Calling all the makers, crafters, artists and artisans among us. Please come and display (and sell if you want) your creations at our Winter Fayre. The stalls will be open either side of our assembly on Sunday 7th December i.e. 10:30 to 11am, 12:15 to 1pm.
If you’d like to run a stall, email Tanya at community@sundayassembly.com by 21st November.
If you aren’t planning to run a stall, you have the opportunity to admire our community members’ unique and fantastic creations and get a head start on your festive shopping! Come and have a look and talk with the makers. Be ready to be amazed, intrigued, and dazzled!
From Christmas playlists in every café to the festive hum of the high-street, sound seems to move all around us at this time of year.
Understanding how we experience sound in space goes far beyond the mechanics of the ear. But how do our brains make sense of it all? This ‘Sound Day Assembly’ was an opportunity to find out.
Our guest speaker: Tommaso Perego
Dr Perego is a composer, sound designer and senior lecturer at the University of East London. His research explores sonic movement; how we perceive sound in motion and space and how that shapes everything from performance and architecture to multimedia and art.
He gave us a playful exploration of sound, space and perception and we discovered why even the Christmas jingles that chase us through the shops can tell us something fascinating about being human.
Our guest poet: Yvonne Murray
Yvonne is a Murray poet, inspirational motivator and author who loves to manipulate words into stories, hurts into lessons and to empathise with those who share similar paths.
As usual, there were four pop songs performed by our Sunday Assembly London band and reflecting today’s theme.
Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
Sound of the Underground – Girls Aloud
Footloose – Kenny Loggins
Don’t Stop Movin’ – S Club 7
The lyrics were projected on screen, with everyone welcome to sing (and dance) along.
Winter Fayre
We invited our community to display (and sell if they wanted) their creations at our Winter Fayre. The stalls were open either side of this assembly i.e. 10:20 to 11am, 12:15 to 1pm.
Thank you to all our makers – from cards and crocheted toys to games and hats – and to all our shoppers!
About Sunday Assembly London
Sunday Assembly London is your regular and reliable stop for a welcoming, accessible and inspiring Sunday community, where you can hear talks and poetry, sing songs and make new friends.
Stay after for tea, biscuits, and chat in the Backyard Comedy Club. Then join us for a local meal, picnic, or a drink and card games at the pub.
From Hollywood heroes to social media influencers, our culture today is full of mixed messages about what it means to be a man. These myths of toughness, dominance and emotional silence have shaped generations and left many men disconnected from themselves and others.
By unpicking these stories, we can live more thoughtfully and supportively.
Our guest speaker: Kris Genijn
Kris Genijn leads De-Masking Masculinity workshops at transformational festivals like Medicine, Nowhere and Burning Nest. He blends humour, vulnerability and cultural critique to ask: what have we lost in trying to “man up”?
Kris invited us to consider how tenderness, play and presence can be reclaimed as strengths, helping us move beyond stereotypes.
He also led us through a series of energy alchemy exercises: using breathing and movement to help us shed our inhibitions and release our energy.
Our singalongs
As usual, there were four pop songs performed by our Sunday Assembly London band and reflecting today’s theme of masculine identity.
Piano Man – Billy Joel
The One and Only – Chesney Hawkes
Father and Son – Cat Stevens (Yusuf)
All These Things that I’ve Done – The Killers
As always, the lyrics were projected on screen and everyone was welcome to sing (and dance) along.
Thank you to our band for adding versality to virtuosity, with multiple lead vocalists and instrumentals.
About Sunday Assembly London
Sunday Assembly London is your regular and reliable stop for a welcoming, accessible and inspiring Sunday community, where you can hear talks and poetry, sing songs and make new friends.
Stay after for tea, biscuits, and chat in the Backyard Comedy Club. Then join us for a local meal, picnic, or a drink and card games at the pub.
Stress touches every one of us – shaping our health, our relationships, and the way we experience daily life.
Our guest speaker: Neil Shah
Ahead of National Stress Awareness Day on 5th November, we welcomed Neil Shah, founder of the Stress Management Society and a leading voice on resilience and wellbeing.
Neil is the driving force behind Stress Awareness Month, a national campaign raising awareness of the impact of stress and how we can manage it together. His mission: to empower people to live happier, healthier lives.
Neil explained how his own mental health experiences have motivated his work, and how suicide rates and stress have increased in recent years as community cohesion has decreased. He also gave the first public performance of a poem on these themes, expressing how what we may see as breakages are ways to let the light in.
We were also treated to a performance by the newly formed Sunday Assembly London choir. Following their rehearsal on 22 October, they performed Focus Is Power by Self Esteem.
Our songs
As usual, there were four pop songs performed by our Sunday Assembly London band. They had lyrics reflecting today’s theme.
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley and The Wailers
Hand In My Pocket – Alanis Morrissette
I’ll Stand By You – Pretenders
Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
About Sunday Assembly London
Sunday Assembly London is your regular and reliable stop for a welcoming, accessible and inspiring Sunday community, where you can hear talks and poetry, sing songs and make new friends.
