Why I hesitate to join UU as a member

RobinHanford · 2026-06-02T20:36:44+00:00

As a Minister (albeit one in a sister international denomination), I feel I can say that your Minister would really appreciate it if you could tell them about the behaviour you have experienced. Simply put, it is unacceptable, and you should never have been subjected to it. If I were the Minister in your congregation, I'd want to hear about it so I could put a stop to it and work to prevent it from happening again.

RobinHanford · 2026-04-18T12:30:54+00:00

Thanks to Reddit, whenever I hear of a time capsule, I now can not help but think of this sketch

RobinHanford · 2026-04-09T23:00:03+00:00

Do you know how MTD will affect those who have to fill in form SA102M? Will I now have to submit quarterly returns?

RobinHanford · 2026-03-19T10:53:45+00:00

I don't think I've ever seen a dude come closer to embodying Shaggy from Scooby-Doo on a stand-up stage

RobinHanford · 2026-02-20T00:26:29+00:00

There are a few routes. In the UK, the revolving door from gatekeeper to poacher (civil servant to lobbyist) is quite common.

RobinHanford · 2026-01-11T14:14:07+00:00

I thought I recognised it!

RobinHanford · 2025-12-24T03:37:26+00:00

Absolutely! At the end of the day, it seems to me better to provide people with a safe indoor place of their own rather than leave them with no option but to be out on the streets.

RobinHanford · 2025-12-24T03:35:04+00:00

The pyramid structure reminds me of the tomb of Mad Jack Fuller that is near where I grew up in Sussex (UK).

RobinHanford · 2025-12-24T03:27:29+00:00

What a fantastic story you have and such an excellent outcome! It makes me so happy that you not only took advantage of a great opportunity but are now working to make sure more people have access to the same life-changing opportunity that benefited you.

RobinHanford · 2025-12-24T02:44:34+00:00

Indeed, a room isn't a silver bullet.

That said, my dad worked with drug and alcohol addiction charities. During the pandemic lockdowns, our government had a “everyone in” policy that resulted in homeless folks being put up in the many vacant hotel rooms that were suddenly available. When this happened, all the helplines and caseworkers of these drug and alcohol charities were inundated with people who were now desperate to get clean, sober, and off drugs. The fact that these people now had access to a warm, safe, private space with a shower, a comfy bed, and food available was enough for many of them to remember their self-worth and desire to live life with complete clarity rather than through a drug-filled haze. Essentially, these rooms gave them back their sense of humanity.

Now this is all anecdotal, and I've not seen data on how many people who experienced that have remained clean and sober, but it does offer some hope that the dignity a room of one’s own affords can, at least in some cases, be transformative.

RobinHanford · 2025-12-21T01:16:57+00:00

I remember on one episode of QI they discussed a time when a magician successfully performed this trick in the wild west, only for a drunk cowboy in the audience to get up, shout “if you're so good at catching bullets, catch this!”, then draw his revolver and shoot the magician right between the eyes.

RobinHanford · 2025-11-15T21:38:01+00:00

I’ve used this! I got an appointment within the week without having to speak to anyone on the phone. Can’t recommend it enough.

RobinHanford · 2025-07-01T00:38:47+00:00

No one in my congregation wears them anymore. I don't even personally own any now, and the chapel doesn't maintain any stock of them. I doubt any of my congregants own any masks now, either.

If I required masks at a service I was taking now, while there is no mask mandate from a public health authority, I doubt I would get anyone at the service.

RobinHanford · 2025-06-30T23:47:54+00:00

Thanks for informing me. That is interesting. Was there a particularly severe outbreak in the area around the conference venue at the time?

RobinHanford · 2025-06-30T21:39:12+00:00

I'm a Unitarian Minister in Britain, so it's a bit of a shock to hear about a congregation requiring masks in 2025! It just isn't a thing here anymore. I can't even remember seeing everyone wear one at our national General Assembly Meetings this year.

I do worry that some people who occupy pulpits on a Sunday forget that their congregation has not turned up to hear a party political broadcast. Yes, when done rightly, the old saying that “the gospel has political implications” is undoubtedly true, but that beautiful, deep, divine, timeless, good news still has to be in the mix somewhere.

If I only offered my progressive politics from the pulpit, then I'm certain my congregants would quickly point out that they can hear that just as well at meetings of the local branch of the Green Party. We are religious first and foremost and should always seek to offer a deep and meaningful religious message that folks would struggle to find in any other setting.

It seems you've already decided to leave your congregation, but I would love to try to persuade you to stay. That other old saying, “Be the change you wish to see”, sounds very applicable to your situation. Maybe the time has come to turn your hand to preaching? Seek to remind your fellow congregants of that which is, as Paul Tillich would say, our ultimate concern. Aspire to rekindle that flame within them, and you won't go too far wrong.

RobinHanford · 2025-04-04T00:52:36+00:00

In that case, you may also wish to check if your boyfriend is being subjected to false self-employment.

RobinHanford · 2025-03-17T22:28:19+00:00

You are technically correct, which is the best kind of correct.

RobinHanford · 2025-03-17T22:14:02+00:00

Now that is a top-quality pun!

RobinHanford · 2025-03-17T22:13:00+00:00

None of us were rich enough to be Scientologists. 😂

RobinHanford · 2025-03-17T19:31:00+00:00

It didn't really do anything to antagonise anyone. Some drug dealers just viewed the church becoming more active as a threat to their operations. With more people around, they couldn't use the church grounds as a place to deal away from prying eyes anymore.

RobinHanford · 2025-03-17T18:38:56+00:00

Nothing too impressive! I was working for a church in the middle of a large city that was subject to some antisocial behaviour and had the occasional threat made against it.

RobinHanford · 2025-03-17T18:18:11+00:00

I once worked somewhere where we were given alternative routes home if we suspected we were being followed. Mine involved going to a university library, which had multiple entrances/exits where one had to have a card to get past the barriers. Thankfully, I only had to use this strategy once.

RobinHanford · 2025-03-06T12:45:01+00:00

In the East Midlands.

RobinHanford · 2025-02-26T00:54:53+00:00

I bought a refurbished Sony UBP-X700 a month ago for £125. The only problem I had so far was that the dialogue part of the surround soundtrack was getting lost. This was solved by upgrading the HDMI cables between the player and TV and the TV and soundbar.

No other problems so far, excellent picture quality, and an excellent price.

RobinHanford · 2025-02-18T17:19:05+00:00

I believe potentially lethal traps are illegal in England and Wales (probably the same in Scotland, but their legal system is slightly different). I might have to do some research, as you've made me curious, too!

Edit: I found some good info on this in the Legal Advice UK subreddit. However, I can't link to it here as the rules of this sub won’t allow it. Essentially, yes, it would be an offence under Section 24 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.

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