Photo by Nikita Pishchugin on Unsplash
Greetings, CTU Members and Friends –
Our theme for the month of March will be Christianity. We are fortunate to have a Christian scholar from Poland visiting who will share some perspectives on this theme. See below the topics we will explore together.
Thanks to all who tried out our new service structure in February of either online only or in person only. Based on everyone’s feedback, for March, we will be having all hybrid services. IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO LEARN A TINY BIT OF TECH SUPPORT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL! Reach out to me, and we can discuss what is needed to see if you might be willing to volunteer one of the Sundays in March.
Please consider donating to Fred and Denise Benning’s BackaBuddhy below! They desperately need your help getting the care they need.
Lastly, on 19-22 March, we will be hosting a Pan African Unitarian conference at our church. Please diarise a dinner with everyone on Thursday 19th March, and a big lunch on Sunday 22nd March. We will need everyone’s help to care for our fellow Unitarians coming from several different African countries. And we’ll host special speakers to give us inspiration and support. Thank you to everyone who is helping us plan this important event! It’ll be a fun and joyful way to celebrate Unitarianism as it is practiced in different parts of the African continent.
With love and light,
WhatsApp 076 024 9120
INVITATION TO JOIN THE MINISTERIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
Nima has informed the Council that she will be stepping down at the end of this year and we would like to begin the search for our next Minister in a proactive manner. Members of the congregation are warmly invited to join the Committee which will meet for the first time in late February. Up to three places are available. For more about the process, please contact leighmeinert@gmail.com
Thank you to everyone who attended the picnic on 22nd Feb. Cele made us all laugh for the photo! And thank you Bronwyn for being the photographer and capturing our giggles.
In this issue of the newsletter
Check out our events page to view our church calendar. This includes events posted in the building and outside of the building. If you would like your event added, please contact us via email at: community@capetownunitarians.org
Sunday Services
Upcoming Activities
Fundraising
Cape Town Unitarians and the IARF (International Association for Religious Freedom)
Council Updates
Sunday Services
All services will start at 10:30 am SA time
Contact Community@CapeTownUnitarians.org for the link
1 March, The rise of Jesus followers. Nima will look at the historical context and timelines after Jesus’ death. There are many fascinating factors of what led to the Jesus followers rising and being trampled down. Only to continue rising until Emperor Constantine made Christianity the State Religion.
8 March, Catholicism versus Protestantism? with Agnieszka Podolecka. Agnieszka Podolecka will explore the differences between Protestantism and Catholicism/Orthodox Church. She holds a PhD in African Studies and MA in Oriental Studies. She specialises in the study of religion and spirituality in six southern African countries. Her research focuses on, among other things, the relationship between traditional African beliefs and Christianity.
15 March, Mystical Christianity, What was the most likely message of Jesus? Using the academic analysis of contemporary Christian mystic, Cynthina Bourgeault, Join Nima in exploring what Jesus was trying to convey. Using the Gnostic Gospels and other sources, Bourgeault weaves a inspiring tale of his “true” message, that the kingdom of Heaven is truly within each of us!
22 March, special service by and for African Unitarians. Join us as we celebrate the end of the Pan African Unitarian conference with contributions to the service from the various African Unitarian congregations. SERVICE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A CATERED LUNCH FOR EVERYONE! Bring your favourite beverage to drink.
29 March, Reclaiming Jesus’ message. Nima will close out the month looking at how Unitarians might help reclaim Jesus’ message, either through a Christian lens, or through whatever lens see our spirits in the same way.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Somerset West Fellowship
SATURDAY, 7 March 2026 at 10 AM
Vonke Meeting Room, Vonke House, 121 Lourensford Rd, Somerset West
Speaker: Francis Clerke, COGNITIVE SCIENCE OF RELIGION
The Cognitive Science of Religion is a relatively new field of science that seeks to explain aspects of religions, including their origin, and why it is that humans believe in one or more supernatural gods who don’t exist in reality.
Experts in the fields of psychology and the cognitive neurosciences have formulated a plausible explanation on why human minds generate religious belief, an explanation that is backed up by empirical evidence. This explanation is based on the premise that the brain, like every other organ, has evolved. It therefore follows that the products of the brain, such as thoughts, feelings and behaviours, are open to evolutionary analysis.
The mind is composed of modules, or cognitive mechanisms, that evolved as solutions to problems that humans encountered. Religion results from the activity of several of these cognitive mechanisms. These mechanisms include the Hypersensitive/Active Agent-Detection Device (HADD) and the Theory of Mind Mechanism (ToMM).
Francis Clerke is a retired attorney and corporate lawyer who has been researching this topic for purposes of a book that he is writing on the clash between science and religion.
