Old Meeting House – April 2024

Founded 1662 Built in 1702

OLD MEETING HOUSE YARD MANSFIELD NG18 1QR

UNITARIAN AND FREE CHRISTIAN

Service each Sunday
11.00 am (in the Chapel and via Zoom)

Minister Secretary Lettings & Caretaker

Rev Mária Pap Correspondence Mr Michael Higgins
24 St John St 24 St John St 170 Abbey Road
Mansfield NG18 1QJ Mansfield NG18 1QJ Kirkby in Ashfield
Phone 07486 062320 email to: NG17 7NX
papmaria70@gmail.com David Brown at: 01623460776
164daviv@gmail.com
Chairperson omhmansfield@gmail.com Committee Members
Mr Paul Frost Mrs Ann Binch,
07967006861 Treasurer Mr David Brown
paulfrost64@hotmail.co.uk Miss Christine Wright Mr Peter Faulkner,
20 Forest Avenue Mrs Edwina Higgins,
Deputy Chairperson Mansfield NG18 4BX Mr Michael Higgins,
Mr Neil Fisher 01623486243 Mrs Pauline Smith
01623462833 Mrs Catherine
Wycherley
SUNDAY SERVICES STEWARDS FLOWERS

Apr 7th Rev Mária Pap Mr N Fisher Sunday School

Apr 14th Rev Mária Pap Miss C Wright Mr D Wright

Apr 21st Rev Mária Pap Mrs A Binch Mrs A Binch

Apr 28th Rev Mária Pap and Mr P Frost Mrs Julie Lee
at 3pm The Forest Singers

CHAPEL OPENING ROTA – Saturdays, 10:30 am - noon

Apr 6th Mr David Wright

Apr 13th Mr Neil Fisher
Apr 20th Mrs Lynn Walton
Apr 27th Mr Neil Fisher

Important Notice: From Easter we are moving back to chapel. The

zoom link for Sunday Services remains the same:
Meeting ID: 850 1118 4627; other meeting ID`s are specified
separately for each activity offered on zoom.
Passcode for all zoom meetings: OMH
 More Light – Ministerial Musing

At precisely 1.00 am on Sunday, 31st March the clocks went forward

one hour in the UK and in many other countries around the world.
If you remember, I told you once that when I was a child I thought this
to be another devilish device of the Communist regime in my country to
make our life more difficult. It was later on that I learned that the
Daylight Saving Time had a history of more than a century and that it
was put first into practice by the Germans during the First World War.
Suffering from coal shortages they changed the clocks to preserve
energy by adding an extra hour onto the start of the workday. This was
the first time DST had been put into practice, but the concept was far
from new as Benjamin Franklin came up with a similar idea in a letter
to Journal de Paris in 1784. He suggested the city could save
an ‘immense sum’ by not burning candles in the dark evening hours, but
he fell short of recommending the clocks change to facilitate this.
This idea was proposed to Parliament in 1900 by a certain William
Willet, who thought that changing the time would prevent ‘wasting’
daylight’. Now his detractors suggested at that time that his reason was
to make the evenings lighter, so he had more time to play golf . We do
not know if this was true, but in May 1916 UK adopted the German
model, followed a couple of years later by the USA. The measure was
abolished in most countries after the war ended, but it returned in the
1980s during the global oil crisis. For the last couple of years there is an
ongoing debate about keeping it at all as scientific studies show the
negative physical and psychological effects of switching back and forth
– and we all experience how disruptive it can be to our life, to our
sleeping patterns, just to mention some effects out of many. Yet the idea
is a good one: to make as most of the daylight as possible.
We cannot live without light – whether natural or artificial, whether in
its physical embodiment or its metaphorical sense.
Light and candle play an important part in our services, in our symbols,
in our theology, in our understanding of the world and humanity.
Our denomination`s history is rooted in Enlightenment – as a cultural,
philosophical movement, but in a way “enlightenment” is the essence of
all revelation – whether religious or scientific, whether the light of faith,
or wisdom or knowledge. We can see this light across history and
religions, and we can see it in our own life - those “Aha” moments,
when we are granted a glimpse of the divine, a moment of truth and
perhaps even of joy. These are the moments when a beam of light hits
our soul or mind and reveals for a moment the whole- beyond the
fragments, beyond the darkness or the puzzling challenge. These are the
times we shine – our love or knowledge or service becomes a pool of
light, a candle, for ourselves and those around us.
With everything going on in the world and in our lives right now more
light is as welcome as a refreshing April shower. Darkness and
challenges, wars and divisions, illnesses and hopelessness seem to beset
us and yet we are called to make the most of our own radiance, own
strength, own faith to reflect light into the dark places of this world, into
the dark places of human hearts.
But this is not easy work. We spend much of our lives obsessing over
the past and worrying about the future, and as a consequence we forget
to live fully in the moment. Enlightenment comes when we move
beyond our desire and our suffering and awaken to the miraculous that
is present in the here and now. It helps us look at each other and the
world with a heightened awareness and appreciation that goes beyond
judgment, and allows us to see, perhaps for the first time, what is holy
and precious in our sight. Gratitude as a state of being is the result of an
enlightened soul. The person whose heart is filled with gratitude brings
light even to the darkest places. Make of yourself a light, said the
Buddha before he died. Let your light shine taught us Jesus. Become a
beacon of kindness and hope in the world. Live each day from a place of
humility and gratitude. Look for the blessings in every moment, even
the most difficult. Do not be judgmental. Forgive the imperfections in
yourself and others. Do not dwell on the past or agonize over the future.
Instead, bring all of your awareness to how you encounter each moment
that you are given.
And do know that you are not alone. We are here for each other. In the
life of every one of us there are times when we feel burned out, when
our own light becomes diminished and we need it to be rekindled by the
flame of another. We shine – sometimes our light is barely enough for
ourselves, sometimes it overflows and illuminates everything and
everyone around us. Sometimes our light shatters the darkness around
us, other times our darkness is touched and illuminated by the light of
another.
And this is the best part of our community: that our light does not go out
or waver at the same time – that there is always someone around us, by
whose light we can find our way, our bearing until our own flame
recovers.; there are always small deeds we can do to shatter the darkness
and bring hope or joy or comfort. This is how we minister to each other,
this is how we learn to know and bless one another with more light,
more love, and more compassion.
So let us welcome and enjoy the possibility of more light – in our life
and in the world – and let us “wind the clock, for tomorrow is another
day”!
See you at the OMH in person and/or Zoom!
Maria