Stay after for tea, biscuits, and chat in the Backyard Comedy Club. Then join us for a local meal, picnic, or a drink and card games at the pub.
Our Summer Sync-Up deserved a sequel! We planned an array of fun activities to go alongside our autumn assemblies, including…
Halloween Bake Off – Sunday 19th October
‘Today’s assembly comes with extra cake! Whether you’re making, tasting or both, help us turn Backyard into Bake-yard. With Halloween as our theme, it could be a case of “traybake or treat?” (That’s all the wordplay we’ve got for now, though we may have a pun in the oven.)’
Thanks to everyone who took the time to bake delicious treats for our bake off, with flavours ranging from pumpkin to banoffee. They were both eerie and cherry. Some of the treats went so fast it was almost like they were never there…
Sunday Assembly London one-day choir – Wednesday 22nd October, Sunday 2nd November
Reviving a little bit of Sunday Assembly heritage. Following a rehearsal in October, our pop-up choir (or do we mean pipe-up choir?) performed an uplifting song for our fellow Sunday Assemblers during our first November assembly (or “Novembly” as no one was calling it) on the 2nd, Keep Calm And Carry On.
This was a perfect opportunity for Sunday Assembly Londoners who want to try being in a choir but can’t commit to regular weekly rehearsals and frequent events or shows.
The chosen song was Focus Is Power by Self Esteem.
Thank you to the choir for reinforcing the power of literally singing from the same songsheet.
For even more singing joy… join us at Yule Rock ’25!
Sing Christmas pop loud and proud, with a live band and a room big enough for 200 very festive people.
It’s happening on Friday 12 December at Rich Mix in Shoreditch.
Based on Yule Rock 2024 sales, we’re expecting 2025 to be a sell-out. Find out more about the Yule Rock magic and get your tickets at https://bit.ly/yulerock25
Article Club is where the Sunday Assembly London community read a diverse range of articles, share them with like-minded people and deal with our anxiety that we aren’t reading books.
This was our 72nd meeting and it’s never too late to join! Just like at our assemblies, we love welcoming new members and their unique opinions.
How Article Club works
1. We meet every 1-2 months in the National Theatre building in Central London by the river. We go for the round seats in the Lyttelton Theatre bar on the first floor.
2. We vote in advance and pick two articles from a short list to read before we meet. Usually one relates to politics/current affairs and the other to history, culture or science.
3. We talk about each one for around half an hour. The beauty of Article Club is that we can think more deeply about the broader themes of a topic, and how well the article gets to grips with them.
4. We each give a score out of 10 for the articles that have been discussed.
5. We set the date for the next Article Club and sometimes adjourn to the pub.
Look out for details of our next Article Club. And to meet more of the Sunday Assembly London community while learning about a new or familiar topic, you’re always welcome at our Sunday Assemblies too!
Did you know some people can taste words or see music? Welcome to the fascinating world of synaesthesia: a unique way of experiencing the world where the senses blend together.
Our guest speaker: Mary Spiller
Mary Spiller, Senior Lecturer at the University of East London, offered us a glimpse into this wondrous phenomenon.
Mary’s research explores how our senses can cross-wire in surprising and creative ways, opening up fresh ways of seeing the world.
Our guest poet: Lydia Daisy
We’re thrilled to welcome Lydia back. Artful in her words and her performance, she expressed her defiance of a system that treats creativity as a threat.
As usual, there were four pop songs performed by our Sunday Assembly London band. They reflected the title of today’s talk.
Karma Chameleon – Culture Club
Red Red Wine – UB40 version
True Colours – Cyndi Lauper
Gold – Spandau Ballet
Halloween Bake Off
Thanks to everyone who took the time to bake delicious treats for our bake off, with flavours ranging from pumpkin to banoffee. They were both eerie and cherry. Some of the treats went so fast it was almost like they were never there…
Our next Autumn Awesomeness activity will be our one-shot choir, performing on 2nd November.
About Sunday Assembly London
Sunday Assembly London is your regular and reliable stop for a welcoming, accessible and inspiring Sunday community, where you can hear talks and poetry, sing songs and make new friends.
Stay after for tea, biscuits, and chat in the Backyard Comedy Club. Then join us for a local meal, picnic, or a drink and card games at the pub.
We believe firmly in the wonder of singing together. Today we welcomed another organisation using the power of collective song to empower, build connection, confidence and joy.
Our guest speaker: Kate Wareham
The Choir With No Name is a unique community choir made up of people who have experienced homelessness or marginalisation. Kate Wareham, their CEO, shared some of the community’s moving stories about how music creates a safe, inclusive space where people find their voices.
Kate has a PhD in music psychology, focusing on music and homelessness. Before Choir with No Name, she worked in community and arts organisations including The Children’s Society, Yorkshire Dance, St John Ambulance and Home-Start.
We were also led through some fun games by our resident Games Master Matt Lockwood.
