Does anyone go to a spiritualist church?

[Touty]

What goes on there?

Used to go to a weekly one when I was a child / early teens. I loved it, didn't really get it but found it exciting. Lots of chatting, tea and biscuits at the start. Then they'd have a spiritualist medium do some readings for people (the usual "I've got someone here for a Linda... Do we have a Linda?" etc). Then a raffle. I loved it.

Yes l do.. im a Spiritualist.. it's a religion.. we sing songs.. say prayers.. then a " speaker " or medium whatever you want to call them.. will address the congregation and give messages to various people from loved ones in spirit... then prayers to finish off with . Its very friendly and full of love. .. laughter and comfort.
Usually a collection plate handed round too.
Then it's tea and biscuits in the back room.

So do you believe in life after death?

Do you get many spirits coming through?

Many years ago I had a cousin who was a spiritualist medium and I went to a few of her seances. It was a small group of people and much as related above with messages coming through. There was no collection or financial element. And yes we did have tea and buscuits afterwards. We needed it, because the room where the meetings were held went suddenly very cold within minutes so we had to sit with our coats on.

Always loved ones from the Spirit world come through.. at every church meeting..
Yes l believe in the afterlife..( loads of religions do).
I myself used to take the rostrum.
Why not go to one and see for yourself?. You would be made most welcome.

@ILoveYouJefferyS how do you reconcile mediumship with reincarnation? Eg if I want to speak to my father who died over 35 years ago will he still be up there or has he moved on?

I go monthly. At the start we have a chat, a cup of tea and biscuits, donate prizes for the raffle and buy raffle tickets.
Then the service starts and we have a reading from the main medium who runs the group. This could be about values, helping others or something that makes you think and reflect. Then there is a visiting medium who says a short prayer and then gives spirit messages for about an hour and a half.
At the end you can have spiritual healing.
You pay a small amount for the the raffle and healing and the proceeds go to charities chosen at the start of the year.
Twice a year we also have a fayre, with stalls etc where you can buy spiritual items, tarot cards, crystals etc.
We also have fun nights and dinners.

@UnderThePressure have you personally received any messages.

In 1999 my dad was given 12 months to live. He didn't believe in any religion but one day he told mum he wanted to go to the church he went as a boy. Unbeknownst to them it had changed to a spiritualist church.
They were welcomed by everyone. On the third visit the medium gave him a message supposedly from his eldest sister. This message was something that even mum didn't know about, it was true. He went every week and the leader visited him towards the end. Dad did tell him that he still didn't believe but he felt comfortable at the church.
This leader gave his funeral at the crematorium.
Mum carried on going until COVID hit.

I went to one a few years ago with 2 friends. One friend was told she was a dancer but you could probably tell from her dress and demeanour. Other friend got nothing. I got messages apparently from an older man grandad about a broken fence at the back of my mum’s house that needed fixing and the other about a lottery ticket in a Welsh dresser and a female relative.

When we wanted to speak to the mediums after the session they disappeared suddenly.

When I next visited my mum’s house I mentioned this and suddenly realised that what was said was true. The relative who I thought could have said this was my paternal grandad but he’d been NC with my mum for years due to my parents divorce when I was young. He was working class and quite common sense and practical but otherwise not a very nice man.

So who knows what happens there. I’m in two minds.

I never have. I used to go regularly in the 1970s.

One day I took a mate along - a Communist Londoner whose dad was captain of one of the pleasure boats on the Thames. She got The Full Works, a 10-minute reading full of detail. No vagueness, just enough straight facts about her family to convince her, then some advice about her dad's health.

I was sooooo jealous.