P.S. I will be attending the GA between 4-6 April; during these days please
consider sending email instead of calling. Thank you!

Pastoral News
At the March EMU meeting we were saddened to hear about the death
of Eric Oliver in December last year. Many of us knew him, he joined
us on zoom and in person for some of our programmes and he was a
good friend of our chapel. We extended our condolences to Geoffrey
and Kay Oliver and asked them to pass it on to the rest of the family.

Wendy Neville came down with shingles, which those of you who had it
know how painful it could be. Her grit and good humour were a great
help and thankfully she is well on her way to complete recovery.
Edwina Higgins had a cataract operation at the beginning of March from
which she is recovering well. She is enjoying all the colours and beauty
she was not able to see properly previously.

Malcolm Brown had his cataract operation mid-March and he too is

feeling fine, though not allowed to drive for a while. Before his
operation Malcolm secured the poppy cross on our War Memorial, so
hopefully it won`t be moved round. Thank you, Malcolm!

Helen Edwards had a small stroke. She is well but more tests are needed
and in the meantime she is not allowed to drive. We wish her a speedy
recovery and keep her in our prayers! If you wish to send a get well
card, her address is: 12, Watson Avenue, NG 18 2BS, Mansfield.

Alistair Hamilton is still at Poppy Court. His health is much improved

and when the weather is nice he can walk down to the Quakers. Alistair
welcomes visits – Monday-Fridays, 10 am- 11:30am; 1:30 pm – 8pm or
mail. His address is: Poppy Court, Flat 10, Foresters Close, NG19 6FD

Peter Dean is currently in hospital with a viral infection. He sounded

quite cheerful on the phone, he is well taken care of and he hopes to be
discharged as soon as possible. Speedy recovery, Peter!

Birthdays in April: 16th – Annie Perry, Claire Faulkner Birch nee and
David Brown; 17th – Jaxon James Hare and Ben & Jake Wycherley;
22nd – Neil Fisher; 25th – Helen Moore; 26th – Ann Binch; 28th –
David Wright and Michael Bowler. We wish them all a very happy
birthday!

Committee Meeting on Monday, 15th April at 2 pm in the JH White

room. If you have any topic for the agenda, please let Maria know by
Saturday, 13th April. Thank you!

Weekdays @ OMH - New attendees are very welcome!

Tuesdays
Stay and Play for under 5`s, - 9:30-11:30 am (term time) – we will
restart on 16th April.
The Derek Taylor Yoga Group meets at 2 pm in the big schoolroom.
The exercises are not too exhausting and everyone does as much/little as
they feel comfortable with. Why don`t you give it a try?

Wednesdays
The Women`s League will meet on Wednesday, 8 April at 2 pm in the
John Harrop White Room. The topic will be “Spring.” Ann Binch
welcomes old and new members; the meeting is open to all and there
will be refreshments. Meeting ID: 841 9441 4665

Interfaith Group Meeting

The Interfaith Group will meet at the OMH on Wednesday, 24 April at
5 pm. If you wish to attend or would like additional info, please get in
touch with Lynn.
Fridays - Warm Hub at OMH - 10 am-1pm.
On offer: Refreshments, Wi-Fi, Arts and Crafts, Games, Comfy and
Warm Space!
Our hot meal offer came to end in March but hot drinks, biscuits and
good companionship will go on! Meals were provided by Ann Binch,
László Márkó, Lynn Walton, Jenny Burroughes and Martin Davies,
Michelle and Paul Frost – a huge thank you to them! We are grateful to
EMU for the grant in support of this programme!
Do drop by if you are in town on Fridays!

