Click here to read a PDF containing these five contributions: <https://www.cambridgeunitarian.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Meditation-texts-contributed-to-the-LoC-meeting-19th-April-2026.pdf>
Richard Rathbone also highlighted the importance of breathing and posture, noting the practice of Seiza (Quiet Sitting) used in our weekly Kiitsu Kyōkai meetings. Andrew has been translating various texts on this practice with the help of his own teacher, Miki Nakura-sensei. While the group felt an unled Seiza meditation might not yet be suitable for Sunday morning services, its techniques could benefit many. Andrew will look for future opportunities to introduce this style (extensively used by Japanese Unitarians) to interested attenders. Links to Andrew’s blog and Seiza demonstration videos can be found here: <https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/p/seiza-meditation.html>
We considered using short, seasonal additions (such as Jerry’s Harvest text) either between the hymn and the liturgy or at the start of the Mindfulness Meditation itself. This would help ground the service in the season (Easter, Christmas, etc.).
We also suggested:
Providing brief introductions so the congregation knows what to expect if a meditation differs from the norm.
Including a quarterly reminder of the mindful process itself to assist those unfamiliar with meditation.
Posting these updates on the website and in the Weekly Update.
Regardless of the variations used, we agreed it is vital to maintain the inclusive, quieting spirit we have fostered in our services since 2020.
B. All members of the group contributed ideas and reflections on the importance and methods of Meditation, both Guided and Silent. We discussed the way we attend to our breathing and how our whole stance is involved: how it is a Practice, not a ‘test’ of how ‘well’ we do it.
C. As a practical experiment, the group decided that each member will take the current basic mindful meditation and attempt to present it using their own words. The goal is to see how we might use our own authentic voices to guide people from mindfulness of breath to sensations, thoughts, and sounds, before returning to the breath.
Link to our original Mindful Meditation the basic form of which is now being gently varied in an improvisational way on a Sunday Morning : <https://www.cambridgeunitarian.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Current-Short-Mindful-Meditation-Text.pdf>
D. Throughout our discussion we were building on AB’s Thought for the Day, which had built on his piece in the Weekly Update. This is copied in full below and includes a link to the Thought for the Day.
Andrew wrotes: “My hope is that people will find/write two kinds of things. One: Write/bring some variations on the basic Mindfulness Meditation model. Yes, the practice has its roots in Buddhist traditions but, of course, it’s now widely recognised as being of great practical value to a much wider group. See: <https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/mindfulness/> and <https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-meditate-for-beginners/> — these are my go-to introductions to mindfulness pages for those who still might think the practice is merely “woo woo”. Remember, this practice came into our morning service (it had been in the evening service for some 15 years) following nearly two years of practising it online during the pandemic. People really did benefit from the practice in that stressful time — it really helped, and I think it made us a better, liberal, free-religious gathering.
Two: Write/bring some led meditations that focus on different aspects of human existence and difficulties. So, for example, we have had on a couple of occasions a “loving kindness” meditation, another well-established and widely spread practice. We used one on Christmas Day, and another over the weekend of Aysha’s workshop. This kind of meditation may be more helpful say, in a time of war or national crises, especially when there is a period of civil unrest/riots.
What I want to avoid in the mediation section of the Sunday service are the kind that start to get too specifically Buddhist or Christian etc. in their language/imagery — I think this kind of language belongs in the personal thought for the day, which could, of course, have a meditative rather than a discursive flavour.
I have written this coming Sunday’s thought for the day to try and explain why I think that this is very important: <https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/2026/04/the-hearth-and-fire-finding-supportive.html>
But it has also been suggested that it would be possible to write a few, very short introductions to our time of meditation that speak to any immediately pressing current event. On a couple of occasions over the past few years I have placed something like that in the pause between singing the hymn/song and the beginning of our liturgy. I certainly did that when Russia invaded Ukraine and when the Queen died. I’m also thinking about having some things ready that would be suitable following a significant terrorist attack, which I fear, is now much more likely than it has been for a few years.
Anyway, please feel free to bring to the meeting any meditations that you feel could help us begin to do some other the things above. I’ll have a couple up my sleeve should they be needed/helpful.
And, to conclude, I add the list of books I pointed you to last week:
“Secular Meditation” by Rick Heller <https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Secular_Meditation/oZ6PCgAAQBAJ?hl=en>
Heller is a teacher with the Humanist Community at Harvard, and this book was written specifically for people who want the benefits of meditation without the religious scaffolding.
What’s inside: 32 different practices.
Variety: It covers everything from basic breath and body scans to “Contemplative Photography,” “Mindful Eating,” and “Loving-Kindness” (reframed as a social/empathy exercise).
Tone: Scientific and pragmatic.
“Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World” by Mark Williams and Danny Penman <https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Mindfulness/x9dhjWdV7YUC?hl=en&gbpv=0>
This is often seen as the “gold standard” for secular, clinical mindfulness. It is based on MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) and was developed at Oxford University.
What’s inside: A structured program with a variety of core scripts (the “3-Minute Breathing Space,” “Body Scan,” “Mindfulness of Sounds and Thoughts”).
Variety: It focuses on a small number of “workhorse” meditations that are scientifically proven to reduce stress.
