We gathered last night on the longest night of the year, on our Winter Solstice, for our Christmas Divine Service in Chawton. It was a beautiful service of readings, prayers, the singing of carols, and the lighting of the Advent candle for LOVE by Malcolm. We also had special readings, which were beautiful.

We thanked many people last night for their service and help throughout this year. Sue and Carole both received bouquets for their wonderful hospitality and baking. They have taken things to a whole other level. This was so well deserved. We have been spoilt!

We thank Graeme, who sets up the chairs and generally helps with the setup for our gatherings and also takes our offerings. Of course, Julie and Lisa both run our music. Thank you so much. We thank Nerina, who does so much behind the scenes with membership and many other things. We also thank Alison for booking our mediums and managing our social media. We thank Chris Elliot for working as our Treasurer, and both Steve Lidett Williams and Nerina Dannat for their roles of Vice Presidents.

We thank the chair rotation team also, as they lead proceedings and help keep us in line. We thank our wonderful healers, who were on hand again last night to help. Thank you to our committee members, who are all actively involved in the smooth-running of this church. We cannot forget to say a huge thank you to our visiting mediums. Their dedication to working with spirit helps so many. We are so glad to welcome them to our little church, and we thank our President, Rob Harvey, who runs and oversees our church and the events connected. Rob also runs two clairvoyant/healing circles in addition.

We are a family, a Spiritual family, imperfect but passionate about our community and the community beyond.

Prayer of the week.

Please pray with gratitude for those with lighter bodies, the angels, the helpers, and the healers. They understand our plight. They are our champions. We understand they work tirelessly to help us along our path, while not interfering with our gift of freewill. May they be blessed for all that they do.

This Christmas will see many with their families, but some alone. Some with the sting of fresh loss, some further along that path. Some with illness, worry, and loneliness. Many in this world are suffering right now. Many other kinds in this world also suffer along with us. This experience is not always for the faint-hearted, yet we have a gift, a boy child who brings us goodness, light, understanding, and healing. May we focus on the very real reason for this season of joy. So, among the tinsel and mince pies, pause and remember your loved ones are closer than you think, and all is well, so allow your heart to be filled with Love from Above. We are on a journey together. Alton Christian Spiritualist Church wishes you a Happy and blessed Christmas of Joy and Love, and a Peaceful and very Hopeful and Happy New Year

We will reconvene on Wednesday, 7th January, on Zoom, and in Chawton on the 11th January.

Watch our calendar.

Life is not quite like a box of chocolates, but greeting the day, we really don’t know what we are going to get. We have had it all this past week, from rain and snow to beautiful blue skies and sunshine. Mother Nature is keeping us guessing.

Along the woodland path on one of my recent walks, after heavy rain, a robin was singing his heart out as if it were springtime. It definitely was a bright song. Maybe he is confused, also. Robins are with us year-round, and also sing year-round, but we tend to picture them only on snowy ledges near Christmas.

He is territorial, especially through the winter season, guarding his resources. He has become a symbol of spirit visitors, soothing the souls of those in loss. This association stems from the many supernatural experiences people have had regarding robins and their behaviour. He is rather special, so we put a little extra bird food on the table as those days get colder. I promise he will sing you a cheery song.

Jenny Docherty was in the house last night and brought her energy, her laughter, and shared her thoughts with us, and then went on to give some lovely messages. Thank you so much, Jenny. We enjoyed having you!

Steve Lidgett Williams chaired the evening brilliantly, as we heard beautiful prayers and readings and sang some beautiful hymns. Thank you, Julie, for our music. Thank you, Sue, for running hospitality, and thank you to our healers, always standing by.

Prayer of the week

Please pray for all the children in the hospital and especially at this time of year. It is devastating for a child at any time, let alone as we near Christmas.

The calendar will be up soon.

Have a lovely week, everyone!!

Guiding a Lost Spirit: Finding Peace Beyond the Physical World – A piece from Rob Harvey

As a medium, I’m often contacted by people who believe they’ve encountered a spirit. Not long ago, I received a message from someone shaken by a tragic event at their workplace — a piece of machinery had fallen, leading to a fatal accident. Weeks later, they believed they saw the man who had passed, standing near the very spot where it happened.

Wanting to help, I asked for a photo of the area. When I received it, I immediately sensed an unusual energy. I took some quiet time in my teaching room to meditate and connect more deeply. As I focused, I began to feel the presence of the young man’s family members in spirit form surrounding me. Slowly, it became clear that he was confused — he hadn’t yet realized that he had died.

At first, he resisted their attempts to reach him. Accepting their presence would mean acknowledging his own passing. But then, something beautiful happened — children from the spirit world came forward. Their pure, loving energy helped soothe him, breaking through his fear and confusion. I’ve often found that the presence of children can bring remarkable peace to lost souls; their innocence has a way of healing emotional turmoil.

Once the young man was calm, I invited his loved ones to come closer. He began to recognize them, and they gently showed him the light and beauty that awaited him. Before moving on fully, he reached out with gratitude, a sign that he was finally ready to transition peacefully to the other side.

