My Diary.... Spiritualism needs a spokesperson... Interesting Two Worlds article on Spiritualism in Northern Ireland... Your comments and questions...

                                                     My Diary...

May...

14^th – I was at the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, Edinburgh...

21^st – For the first time in at least five years I returned to the Prestwick Spiritualist Church.  There I found a really enthusiastic committee and members.  After the service instead of taking the development circle I gave a talk on the many different ways spirit communicate with us.

22^nd- My visit to the Langside Spiritualist Church had to be cancelled because the hall was being used as a polling station for the European Elections.

25^th The return to Alloa Spiritualist Church after a break of many years.  The service is held in the OAP Club House, Erskine Street, Alloa, FK10 3RR.  On the church’s website there is a comment “We are a very friendly, loving church and you will be greeted by smiling faces upon entering the church”.  I can vouch for that.

27^th – I was at the Cambuslang Spiritualist Church...

29^th – it is always a great pleasure to be involved with the development Group of Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church.

1 June^st - Falkirk Spiritualist Church (SNU).

2^nd June I was giving a talk to the Friendship of Love and Light Spiritualist Church, Paisley.

3^rd – It is always a pleasure to serve the Neilson Spiritualist Church.  President Sheila Caruthers, an excellent medium in her own right, has been in Spiritualism for many years.  She shares her immense knowledge of Spiritualism at her weekly development circle on a Wednesday evening at 7.30pm in the Glen Hall Main Street Neilston G78 3NL.  Anyone wanting to know more about Spiritualism and their psychic abilities this is the place for you.  The service is at the same venue on a Tuesday evening at 7.30pm.

4^th – It was a short journey to the Kilwinning of Light Spiritualist Church, Nethermains Community Centre.  One of the first churches to ask me to take a service all those years ago.  This church started out 45 years ago and always has been one of our busiest churches in Ayrshire.  President Margaret Jamieson also a medium in her own right has plans to put in place a more varied programme for the members.  In the congregation that night were three other mediums.  Popular Ayrshire medium John Seery, Paul Erroch now back on the platform after an illness and also well respected John Edgar.  John an elder statesman of the Spiritualist movement has had to cut back his church activities but still takes the odd service.

5^th – The Langside Spiritualist Church.

                    We need someone to speak up for our religion....

·    One would not expect to go for a drive in a car that had no engine, nor to expect bread to rise if that was no yeast added to the ingredients. But the BBC’s The Big Question which deals with moral, ethics and religious debate did not have a representative from Spiritualism, even though the question was Is There Life After Death.  Yet the BBC’s online website on religion lists Spiritualism as the religion and tells its readers Spiritualists believe in communication with the spirits of people who have died.  I have for a long time felt that the BBC has not given Spiritualism the country’s 8^th largest religion that respect it is due.

We may be a little to blame for our exclusion from religious programmes because in many ways we are so fragmented. Is it not time that the SNU and other Spiritualist associations formed a coalition and elected spokesperson to speak for Spiritualism in Britain? At the moment two strong candidates come to mind.  President of the SNU Minister David Brunton and David Hopkins, Minister, author and broadcaster. Either of these two men would give Spiritualism a boost and could handle the negative comments we would get from the media. in a very professional way

The last thing we should do is put up mediums for this role. The mediums that would be at the forefront for such a position would be the so-called big names, Celebrities.   It would appear to have of one foot in religion and another in the entertainment industry. Just imagine how easy it would be to shoot down in flames a medium whose name is up in light’s outside a theatre, performs on cruise ships or is the star of a psychic TV programme. And that would do no good for Spiritualism the religion.

After the programme was finished I was so angry that I voiced my opinions on Facebook – not always the best thing to do. But there were several interesting comments connected to my outburst

D - “Tom, There is a slight issue here, how do we know that they never asked a Spiritualist to take part and they refused? In case they were being faced with hostile people.” .......................... Yes I had thought that and I have contacted the BBC and the SNU hopefully I will have an answer in my next blog.

