A proper balance
Janet Quilley reflects on achieving a proper balance at Yearly Meeting
Jan Arriens’ interesting reflections on Yearly Meeting (7 June) are very relevant to Agenda Committee’s ‘Manner of Holding Yearly Meeting’ exercise and need proper consideration. Jan raises a spectre of Yearly Meeting without time for discernment – lacking in passion and radicalism – with an overemphasis on managerialism. I agree that we need to be ever watchful for this. We need to be creative in finding ways to counter this drift. I do not, however, fully share his pessimism.
I think a lot has been done to address the problems of too much routine business – such as streamlining nominations business, the use of draft minutes, fewer Epistles and Testimonies read, and the introduction of preparation sessions that encourage reflection and passion on issues of the day. I think the preparation sessions should be considered as an important part of the official sessions. Indeed, the reflective parts of the main sessions are all too short but, to be fair, agenda planning these days has to cope with Friends’ expectations of short periods with shuffle breaks (this never used to happen!) as well as ensuring that Friends with a variety of experience of our Business Meetings are all aware of the discipline. The initial open worship periods do lead, at times, to impassioned ministry, where burning concerns sometimes bubble up.
Perhaps the ‘As led’ sessions could take such ministry more into account. Or perhaps they could be a means of bringing into focus the burning issues of the day, simply by being introduced with a reference to matters – like Syria or welfare cuts – that we might hold in the Light. This year it felt rather like a bit of time to spare, compared with other years, when it has tended to be filled with left over business. Perhaps the residential Yearly Meetings, which are now held every three years rather than every four, should more consciously be seen as the opportunity for the ‘inward fire’ and ‘divine leadings’. Are the ‘sideshows’ more important, nowadays, in giving expression to our passion?
I do think there has been a trend towards emphasising community, welcoming visitors and the value of ‘seeing each other’s faces’. There has been an informal sharing of time and experience together – with the groups fair, a farmers’ market and communal singing. There has also been – within the formal sessions – a sense of seeking to value all ages and explore topics together. All these important aspects of Yearly Meeting put pressure on the overall balance of the event.
After an inward looking Yearly Meeting, where it seems to me that crucially important issues, of trust and understanding, have been explored, then there is, perhaps inevitably, a sense of something missing. We need to allow space in the cycle for inward focused, nurturing Yearly Meetings, where we seek to understand ourselves. We also need to have space for our passion and radicalism when some amongst us will, like Jan, no doubt feel concerned, but for quite other reasons – finding the ‘gap’ in our spiritual reflection and togetherness and wondering whether we are simply another activist group. Next year we will have another residential Yearly Meeting, in Bath, so perhaps the pendulum will find its proper balance.