Francis will be speaking on this topic at a meeting of the Somerset West Unitarian Fellowship, which will take place at 10h00 on Saturday, 7th March, at the Vonke Meeting Room, Vonke House, 121 Lourensford Road, Somerset West. All are welcome to attend at no charge. Contact: Rev. Roux Malan – 084 679 5466
📞 Contact: Rev. Roux Malan – 084 679 5466
🌐 Website: swunitarians.carrd.co
This is a free event—all are welcome!
Gur’s Ordination!
Save the date for the celebration of Gur Mouanga graduating from the Unitarian Seminary in Chicago, and now being officially ordained as a Unitarian minister. More information to follow!
Sangha: Cape Town Buddhist Gathering
No Sangha meeting in February or March
Fundraising
FRED NEEDS YOUR HELP: Fred Benning’s wife, Denise, became paralysed after back surgery with a rare (0.5% likelihood) side effect. As a result she needs a full-time carer in their home. Fred asks that you read his loving request on BackaBuddy: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/fred-and-denise
GUR NEEDS YOUR HELP: Gur’s GoFundMe link: https://gofund.me/150067d08
We almost have the money needed to change Gur and his family’s life dramatically for the better by getting their permanent residency approved. Most have donated via EFT to CTU. If you’d like to give in that way, here are the details: Unitarian Church, Standard Bank, account # 070440719, Swift Code SBZAZAJJ. 50 people giving R500 will achieve our goal! 5 people giving R5,000 works as well. Any amount is appreciated.
Rejoining a 125-Year Journey: Cape Town Unitarians and the IARF (International Association for Religious Freedom)
From Luke at the IARF
It is a genuine pleasure to welcome Cape Town Unitarians back to the IARF family. The timing feels significant—this year marks the 125th anniversary of our first Congress, held in London in 1901, when a gathering of liberal religious thinkers and workers resolved to open communication with those who, in all lands, are striving to unite pure Religion and perfect Liberty. Those words have an archaic ring to them now, but their spirit endures.
The International Association for Religious Freedom is the oldest international interfaith organisation in the world. We began as a spontaneous movement of Unitarians, Free Christians, and other liberals. Over the decades, we have grown to include communities from Buddhist, Bahá’í, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Shinto, Sikh, Zoroastrian, and indigenous traditions across five continents. What unites us is not a creed but an attitude: undogmatic, open-minded, prepared to question accepted views and build bridges.
After a period of intense reflection following our 36th Congress in 2023, we adopted a new Vision Statement in 2025, reaffirming our commitment to free and liberal religion—a commitment not merely to freedom of religion, but freedom within it. The freedom to question, learn, and grow.
What We Offer
Our work now focuses on three areas: community, education, and advocacy.
Community: The IARF Network at iarf.net is a space where liberal religious people from different traditions and parts of the world can find one another. Through discussion forums, direct messaging, and collaborative spaces, members can connect on a grassroots level—sharing resources, ideas, and solidarity across distances that would have seemed insurmountable to those gathered in London 125 years ago.
Education: The Free Religion Institute offers courses, webinars, and a growing digital library. Current offerings include a course on Biblical and Quranic hermeneutics with Dr Kurt Bangert (exploring why some read scripture literally while others embrace historical-critical methods), sessions on Buddhist perspectives on liberation with Rev. Maruta, and a series on consciousness with Prof Mark Reimers examining religious and scientific understandings of the mind. Around ten additional webinars and courses are already available as recordings. All of this is accessible through the Network.
Advocacy: Since 1955, we have held consultative status with the United Nations. We can make statements—written and oral—at the Human Rights Council, contribute to the Universal Periodic Review process, and work with special rapporteurs on freedom of religion or belief. If your community witnesses human rights concerns locally, or if members face difficulties connected to their faith, we would be glad to explore together how these might be highlighted, including at the UN level. This work is not abstract—it has made real differences for vulnerable communities, and our door is open to you.
An Invitation
The IARF does not ask for uniformity. We ask for openness—to one another’s traditions, to honest questioning, to the possibility that we might learn something unexpected. Membership contributions are voluntary; we understand that small communities often struggle, and we do not wish to exclude anyone. Your presence among us matters more than any fee.
If this resonates, I would encourage members to create an account on iarf.net, explore the courses and library, and perhaps reach out to fellow members in other parts of the world. You may be surprised by who you find.
It is good to have Cape Town Unitarians with us again. Your unique perspective—unique both in the Unitarian world and the wider IARF family—is genuinely valued. We hope this will be the beginning of a fruitful collaboration, and we look forward to learning alongside you.
For more information, visit iarf.net or contact the IARF Secretariat at luke@iarf.net.
Council Updates
Next Council meeting will be Sunday 29 March 12-2pm. All are welcome. If you would like to attend, contact Nima at NimaJanetTaylor@gmail.com for the documents
Have questions or comments for Council? Please email us at community@capetownunitarians.org.