This experience reminded me that many spirits who linger are not malevolent — they’re simply lost or unaware of their passing. They often need a compassionate bridge between the physical and spiritual realms to help them understand and move forward.

Through patience, empathy, and love, we can help these souls find peace and continue their journey beyond this world.

Walking in the local woodlands, I came around a corner and spotted a bunch of fly agaric, recognized as the magical toadstools of fairy tales, myth, and folklore. This magical mushroom is bold in colour, usually scarlet or orange with white warty spots, and is hard to miss, but really a wolf in sheep’s clothing, as she is highly toxic, and can cause psychotic reactions when ingested, so that’s not a good idea!

Her name derives from her historical use as an insecticide. She is a sure sign that Autumn is underway. She is seen solo or in small clusters around Birch and other trees, and she helps the trees obtain the nutrients in their roots. Her spiritual symbolism is of transcending the physical plane to higher levels of spiritual awareness.

Well, we aim to do that every time we gather, and last night was no exception, as the lovely Eve Cowell was in the house. Eve shared a little about what and how she perceives when giving mediumship and a little about her history, which was so interesting, and then went on to share some lovely messages! Thank you so much, Eve! We loved having you! Thank you to Alison Keogh, who chaired our evening.

We also thank our family for sharing readings and prayers from the heart. We thank Sue for our hospitality, Carole for our cake, Julie for running our music, our wonderful healers for standing by after our gathering, and all those who set up, break down, and wash up each week!

Prayer of the week

Please pray for Spiritual courage for ourselves and our brothers and sisters across the world, in horrendous situations. We live in a fear-based world, and that fear can affect the quality of life. May we be blessed with new courage as we tackle the experiences on this physical plane.

Calendar up next.

Take a moment. Meditate on good things.

There are so many.

As the season already starts to turn, we see the stunning mauve heather adorn our common lands. The ferns begin to shift to their signature autumnal rust colour, and other plants are starting to move through their own changes. The sunny St. John’s Wort has been in bloom since June and will soon be showing us red berries, which beckon wildlife to snack, but humans should refrain from eating, as there can be quite adverse effects.

The petals of St John’s Wort have long been used for homeopathic remedies, notably for skin problems, but especially for lifting the mood and chasing those blues away. Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, he has quite a history. He is named so because of the time of year he blooms, around the time of the summer solstice and the Feast of St John. His sap is red and is connected to the blood shed by St John, confirming his Christian ties. Wort is just an old English name for this plant who has spiritual symbolism of protection against negative energies, bringing healing and a connection to Divine Light, and we always like that.

Last night in Chawton, we rode high on that Light when Vanessa Smallwood came to visit. It was Vanessa’s first time with us, and we loved having her. What a night!! A fascinating address, concerning her path to Platform and Mediumship and then wonderful, sometimes hysterical messages, from those in spirit. Our sides were splitting. When we say our loved ones retain their sense of humour and who they are, we mean it!! There was a lot of laughter on both sides of the veil last night. Thank you so much, Vanessa! Li’l Chris, our own Christine Elliot, chaired the evening beautifully. Thank you so much, ladies!!

We thank our family for the beautiful readings, prayers, and hymns sung to lift the energies. We thank Julie for music, Sue for hospitality, our healers standing by after the service, and, as always, those who set up, break down, and wash up!!

Prayer of the week

Please pray for the animals in this world. From pets to wildlife and every other creature in between, in their different circumstances. There is so much ignorance and abuse of those others that share this world with us. From wars to famine to wildfires, the animals struggle, too.

Calendar up next.

Get your brolly out, and have a beautiful week!!

The pollinators are well and truly out in this gorgeous spring weather around these parts, and the emergence of beloved butterflies fluttering around on their maiden voyage is a sight to behold. The beautiful Orange tip male with his stunning orange wing tips and the not so gorgeous white female may have come into view. They can be found in your gardens if you are near meadows or on the edge of woodlands in the UK, Europe, and also some parts of Asia and have even been spotted in the US. Butterflies are the ultimate symbol of growth transformation and freedom. How apt as we near close to Easter.

What a weekend!! Rob Harvey headed a non church event in Chawton on Saturday bringing information and a demonstration of clairvoyance to those who may not come inside a church. He took questions and was joined by Virginia Gordon and Sarah Dorgan bringing the messages. It was a lovely evening!! Thank you to hospitality on that night.

Sunday in Chawton was our In House gathering. Chris Shore kept us in line chairing the evening beautifully, as we heard readings and prayers and an address on Forgiveness by Alison Keogh, followed by clairvoyance from Rob Harvey, Chris Elliot and Steve Lidgett Williams. A warm family night, beautiful messages and plenty of laughter. Spoilt again with cake and baked goods divine, we thank Carole, Julie on music, our healers and all those who set up and break down each week!!

*Les was in church!! It was so good for everyone to see him and I know he enjoyed the evening!

The AGM was last Thursday on zoom. and no one was fired:)

Prayer of the week.

Let us pray for each other, that we would all send prayers and healing to help mend our fractured world

Calendar up next.

Have a glorious week!! However busy you are, find time to enjoy this season where nature’s beauty lifts the soul!!

