Tell Me What You Want, What You Really, Really Want!

If you really, really want to know what we did at this Sunday Assembly, read on!

Our guest speaker: Adam Taffler

Desires often get a bad press. From religion to popular culture, they’re painted as dangerous and uncontrollable forces to be suppressed or ignored.

Yet our desires are really messengers of what matters most. A healthy relationship with our needs and wants is vital – it’s the foundation of personal autonomy, authentic relationships, and our own sacred unfolding.

For our Valentine’s Special, we were thrilled to welcome Adam Taffler, a facilitator and authentic communication coach, to help us all understand how to better articulate what we need and want in our relationships. Adam’s mission is making human connection a higher priority in culture. Known for founding the Togetherness movement and creating Shhh Dating (a silent speed dating experience), he designs spaces where genuine connection flourishes.

Adam Taffler’s website

Our guest poet: Michael McKimm

We were also excited to have some spoken word from Michael McKimm, an East London-based poet, originally from Ireland. His most recent book Because We Could Not Dance At The Wedding is about love in a long-term gay relationship and finding joy in an uncertain world.

Michael McKimm’s website

Our four songs

Courtesy of the Sunday Assembly band, we sang four songs with the theme of wanting:

– You’re The One That I Want – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
– Don’t You Want Me – Human League
– We Can Work It Out – The Beatles
– Wannabe – Spice Girls (cunningly disguised as Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana)

Notices

Topics of our notices included:

– Our Book Swap table (where swapping is not compulsory)
– An invitation to volunteer at the Mile End parkrun on 16 March
– Our sister assembly in Reading, The Sunday Alternative
– Our next Article Club on 20th February – details here
– Our first ever comedy fundraiser, bringing four fantastic comedians to you on 10th April – details here

As always, we followed the assembly with tea, biscuits and chat at the Backyard Comedy Club, Lunch Club (at Nando’s) and drinks & games at The Three Colts.

Thanks to our host Stuart, co-host Alan, all our wonderful volunteers and everyone who filled the room with singing, laughter and appreciation – especially our first-timers!

→ Our next assembly: Everyday Jews, 2 March
← Our previous assembly: Men’s Sheds: Craft, Connection and Community, 2 February