A History of Stourbridge National Spiritualist Church

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As a hub for Modern Spiritualism in all of its many facets and forms, we welcome anyone and everyone to come along to one of our Demonstrations, Services, Workshops, Healing sessions and all other manner of activity and events, to share in the love and light of our affirming, inclusive religion.

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Heather often used her psychic gifts to help others and Eric said that he never recalled her taking money for those sittings. The subject was first raised by his older brother, Bert, when home on leave from the Royal Air Force. He told Eric and their sister, Laura, that whilst working on Catalina and Sunderland flying boats he and other crew members had “seen” colleagues who had been killed in aircraft accidents. They even experienced these phantom airmen walking straight through them. The NHS is expecting a reduced supply next month, with priority going to those awaiting their second doses and fewer slots for people to receive their first jab. As one of the local Churches of the SNU (the Spiritualists' National Union) , we are also a Registered Charity, and look forward to hopefully welcoming you through our doors very soon!The church, which has been based its present location since 1926, is still going strong - despite the death last year of much-loved former minister and honourary president Eric Hatton, who was one of Spiritualism's best-known ambassadors. Over the course of the past Century, our beautiful Church - based in the heart of the West Midlands, UK - has grown to become one of the most respected and prolific centres of Spiritualism, Mediumship and the Psychic Sciences in the World. Their long and happy courtship culminated in marriage at the Stourbridge church on 27 Dec 1955, after which they produced two children, Lisa and Jonathan, and began giving energetic support not only to that church but also to other Spiritualist bodies. Angela, who is based in Scotland, will be making her first appearance at the Union Street church on Saturday August 28 at 7.30pm. Born just five days before Eric, in 1926, but many miles away on the Isle of Wight, just off England’s south coast, Heather was the daughter of Spiritualists who had founded Ventnor Spiritualist Church in 1938, the first on the island. She became very familiar with mediumship from her childhood.

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His commercial skills – he was a successful businessman – were also in demand within the Spiritualist movement. Eric was president of Stourbridge Spiritualist Church for almost half a century, from 1963 until he stepped down in 2011, but had held other posts at the church since 1948. At the time of his passing he was honorary president. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community. And that is how Eric and Heather came to meet – not in Stourbridge Spiritualist Church, as one might imagine, but at a rehearsal of the North Worcestershire Operatic Society. As those who knew Eric were well aware, music was as important in his life as Spiritualism and he often combined both with his memorable solo performances at Spiritualist meetings. It brought enormous comfort to the Hattons and Eric later described the message as “the cream on the cake” because “from that point on I became absolutely convinced of the continuity of life”.

Facebook has also given many admirers among his family and friends the opportunity of expressing their love and admiration for him, and the following few comments remind us of his many qualities. For the last few years of his earthly life I was profoundly privileged to share a home with Eric as his companion and helper. Those years were beset by health problems, some extremely serious and debilitating, yet all borne with the gracious, patient and indomitable spirit that so epitomised the man who became known as Spiritualism’s elder statesman. I’ve had only two what I call ‘lightbulb’ moments in my life – those extraordinary spine-tingling encounters where there is an instant recognition and ‘knowing’ of a person you’ve never physically met before,” Sue explains. It was evidence of this calibre that first persuaded Eric, in the 1940s, that not only do we all survive death but communication between this world and the next is a reality.