Faith on campus

All our regular activities, including devotional meetings, study circles and Nineteen Day Feasts are currently being held online. Please do get in touch with the Bahá’í Chaplain (l.mohebati@surrey.ac.uk) or the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Guildford (guildfordspiritualassembly@gmail.com) if you would like to participate. As things open up, we are looking to hold some of these activities outdoors and at the University.

The dates/time for Holy Days on which work is suspended for 2021 are as follows:

• Declaration of the Báb on 23 May 2021 (8 ‘Aẓamat), which is commemorated at about two hours after sunset on 22 May
• Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh on 28 May 2021 (13 ‘Aẓamat), at 4am
• Martyrdom of the Báb on 9 July 2021 (17 Raḥmat), at about 1pm
• Birth of the Báb on 6 November 2021 (4 Qudrat)
• Birth of Bahá’u’lláh on 7 November 2021 (5 Qudrat).

The dates/times for Holy Days on which work is not suspended are:

• Day of the Covenant on 25 November 2021 (4 Qawl)
• Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on 27 November 2021 (6 Qawl), at 1am.

The entire Bahá’í world will this year be marking the centenary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on 27 November and The Day of the Covenant (25 November) will also be especially meaningful this year.

Bahá’ís are free to purchase their food at any location.

There is not yet a Bahá’í society at the University of Surrey, but please do get in touch with the Bahá’í Chaplain (l.mohebati@surrey.ac.uk) if you are interested in starting one.

International Bahá’í website

UK Bahá’í website

Activities often in affiliation with New Buddha Way (registered charity).

Sunday morning weekly Meditation Session at Roundhouse, University campus. Each session involves breathing-meditation, walking-meditation, Dharma Talk on Buddha's teaching and generally on living in peace, compassion and wisdom, followed by questions and discussion.

Weekly availability on Wednesdays at lunchtime to students and staff needing spiritual/religious support (pastoral care).

• Wesak festival happens in May each year, and Bodhi Day festival in December each year. This involves giving support (mostly food) to monks/nuns, especially at Cittaviveka monastery, (Chithurst), and open-door festival at Brook Hall (Ottershaw) with vegetarian meals.
• Newcomers and Beginners Intro Session 90 mins by Zoom every 2 months
• Two weekend residential retreats in Surrey venues
• Sponsored walks to raise funds donated to Buddhist Global Relief and Woking Foodbank. See Buddhist Global Relief.

Welcome to the Catholic Chaplaincy to the University of Surrey. We are here to support in a particular way the Catholic staff and students of the University in their spiritual and sacramental life. We celebrate Mass on campus each Sunday in term time at 6:30pm at the Centre for Religious Life & Belief (The Quiet Centre) and we celebrate Morning Prayer Monday-Thursday at 8:30am (see newsletter for our venues). We welcome all nationalities and all rites of the Catholic Church in communion with the See of Peter (we regularly welcome people from the Ukrainian Rite and the Syro-Malabar Rite as well as those who normally celebrate in the Latin Rite) as well as all people of good will. Please do come and join us.

Below you can find a few ways in which you can keep up to date with the latest information and get in contact.

• Catholic Chaplaincy website
• Catholic Chaplaincy Twitter
• Catholic Chaplaincy Facebook
• Catholic Chaplaincy Instagram
• Catholic Chaplaincy email: stthomasmoresurrey@gmail.com

Mass is celebrated on campus each Sunday in term time at 6:30pm, at the Centre for Religious Life & Belief (The Quiet Centre). Morning Prayer is said at 8:30am Monday to Thursday (See latest Newsletter for venues)

If for whatever reason you are unable to attend Mass on Sunday you can find some livestreams here: The Chapel – Catholic Chaplaincy of St Thomas More to the University of Surrey (wordpress.com)

• Cantonese Christian Fellowship
• Chosen Christian Society
• Christian Union.

• Sunday worship
  • University Hall (10:30am – 12 noon)
  • Roman Catholic Mass in the Roundhouse
  • Guildford Cathedral (Church of England, 9:45 and 6pm)
• Tuesday – prayer for the University, 1pm.

Guildford has many different Churches from a huge range of Christian traditions and styles. Some meet in obvious Church buildings, others in a range of venues. Some are also worshipping online.

