Chorley Unitarian Chapel

Chorley
Unitarian Chapel

Park Street Chorley Lancashire

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Reflections 3

A Thought

We had moved house and come back to live in Chorley. I had sold my little car that I used for going to work from Whittle. I had recently retired, and didn’t need it when living in Chorley. I thought about which church to go to from our new home. After some time of not going to any church at all on a regular basis, I decided that I could walk to Park Street. Some members of the Wilding family had been part of the Unitarian Chapel for many years so I wouldn’t be on my own.

It was a lovely Sunday morning. I was sitting in the Chapel in less than half an hour of leaving home. I had almost forgotten how lovely this old church was. It was years since I had last been inside. There were only six people in the congregation that morning. I had mixed feelings of how I felt at first, I didn’t know anyone except the organist.

The service was different from any I had been used to over the years of attending various Church of England services. I found I wasn’t preached AT or TO – I felt I was part of the quiet, sincere, easily understood service. No drinking of the blood of Christ, no breaking of the bread, no confession, no communion. I was allowed to think for myself . . . I was home.

Kath Wilding – A member of the congregation

A Hymn

Be thou my vision, 0 God of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom and thou my true word,
I ever with thee and thou with me, God;
Thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower,
Raise thou me heavenward, 0 Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor world's empty praise,
Thou my inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.

Sovereign of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, 0 bright heaven's Sun.
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, 0 Ruler of all.

From A Prayer from The Poem Book of the Gael
Selected and edited by Eleanor Henrietta Hull, 1860-1935
by permission of the Editor's Literary Estate
and Chatto and Windus, Ltd.

To hear a musical setting of this hymn,
just click here.

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Slane - Printed Music
From Hymns for Living

A Prayer

Now may every living thing,
young or old,
weak or strong,
living near or far,
known or unknown,
living or departed or yet unborn,
may every living thing be full of bliss.

The Buddha (c.503 - c.483 BCE)

Reflections 1
Reflections 2
Reflections 4
Reflections 5
Reflections 6
Reflections 7