T - “They could also have asked a psychical researcher like myself whose book deals completely in evidence.”   ...........This is  a programme dealing with moral ethical and religious debate. There are other religions that have views that are not readily accepted and they do not take along researchers to prove the point.

? - “We are better out of it let them have difficulty little chats we would only be ridicule. Let us keep our heads down as we are at the moment do our own thing not bothering with the rest think about us.”....    A very good point aI am tempted to say yes to his but for one thing. Too many look on Spiritualism is nothing more entertainment and money making ventures. As a have already said, a big part of needing a strong spokesman is because of the celeb and entertainment image we have at the moment.

 

 

In the June issue of the Two World magazine is an interesting interview with Pat James President of the Belfast Spiritualist Church (SNU). It is good to see that local mediums are now taking the platform at the church.  On my four visits to Belfast I was impressed with the enthusiasm of both committee and members and the high quality of education that is on offer.  The church has its own premises and uses it to the full, with something taking part within the building most nights of the week.   We seldom see a representative from Northern Ireland at the Scottish and District Council meetings and that is understandable because of the distance.  Maybe the DC could consider funding or part funding the trip for a NI representative.

 

 

Gwen emails; - “Tom do you wear a tie on the platform? 

Yes – always have done...

To be honest I have not seen a medium on a church platform without a tie but recently I have heard the complaints that “The medium was on the platform without a tie”.  I have to be blunt here and say if I was president of a spiritualist church it would be – no tie – no platform.  We have to give spirit respect and also remember we are representing a religion.

 

Bob asks; - “If you entered a Spiritualist Church today for the first time do you think you would stay, stay as long as you have done since you first came through our door over twenty years ago.

Again I will be blunt and say “No”.  I found Spiritualism in those days different, maybe magical in a way.  Today in many ways for the newcomer it is hard to distinguish Spiritualism from entertainment and money making ventures...

 

CR; - “I agree with you 100% about Spiritualist of the year”.

Marie; - “I liked your comments about subtle changes to our services and I also feel that ‘sanctuary’ is a better term to use than ‘church’.

Thank you Marie.  I only mentioned change when all in the church were happy with slight changes nothing to be forced on a church.

My Diary /Take a little more time / A Star but wanted a quiet life./.. A Rude Interruption... / My usual gripe at this time of year... / An extremely brave young man...

 

 

                                                   My Diary

 26^th April - I attended the Glasgow Central Spiritualist Church’s  Coffee Afternoon which was well attended.

30^th – I received the usual friendly welcome at the College of Parapsychology in Edinburgh.

1^st May – Another interesting evening working with Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church Fledglings.

4^th - It’s always a pleasure to take the Divine Service at Ayr Spiritualist Centre.  There was a good turnout considering it was a holiday weekend.

5^th – A Meditation Circle.

7^th – A short journey to the Paisley Spiritualist Church.

8^th – Larkfield Spiritualist Church, Larkfield Community Hall, Stonefield Road,  Blantyre. G72 9PQ.   Although on this night the service was held in The Archway Centre, Newton, G72 8RN.   The service is held in this hall on the second Thursday of each  month.  .   A well run church which has from their first night 7 Years ago been well supported by the local community.

10^th – It was a great pleasure to help out at the Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU) on their Open Day.  Almost £800 was raised for Daldorch House.  Daldorch House School offers fully individual care and education to children with autism from across Scotland. Their tailored mix of care and support provides the pupils with a stepping stone into a positive future.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                Take a little more time...

When I get a message from the platform or at a private sitting... I find is never complete till I think of the person who came forward and the content of the message over the next few days.

I was amazed that the first person to come forward was an aunt. Why not my mother or father?  But I put these thoughts out of my mind as I listened to the medium. 

