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Services
Services 3 pm
(3rd Sunday of the month,
except August)
The Religious Alternative
Unitarians believe that the whole truth about God, the Universe and humanity
is too great to be captured in man-made dogmas. Instead we affirm the
fundamental liberty of every person to be true to their own conscience and
experience in matters of faith. We do not sit in judgement on other people's
sincerely-held beliefs, but come together in a fellowship of freedom to
praise God, celebrate life, and encourage each other in the nurture of a
faith to live by. We are faithful -though not slavishly- to our
inheritance, and we are open to what the present and the future have to
teach.
We affirm our Christian heritage, and revere Jesus as the human revealer
of the divine nature and promise, but we accept that wisdom and truth can also be found in
the other great spiritual traditions of humankind. We affirm the unity of the human family,
regardless of race, creed, class or sex, and believe that peace, compassion and justice
should be the hallmarks of a truly human society.
In our church we try to make this ideal a reality, respecting each other as
temples of the divine and seeking ever to make love the guiding light of our community,
even when beliefs and opinions differ. Our worship is simple, our organisation democratic,
and all who sincerely seek the truth are welcome to join us.
History of the congregation
The chapel was built in 1896 and intended as a multi-purpose building,
providing not only Unitarian worship, but also facilities that were to be
used for social and educational purposes. Bedfield Chapel owes its
existence to an institution called the Central Postal Mission which had
two main objects. The first was 'To spread a knowledge of the Unitarian
faith, principles and thought, by correspondence, distribution of
literature. . .' etc. and the second was 'To include in this other
practical and pioneer Unitarian missionary work. . .'
It was initially called Suffolk Village Mission and later, the Bedfield Unitarian Chapel.
The person primarily responsible for it was the Rev. Alred Amey, at that time minister to
the Unitarian congregation in Framlingham. He gained the support of the Postal Mission, in
particular of its principal officers, Florence Hill and Lucy Tagart. Amey's mission work
involved touring the lanes around Bedfield, riding a bicycle and trailing a portable
harmonium, and holding services in cottages, barns and the open-air.
The chapel was built in 1895 and opened in 1896, the Rev. Edgar Daplyn
preaching on that occasion. It was, in fact, the first new place of worship
to be opened in Suffolk for many years. Indeed, in a sense, it was the
first ever, for Suffolk's other Unitarian congregations - in Framlingham,
Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds - all worshipped in Meeting Houses that
predated the emergence of a distinct Unitarian denomination.
Amey was succeeded by lay-missioner Herbert Hawkins, and Florence Hill
herself wrote of the Chapel's usefulness to the village for more than just
worship: 'The building has proved a boon to the villagers, who assemble
there not only for worship and Sunday School, but for lectures, meetings,
concerts, etc.'
The Postal Mission was wound up in the 1950's, its work being taken over
by what are now the Unitarian Outreach and Communication Office and the
National Unitarian Fellowship. Administration of the Chapel and other
properties in Bedfield became the responsibility of a trust which is
jointly held with that of the Unitarian Meeting House in Framlingham.
The role of the missioner passed to the joint ministry of Bedfield and
Framlingham and, when this ceased to be financially viable in the 1950s,
pastoral oversight was assumed by the Unitarian minister in Ipswich. The
permanent Chapel that had been intended to replace the temporary 'tin
tabernacle' was never built, and the building was extensively restored
in 1991.
Lay Pastor
Ray Seal,
7 Church Road, Kettleburgh, Woodbridge, Suffolk
IP13 7LE
Tel: (01728) 724745
Email:
Contact information
Ray Seal,
7 Church Road, Kettleburgh, Woodbridge, Suffolk
IP13 7LE
Tel: (01728) 724745
Email:
Booking Chapel for Community Use:
Mrs. Angela Budd
Tel: (01728) 62391
Links
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