Quaker News Issue 79 Summer 2011 - Spiritual warriors

Photo: Children taking part in 'Exploring worship' weekend event

“In the silence I was thinking of how my heart is a room” was how one child summed up her feelings. She was in a group of 8 - to 12-year-olds at ‘Exploring Worship – being a Spiritual Warrior’, a weekend event produced by Britain Yearly Meeting staff to encourage children to explore their spiritual power and ability.

The weekend included activities taken from The Worship Kit: A young person’s guide to Quaker worship, as well as stories, visual media and hands-on materials.

“We talked about ‘unpacking of spirit’ and what this might mean,” says Chris Nickolay, Children’s Work Officer for Britain Yearly Meeting. “We exchanged the Hindi greeting namaste [‘the place of peace in me greets the place of peace in you’] as a way of exploring the fruits of the spirit – everyone was smiling in that activity! Happiness was one fruit of spiritual engagement with each other.”

They explored the meaning of ‘warrior’. Are soldiers brave? What if they are only following orders? Is a kitten like a warrior? Put yourself in the place of one, stepping out into the great outdoors for the first time – how brave is that?

And what did the participants find most important? “The learning about worship and spirituality” said one, echoing many others. “I really think I’ll try and use all these things in meeting for worship.”

If you are interested in developing work with children and young people in your meeting, resources are available on the Britain Yearly Meeting website: www.quaker.org.uk/cyp-resources

Contact:

Bevelie Shember
bevelies@quaker.org.uk
020 7663 1013

The Worship Kit is available from:

Quaker Centre Bookshop
quakercentre@quaker.org.uk
020 7663 1030
Price: £5 - order online