SUNDAY SERVICE LEADERS AT THE CHAPEL IN THE GARDEN
Reverend Elizabeth Harley: Minister with the Chapel in the Garden
Lizzie has been leading services with the chapel for 14 years, and in that time has really loved developing a style of service which accompanies the spirit of the chapel and the community of Bridport. Sunday services with Lizzie are inclusive, warm, sometimes lively, lyrical and musical, including movement and contemplation.
“The sacred is in our connection to the world, each other, our own hearts and the mystery at the heart of religion. I use poetry and prayer from secular and religious sources and I am particularly inspired to share the many beautiful voices and spiritual insights of women around the world and throughout history. Each week when we light candles of ‘Joy and Concern’, I am moved by the simplicity of hearing the congregation share what is in their hearts.”
If you are thinking of joining us on a Sunday but would like to talk to someone about it first, Lizzie would be happy to talk to you in advance and then help to warmly welcome you if you decide to come along.
Reverend John Harley: Minister with the Chapel in the Garden 
John has been leading Unitarian worship for over thirty years. He looks for inspiration and spirituality in all in directions – poetry, contemporary news stories, religious texts and the arts. He likes to bring a range of ingredients to his services such as ritual, contemplation and silence, stories, music and creativity – and aims to make worship accessible and uplifting for all. He tends to draw on wisdom from all faiths together with secular culture.
Lucy Starchild
I grew up in a non-religious home, but it was not anti-religious. From both my parents I learnt the importance of respect, to respect people regardless of differences.
And when I think of my mum, it’s her kindness that I remember most.
My services are grounded in the spiritual understanding that everything in the universe is one entire interconnected web of life. And that the consciousness from which all life arises, is Love, compassionate, none judgmental Love.
In my services I share readings from spiritual teachers that I have followed for several years. To me, many of them they speak, not of, ‘ideas’, about anything. Rather, they come from a place of deep stillness and silence within, and from here they are able to impart Knowledge from the very source of Soul Consciousness. And this feeds my ‘thirsty’ soul and is what I love to share in my services.
Other components of my services are; stillness and silence, poetry and prose that speak to the heart, beautiful music, themes that speak of the joys and wonders of life and as well as how to connect to the peace within us, during difficult times in our lives, personally and in our world.
My core belief is the understanding that everything in the universe is part of one interconnected web of life. And that the Consciousness from which all life arises, is Love, compassionate, none judgmental Love. I believe that we are at a pivotal point in the evolution of human consciousness. And that our most pressing need at this time is to align ourselves to our soul centre within our hearts in whatever way we find, that speaks to us directly as individuals.
What follows is a quote from, The Light that Guides Us Home. “In the centre of our being lies the Heart, a vessel not just of life sustaining beats, but an energy, profound and all encompassing. This is the soul centre, where the essence of our existence, pulsates with every beat. And just as the ancient trees beneath the earth, are intertwined with the earth, so too, do our Hearts connect to the world and to each other. In this moment of connection we find a profound truth, we are never alone.”
Roland Lee: Interfaith Minister
I feel deeply moved by the themes of my services. They range across the seasons, rites of passage, hopes and intentions; including texts, poems and music from world views and faiths. Sharing these with the congregation in the sacred space where we meet as a spiritual community brings my heart home. In 2021 I was ordained with OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation and am a volunteer with pastoral spiritual care for Somerset NHS Community and Mental Health.
Inner Listening, Co-creation with Nature and Love in Action.
I sense that we are born equal and all have a light within, nurtured by spiritual practice and community. I advocate for Human Rights, believing in the power of compassion and empathy in achieving fairness, respect, freedom.
Just be who you are and be accepted. Unitarians have no dogma and welcome every person.
My Sunday themes celebrate individuality, spirituality and community with contemplation, hymn and song, readings and intentions.
Angelica Kennard
I follow Christianity and at the Chapel I try to represent the Free Christian element in our Denomination. (I am a Unitarian and Free Christian celebrant and a Lay Worship Leader with the Church of England ). The services I lead follow Celtic morning worship from the Iona Community. I incorporate a Bible reading and a reading from a different source and one or two hymns with organ accompaniment as well as recorded live music. I like the depth of understanding i find in Christian theology.
I am a trustee of the Chapel in the Garden and I also host the choir practices. I live in Powerstock where I run a small holding and bed and breakfast.
Margie Barbour
I wanted to know more about Unitarians and during Covid restrictions went on the Unitarian Worship Leadership course. I discovered that leading worship connected powerfully to my life in the theatre, with the same desire to engage the congregation, I want my services to reach out to everyone. I was brought up in the C of E and attended Quaker meetings for 25 years and both still influence me. Storytelling, poetry, prayer, songs, dance and silences feature in my services .
Angie Porter
A Sanctuary for the Soul: The Ministry of Angie Porter
In a world that often feels fractured and loud, the ministry of Angie Porter offers a quiet, profound homecoming. As a painter and artist of the spirit, Angie has cultivated a sacred space where the heavy burdens of modern life are eased by the gentle balm of inspirational music and poetry, woven together with a touch of warm, healing humour that reminds us that joy is a spiritual necessity.
Her gatherings are more than services; they are immersive, creative experiences of restoration. Rooted in a deep, unwavering passion for the inner life, Angie uses her creative lens to guide seekers back to the centre of their own being to nourish the divine spirit within. By integrating the timeless, compassionate wisdom of figures like Father Richard Rohr and the transformative, heart-centered insights of Marianne Williamson, she crafts a bridge between ancient contemplation and contemporary soul-care.
Through thoughtfully composed ritual and participatory reflection, Angie invites every participant to move beyond the surface, treating the gathering itself as a canvas upon which we create a communal heartbeat of grace. Under her artistic guidance, the soul is not just heard—it is honoured, fed, and gently returned to its own innate wholeness.