Walmsley Unitarian Chapel in Bolton, England, United Kingdom, Ordains First Hindu as Unitarian Minister in England

History was made at a historic village chapel in Bolton, as Walmsley Unitarian Chapel hosted the ordination of the Reverend Tina Gandhi as a Unitarian minister. She is a practising Hindu, and according to Helen Mason, Director of the Unitarian College, she is the first Hindu to be ordained as a Unitarian minister in England.

The service, which took place on a Saturday, was described as filled with “joy and love.” More than 130 people attended. Rev Gandhi said the ordination was “deeply moving, filled with music, celebration, and solemn blessings,” and she described the chapel as a “modest yet powerful symbol of spiritual freedom.”

The chapel was built in 1713 by religious dissenters who sought refuge from mainstream orthodoxy. Its stone façade and simple architecture are said to reflect its continuing “commitment to conscience, compassion, and inclusivity.” The source notes that Bank Street Unitarian Chapel and Walmsley Unitarian Church have licences to host same-sex marriages.

Rev Gandhi, who lives in Bromley Cross, holds an MA in Theology and Religious Studies from Cambridge University. Alongside her ministry, she leads a team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority focused on tackling fuel poverty. “My work with GMCA addresses people’s physical needs, especially the most vulnerable,” she said. “Ministry allows me to support their spiritual well-being.” She added that, as a practising Hindu and a Unitarian, she had found “a faith that embraces rather than excludes,” and that Walmsley “is a place where people of all beliefs, and none, are truly welcome.” Her practical work with the most vulnerable is a concrete example of care for neighbours in need (Matthew 25:35).

Rev Gandhi now serves as minister at Chowbent Unitarian Chapel in Atherton, but she says Walmsley remains her spiritual home, a place she has attended with her family for more than a decade. She said that people travelled from far away for the service, “as far as Scotland, London.”

Jim Sheffield, Chair of Walmsley Unitarian Chapel, described the event as “a beautiful celebration of Tina’s calling and of everything Walmsley stands for, freedom of belief, community, and the courage to walk your own spiritual path.” He said the chapel “is a place where ALL are welcome.”

Worshippers at the chapel said that, three centuries after its founding, Walmsley “continues to be more than a building.” They described it as “a living testament to the power of faith unbound,” adding that the ordination “added a new chapter to its remarkable story.”

The chapel holds a weekly gathering on Sundays at 11am, and all are welcome to attend.

Source: Read the original report