National Executive Committee Meeting Online
2nd August 2025
President’s Update
The AGM is quickly approaching and I am very excited to see members again to provide an update on our progress and hear your views on the Union’s development. There will be lots to celebrate when the AGM comes and I really hope you can join us in person or online.
The NEC discussed the growing popularity of our annual Peace Walk. This year we welcomed over 200 members from many churches and districts. One of the highlights is the march from the reception centre to the memorial. We do so behind the Union’s standard which proudly leads us on. I am challenging our Districts to bring their own Standard and proudly hold it high next year. I will be arranging 1:1s with each district team to discuss how we can make this a reality.
As President, I am always striving to be visible and accountable to members. So far, I have visited 177 of our Churches and I have plenty more scheduled over the next year. I am looking forward to seeing you all.
One of my five promises was to fix our broken complaints procedure and that work is ongoing, I know this progress needs to be more rapid and we are working to ensure this progress is accelerated. I our members deserve better than the system currently in place. A new system is being built, but this is your chance to shape it. What matters to you must matter to us. Please share your views by emailing: snu@snu.org.uk with the title: ‘complaints process’. Your voice will help drive real change.
Vice President, Les Henderson
GPC have met several times since the last NEC meeting. There have been changes to Bye-laws E. Bye-laws F, has been amended to coincide with legal changes and also to make the process of making a complaint simpler. This work is ongoing as the complaints system as a whole is reformed.
The Motions for this year’s AGM where discussed, and wording clarified. Thank you to all members who have submitted motions to the AGM.
MAC have produced their own occasion cards, they hope to have out for sale very soon. These include condolence, thinking of you and retirement cards.
We are currently reviewing our Ministers and Officiants and their overall commitment to their duties. At the 2024 AGM, The President’s address made very clear that the culture of collecting awards and not giving back in service must end. This is particularly evident in our Ministry where our focus now turns. Ministers Congress is held regularly as a way of engaging with Ministers and sharing practice. We were disappointed to see only 32 attended. A request was sent out for Ministers to conduct a confidential chat, only 11 responded. We look forward to bringing further reforms in this area so that members are better served by their Ministry.
Minister Brenda Newall held a successful meeting with the Prison Chaplaincy Service. It was suggested that the Union might follow the Roman Catholic approach for those working in prisons, who are not ordained as Ministers. This will allow the Union to further its work in creating a Spiritual Care Support team. Any member of the SCS team will be referred to as a Spiritual Chaplain when visiting prisons. This will be part of our wider work in improving the standards, commitment and work of the Ministry.
We look forward to welcoming Lorraine Gilbert Gray and Des Beaumont to the Ministry. John Fitzgerald held his acceptance service on the 29th July 2025.
Congratulations to each of you.
We know there is a need to train more Ministers and Officiants, as such we are looking at how we do this without compromising quality of training.
Vice President, Colin Lomax
Colin continues to work on the Union’s Safeguarding. He has identified that there is a need for more training and will be offering that to DCs and Ministry very soon. We are looking at a range of options for this to ensure that members are well informed. One of the priorities for improving safeguarding was to ensure that there was Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) checks. These are standard procedure for anyone working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. I am delighted that the DBS checks are now available for the Ministry and Tutors at the College.
Colin has attended the Lyceum meetings and the Central committee are working on ideas of how to improve the curriculum and make the Lyceum more appealing to the young Spiritualists we have, also to increase the Lyceums within our churches. The Union continues to engage proactively with the SLU in the hopes that we can accelerate the modernisation of the branch.
Financial Director, James Underwood
James has done some wonderful work ensuring that our contracts are yielding the best profit possible for the Union and its members. As a result, we have seen an increase in yields of over £3000 a month. These contracts had been neglected for a long time and I am delighted that this has now come to an end. As part of our work to modernise the Union’s systems and policies, these contracts will now be regularly reviewed. This money helps us to deliver more for members.
We have finally updated the Union’s payroll systems so that this is now done properly and in keeping with a modern organisation. The new system, Sage Intacct, will save the Union time, labour and money. This means our staff are paid properly and our members are benefiting from greater efficiencies.
