Worthing Unitarians

Meet at The Friends Meeting House, 34 Mill Road, West Worthing, West Sussex

1^stand 3^rd Sundays at 2.45pm

All Sunday meetings, unless otherwise stated, are led by

Rev. Jane Barton.

Tel. 01903 202477 - email: barton.445@btinternet.com

1^st Sunday - themed meeting with music, reflection, readings and commentary.

3^rd Sunday - talk on a religious/ spiritual subject followed by informal discussion.

January

3 Epiphanies - great and small

17 Life and work of Kahlil Gibran-why the lasting appeal of his work, 'The Prophet' ?

February

7 'whited sepulchres' - Matt 23 v 27

21 Impressions of Buddhist faith and tradition from a Christian Scientist who visited Tibet.

March

7 Listening to your life

21 The Labyrinth - its meaning through the ages and relevance today

For further information please contact Reverend Jane Barton

Tele No: 01903 202477. E.mail: barton.445@btinternet.com

The History of Worthing Unitarians

The Worthing Unitarian Fellowship saw the light of day on 23 April 1964. Research undertaken by the Rev. Graham Short then minister, of the Brighton Unitarian Church, and the Rev. E.D Davies, London District Unitarian Church, had revealed that there were Unitarians living and working or retired in the Worthing who found it difficult to travel to Brighton to attend a Unitarian Service.

The Friends Meeting House in West Worthing was available and so began a long and fulfilling relationship with a meeting was arranged, and attended by fifteen people - The Worthing Fellowship was born. Four monthly meetings later a committee had been formed. A constitution drawn up and the decision taken to hold regularly fortnightly services. Ministers and Lay Preachers in the London area rallied round to such and extent that two years later services were being held each Sunday as they still are today.

Early copies of the Quarterly Bulletin ( now known as The Newsletter and published every two months ) started in 1966, show how much the new Fellowship was indebted to the Rev Graham Short, the Rev ED Davies and the Rev Basil Viney who for three years 1967- 1970 had pastoral oversight of the Fellowship.

In 1969 the Fellowship was recognised by the General Assembly and entered into a period of development with a fairly constant membership of twenty. In 1978, and for the next twenty years , the affairs of the Fellowship were dealt with at quarterly meetings of members, the officers being responsible for day to day matters.

1979 was a tragic year when seven members died among them Sam and Florrie Hellen, formerly of Mansford Street Church , Bethnal Green who had been principally involved, together with Olive Poole in bringing the Fellowship into being the founding members present at the first AGM in 1965. Others present were Miss JA Badcock, Mrs EA Dawtrey, Mrs A Furst, Mr and Mrs K Haynes, Mrs EM Hovenden, Mr and Mrs D Hutley Bull, Mrs EW Phillips, Miss MS Preston, Mrs HD Robinson, Mrs Spears, Mrs HG Wheal, Miss E Wilson

From 1996 to 1999 the Fellowship formed part of the Downslink Area Ministry and for the first time there was a designated minister Rev Johanna Boeke who was shared with Horsham and Godalming churches. From October 1999 to 2008 the fellowship shared the ministry of Rev Jane Barton with Brighton Unitarians. This was made possible thanks to a generous bequest by one of the founding members Olive Poole.. In 2007 it was realised that it was no longer feasible for Worthing to fulfil the financial and administration demands of the Charity Commission and it was agreed that the charity status would be relinquished and funds transferred to Brighton for administration, in accordance with the dissolution clause. This followed from discussion with Brighton and they are fully appreciative of their responsibilities both moral and financial, to sustain a Unitarian presence in Worthing. Although she retired from Brighton at the end of 2008 the Rev Jane Barton remains with pastoral oversight of Worthing and there remain regular meetings at the Quaker Meeting House in West Worthing.