Katrina's Victims Still Need Help - Volunteering in New Orleans - U-Cafe on 23 October 2008

U-Cafe is open on 23 October 2008; 7,00pm for 7.30pm.

Fran Devine will talk about her two weeks volunteering in New Orleans with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, which is working to rebuild homes and communities following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She is in touch with the project and can report on the current situation following recent events.

For further information please read the attached article "Katrina's victims still need help" from "The Inquirer" (28 June 2008)

Derek McAuley will then lead a discussion about the role of social action in the Unitarian Vision.

U-CAFE OPEN ON 25 SEPTEMBER 2008

HOW WE CAN USE EDWARD DE BONO'S "SIX THINKING HATS TO EXPLORE SPIRITUAL QUESTIONS"

A WORKSHOP WITH RICH DALEY

Tea/coffee from 7.00pm. 7.30pm start

U-Cafe on 25 September 2008

U-Cafe is closed for the summer break but will resume on 25 September 2008 with the topic :

"How we can use Edward de Bono's "Six Thinking Hats" to explore spiritual questions"

with Rich Daley

7.00pm for 7.30pm. All welcome

Spirit Play with Rev. Jane Barraclough

The final U-Cafe before the summer break will take place on 26 June 2008 at Cross Street Chapel.

"On the shores of endless worlds
Children Play"

Rabindranath Tagore

We will together create a safe and supportive space for meditation and creative play. Working from the inside out, we start with various forms of meditation, and move on to artistic expression of variious kinds. No special skills are required. This is art as process, not product. Please wear old clothes.

Tea/coffee from 7.00pm. All welcome.

Synthesise at U-Cafe in May

John Shiers and Judy Benson, from Synthesise, introduced a stimulating evening at U-Café on 22 May 2008. They described their own spiritual journeys that has led them to establish Synthesise, a social enterprise drawing upon transpersonal ideas to produce social change. A mixed bunch of people; some Unitarian, some not, came along and explored together some of the emergent ideas.

Amongst matters discussed were:

· Political and religious “conversion” experiences and what they mean
· The influence of a religious upbringing to the development of a spiritual life later in life
· The need to value social change in the midst of a consumer society
· Unitarianism as vessel which can contain many differing perspectives

For more information on Synthesise follow the link.

At the core of Synthesise is the motivation to promote transpersonal values for personal, community and organisational development. The word “transpersonal”, is a shorthand way of talking about the connections we have with others, about the sense of the spiritual in our lives, and about the spiritual manifesting through relationship, work and everyday life. The implication of living transpersonally is that our greater connection with each other supports us to work for change, for a more sustainable way of living together. Towards a world that works for everyone.

U-Cafe 22 May 2008 with Synthesise

“CONNECTIONS”
WITH SYNTHESISE

Visitors from Synthesise, a recently formed cooperative social enterprise, will talk about their personal spiritual journeys and how this led them to form this new organization working to establish a more humane and enlightened world.

“For us, the transpersonal is about connection. Connection with a deep and more inclusive sense of self and opening to the mystery which is at the heart of life is what we mean by the spiritual. This is very different than holding religious dogmas which all too often can close rather than open the gateways to the spiritual”

Tea/coffee from 7.00pm All welcome

For further information: http://u-cafecrossstreetchapel.blogspot.com/
To find out more about Synthesise: www.synthesise.org

24th April - The Ministry of Sound

Wynne Simister will explore how musicians have a role in ministry and how the emotional, as experienced through music, should feed the spiritual. Music as part of the whole worship experience can increase the spiritual experience and individual and congregational growth.

Wynne is currently undertaking studies in sacred music at Bangor University. She is organist at Oldham Unitarian Church.

U-Cafe takes place at Cross Street Chapel. Tea and coffee is served from 7.00pm. All welcome.