This is an article by Lyn Guest de Swarte who was the editor of the Psychic News for about 7 years. The PN was allowed to fold by the SNU, it said it had to stop putting money into it and it is now owned by the JV Trust. I have included the article without amendment and the original can be seen here at http://www.lynguestdeswarte.com/page22.htm
It wont be long before the mainstream media, the UK national press and sundry broadcasting companies pick up on the fact that Spiritualists have been arrested due to allegations of theft from the Spiritualists’ National Union, the SNU’s, affiliated churches. The SNU has declared a membership (annual subscribers) of 2,500 persons.They have a vote. Another few thousand are claimed by way of their affiliated churches asking for annual church memberships too of which a portion is earmarked for the Union.They do not have a vote at national level, only church. The SNU is not known for transparancy in its operations…
In an amazing outburst of glasnost – openness, a s he himself refers to an, ‘ongoing policy of openness’ and ‘welcomes your views’, President of the Spiritualists’ National Union Ltd, a not for profit company limited by guarantee, David Bruton, revealed that ‘The issue of Church Officers stealing from affiliated churches continues to be a cause for concern. Six people recently arrested and charged by the police will be taken to court as a result of their dishonesty. Action will be taken with a view to protect the assets of Union Churches and supporting the Committees involved.’
So I could not resist the opportunity afforded by to express mine…
They have one less affiliated church now anyway as David Bruton also informs us that Saltaire Church in Yorkshire is no more, following its ‘falling congregations and failure to perform and the failure of the Church to be an effective body’.
The problematic area for the company is that the affiliated churches the appellation by which they now refer to their meeting places and centres, having been quite adamant for a long time that the word church had Christian connotations with which they did not want to be associated, is that they are autonomous entities.
Or at least they have been since the inception of the moveable conference of Spiritualist churches that became the SNU Ltd in 1901 with the power to own property…
Each church has a secular committee structure mirroring that of the company’s. Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers and Chairpersons abound. Even ordained ministers are not referred to by the appropriate title of reverend as this also is deemed a Christian practice. Neither are those ministers attached to any one church…
However, SNU ministers are being encouraged by plans put forward by their loftily entitled Ministers Congress to ‘mailshot’ hospitals for membership of hospital chaplaincies, and funeral directors. This same group were mooting issuing press releases on topical issues via the proposed professional Public Relations company that they will be employing in the new year. ‘To produce an integrated media policy and raise the profile of the Union and its activities.’
Well it’s my opinion that the upcoming court cases with the necessary publicity that will accompany the defendants’ evidence will accomplish quite a lot of that.
Although the National Executive Committee of the Union declined this ministerial group’s request for a Ministers Yearbook or an online Handbook, they say options will be considered for a ‘new Spiritualist song/hymn book with new popular tunes’.
Here I really must mention our New Spiritualists’ Society Hymn Book that has no popular songs but many hymns whose tunes you’ll remember from way back and articles on why we sing hymns and not pop songs in sacred spaces…
They are talking about offering religious training in churches! ‘For people who don’t want to become mediums to learn about what being a Spiritualist is all about’. I think that they should preface that with ‘The Spiritualists’ National Union concept of Spiritualism’. They also mention such a course online. I have been advocating the premise that Spiritualism as a religious denomination isn’t to be confused with the practice of mediumship or psychism, although it resteth on the demonstration of good mediumship, for many years. I also appeased the fears of the orthodox by letting people know that it is possible to aspire to mediumistic development for your own personal communication with the spirit realms of light.
Again I’d like to refer people to the www.newspiritualistssociety.com website and our book – ‘The Spiritualists’ Handbook’ that has such a wealth of material on Spiritualism and its practices and religious basis within its 332 pages.
The SNU President then goes on to say on the subject of glasnost – ‘Much of the work of the NEC is confidential by its very nature, but every effort will be made to keep membership up to date where appropriate.’ Yes, you read that right, it’s qualified by the phrase, ‘where appropriate’.
Yet another set of their rules and regulations will be sent out to their affiliated churches for the new year. A legal minefield for the unwary methinks. If the rules are transgressed a caretaker committee can replace the original and or it can be placed ‘under supervision’ of the District Council committee. There are around 50 supervised churches currently.
As for the accumulation of money by the affiliated churches through donations, raffles, memberships, fees for healer training etc., and charity demonstrations of mediumship plus insurance premiums paid annually, this is a big responsibility for many nice people who receive no earthly reward for their labours. All the money and accoutrements of an affiliated church becomes the property of the SNU. It may even pay a mortgage to it if it has its own building.
Our New Spiritualists’ Society has no rule book – only that of common decency. We are all led by the Holy Spirit which is allowed to work through our ministers and congregants. We are guided by the wishes of our supporters, our worldwide and ever growing family of spiritually like minded people of every background, culture and heritage who are trying as Spiritualist Christians to make a difference in this world for the better.
Fair play for SNU churches 