Saturdays at OMH
Coffee Morning & Poetry Gathering – 13 April, 10 am-noon
Our next Poetry Gathering will be in the John Harrop White room and
on Zoom on the morning of Saturday 13th April, starting at 11am. Cups
of tea and coffee will be served from 10am.You are invited to bring
along with you a poem on some aspect of 'Gardens and Gardening'.
Remember that everyone is welcome - with or without a poem.

BEETLE DRIVE – Saturday, 20th April, 10 am-noon

Do join us for refreshments and this typically British party game, a fun
time for all the family!

Congregational Service on Sunday, 28th April at 3pm under the title A

Musical Celebration of Spring with readings from our members &
friends.
The musical side will be provided by the Mansfield based ‘Forest
Singers’, under the leadership of Vicki Melling. Spring brings us the
wonders and joys of rebirth and renewal and invites us to proclaim our
gladness as a gift to the world even when sorrow and uncertainty
abound.
Do come along, bring family and friends and join us in sharing a time of
joy through words, music, and fellowship followed by refreshments!

From Peter Faulkner – Trustee of the OMH

As many of you will have seen if you have been in the Chapel grounds
recently a lovely tree that stood in the central reservation for almost 100
years has been felled.
On Monday 4th March a team of men employed by Notts CC and under
the written instruction of a Mr Tony Utting MDC – CCTV Manager
moved onto our grounds trimmed several trees and removed this tree
completely.
The trustees would like to make you aware that at no stage were they
approached and asked permission for this act to take place, the fact that
MDC can enter private property and commit such an act of vandalism is
quite frankly unbelievable.
To this end the matter has been referred to the police and is currently in
the hands of our solicitor we will keep you informed to the progress of
this matter as soon as we know more.
The WDP Organizing Committee held their AGM on our premises mid-
March and a donation of £70 was made to the OMH for the hospitality
and help we provided. Many thanks to the Committee!

New Lindsey Press titles published this April

Soul Deep: Exploring Spirituality Together – by Michael Allured and
Kate Dean
An eight-week course of spiritual exploration for small groups, designed
to encourage personal reflection and shared insights; includes suggested
readings and activities, with detailed practical guidance for facilitators.

Right Relationship in the Real World: Learning to Live by our

Unitarian Values
A collection of talks given by Unitarian ministers and lay people at the
Hucklow Summer Schools in 2022 and 2023, addressing two main
themes: practising love, peace, and justice in everyday life, exploring
ways of nurturing authentic relationships with oneself, with others, with
the Earth, and with God; and real life: telling the truth of our lived
experience, exploring what it means for us to be truly real, and how we
can make space for others to do likewise. Each chapter ends with
questions for reflection and discussion, providing a resource for small
study groups.

Deadline for May issue of the Newsletter: 22 April – materials to Maria,

please!
Life at the Old Meeting House
Each Sunday there is a Service of
Worship at 11.00am – in person and
via Zoom.
Meeting ID’s and Passcode will be
published previously on our
Facebook and sent by email.
Women`s League – usually first
Wednesday of the month at 2pm – in
person and via zoom.
A Yoga Group Meets every Tuesday
at 2.00 pm.
A Stay and Play Group for under
5`s meets every Tuesday, 9.30-11.30
am (Term Time)
A Poetry Group meets every other
month on previously announced
Saturday mornings.
Coffee Mornings on previously
announced Saturdays at 10.00 am –
noon in person, with those on Zoom
joining at 11.00 am. Various
programmes and talks on offer.
Once a month the Coffee Morning
is offered with Stay and Play
activities for all the family from
10.00 am until 12.00 noon.
Interfaith Group – meets on the
last Wednesday of the month at 5pm.
The Meeting House itself is open for
Visitors and/or private prayer on the
second and fourth Saturday
mornings from 10-30am until 12.00
noon except the winter months, when
prior arrangements needed.
For changes and updates consult our
Noticeboard at OMH or our
Facebook
Mansfield Old Meeting House
You can send us emails to
omhmansfield@gmail.com
Visit our website at:
www.ukunitarians.org.uk/mansfied
Who are the Unitarians?
A worldwide spiritual community
which encourages you to think for
yourself;
Unitarians affirm that:
Everyone has the right to seek for
truth and meaning for themselves.
The fundamental tools for doing this
are your own life experiences, one’s
own intuitive understanding, and the
promptings of one’s own conscience.
The best setting for doing this is in a
Community that welcomes you as
you are – beliefs, doubts, questions
and all- but which also stimulates
and challenges you.
They are called ‘Unitarians’
Because of their traditional emphasis
on the unity or oneness of God.
Today Unitarians affirm the essential
unity of humanity and creation.