“Strange I see a cupboard door opening and lots of lemonade bottle on the floor...  The all seemed to have been opened – not like finishing off one bottle and opening another.  As I have said they have all been opened and are still half full of different flavours of lemonade” This was spot-on about a house on my father’s side of the family.  But who?  As it could have been grandmother, grandfather, an uncle or two aunts...  Although one particular aunt was foremost in my mind as she was the one who would tell her nephews and nieces to select whatever flavour you want even though the parents were saying ‘Take the bottle that is open’.

“This lady has a very pale complexion, slim and it appears she wore a lot of brown.  It is like heavy knitted cardigans and she always seemed to feel the cold – she was never warm.”  This narrowed it down to one aunt – the one mentioned above.   Lots more evidence that was very accurate, left me stunned.  I was so surprised at the accuracy of the evidence I could not remember what the message - if there actually was one. 

On the way home and for the next few days I kept thinking “Why this aunt and not my mother and father or even grandparents?”  Every time this question came into my head I kept thinking of what I had been told when I asked this question to mediums – “The right person comes forward at the right time”.

So I started to look at the life of this aunt and a new picture emerged in my head of her.  She was a kindly soul who never had a bad word to say about anyone -and I mean that.  No matter what anyone had done she could always manage to see some good in them.  I have to admit that infuriated me at times.   She always used to embarrass me by making me recite a poem when I was small “I will help my mummy all I can.  So much so that when I saw her coming along the street I would hide from her.  Now I feel ashamed at taking this action - because she was one of the nicest people I have ever come across.

Her health was never all that good but that did not stop her working in a laundry for a great many years, only leaving to care for her ailing parents.  Again never a moan because she had a great love for her parents and when they passed over she was content to stay about the house rather than go out always giving a loving welcome to the family when they paid a visit.

In fact she probably was one of the two family members that were likely to come forward first because on information I was to hear a few years later.  She had a connection with spiritualism be it only loosely.  During the war she befriended a lady who came to stay in the town who was a spiritualist.

I was sure her visit would be to encourage me on the new path I have taken unlike some other members of the family.  That gave me a big boost and I went into the development circles at the church with more confidence in myself.  

And not forgetting the medium who gave me such an accurate message... A lady who only took the platform a few times a year and today she has it down to two churches.  Her close link with spirit has taken her almost away from our churches and platforms to work with very vulnerable people.

                                                    

 

                                                       A Star but wanted a quiet life...

 I still get the odd email asking me if I have been in touch with famous people who are now in Spirit.  Even at a question and answer session one night I was asked the same question and when I said “No” a group of young girls looked very displeased and sat the rest of the evening looking bored

Yet on thinking back I did really get a message from a gentleman in the spirit world who was a celebrity when he was here.  But not in the way many film stars are worshipped today. It started off and ended as a normal message and I would have been none the wiser if the lady receiving the message and not given me feedback later. There was no mention during the message of grandeur or fame it was just a message from one friend to another.  As the lady told me later he kept out of the limelight as much as possible..

When I was told who he was and I thought back to the description – yes it was spot on... The friend went on to comment something like; - “He came to our home regularly to get away from the glare of publicity.   he just wanted to be an ordinary person enjoying the simple things of life once his working day was over..  Two pieces of evidence you gave was spot-on and would not have been in the media only his closest friends would know.”  This gentleman would receive a good welcome into the spirit world not because he was a well known actor but for the good deeds he would have done here on Earth. 

 

                                                      

                                              A Rude Interruption

I wonder if it is said in other churches before a service “Please put your mobiles off - or if you are on call please put them on silent?”  It is common sense to put your mobile phone off before entering a church, hospital’ doctor’s surgery to listen to a talk/lecture etc... That is unless you are on-call or waiting on an urgent call your mobile can be put on silent. BUT... we all forget at times. 

If I am on the platform and someone’s phone rings it does not bother me as over the years such a thing has only happened the odd occasion.  But at a recent service a member of the congregation took exception to a lady texting during the service and their attitude caused more disruption than the lady’s actions.