COMING BACK ONE MORE TIME

There is a profound mystery in the way the soul journeys beyond the veil, and I have often encountered moments when those who have passed feel the need to return—just for a little while—before they can fully move forward into the next stage of their existence. This experience has occurred in many spiritual settings, whether within a training circle, during a reading, or while demonstrating in church. Time and again, spirits draw close to the earth plane, seeking a final connection before they continue their ascension.

I recall one particularly moving encounter with a young woman whose mother had been one of the most gifted mediums of her time. She had been a woman of great discipline, deeply rooted in her ways. Yet, three years after her passing, she returned with an intensity that was almost tangible. As she drew close to her daughter, I could sense the deep emotions that surfaced within her—perhaps unspoken words, perhaps a lingering attachment. After the reading, I felt a shift in her presence, as if the act of returning had granted her the peace she needed to move on to a higher plane.

Many years ago, while practicing trance mediumship with my family—who themselves were gifted in spirit communication—I observed how the first return to the earthly realm could be an overwhelming experience for some spirits. One gentleman, a World War II fighter pilot, came through with a rush of disoriented energy. His last earthly memory was the moment of his passing in a plane crash, and it was as if he had to relive that moment before he could speak. Yet, once those emotions were released, his soul found clarity, and he was able to communicate freely.

There is also something sacred in the way spirits of those I have helped move on sometimes return—not simply to express gratitude, but to step once more into the world they left behind, gathering their final memories before transitioning fully. I have witnessed this in homes where spirits, once bound to a place for decades, summon the courage to revisit, even if their memories there were difficult. In one instance, while demonstrating in church with two mediums I had been training, I sensed the presence of a woman standing beside the lady chairing. I recognized her as a spirit I had once helped cross over from a house where she had been trapped. She was hesitant but felt safe in the church’s sacred space, allowing herself this one last earthly moment before truly letting go. It was a stepping stone, a final embrace of what once was, before embracing what was to come.

All of this speaks to the vast and infinite nature of existence. We move from one realm to another, guided by unseen hands, carried by divine wisdom. For those of us still in our physical bodies, the fullness of these transitions may be beyond our comprehension, yet time and again, spirit shows us glimpses of this eternal journey. Particularly in circle, where souls find the courage to return, we witness the beauty of release—the spirit’s willingness to face the past and, with newfound freedom, step into the radiance of the next world. It is a testament to their strength, to their free will, and ultimately, to the ever-expanding journey of the soul.

Rob Harvey President

Those who come back to say thank you

I am often amazed by those spirits who come back to say thank you. Despite experiencing it many times, it never ceases to move me. Last Sunday in church, we ventured beyond the usual clairvoyance and created a unique, spiritual atmosphere that bridged two worlds. I explained to the congregation the concept of a circle—where individuals gather, offer the right prayers, and come together with pure intentions. When like-minded spirits gather for the right reasons, the connection between the physical and spiritual worlds strengthens, and truly remarkable experiences can unfold.

This is exactly what happened that Sunday. By setting the right tone through prayer and understanding, we created an atmosphere within the church that mimicked the intimacy and connection of a circle environment. The results were incredible. Not only did clairvoyant messages flow freely, but many in the congregation—some of whom I have been training—were able to sense their own loved ones who had passed. It was as though the veil between worlds had grown thin, allowing beautiful reunions to take place.

One particularly extraordinary moment involved two spirits I had helped years ago to move on from the earthly plane. One was a young girl who had been trapped in a house for over 60 years, and the other was a woman who had similarly lingered for decades. Both of them returned that evening—not just sensed by me but by others in the congregation as well—to say thank you.

To understand how profound this was, consider their journey. These spirits had been confined to the earthly plane for decades, bound by their own free will or confusion. When the opportunity arose for them to leave their long confinement and move on to the next world, they courageously took it. I was privileged to witness their transition, and the beauty of where they went is indescribable—a place of peace and light, waiting for us all.

Now, for them to return to the earth plane—even briefly—required immense courage. When spirits draw close to the physical world, they often re-experience the emotions and memories of their time here, including the pain or confusion that kept them bound. Despite this, both spirits returned to express their gratitude. Their bravery and the beauty of the moment reminded me of the extraordinary interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual realms.

However, it’s important to recognize that my role in their journey was only a small part of a much larger process. Many spirits on the other side orchestrated their release, yet there is often a need for someone in the physical world to complete the final link in the chain. This highlights the significance of being open and willing to serve as that bridge.

Sunday’s service was a powerful example of what can happen when we gather with the right intentions, open our minds, and embrace the possibilities. For the spirits, it was an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and express messages that may have been waiting for years. For us, it was a humbling reminder of the strength of love and the reality of the spiritual world.

The atmosphere that evening was truly sacred—a perfect convergence of two worlds. It reaffirmed my belief that when we come together with open hearts and a willingness to help, anything is possible. For those in the spiritual world, it was a chance to draw near to their loved ones on the earth plane. For those of us here, it was a glimpse into the eternal connections that bind us all.

Let us all strive to keep our minds and hearts open to these possibilities. When we do, extraordinary things can happen.

Rob Harvey