Friends at Worthing Meeting during Wandsworth Meeting’s weekend away. Photo: Courtesy of Linda Murgatroyd.
Eye - 28 February 2025
Eye hears about a Meeting adventure, a Friend in the pages of The Oldie, and invites contributions from Children's Meetings
From Wandsworth to Worthing
A group of Friends recently headed south for fellowship and connection during a weekend away.
Linda Murgatroyd, of Wandsworth Meeting, told Eye: ‘On 14-16 February forty past and present Wandsworth Quakers of several generations headed to the South Downs for their annual youth hostel weekend at YHA Truleigh Hill.
‘It was a very joyful time, despite a hospital visit and a punctured tyre, with one couple getting engaged and a first birthday to celebrate. We cooked and ate well, played a variety of raucous and quieter games, took a long walk over the South Downs, and enjoyed some lovely quiet worship, with short pieces of prepared ministry.
‘The warm welcome we received at Worthing Meeting on Sunday morning was a particular delight. There aren’t many Meetings within reach of south London and hostel accommodation that can accommodate fifteen extra under-eighteens and accompanying adults (and their cars), so seamlessly. The beautiful space, deep worship and warm conversations we experienced were hugely valued.
‘It has been a pleasure to see Worthing Meeting going from strength to strength in recent years (despite the pandemic), and hearing of the many ways the building also serves the local community as well as a steady influx of Quakers.’
Sounds like a Friend
Have you seen the latest edition of The Oldie?
Peter Smith, of Norfolk & Waveney Area Meeting, asked Eye this after spotting Quakers in Mary Kenny’s review of Hope: The Autobiography by Francis, the current pope.
Mary Kenny writes: ‘Is the Pope a Catholic? Evidently yes. But his obsessive loathing of war and his repeated insistence that no war is justified and all war is “the road to nowhere” sometimes make him sound like a Quaker.’
Peter explains: ‘She much later mitigates that with a reference to his less Quakerly views on women as material for the priesthood.’
He added: ‘Interesting to note that Norfolk Quakers were represented on what was called a pilgrimage to Rome late last year. Our representative on Norfolk & Waveney Church Leaders Group, Liz Hoffbauer, joined the other group members to meet the Pope at the Vatican.’
Are you involved in a Children’s Meeting?
Eye would love to reflect what Friends of all ages get up to. Do you have any stories to tell, activities your Children’s Meeting has enjoyed, or pictures of artwork or other creations? Eye’s mailbag (aka eye@thefriend.org) eagerly awaits you!
To make sure this is fun for everyone, please make sure you ask for parental permission if you’d like to send any photos that include identifiable children.
