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- Life Events - Special Services ....
- Our Life Event Services, being in
the Unitarian tradition, are special and unique. Because we are not constrained
by any fixed system of theological belief, Unitarian services for Child
Welcoming, Marriages, and Funerals can be tailored sympathetically to meet the
spiritual needs of the participants.
- We respect the best in all human
and religious traditions and will consider willingly the organisation of either
an appropriate Unitarian Life Event Service or an alternative Event Ceremony
for persons from less flexible Christian traditions, from other Religious
Faiths, and from agnostic or humanistic backgrounds.
- Our Minister Emeritus, the
Reverend Ann Latham may be contacted regarding Child Welcoming, Marriages, and
Funerals or for general consultation.
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- Social Activities ....
- Friday Mornings: The Church and Church Premises
are open from 10am - 12.30pm on Friday mornings for Spiritual Reflection,
Social Activities, Discussion Events, Refreshments (Coffee,Tea and Biscuits)
and for the Friendship of our Church Community.
- Kidderminster Operatic and Dramatic Society
(K.O.D.S.): The Society meets regularly in the Church Hall to
rehearse for the numerous productions they perform each year. These are usually
held at The Rose Theatre in Kidderminster. For more information visit the
K.O.D.S. WebSite at http://www.kods.org.uk. or contact the secretary Jackie
Rutland by Email at webmaster@kods.org.uk
- Rambling Group: We have a small but keen group
of ramblers who take it in turns to organise monthly rambles in the lovely
Worcestershire countryside. Rambles usually take place on the first Thursday of
each month. For more information contact Roger Mathews by phone on 01562 850538
or by Email at roger@mathews8763.fsnet.co.uk
- Kidderminster Cyclist's Touring Club (C.T.C.):
The cyclists group meet every Tuesday evening during Autumn & Winter
months. Contact Secretary John Preston by phone on 01299 401005.
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- New Meeting House Church
....
 The church is set well back
from the road and approached between lawns flanked by trees, shrubs, and flower
borders. It dates from 1782, but was greatly enlarged a century later in 1882
when the striking neo-gothic frontage was added. The interior also benefitted
from the 1882 improvement, with the addition of a vestibule entrance, wooden
galleries and a chancel. Beautiful Stained glass windows, several by Hardmans
of Birmingham, depict the life and teaching of Jesus, and rare acaustic tiles
from Jackfields of Broseley, Salop adorn the chancel walls. However, the
greatest treasures within the church have to be the 17th c. carved Jacobean
pulpit of Richard Baxter (which was once situated in Kidderminster's Parish
Church) together with his Complete Works (18th c) bound in four large volumes.
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- New Meeting History ....
-
 New Meeting's origins reach
back to the days of the civil war in England and Richard Baxter, who served as
a chaplain in Cromwell's New Model Army. Richard Baxter was one of over 2000
ministers to be ejected from the Church of England in 1662, because of their
refusal to conform to the introduction of a new standardised liturgy and prayer
book. A further edict by parliament, forbade them from preaching within five
miles of their former living. Baxter was forced to leave the town he loved, but
his spirit of freedom in matters of religious belief and practice lived on in
the town.
- Later on, in 1689, The Non-Conformists, or
Dissenters as they became known, were allowed by Parliament to erect their own
places of worship and Kidderminster saw the founding of the Old Meeting House
beside the banks of the river Stour close to the town bridge. It was a
condition of the 'Act of Toleration' that such churches were to be placed
discreetly in a location set back from the road - often behind shops and
houses, and Kidderminster's first 'Meeting House' was no exception.
- In 1781, the much loved and long standing
Minister of the Meeting House -the Rev'd Benjamin Fawcett died and the
controversial appointment of a successor led to a split in the congregation. A
significant minority decided that they felt unable to worship under the new
Minister and on Boxing Day of that year, they took the momentous decision to
leave and form their own church. Less than a year later in October 1782, the
New Meeting House was formally opened in Church Street with great decency and
solemnity.
- Today the Unitarian congregation still cherishes
Richard Baxter's spirit of freedom, and refuses to lay down fixed articles of
belief in the form of creeds and dogma.
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Contact Persons
....
 Church Address:
New Meeting
House
Church Street
Bullring
Kidderminster, Worcs.
England,
DY10 2AR, UK
- For further information about
Kidderminster Unitarians contact:
- Secretary/Treasurer:
Roger Mathews
29 Woodlands Road
Cookley, Worcs.
England, DY10 3TL, UK
Phone:
01562 850538
Email: roger@mathews8763.fsnet.co.uk
roger@mathews8763.fsnet.co.uk
Our Minister Emeritus:
Our Minister
Emeritus, the Reverend Ann Latham may be contacted regarding Child Welcoming
and Naming, Child Baptisms, Marriages, and Funerals or for
consultation:-
Phone: 0121 602 2091
Email: ann.latham@tiscali.co.uk
ann.latham@tiscali.co.uk
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