Meeting for Sufferings - March 2010
At a Meeting for Sufferings held in London 27 March 2010
S/10/03/ 1: Worship
Section 20.27 of Quaker faith & practice has been read in our opening worship, and we have remembered former members of this meeting who recently died.
S/10/03/2: Meeting for Sufferings Residential January 2010:
We have reflected on our residential meeting at High Leigh. The clerks will take away and consider the suggestions made.
Same sex marriage
Further to minute S/10/01/2, we have heard from the Recording Clerk of the success of the amendments to the Equality Bill, moved by Waheed Alli in the Lords and supported by Quakers in Britain, Liberal Judaism and the Unitarians, and understand that the Bill is expected now to pass into law with effect in England and Wales. There will then be a period of Government consultation with the faiths before regulations can be brought in to give effect to the provisions. Staff have learnt ways of working with others and mobilising Quakers which may help on other issues.
S/10/03/ 3: Plenary session: What makes meetings grow?
In our home groups we have considered the suggestion of trying out a new pattern of starting meetings in home groups and then gathering in plenary session an hour later.
We have also continued our exploration of Priority A of the Framework for Action: strengthening the spiritual roots in our meetings and in ourselves, focusing on: “What makes meetings grow?” first in home groups and then in a plenary session.
The main strands of our discussion led on from a realisation that growth comes from deep within as we wait on the Spirit. It is the fruit of the Spirit at work and will become apparent and attract seekers.
We reflected on whether spiritual growth or growth in numbers should be our focus, but realised they go hand in hand. Some people are led from activism to seeking spiritual grounding. For others a spiritual hunger can be fed by being invited to get involved in the work of meetings.
While we heard examples of area meetings helping smaller meetings with their business and outreach, a more pressing concern is the fragility of some area meetings, a concern we need to return to on another occasion.
Another topic was whether having buildings is a burden or a blessing. While in some cases a heritage building, or one offering space, is a gift to the community, struggling to maintain premises can drain time and energy. There are examples of thriving meetings which do not own buildings.
What happens in the buildings is more important. A meeting mired in conflict or anger needs to heal before it can reach out. Being welcoming; paying attention to newcomers; engaging them in the life of the meeting; offering meetings for worship and discussions on weekday evenings, and encouraging young Friends to become leaders have all been found to be helpful. Support from Quaker Life and running Quaker Quest are much valued, but central packages need to be owned locally through the testimony of individual Friends. We could be less hesitant in encouraging applications for membership.
Meetings succeed where they nurture leadership, fellowship and worship.
S/10/03/ 4: Membership and Appointments
a) Membership of Meeting for Sufferings
The following changes to the membership of Meeting for Sufferings are proposed.
Release
- Robin Hawes London West AM
- Mary Roslin West Scotland AM
- Imogen Wedd Ipswich & Diss AM
Nomination
- Jennifer Kavanagh London West
- Alistair Milner East Scotland AM
- Peter Smith Norfolk & Waveney AM
- Caroline Westgate Northumbria AM
We duly appoint the Friends named and thank the Friends released for their service.
b) Central Nominations Committee brings forward the names of the following Friends for service or release as indicated:
Bournville Village Trust
Bronwen Lilley release Central England AM
Friends Trusts Limited
To serve from 1.6.2010 until 31.5.2013
- Richard Bloomfield nomination Thaxted AM
- Philip Hills nomination Kingston & Wandsworth AM
- Delia Suffling nomination Cambridgeshire AM
Meeting for Sufferings Support Group
- Robin Bennett release (31.5.2010) Southern Marches
Quaker Committee for Christian & Interfaith Relations
To serve from 1.5.2010 until 30.4.2013
- Nick Clifford renomination Manchester & Warrington AM
(appointed 2009, first renomination)
- John Dodwell renomination Bournemouth Coastal AM
(appointed 2009, first renomination)
- Annie Foster renomination North Cumbria AM
(appointed 2009, first renomination)
- Jennifer Hodgkin nomination Mid-Essex AM
- Janet Perry nomination Leicester AM
- Gillian Coe release West Somerset AM
Quaker Finance & Property Central Committee
- Robert Card release Leeds AM
Quaker Housing Trust
To serve with effect from AGM 2010 until the end of AGM 2013
- Alison Crane renomination Gloucestershire AM
(appointed 2007, first renomination)
- George Gledhill renomination Tees Valley AM
(appointed 2007, first renomination)
- Alan Keith renomination West Somerset AM
(appointed 2007, first renomination)
- Allan Wright renomination Southern Marches AM
(appointed 2007, first renomination)
Quaker Life Central Committee
To serve until 31.12.2012
- Emily Dale nomination Manchester & Warrington AM
Quaker Peace & Social Witness Central Committee
To serve until 31.12.2012
- Jackie Leach Scully nomination Northumbria AM
Representative to Denmark Yearly Meeting, 26-28 March 2010
- John Miles Gloucestershire AM
(already notified and agreed by Clerk of Meeting for Sufferings)
Representative to Ireland Yearly Meeting, 8-11 April 2010
- Gill Waddilove Central England AM
- Shanthini Cawson release North East Thames AM
Representative to Sweden Yearly Meeting, 13-16 May 2010
- Sarah Coote Hampshire & Islands AM
Representative to Switzerland Yearly Meeting, 21-24 May 2010
- Christina Birch Swarthmoor AM
Representative to Netherlands Yearly Meeting, 28-30 May 2010
- Jan Arriens Southern Marches AM
Representative to Norway Yearly Meeting, 24-27 June 2010
- John Melling North Scotland AM
Representative to France Yearly Meeting, 16-20 July 2010
- Arthur Pritchard Central Yorkshire AM
Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee
Meeting for Sufferings Appointments
To serve from YM 2010 until YM 2013
- Lisa Bowers Isaacson renomination North London AM
(appointed 2007, first renomination)
To serve until YM 2012
- Barbara Pensom nomination Oxford & Swindon AM
To serve until YM 2011
- Philip Hills nomination Kingston & Wandsworth AM
We duly appoint the Friends named and thank the Friends released for their service.
