Saturday Assembly: I went to a ‘secular church’ for a service – and to my shock, I loved it Singing with strangers isn’t my idea of a great Sunday morning, but I found myself feeling brighter by the second

Singing pop songs at 11am on a Sunday with a bunch of strangers is not usually my idea of fun. Yet last weekend I turned up at a “secular church” to do exactly that.

Having recently been made redundant, I have felt increasingly isolated from society. And as the light fades and temperatures drop, my anxiety around job prospects is getting worse. My best pal had started going to a Sunday morning meeting, which she said had a real sense of community, and encouraged me to come along.

My scepticism was dispelled after spending an hour in a hall in central London, listening to a group of engaging speakers discuss topics from science to relationships. There was no deity or doctrine. Sermons were replaced by talks, and hymns by pop songs.

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All ages

Despite classifying myself as a cynic, it was impossible not to find the atmosphere uplifting. Groups and couples from across generations mixed seamlessly. At first I was daunted by having to sing in public but the more I took part, the brighter I felt. I left feeling positive, knowing that I am not alone. It seems I have been converted.

Sunday Assembly is a fortnightly non-religious gathering in which the central mantra is to celebrate life and live it to the full. It was founded in 2013 by comedians Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans who both wanted to attend a community-driven event that was like going to church, but without the religion.

It turned out many others did too – almost 200 people attended the first gathering in London in January 2013.

Five years on and the organisation has flourished, becoming the world’s fastest growing secular community. It now has over 70 chapters in eight countries. In the UK alone you can attend a meeting in any of 26 locations, including Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Leeds.

A sense of community

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this secular alternative to the traditional church service has become so popular. As religion has declined, many of us have been looking for something to take its place. According to NatCen’s British Social Attitudes survey from 2016, 71 per cent of people aged between 18 and 24 said they had no religion.

At Sunday Assembly, you don’t even have to be atheist to take part. Everyone is welcome, regardless of religious beliefs. It is a platform where you can meet, tell stories and take part in charitable ventures such as setting up food banks.

Plus, belting out “Total Eclipse of the Heart” on a Sunday morning is cathartic, no matter how much of a cynic you are.

See a list of Sunday Assembly locations here