Message Board

The Minister's Message:

My service of induction and welcome took place on Saturday October 23rd. I was pleased to see so many friends and colleagues attend as well members from my student placement churches of Bury, Ainsworth, and of course Chorlton. Clergy from the other Oldham town centre churches were also in attendance as were Friends from Marple Quaker Meeting (including my wife, Sue) where I occasionally attend; spare Sunday's permitting. So, on the whole I felt that the celebration had an ecumenical flavour in line with my own liberal Christian faith. At the same time I was truly honoured and gratified that a whole diversity of Unitarian thought and faith was represented at this event and their individual views, for the record, may be heard on this Oldham website, thanks to Justine Potter and John Wilkinson.

The presiding minister was The Rev. Dr David Doel and The Rev. Alex Bradley, Principal of Unitarian College Manchester, gave the 'charge to the minister'. I was also honoured that The Rev. Dr Ann Peart was present and able to represent the General Assembly in her role as General Assembly Vice President. Ann had also been Principal of UCM during my first year at the college. Readings were given by my friend and fellow ex-student, The Rev. Danny Crosby and by The Rev. Jeff Gould who had been my supervising minister during my time at Bury Unitarian Church.

With a small congregation at Oldham I find myself both in the role of minister and 'project manager'. There is so much to do to realise the growth we must have to survive in any meaningful way into the 21st century. For me, personally, determination is the key to this work and I am confident that we can achieve success. The fact that we have a good substantial building on a prime site in Oldham town centre is nothing short of a miracle. Little do we know how much work and sacrifice has been made by Unitarians from our earliest beginnings to the present date, to leave us in the fortunate position of being able to work for a resurgence and to have the resources to be able to do this.

People come and go as we all must, and such people in their time have made invaluable contributions to the furtherance of the Unitarian witness in Oldham. I feel, however, that I must pay special tribute to Mrs Marian Nuttall who has worked unbelievably hard for our chapel for many years. Not least has been her work for asylum seekers and for trade justice. Her work and her connections have enabled me to find a beginning at Oldham in so many ways. That I enjoy her full support and that of our small congregation means that I have a solid foundation for my ministry.