Lancashire Unitarians visit Toxteth
Padiham Unitarians visited The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth in Liverpool on Sunday 18th October 2015 for a special service entitled 'Return to the Source' led by their Minister, the Rev Jim Corrigall -- exploring the extraordinary history of this 1618 chapel, the oldest in our Unitarian denomination.
We were joined by Unitarians from otherLancashire congregations: Stand, Rawtenstall and Chowbent, as well as from Styal and Ancient Chapel itself. The trip was organised by the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry, a relatively-new body which builds co-operation between Unitarian congregations in Lancashire. In the picture above, Lancashire Unitarians are shown after the service with members of Ancient Chapel, including stalwarts Beryl Black (front row, on left) and Lesley Gabriel (front row, second from right).
Thank you to Ancient Chapel for a great welcome!
Rawtenstall to Hold Same-sex Weddings
In August 2015, Rawtenstall Unitarian Church became the first place of worship in the Burnley-Rossendale area to be given permission to conduct same-sex weddings, under recent legislation.
The news attracted wide publicity, with Rev Jim Corrigall (Minister for Padiham and Rawtenstall Unitarian churches and for the Lancashire Collaborative Ministry) being interviewed live on BBC Radio Lancashire in late August. There were news stories in the Rossendale Free Press and the Lancashire Telegraph, and coverage on a local commercial radio station, 2BR.
Success for TS Eliot Festival at Padiham

Padiham Unitarian Chapel successfully-hosted a ‘TS Eliot Festival of the North’ in June 2015, in celebration of this great Unitarian-born poet, to mark the 50th anniversary year of his death. Events were held on the first three Saturday evenings of June, and drew large, appreciative audiences (around 55 people attended each of the first two evenings).
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