Our songs
As usual, there were four pop songs performed by our Sunday Assembly London band. They reflected today’s theme.
Sing – Travis
Make Your Own Kind of Music – Mama Cass Elliot
Your Song – Elton John
Scare Away the Dark – Passenger
And talking of choirs…
Would you like to join our next community choir: rehearsing on 22nd October and performing a song at our assembly on 2nd November?
Or perhaps you like to make something for the Halloween Bake Off that’ll be taking place at our assembly on 19th October? Find out more about our assembly-adjacent activities here.
About Sunday Assembly London
Sunday Assembly London is your regular and reliable stop for a welcoming, accessible and inspiring Sunday community, where you can hear talks and poetry, sing songs and make new friends.
Stay after for tea, biscuits, and chat in the Backyard Comedy Club. Then join us for a local meal, picnic, or a drink and card games at the pub.
We live in a weird world! And according to polls, over half the UK population believes some it may be down to paranormal phenomena.
Every ancient society we know of had some kind of supernatural belief system. Statistics suggest, even today, a steady increase in interest in this realm of enquiry.
But can belief in, and reported experience of, paranormal phenomena, actually be explained in terms of psychological factors?
Our guest speaker: Chris French
We welcomed back Professor Chris French, Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. Chris talked about the remarkable field of anomalistic psychology: the psychology of strange experiences and behaviours.
Chris’s entertaining, insightful talk demonstrated the scientific backing for healthy scepticism.
As usual, there were four pop songs performed by our Sunday Assembly London band. They reflected today’s theme and today’s date.
Bad Day – Daniel Powter
Ghost Riders in the Sky – Johnny Cash
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
September – Earth, Wind & Fire (it’s about the 21st of September!)
Thank you to the volunteers who stepped up to become our impromptu singers alongside our band. A true Earth, Wind & Choir Day!
Autumn Awesomeness
Talking of choirs, would you like to join our next community choir: rehearsing on 22nd October and performing a song at our assembly on 2nd November? Or perhaps you like to make something for the Halloween Bake Off that’ll be taking place at our assembly on 19th October? Find out more about our assembly-adjacent activities here.
Thank you
What a great blend of attendees we had today too. From regulars who’ve been coming since Sunday Assembly London started in 2013, to first-timers, to visitors from Sunday Assembly Brighton and Sunday Assembly LA!
There’ll be even more intercity assembling at Sunday Assembly’s annual gathering happening next weekend in Glasgow. Details here.
About Sunday Assembly London
Sunday Assembly London is your regular and reliable stop for a welcoming, accessible and inspiring Sunday community, where you can hear talks and poetry, sing songs and make new friends.
Stay after for tea, biscuits, and chat in the Backyard Comedy Club. Then join us for a local meal, picnic, or a drink and card games at the pub.
Sunday Assembly’s annual global conference! This was an opportunity to meet people from all over the world in Glasgow on 25th – 28th September.
As described by our hosts, Sunday Assembly Glasgow:
‘Every year members of different Sunday Assemblies across the UK, Europe and America come together in celebration, through a programme of talks, workshops and activities, that help us live by our motto to Live Better, Help Often and Wonder More. This year, we at Sunday Assembly Glasgow are excited to host the gathering and welcome people to our incredible city.
The conference is open to any Sunday Assembly members or supporters, and anyone interested in celebrating life with us. Children are welcome but must have their own ticket and anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. We can’t wait to see you all!
Expect wonder-provoking talks, interactive workshops, and carefully curated activities that will help you build connections, live better and make the most of your time in Scotland. There’ll be something for everyone, whether you’re an organiser looking to develop your assembly, an assembly member looking to feel more connected to our network, or if you simply want to come along and celebrate life with like-minded people. And of course, there’ll be plenty of fun, food, singing and live music from a mega band of Sunday Assembly musicians from around the world.
If finding affordable accommodation is an issue then please get in touch. We have some members with spare rooms that may be able to offer a bed for the weekend. Send us a message on Instagram or by email hello@sundayassemblyglasgow.com and we will do our very best to find a place for you.
For those who are considering buying tickets, there is an incentive to buy soon: anyone buying a full priced weekend ticket between now and the end of August will be entered into a draw to win 2 Ceilidh tickets for Sloan’s Ceilidh on the Friday night of the gathering. It’s a great night, lots of fun in a beautiful historical building in the heart of the city.
The Glasgow Gathering is for members from around the world, as well as those who are new to Sunday Assembly and interested in learning, celebrating and making connections with us. So if you have friends who are interested in Sunday Assembly but can’t commit to regular meetings, please do bring them along.
There are also some subsidised tickets available at the very reduced rate of £40, for those who may not otherwise be able to attend.
These tickets may be purchased by those who meet one of the following criteria:
In full time education; Not receiving a waged income; Receiving income support (including pension credit), government assistance or other social security support.
(Subsidised tickets are very limited and you may only book one per order. If you’re not sure whether you qualify please get in touch to check.).’
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