S/10/03/ 5: Minutes & Correspondence
i Area Meeting Minutes
a) Lancashire Central & North AM: Giving
We receive minute 10 of Lancashire Central & North Area Meeting held 16 January 2010 concerning giving to Britain Yearly Meeting (paper S/10/03/ mc i a). We note that guidance about the average size of contributions was included in this year’s appeal letter.
ii Committee Minutes
a) Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee: Dates for Yearly Meeting 2012
We receive minute 2010/01/04 of Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee held
23 January 2010 (paper S/10/03/ mc ii a) recording the committee’s decision to retain 25-28 May as the dates for Yearly Meeting 2012 as agreed by Meeting for Sufferings in December 2009. We are content with this.
b) Quaker World Relations Committee: Report of German Yearly Meeting
We receive minute QWRC 10/02/8 of Quaker World Relations Committee held 12-14 February 2010 (paper S/10/03/mc ii b) together with the report from the representative who attended German Yearly Meeting 2009 on behalf of Britain Yearly Meeting.
iii Correspondence
Our clerk has reported that she has signed a letter prepared by Quaker Peace & Social Witness on behalf of Britain Yearly Meeting, along with other Faith Communities, to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to encourage a positive approach to the forthcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review meeting.
S/10/03/ 6: BYM Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts
Ron Barden, clerk of Quaker Finance & Property Central Committee, has introduced the Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts for the centrally managed work of Britain Yearly Meeting for the year ended 31 December 2009 which have been approved by Trustees at their meeting today and will be presented to Yearly Meeting. He expressed appreciation of the efforts which representatives have made to encourage renewed growth in contributions. Expenditure on governance will be in the spotlight in the coming year so that more can go on the work we want to do.
We receive the Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts for information. We are grateful for the summary version which members can share with meetings.
Ron Barden has told us of ongoing discussions concerning the lessees at Courtauld House. There is concern about the ability of the lessees to continue with the lease agreement. Property Policy Group is considering options and will report to QF&PCC in due course. Trustees expect to receive clear and full information to enable them to make any necessary decision about the future of the property.
S/10/03/ 7: Clerk of BYM Trustees report
Jonathan Fox, clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees, has reported on the meetings of Trustees held on 5 February and 12-14 March 2010 highlighting minute BYMT/10/03/17 of 12-14 March 2010: Prospects. It sets down the direction in which the trustees see the centrally managed work of BYM developing in response to A Framework for action. The core purpose of this work is to support meetings. Trustees believe that our structures and governance need overhauling in order better to serve our purpose and to draw more Friends in who at present are not able to offer service. We should also be seeking to reduce the financial costs of structures and governance so that relatively more is available for the work.
Meeting for Sufferings representatives are asked to share this Trustees’ minute widely among Friends and to encourage them to think imaginatively and radically so that the direction now set out may be realised.
* Members may wish to let their meetings know about the opportunity for meetings to visit Friends House where staff will be happy to welcome them.
QPSW has a new project in Kenya using the Turning the Tide programme to train young people in non-violent means of protest.
S/10/03/ 8: Use of the Britain Yearly Meeting central database
Jonathan Fox, clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees, has introduced minute BYMT/10/02/15 of Trustees held 5 February 2010 (paper S/10/03/B) concerning development of a secure web based contact list facility for use across Britain Yearly Meeting.
We are aware that our current BYM data protection policy commits us to ensure that personal data held by us is protected by adequate security measures to prevent unauthorised use, loss or corruption. We agree with this without regard to the manner of storage or communication.
We would welcome a clear restatement of policy to allow the use of the internet for the storage or communication of membership information subject to appropriate safeguards. We ask Trustees to consider this and bring the statement to Meeting for Sufferings for approval.
S/10/03/ 9: Detention: proposal for BYM campaign on detention of children in immigration removal centres
Further to our minutes S/09/12/7 i a) and b) of 5 December 2009, and S/10/01/4 i a) of 15-17 January 2010, Marigold Bentley of Quaker Peace & Social Witness, has introduced a paper on detention of children within the asylum system (paper S/10/03/A).
We agree to the letter being sent and made public for a wide dissemination of a Quaker voice on this matter. We welcome the strategy suggested in the paper, particularly seeking alternatives to detaining children, who need to be protected and kept with their families. We ask Friends to use this letter in canvassing Parliamentary candidates at this time.
S/10/03/10: Letter of greetings to Ireland Yearly Meeting
We have received minute QWRC 10/02/21 of Quaker World Relations Committee held 12-14 February 2010 together with a draft letter of greetings to Ireland Yearly Meeting 2010 (paper S/10/03/C).
We thank Quaker World Relations Committee and forward the letter with our warm greetings to Ireland Yearly Meeting.
Susan Seymour
Clerk
*Meetings wishing to visit Friends House should contact Amanda Woolley, Quaker Centre Manager, telephone 020 7663 1041 or amandaw@quaker.org.uk
