Induction service for Rev Shammy Webster, Rochdale Unitarians

Rev Shammy Webster

Rev Shammy Webster will be welcomed formally as the minister of Rochdale Unitarians at an induction service at 3pm on Saturday 22 November.

The service will be led by Rev Celia Midgley, Minister with Pastoral Oversight at Shelf
Unitarian Church. Rev Celia Cartwright, Minister of Kendal Unitarian Church and former
Minister at Rochdale, will give the Charge to the Congregation. The Charge to the Minister will be given by Rev Michael Dadson, Minister of Macclesfield and Newcastle-under-Lyme Churches.

We also look forward to welcoming Her Worship the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Carol Wardle and the Mayoress, Mrs Beverley Place, Simon Danczuk, MP, other members of Rochdale clergy and representatives of the Rochdale Multi-Faith Partnership, together with members of other Unitarian churches and representatives from groups who hire rooms at the church on a regular basis.

After nearly three months in post, Shammy says: “In our fast-paced 21st century lives it is becoming increasingly important to care for our 'inner-being' as much as our physical form.

"I truly believe in the value of being part of a community where spirituality is encouraged along individual routes. I am confident that the Rochdale congregation also support my desire to provide a spiritual haven to the local area, and that, together, we will learn from, aid, support and welcome new people into our family of spiritual variety."

Shammy has many ideas for introducing new forms of worship and opportunities for spiritual activities. She also believes, very strongly, that building pastoral relationships with 'the healthy' as well as caring for those in crisis or ill-health, is a vital part of ministry.

Joyce Ashworth, chair of the Rochdale congregation, says, “The congregation is pleased to have Shammy back in Rochdale as our minister. This induction service is an opportunity for us to formally welcome her and demonstrate our support of Shammy as our new minister.”

Shammy started her new ministry on 1 September after completing her BA in Contextual Theology at Unitarian College Manchester, which is a member of the Partnership for Theological Education based at Luther King House. As part of her training for ministry, she spent nine months at Rochdale Unitarians as a student minister shadowing the previous minister, Rev Gillian Peel, who retired in 2013.