Leicester unitarians unitarians Leicester HOME Leicester Unitarians Great Meeting interior Our Chapel is a place in which to pause, to seek tranquillity,
and for each to explore their own spiritual path in life. Our Chapel is a place in which to pause, to seek tranquillity,
and for each to explore their own spiritual path in life. Leicester unitarians unitarians HOME Leicester Leicester unitarians Over 300 years of Freedom, Reason and Tolerance Over 300 years of Freedom, Reason and Tolerance Leicester unitarians HOME

IMPORTANT: Coronavirus update
During Lockdowns announced by the government our planned Chapel services are suspended. They are replaced by our normal Zoom services. Following each Zoom service our minister posts a weekly homily with prayers on this website (CLICK here for the latest). The Zoom services are very enjoyable and engaging events, with readings, prayers, music and a homily from our minister. We welcome you to join us each Sunday. Please see the Services page for details on how to join these online services.

HOMILIES BOOKLET
We have a booklet containing a collection of the homilies published during the lockdowns March 2020 – March 2021.The booklet is updated weekly to ensure it contains the latest homily.
Click here to read. 

LATEST NEWSGood news. Services will resume in the chapel on May 23. Until then we will be holding our Sunday zoom services as usual.

Great Meeting Unitarian Chapel Leicester

We are a long-established congregation of, at present, thirty to forty individuals who share an enquiring outlook into non-dogmatic liberal religion.

The Chapel and its history

The Chapel was erected in 1708 as a “Meeting House of Protestant Dissenters” (read more) where with freedom from dogma we seek to affirm an open-ended faith in life, in humanity and in God.

(Click photo right to enlarge)

Leicester Unitarians Great Meeting interior view
The Minister, Rev. Dr. A. Stewart

Arthur Stewart was educated at St David’s College, Lampeter, where he completed his Ph.D. He trained for the ministry at Manchester College, Oxford, and has served congregations in Sheffield and the Cotswold Group before coming to Leicester in 1989.

Arthur was a tutor to the Ministry Students at Harris Manchester College, Oxford until 2018.

Great Meeting Chapel Roof Repair Fund
Our Grade II listed Great Meeting Chapel is under threat from a leaking roof and rusting gutters. Failure to act soon
could render the Chapel and its meeting rooms unusable. We are asking for help and support to protect this unique
city centre ‘gem’ and its fascinating history for future generations. Work is now underway – click here to learn more…

We thank the many people who have already started donating to the Roof Repair Fund. We are also very grateful for generous donations from The Gregson Trust of £3,000 and from East Midland Unitarians of £5,750.

The Pilgrim Trust – Grant Award
We have been awarded a grant of £4,900 from The Pilgrims Trust. The grant will go towards the expense of cleaning a good selection of our excellent internal wall memorials. We appreciate the help given to us by The Pilgrim Trust and express our sincere thanks. 
The Pilgrim Trust gives grants totalling over £3 million each year to charities and other public bodies. Sixty percent of funding is directed towards projects aimed at preserving the fabric of architecturally or historically important buildings, or projects working to preserve historically significant artifacts or documents.

Mobile Covid Vaccination Centre
Covid jabs have been given to more than 100 homeless people in the city, thanks to a GP practice working with ‘harder to reach’ communities. We were very pleased to host a weekend Covid vaccination programme in our car park, run by Inclusion Healthcare, for asylum seekers, refugees and the homeless. Photos show the mobile vaccination centre. – click photo to enlarge.
Click to read full report in Leicester Live.

Chapel Garden Events

Leicester Unitarians are hosting two groups in the Chapel garden during the Covid restrictions. ‘City of Sanctuary’ are holding a session for the distribution of essential items such as toiletries once per week for asylum seekers and refugees, and ‘After 18’ are holding small group, open air, social and activity meet-ups for their young clients three times per week.

We are pleased to have been of help to these organisations who have had difficulty finding a suitable space for their activities during the lockdown.

Photo shows ‘City of Sanctuary’ with the distribution table set up in front of the Garden Room. CLICK photo to enlarge.

sactuary2

Four seasons in the gardens near the Garden Room and school.
Springtime with bluebells, summer sunshine, autumn with falling leaves, and winter, with snow covering the Chapel garden. CLICK photos to enlarge.

Leicester Unitarians Great Meeting past events

Roll-over images and then CLICK for more information

  • Thoughts of the Minister

  • Read our latest newsletter

  • Our passion for music

  • Televised Sunday Service

  • Our Chapel Services

  • Our Wedding Facilities

    • More photos, showing unique tiles in the chapel, chapel interiors, garden areas, three generations of members, and stained-glass window.
    CLICK photos to enlarge.

    Join with Leicester Unitarians at the Great Meeting Unitarian Chapel, Leicester

    Great Meeting : Unitarian Chapel : 45 East Bond Street : Leicester LE1 4SX
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    Website updated Friday April 16 2021