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Quaker World Relations Committee

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Quaker World Relations Committee (QWRC) is a committee appointed by Meeting for Sufferings to maintain contact with other yearly meetings and with Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). It must ensure that the FWCC representatives of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) are well prepared to communicate the concerns of this yearly meeting in the wider Quaker context, and to report fully on the meetings they attend. QWRC is responsible for drawing the attention of Britain Yearly Meeting to issues and concerns raised at world and section meetings of FWCC and for offering suggestions on possible ways to respond.

QWRC acts on behalf of Meeting for Sufferings to prepare letters of greeting to be sent to other yearly meetings. It encourages a lively exchange of interest between Britain Yearly Meeting and FWCC, and intervisitation between this yearly meeting and other yearly meetings.

QWRC is composed of up to fifteen Friends appointed by Meeting for Sufferings, names having been submitted by its nominations committee. In addition the Britain Yearly Meeting representatives to FWCC serve on QWRC ex officio. The membership is reviewed periodically.

Quaker faith & practice 9.06

Activities

QWRC welcomes visitors from other Yearly Meetings to Britain Yearly Meeting, and offers other support as required during their visit. For more information see the QWRC Factsheet [PDF: 91kb - new window]

Six BYM representatives have been privileged to attend the 22nd triennial meeting of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). This is the business meeting for the FWCC and it was held in the organisation's 70th birthday year. Here is an illustrated factsheet: BYM Reps at the FWCC [PDF: 125kb - new window]

The European and Middle East Section (EMES) of the FWCC, of which BYM is a member, hold a three-day annual meeting for business and exchange of ideas and experience. It tries to support Friends in smaller meetings, including the small but growing groups interested in Quakerism in central and eastern Europe. Four of the BYM reps were able to attend and have prepared a factsheet about the experience: BYM Reps at EMES [PDF: 50kb - new window]

All six of the FWCC representatives are eager to talk to Meetings about FWCC and the Triennial. They can be contacted via the Recording Clerk's Office. Contact the clerk, Shelia Gatiss c/o grahams@quaker.org.uk

Epistles and reports

These are from the European and Middle Eastern Yearly Meetings that QWRC representaives attended in 2012.

These are from the European and Middle Eastern Yearly Meetings that QWRC representaives attended in 2011.

Friends may also like to know that they can download the full text of Julia Ryberg’s Cary Lecture she gave at this year’s German YM.

These are from the European and Middle Eastern Yearly Meetings that QWRC representaives attended in 2010.