Andy Foley recognises the issues some churches have in completing the grant applications correctly, we are looking towards having a contact point in each District to assist the churches locally, and also that we will put together a pack alongside training to empower our volunteers to be able to do this task.
Ordinary Director 2, Patricia Redman
The complaints committee continue to meet every two weeks and are trying to improve the response time for complaints. The committee ask that healing continues to be sent to Ernie Grey and also to Lorraine. All new complaints panellists and mediators have been started with ‘high speed training’ and are commencing their basic training.
The committees of Widnes and Runcorn SNU Churches have agreed to merge, we wish them well as they form a stronger voice in their community.
On 12th July, Pat and Matthew Mold attended Doncaster SNU church, to lead a free chairing workshop 24 students attended from all over SYDC was a great success.
We are looking forward to hosting more of these events across the country.
Ordinary Director 3, Sean Taylor
Sean and Kyle continue to request that the BBC include a Spiritualist Minister on their thought for the day programme. We will keep you informed. Sean continues to attend monthly meetings with Interfaith Scotland, and has offered Glasgow Association church as a venue for meetings and a place to worship.
Members and the NEC held a stall at London Pride in Soho and engaged with the community. It was a huge success. As a result of its success, we want to encourage districts’ to attend their own community Prides for 2026. More information and support for this will be available. Our simple slogan ‘Life continues’ was a real conversation starter!
Dr John Carruthers, asked if the SNU would be represented at the service of remembrance at the Mein Gate, Ypres Belgium, The ceremony marks the sacrifice of the fallen during WW1. I am delighted that Minister Eamonn Andrews will represent the SNU at this important service.
I would like to give my thanks to Sean for being a fantastic chair of this year’s Peace Walk.
Church Relations Coordinator
Churches in support are 26 and 1 managed church. Matthew continues to support the churches, offering training where needed. He will be shortly undertaking further training for support officers.
Districts have requested that we produce a leaflet on what needs to be taught in an awareness circle and development circle. Matthew and Pat Redman are leading a working party to produce this and other topics like how to run a grief café.
Education & Exponent
Currently there are 120 students enrolled on PAS with 195 students studying TPS1 with 37 volunteer marking tutors. Numbers for CSNU is 14. With 47 students working their way through TPS2.
SNUi Members
There are currently 728 active members in 35 countries.
Members’ meetings continue to be held Bi-monthly, with the last one being held on June 6th in the usual two time zones of 9am and 7pm. SNUi continue to hold 3 PAS student services a week. With 30 PAS students doing SNUi services.
Thank you to the hard working committee over at SNUi for their incredible work engaging with members and creating opportunities for training and development.
Healing report, James Underwood
The Healing committee are very active supporting new healers, Districts and our churches. On July 22ndHazel Middleton and Sam Underwood gave a talk on Spiritualist healing at the IM meeting, which was well attended, they also gave a talk at ELDC Zoom meeting.
On the 28th June SWDC and Newton Abbot Church along with healers from Paignton SNU church took part in a well-being day. This was held at the local racecourse and was very successful with 75 members of the public attending along with healing committee member Kathryn Crossley and Minister Pat Seymour SWDC healing Rep.
July 5th 2025, Ventnor church took Spiritualist Healing out to the public, and will also be at the Chale show.
30th August 2025, the EMDC are holding a public healing day at Ripley community centre.
The Healing committee also hold Friday meditation sessions on Zoom. This is going well with people joining from China, Japan, USA and Europe and the UK.
Thank you to everyone who has represented the SNU at these events! The Year of Healing has really raised the profile of healing and our wonderful healers, well done!
There will be very soon a new online training calendar that will be available on the website.
Finally, a date for your diary: the annual healing day will be held on 1st November 2025. More details to follow.
Thank You
As always, I want to thank all our Committees and volunteers who help to make Spiritualism the wonderful religion that it is.
Minister Jackie Wright | President of The Spiritualists’ National Union
| Our Promise
We, as your NEC continue to serve you and the churches |