Tone: Highly accessible, professional, and entirely secular.
“Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics” by Dan Harris and Jeff Warren <https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Meditation_For_Fidgety_Skeptics/68NVDwAAQBAJ?hl=en>
If you are looking for something that addresses the “resistance” or “boredom” a beginner might feel, this is an excellent choice.
What’s inside: A wide range of “hacks” and short meditations designed for people who think they “can’t meditate.”
Variety: It includes specific meditations for walking, commuting, dealing with difficult people, and even “just sitting.”
Tone: Witty, conversational, and deeply skeptical of anything “woo-woo.”
E. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: we shall meet as a Zoom meeting at 5pm on 20th May.
Join Zoom Meeting:
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Meeting ID: 839 7296 7530
Passcode: 214070
Kite and Christ’s Pieces Residents Association OPEN GARDENS, Saturday 9th May 2026, 11am – 4pm
Come and explore the surprising diversity of urban gardens in the Kite area!
Residents are kindly opening a wide variety of gardens in the Kite. All proceeds go to Jimmy’s on East Road, supporting rough sleepers in Cambridge.
Tickets on sale on the day from Unitarian Church, Emmanuel Road.
Entry to all gardens £10 per person. Accompanied children go free.
Refreshments available to purchase. No dogs please.
Read their newsletter by clicking on this link.
Here are the notes taken at the two important Life of the Church Meetings following the services on Sunday 18th and 25th January 2026 along with a link to the slide presentation
CAMBRIDGE UNITARIAN CHURCH CIO TRUSTEE PRESENTATIONS TO THE CONGREGATION 18 AND 25 JANUARY 2026
On both occasions the presentation was held during the Morning Service time, instead of a Thought for the Day. The presentations and discussions were held within the atmosphere of the Service for Mindful Meditation. A printed copy of the full array of slides are attached to the printed minutes, filed at the church.
Introduction by Minister: Andrew Brown
Self compassion meditation by Aysha Madra
Trustees’ presentation: Elden Horner, Sue Tombs, Celia James, Jacqui Carnall
Slides 1 & 2 Background (CJ) https://www.cambridgeunitarian.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Life-of-the-Church-18-01-26-v2.pdf
Main presentation (JC)
Open Discussion points
Maintenance requirements: volunteers and money: how have we kept these going till now: can we make things easier to maintain?
The demographic change in the area and our ageing buildings
The Northampton Unitarians sold their church and moved to a Scout Hut, which feels a less spiritual environment: there is a loss of the sense of the history of the community, as well as of a spiritual building.
The needs of the community here has changed completely over time: two large halls are no longer needed: small spaces are needed.
The beauty of and the spiritual sense in the church is completely lacking in the Hall.
There are many other community spaces available locally, but no one else is doing what we do: there are high risks associated with doing nothing, rather than pursuing one of the options for change.
The quality of the atmosphere of the church might help attract groups with a compatible ethos to use the space: keeping the church feels vital.
We are incredibly fortunate to have the funds we do, so let’s use them: there is great value in paying experts rather than purely relying on volunteers.
Music groups renting the church value it and will benefit from it being better heated.
It would be disappointing if we left the site completely, because of the beauty of the church and its situation in the centre of town with the benefit such easy access to buses.
Several congregations are known who have lost their churches/chapels: whilst they are surviving, they are not thriving.
With refurbishment of the church, there is potential for new church hirers.
There is potential to sell the Hall to a community organisation, not just as commercial offices or housing: offices are not they way they used to be: the refurbished Hall could be a community enterprise or a flexible workspace.
Specific contribution about finance from David Burns, Chartered Accountant by original training, working in the domain of corporate governance and financial structures, acting as director and part owner of projects covering land assembly and planning uplifts. He has been more than happy to volunteer his support and guidance to the Trustees and his conclusions have been that the financial planning and change of use process (he calls this the regulatory procedures) have been conducted by the Trustees in a very cautions and professional manner. David believes that this is very much the mechanism via which Cambridge Unitarians can secure a sustainable future, which is the stated objective. This mechanism offers a continued concrete presence in the community almost irrespective of the decisions which the Trustees make hereafter, guided by the wishes of the Congregation. He also understands that there may be an understandable emotional attachment to the way things used to be. We need to strike balances between that sentiment and the stated objective for the sustainable future. It is his observation that the change of use procedure should be completed as the next 3-6 months proceed. The planning and filing costs involved so far (less than £20,000 in the last year), represent money very well spent . This has increased the valuation or latent valuation of the already significant assets which Cambridge Unitarians CIO are fortunate enough to hold in their balance sheet. Regardless of whether a planning consultant is used for this final step of the way, he recommends completing the planning submission (or re-submission). He notes there is progress in this regard as every week goes by. Once the Changes of Use are achieved, it is clear from the financial and letting projections that there will not only be more community space in, for instance, the scenario of relinquishing the Hall, but that all net cashflow and profit projections will improve as a result.
David is happy for any within the Congregation to ask him questions. The Trustees have his contact details and they can route an email or request a call from David when his time permits.
Celia James
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.htmltml
Seiza Meditation (Quiet Sitting)
https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com/p/seiza-meditation.html