Guide to SNU Spiritualist Churches and Centres
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All Spiritualist churches hold at least one service open to the public each week and you are most welcome to attend. Generally, at each service there is a visiting medium who demonstrates spirit-communication and sometimes talks on a spiritualism related subject. To find a church or centre near to you click on the left navigation bar and this will take you to a region by region list of our churches. Below are the main types of public services held at Spiritualist Churches and Centres throughout the country. There will be no pressure on you to believe, follow or join us. We will present you with our understanding and endeavour to give you proof that communication with the spirit-world is possible. |
Certain people, called mediums are able to see, hear or sense spirit people. At Spiritualist church services, throughout the country, a portion of the time is spent where mediums ‘link’ with the spirit-world and communicate with spirit people. By doing this we aim to give proof that those who have died, those you used to love, friends and family, do live on in another spiritual dimension and that they are still connected to you by a bond of friendship and love. |
Public Services
Each week most of our Churches or Centres holds at least two meetings open to the public where mediums communicate with the spirit-world. Our aim is to give evidence that people, who have passed on, do continue to exist and are aware and interested in the lives of those they have temporarily left behind. Everyone is welcome and after each service refreshments are available and opportunity to talk and socialise.
| Sunday (Divine) Service Most of our Churches hold a Sunday meeting where there is a prayer, hymns, a reading and a medium giving an address about the philosophy of Spiritualism. The medium also spends some time linking with the spirit-world and passing on messages to members of the congregation. |
Week-day (Clairvoyant Service) Most of our Churches hold at least one week-day service where there is a short prayer, a hymn or contemporary uplifting song, and then the rest of the evening is devoted to the medium who links with the spirit-world and pass on messages to members of the congregation. |
Spiritual Healing
Each week most of our Churches & Centres holds at least once session, or service, of Spiritual Healing. Here people who are unwell are welcome to come along and have individual spiritual healing with one of our trained healers. You sit, relax and let the healing energies flow through the healer into your body.
Education and Development Groups
Most Churches have mediumship development classes, called development circles, some of these are open to the public but most are for 'members of' the church only. Members are people who have signed that they accept our Seven Principles, and paid a small annual membership fee
The Link Between Spiritualist Churches & Centres and the SNU
There are 350 Spiritualist churches or centres affiliated to the SNU, with a combined membership of almost 16,000 full members. All our churches church should follow our Rules for Churches which specify how churches should be organised, what activities they can engage in, the composition of their committees, disagreement procedures, and many other rules and guidelines. By following the SNU's charitable objectives this gives churches the legal framework allowing them to be tax exempt for their financial activities, to own property and have charitable status. However, our Churches are fairly autonomous in their day to day activities, as long as the Rules for Churches are not contravened; they can decide times of services, financial matters, and all the various activities that take place.
The SNU provides a national voice and direction for the Spiritualist movement and its churches, gives guidance and support, and produces standard promotional materials. The the churches support the SNU financially by paying to it an annual 'capitation fee,' that is an amount for each full member belonging to the church.
Churches have a say in the running and direction of the SNU as they are entitled to send representatives, known as 'Class A delegates' to SNU district and national meetings. Each class A delegate has a voting strength of 4 votes.
In many ways the SNU is a unifying and stabilising force within Spiritualism by giving uniformity and consistency throughout the countries churches. Whereas individual churches may not be able to bring about change, the SNU acts as a single national voice pushing for full legal recognition of Spiritualism as a legitimate and respectable religion.