QCCIR 20-22 June 2025

What is this committee responsible for?

QCCIR helps Quakers in Britain in their work with other religious faiths, churches, and spiritual and human values groups. It does this by reflecting deeply on Quaker insights and values. It writes publications to explain Quaker faith and decisions in theological terms. It helps Friends enter imaginatively into the life and witness of other faith groups, for example by holding webinars. It aims to create bonds of friendship and mutual understanding.

What did it do at this meeting?

A planning group of Friends in the north of England had put together a programme which sat alongside regular committee business. We heard from and engaged with four speakers: Marshall Frieze from Leeds Leads Against Antisemitism; Anton Muller, Lancashire County Ecumenical Officer and Moderator of Churches Together in England Forum; Qari Asim, Imam from Makkah Mosque, Leeds and Chair of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board; and Andy Williams, Director of the Blackley Centre for peace making and interfaith relations.

Eleven appointed Friends serve on the core committee which is supported by one part-time staff member. Friends in Ireland, Wales and Scotland are represented on the committee. Eight of the current members have joined in the last year, with three beginning their service at the beginning of May.

The committee has several working groups and subgroups which reported on their work since the last meeting in February. We also reflected on Yearly Meeting where we hosted one online guest and six guests in Friends House this year, and we began to explore our plans for YM 2026.

The inter-church working group reported on its plans, well underway, for a series of webinars with Woodbrooke in the autumn relating to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

The interfaith working group reported on their recent meeting with a Sikh where they had learned about a local interfaith forum, and discussed ideas from local groups for a replacement structure to the Inter Faith Network for the UK.

The theology and spirituality commissioning working group is continuing its ongoing work as requested by BYM Trustees.

For the next joint conference organised by QCCIR and Woodbrooke, the planning subgroup worked very hard to get all speakers confirmed in time for Yearly Meeting so that flyers could be distributed, and Area Meetings invited to send representatives in the BYM June mailing to all AM clerks. The conference in March 2026 has the theme 'Hope for the future in dark and difficult times - working with other churches and faiths'.

With so many new people on the committee, most of the working groups and subgroups have new convenors, and the nominations subgroup has also been busy. QCCIR appoints Friends from within and beyond the committee to represent Friends on many external bodies.

The staff member reported on her work and that of other staff across BYM who have worked with other churches and faiths in recent months.

The main committee business was reviewing the QCCIR structures and ways of working, which were introduced in new Terms of Reference in 2023. We also considered how QCCIR might work with Continuing Yearly Meeting which may impact our reporting, timing of our meetings and how we invite and look after guests.

How can I find out more?

Please read our dedicated webpages.

Information about the committee is here.

Information about inter church and interfaith activities. This includes upcoming events, recordings of webinars, blogs on related topics, and a link to numerous resources is here.

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