It was during my address the lady’s mobile must have alerted her on silent mode and she texted back a reply.  I was aware of none of this.  .  But a member of the congregation took it upon themselves to walk down from the back of the church and tell the lady to get her phone off as in texting she was being disrespectful.  Disrespectful to whom?  Not to myself and I am sure not to spirit. It turned out the lady received some very good news about her family and not wanting to walk out during the service she texted back to say she would be home as soon as the service was over. The atmosphere did drop considerably after that rude interruption and it was midway through the clairvoyance before it recovered.  The interruption had nothing to do with a mobile phone, the lady or texting but by a member of the congregation taking it upon themselves to ??

In a spiritualist church we know that the link with spirit is for all involved to send out thoughts of love and understanding.  If I felt that a mobile going off on silent and someone quietly texting put me off then I would feel that is was time for me to vacate the platform.  I have also heard complaints about children making a noise something I have only experienced on the rarest of occasions.  When the latter happens the little one is usually taken out for a few moments.  In spiritualism these days I feel that ‘spirit’ is being eroded and one puts themselves before spirit. 

                                                     

                                  My usual gripe at this time of year...

 I receive a letter from the SNU asking me to consider nominating someone for this year’s Spiritualist of the Year Award....  This award was established some years ago with view to recognising a person who has made considerable contribution to Spiritualism in recent years through their hard work and dedication to the movement.  So many Spiritualists fall into this category and it would be unfair to select one over the other.  Many Spiritualists from Land’s End to John O’ Groats have put their life and soul into Spiritualism it would be unfair to put one before another.  How on Earth could an Awards Committee sitting at Stanstead select one before another.  Do they go on letters written by a church or an individual?  If that is the case then the individual who has a friend who has a talent for writing stands the better chance.  If it goes by the most nominations for one person then the individual whose church can muster the most members to write in will win.  What other Religion has such Awards? If we are to call Spiritualism a religion then we will have to discard such an Award or be looked upon as part of the entertainment industry.

 

 

                                                     

 

 

                                            An extremely brave young man...

 The words “sorry” “love” and “hero” are often abused.  Take the latter, how often is someone taking part in a sporting event called a “hero”.  They may have put a lot of hard work into perfecting their skills and went through the pain barrier to achieve success – but a hero?  No...  Heroes are those who put their lives on the line to protect others Police, firemen and those in the armed services who go over and above the call of duty to help others in life threatening situations.  Also ordinary members of the public who for example run into a burning house to try and save someone’s life etc.

One young gentleman who was not in the categories I have mentioned above - but was a real hero and an inspiration to us all –19-year-old Stephen Sutton.  Stephen was diagnosed with terminal cancer aged 15. And rather than dwell on his misfortune, the teenager drew up a "bucket list" of things he wanted to achieve before he died.  This led to him completing a skydive and playing drums in front of 90,000 people before the Uefa Champions League final at Wembley last May, among various achievements.  That in its self showed great guts and determination for one so young knowing he had not long to live – but Stephen’s amazing spirit blossomed even further as he thought helping others in the short time he had left.

Stephen dedicated the short time he had left to raising money for charity and as we all know Teenage has benefited by over £4m and the money will be dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for young cancer patients aged 13-24. The charity fund builds specialist units in NHS hospitals and provides dedicated staff, bringing young people together so they can be treated by teenage cancer.  But all this goes beyond such a brave, selfless and inspirational young man it shows the kindness of so many who have contributed towards Stephen’s dream of helping other people in need.  The media would have us believe that the world is a terrible place but the good and decent folk by far outweigh the bad in our society. 

Stephen Sutton is a REAL HERO in every sense of the word.  A brave, selfless and inspirational young man who brought the best in so many who donated to the charity of his choosing.  If anyone should be put on a pedestal and looked up to it is Stephen Sutton....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Diary... Forward Thinking Spiritualist Sanctuary.... Spiritualist Church with a problem... Spiritualist World Peace Day... Water Aid... Spiritual Weddings....

