‘It is a complex issue, but Friends were heard with kindness and compassion.’
A welcome, change: Tricia Bridgewater reports from gathering of Crynwyr Cymru/Quakers in Wales
‘Hug, hug, hug. Shared, connecting, kind.’
We were delighted that our blended Meeting went ahead this year – last year’s had to be changed to online-only due to train strikes. Heat and humidity had been forecast, and arrived about noon, but the mist and rain that met us when we arrived in Swansea station was a bit of a surprise, and caught some Friends unawares.
Attenders in person were made very welcome by the kind Friends of Swansea Meeting, with teas, coffees and biscuits. I had travelled a long way, including an overnight stop. It’s much easier, quicker and cheaper to Zoom-in online, but for me it was so much better to be there. ‘Would you like a drink?’; ‘Do take one of my juicy nectarines, I grew them in my conservatory’. ‘There is a hand dryer in the ladies if you want to dry out your clothes a bit’. ‘How lovely to see you again!’ Hug, hug, hug. Shared, connecting, kind.
Our Meeting started with an announcement: our Crynwyr Cymru / Quakers in Wales (CCQW) co-ordinator, Laura, had accepted another role and would sadly be leaving us. Laura has done so much for us during a period of huge change and innovation. Her insight, enthusiasm, energy, willingness and flexibility have made many things possible; this would have been much more challenging, or in fact impossible, without her. Laura has worked with individuals and groups of Friends all across Wales, on a really broad range of issues; she has brought much-valued advice and help to all. We wished her all the best for the future, and thanked her profusely for all she has done for us.
We were thirty-one Friends for the morning session, in which we were taken through the business by one of our co-clerks and our assistant clerk, both of whom were present in Swansea. Eleven Friends in total were in Swansea, with twenty joining via Zoom. We had a few of the technical problems that always seem to be a feature of blended Meetings, more complex for us because of the radio system used by the Welsh translator. These difficulties were addressed throughout the Meeting by our CCQW co-ordinator, and a technically-able Friend from Swansea Meeting. Nevertheless, some Friends on Zoom had some problems with the sound from time to time, which must have been very frustrating and disconnecting. In my experience, blended Meetings are really tricky, and need very good equipment if everyone is to feel included.
The Meeting followed the usual agenda format. Under ‘minutes received’ we considered whether we should translate the Bristol commitment to climate change into Welsh. We felt strongly that this type of document (and commitment) was a very important step, and was something we would like to develop ourselves for Wales, rather than adopt the Bristol one. We had some discussion about how we might do this. On the one hand, Friends have limited time and energy; on the other, the climate crisis is urgent. A call for ideas for content is going out to Local Meetings to start the process off.
Among the reports was a verbal account from one of three Friends who had attended the Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations Meeting in June, at Llangasty retreat house near Brecon. She noted the importance of religious input to our devolved government in Wales, and the vital role of chaplaincy for Senedd Members, especially given that one had taken his own life.
One of our recently-formed groups – Gyda’n Gilydd (Communication, Website and Outreach) – reported on its recent activities, and the preparations for outreach and input to the National Eisteddfod this summer on the Llŷn Peninsular. The Eisteddfod is the big annual Welsh cultural festival that is attended by thousands of Welsh speakers and Welsh learners. Friends will be there throughout the week as usual, offering opportunities to worship with Friends, as well as the chance to find out more about Quakers and a listening ear to anyone who needs it.
The trustees report from 2022 reminded us of all the ways in which CCQW brings Friends together across Wales, including our all-Wales online Meetings for Worship (both English speaking ones and Welsh speaking ones), regular online chats in Welsh, and, for Symud Ymalen (Moving Forwards), our process for bringing together the trustees functions of our four Area Meetings and CCQW into one charity, to which we have recently all agreed.
At the end of the morning we came to the loyal address Quakers had given to Charles Mountbatten-Windsor ahead of his coronation. Erica Thomas had attended from Wales, and gave us an entertaining and interesting report of the day, including the difficulties of getting an electric wheelchair into, around, and out of Buckingham Palace. We went on to discern whether or not we, as Quakers, should take part in such an event. Friends were not united on this matter, and spoke with feeling – on the one hand about propping up and sanctioning institutions that promote white privilege, and, on the other, sowing seeds of a different kind of society by our presence and our input. Some stressed our testimonies to simplicity and equality; others reminded us that not all Friends are anti-monarchists. It is a complex issue, but Friends were heard with kindness and compassion.
Our afternoon session usually focusses on one issue of concern. In this Meeting we heard from two very different Eva Koch scholars about their work on anti-racism. Meredith Freeman encouraged white Friends to get in touch with her about how we felt about our skin colour, and about working towards being an anti-racist church. This should start with Friends being truthful about how things really are, and then being prepared to move into uncomfortable spaces. Kate McNally spoke about moving from learning towards action, and reparations for the slave trade. This followed her survey of Friends across the UK, which sought to find out where people were at, how they could make progress with their journey, and what they would need to help them. Friends spoke of racism in Wales often not being a ‘White’ issue, but more a matter of different languages, cultures, nationalities, and how we actually live together in rural and urban areas. We will be continuing this work on anti-racism in the near future.
Swansea Friends made wonderful cakes to finish off the day. We enjoyed them before heading back out into the heat of the afternoon.
Tricia is from North Wales Area Meeting/CCR Gogledd Cymru.
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