The Chaplains are connected to many of them – please feel free to talk to us about finding a Church community for you.

As in your University life, taking part in a Church or fellowship should be a safe place to be. Somewhere you can safely practice and explore your faith and be you. If anything about your experience in a Church or religious group makes you uncomfortable, please talk to one of the chaplains, the Centre for Wellbeing or the Student Union.

National and local Humanist websites

• Humanists UK
• Guildford and Woking Humanists.

Videos on the Wellbeing & Welfare YouTube channel

• Liz's Thought/The Thoughtful Humanist
• Recommendations from the Humanist Chaplain.

Currently the University shop does not appear to stock Kosher foods, therefore below is a Kosher guide to Guildford. 

Waitrose in Cobham

The largest kosher supplier in Surrey is at Cobham Waitrose. There are separate frozen goods, refrigerated goods, dry goods, wine and bread kosher sections. These supply meat from Gilberts and Yarden, bread from Buckingham Bakeries, Chevington Cheese and some Israeli wine. Both Ocado and Waitrose will deliver these goods within the Surrey area for those who do not have access to a car (though Waitrose can be reached by train).

Tesco in Guildford

Tesco's has a very small range of kosher products including Mr Bagel's bagels, Matzo crackers and Pepperidge Farm biscuits. They have a range of supervised vegetarian burgers, sausages, schnitzels and sweetcorn sticks under their own label marked with a small "Tivali" logo. White kosher wine (mevushal) has been removed in recent years and due to the growth of online services Waitrose and Ocado seem to have cornered the Surrey kosher market.

Sainsbury's in Burpham, Guildford

They supply Israeli-supervised vegetarian burgers, sausages and nuggets under their own label (the one with the hescher!!!) Also, they have LBD-approved organic chocolate chip cookies (with LBD hescher).

Sainsbury's in Cobham

They have the same products as the Guildford store but have now removed their kosher wines.  

Secrett's in Milford, Godalming

They have a range of kosher items. They are imported under American labels and contain an OU stamp on them. For those unfamiliar with this stamp it has a U in a circle. They have one of the few independent fishmongers in South West Surrey and a great selection of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Food for Thought in Guildford

Food for Thought in Leapale Road off North Street, have a wide range of kosher vegetarian products, including Tivali products from Israel and Tofutti products such as spreadable cheese and ice cream. This is fast becoming the leading supplier (though slightly more expensive) of kosher vegetarian products in Guildford.

Supervised and unsupervised bread: Kingsmill bread

The Sephardi Kashrut Authority has approved with immediate effect all bread, rolls and muffins produced by Allied bakeries and made under the brands Kingsmill, Sunblest, Allison, Burgen, Day O Fresh, Perry Choice and Country Maid. The Guildford Kashruth committee that used to investigate other sources of Pas Palter have decided given the widely available range of affordable bread in the county and Kosher Challah at Waitrose Cobham, to remove its supervision from local bakeries for the time being.

"Pas Yisroel" (Jewish bread) is available at Waitrose in Cobham - both challah and rye bread.

This is a list of synagogues in Surrey with links to website portals. The Jewish Chaplaincy has a good working relationship with all communities in the area. 

• Orthodox – Independent: Guildford Jewish Community
• Orthodox – United Synagogue: Kingston and Surbiton (United)
• Reform: North West Surrey Synagogue – Weybridge
• Liberal: Kingston Liberal Synagogue.

There are weekly Shuirim's on campus at the Chaplaincy Centre. 

The Jewish Society puts on a variety of activities including: Shabbat Dinners, Purim and Hanukah Parties, bagel lunches, J-Com Conference. Join the Jewish Society to find out more. Contact: jsoc@guildfordjewish.com.

There are dedicated prayer facilities for Muslim daily prayers on campus in the Islamic Prayer Centre in the basement of the AA building. Wudu facilities and separate entrances are available.

Friday prayers are usually held in University Hall (no Wudu facilities). Notice of the exact location is always sent out in the weekly Islamic Society newsletter.

The Quiet Centre on Stag Hill campus is a shared space available for multi-faith prayers and has Wudu facilities. You can find it on the campus map at E7 near Cathedral Court.

The common room JB01-10 on Manor Park campus is a shared space, available for quiet study, meetings and multi-faith prayers.