 

 

 

                                                       My Diary

 23^rd March – Coatbridge Spiritualist Church, Sunnyside Road, Coatbridge, MI5 3HX.. This church was founded in 1946 and still going strong.

24^th – Saltcoats Spiritualist Church, Argyll Community Centre, Campbell Ave, Saltcoats KA21 5AG.  This town has always supported its Spiritualist Church  and on my latest visit there was the usual good turnout. 
25^th – ASK Cumbernauld.  This church started out in 2007 and from day-1 has always been a busy church.
27^th – ASK Dreghorn ASK Dreghorn, Townend Community Centre, Main Street, Dreghorn, KA11 4EQ   .  ASK could be doing with a little more support so why not give it a visit.   Thursday evenings with Spiritual Healing from 6.45, Divine Service 7.30pm and an Open Circle at 9pm.
30^th – Perth Spiritualist Church. (SNU)     More about this church later. 
6^th April – Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Sanctuary.  More about this Sanctuary later in the blog... 

11^th – 15^th – Glasgow Association of Spiritualists (SNU).  A busy few days with four services, private sittings and an open circle.

17^th – Ayr Spiritualist Centre to give a talk to the Thursday Group.

 

Spiritualist Sanctuary

 Shortly before the Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Sanctuary opened in 2012  A prominent medium was getting plenty of publicity on his proposals to change the format of our Spiritualist Services.  It was not so much a change but a demolition of our Divine Service.  So when I arrived at this Sanctuary to take my first Service Elizabeth Halliday President, founder and excellent medium in her own right,  shocked me with the following comment.  “Ours is not the normal Service we have made a few changes”.  It is said that the proof of the pudding is in the eating and that was spot on in this situation.  The changes were not like a typhoon destroying our Service format but a breath of fresh air that involves more congregation participation.

First there was no opening prayer.  In its place there is five minutes of contemplation which gives us our own personal space to link with God, our loved ones in Spirit, or just to reflect on our week.  . During this time I could feel the atmosphere rise.  .

The second change was having a ten minute Healing Service as part of the Divine Service, here again I felt the vibrations rising.  In an earlier blog I mentioned that many attend our Divine Services but even though they have been coming through our doors for many years they have never waited on to experience our Healing Services.  Here at the Sanctuary one can experience and take part in both.  By the time it came for the Address and the Clairvoyance there was a strong link with Spirit and the Spirit World, helped by all playing their part.

Using the term “Spiritual Sanctuary” instead of “Spiritual Church” is probably the most important change in my opinion.  At one time and even today the word “Church” is a no-go area for many.  Because of this some of our Churches have called themselves Spiritualist Centres but that has caused confusion to some not realizing the difference between Spiritual Centres and Psychic Centres.

 The word “Sanctuary”  = refuge, haven, harbour, port in a storm, oasis, shelter. 

Is that not what we are trying to achieve?  To make one feel welcome and safe. Away from the rat-race of modern living for an hour or two.   For individuals to leave their problems and stress on the doorstep as they spend the next hour or so in a relaxed peaceful environment.  Whether it is meditation, Healing, our Philosophy, linking with Spirit or with education you are in a peaceful and safe environment for a few hours.  I am not for one minute saying that Spiritualists should drop the name ‘church’ and replace it with ‘sanctuary’ but it is something each church should think about “Is you church not more of a Sanctuary for those who enter?”  I am also happy with our usual service format but again it would do no harm for church committees to think over if any changes would benefit their service.

 The Sanctuary also took a change from the norm with deciding to hold their Divine Service on a Sunday afternoon.  Largs Spiritualist Church is the only other church to hold a service in the afternoon.  Although the afternoon Service was well attended is has now been decided that from next month the Service will move to a Sunday morning.

