Good signal: Emma Roberts at the Quaker Prison Chaplaincy Conference

‘We were encouraged to look for the Light in others’

Last October, twenty-seven Quaker prison chaplains from around the country, representing all categories of prison, met for an annual conference to explore the topic of ‘The Light Within’. Our subject invited reflection, learning and a deepening of our understanding of ourselves and the work we do. Set in acres of tranquil gardens, the Penny Brohn centre provided us with a sense of peace and quiet that would help ground us throughout the conference.

Our keynote speaker, Geoff Hammond, spoke to us of his years in prison, and his awakening to his Light within. His talk, with music videos, was entertaining, moving and deeply personal. We were in no doubt that his experience of Quaker chaplaincy meant a great deal to him.

Phil Chadder, who is part of the team that trains chaplains across England and Wales, encouraged us to update our practice with regard to security – both our own and that of HM Prison and Probation Service. We were pleased that Phil was able to be with us in person, to remind us that we must ‘pay unto Caesar what is due unto Caesar, and pay unto God what is due unto God’. We may find that prison life does not sit comfortably with our Quaker faith, but we must play by the rules. He gave us a memorable image of prison chaplains with two antennae: one which is alert to security threats and the general welfare of the prison, and the other which is stimulated by our experience of the Spirit.

We had with us our newly-framed and displayed Quaker tapestry panel, designed and crafted by the Quaker worshipping group inside HMP Long Lartin. This panel (left) is now going on a tour of the country, being displayed at Area Meetings, prisons and other events. We are grateful for Sarah Lane’s craftsmanship in bringing this piece to life during the pandemic.

Our two workshops were ‘Exploring Restorative Justice’ with Marion Liebmann; and ‘The Light Within’, led by Cora Gallagher and Carol Harper. The former encouraged us to look for the Light in others, while the latter was an experiential format to help us to explore our own Light.

Several of us enjoyed a sunny walk down to the banks of the River Avon on Saturday afternoon, and in the evening we were well-entertained by music scholars from Sidcot Quaker School.

The weekend closed with a plenary, receiving the clerk’s report of the work of the Quaker Prison Chaplains Committee, some worship sharing, and a Meeting for Worship.

We were grateful for the warm hospitality we received at the Penny Brohn Centre. We were especially pleased to be well fed with hearty meals, made in-house by kitchen staff. Most of all, we were glad to have drawn from our spiritual wells, ready to return to prison establishments across the country renewed and refreshed.

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