Christian Spiritualists in Littleport

Doris Stokes, the famous medium with all those many best-selling books, like Voices of Love and A Host of Voices, was influential in prompting the Thursday night gatherings of Spiritualists in Littleport, even though she had passed over to the realms of light 11 years earlier.

Amazingly in 1992 she had resumed work with someone who was developing as a medium at Doris’s home church, Lewisham Spiritualist Church, in South London.

Introducing herself during a meditation, Doris set up a channel between herself and the aspiring new medium that would never fail.

This still continuing connection is written about by the same author who helped Doris write those popular books, Linda Dearsley, in her new book about Doris Stokes called Voices Everywhere.

The medium who developed those psychic abilities also studied the philosophy and religion of Spiritualism, and worked as a medium around London and the UK serving churches and taking circles and workshops, travelling abroad to Israel too giving demonstrations of mediumship, lecturing and giving workshops, as well as pursuing her profession as a journalist and author.

And in 1996 she was appointed editor to the old-established Spiritualist newspaper Psychic News.

It was 2 years later while sitting in the PN office that there came the instructions from literally out of the blue to remove to Ely…

Driving up from Stansted Hall, the home of the Arthur Findlay College for Spiritual and Psychic Studies, where the newspaper was also based, the estate agent in Ely said, “We only have one house for that price range and it’s in Littleport.”

She and her partner, PN’s assistant editor, took the map, went to the house, agreed it and moved in almost straight away.

More instructions from Doris followed. You must start a circle she told her medium down here.

Unknown to her, there was a regular Spiritualist meeting held in Oak Lane by the retired manager of Stansted Hall, who had moved to Littleport, Alan Reynolds, of the Silver Birch kennels. Some of those attending the evening of mediumship she had been invited to give at their house a couple of weeks later, after Alan had heard she was in Littleport, enquired if she would be holding a development circle!

A circle was indeed convened and comprised 11 people who were enjoying their spiritual journeying together, and they began to discuss the absence of a church.

The circle was led by the medium who was primarily led by Doris who also suggested how to proceed to set up a church. The first ever service was given at the old Littleport Leisure Centre and tea was made for the medium and people attending by one 18-year-old Nick Brown. He then joined the circle.

The village hall upstairs committee room was then booked and weekly Thursday services with visiting mediums were established.

We moved downstairs when the big hall became available and the services have continued ever since.

Yes, I admit that the person in this story is me.

Everyone is always welcome to our meetings hosted by Rt Rev Nick. You can find more information on the Facebook page Littleport Christian Spiritualists. And there’s a website www.newchristianspiritualistssociety.com