 Their hymn book has upbeat modern hymns/songs and their words just perfect for a spiritualist service.

For the past two years the Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Sanctuary have laid a wreath at the local cenotaph. A few of our churches in Scotland do the same but only a few.  Here is another area where Spiritualism should be making inroads.  We hear many Spiritualists say “We never get laying a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday”.  My reply usually is “Has your church asked to take part?”  Here once again the M & B Spiritualist Sanctuary is showing the flag and it has only been in existence for two years.

 

  

                                        Spiritualist Church with a Problem...

 The Perth spiritualist church is affectionately known as ‘the wee church with a big heart’. Ivy Campbell and her committee work tirelessly to give this church the high reputation it has. I know Ivy will be squirming when she reads this because she likes to keep in the background and let everyone else take the credit. But Ivy will have to get used to being upfront as she is now stepping on the platform as a medium. Everyone who knows Ivy will wish her well in this latest venture.

On visiting the church a few weeks ago I was shocked to find that directly outside the door was three household rubbish bins put there by the council. These containers have been chained into position with only the width of the pavement separating them from the church’s front door. What is this going to be like in the summer as far as the smell is concerned? So far complaints to the council have fallen on deaf ears. I wonder if the council would have even considered putting such bins/containers outside the gates of one of the Orthodox churches never mind the actual front door.  I believe they have caused a problem already as a car drove into them.

I’m about to contact the council on this matter and I hope all spiritualist in Perth and the surrounding area are doing the same.

 

 

 Doig emails; - “I saw in a spiritualist publication World Peace Day is 5^th July this year yet a friend tells me World Peace Day is 21^st September”.

Hi Doig – What you saw would be The Spiritualist World Peace Day which is always on the first Saturday in July every year.  Spiritualists gather for their Peace Day Service at the National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road,  Alrewas, Stratfordshire, DE13 7AR.  This is the only event where Spiritualists gather from all over the UK to hold a spiritualist service.

Maybe too far and too costly for most spiritualist around the country to attend so could each District Council hold a Peace Service in their area on the first Saturday in July each year.  The Scottish and Irish Council covers a big area so it may be an idea for a Service to be held in both Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Your friend would have been looking at information on the UN’s International Day of Peace which is on the 21^st September every year.  With so much strife on the planets at this time two Peace Days is no bad thing....

 

 

SNU Churches and Centres raised £15,000 for WaterAid last year.  This gave 1,000 people safe water to drink for life.  We in the West just cannot imagine what it is like to travel miles for water on a daily basis.  Well, a friend decided to go some way in the direction to find out.  He walked to a supermarket every day for a week – a round trip of six miles returning each day with 4 x 2L bottles of water.  That was all the family had for a week for drinking, cooking and washing etc.  They only used mains water for the toilet, not the bath or shower.  All members of the family said it was the worst week of their lives and really had to struggle to complete the week.  Here was the father a big strong man bringing the water supply each day and walking on pavements.  Water collection in Africa is usually the job for women and young girls and it is unlikely there will be paved surfaces for them to walk on.  Let us from now on not take water for granted.

This year the SNU’s charity partner is Crisis, who are dedicated to ending homelessness in the UK.

 

                                   Spiritualist Weddings....

SNU Ministers and Officiants are fully trained to carry out marriage ceremonies, which includes the necessary legally binding vows.

In most SNU Churches a Registrar would be needed to witness and record the vows, although some Churches have an 'Authorised Person' who records the marriage in the same way as a Registrar.

Remember that when vows are exchanged in the Spiritualist service those in the Spirit world are also invited as witnesses. Special people in the Spirit world who cannot be there in body can certainly be there in spiritual form, bringing the love which continues to flow from them.

If you are not a Spiritualist, you need to consider whether this service is suitable for you as it treats those present as accepting of the Seven Principles and having an understanding of Spiritualism.

To find out more about having your wedding the Spiritualist Way, contact your local SNU Church or pick up a leaflet for more details.