Letters - 21 February 2014
From the curse of history to the idea of God
The curse of history
Rosalind Mitchell made some very good points about the location of Meeting houses (7 February). Surely it is better to close and sell Meeting houses in what are now out of the way places and hold Meeting for Worship in urban centres.
Our outreach should be to all. It should not be just preaching to the converted. Surely it is time to recover some of the zeal that early Friends felt. They preached everywhere to anyone who would listen and even to those who would not.
There are many people seeking a spiritual home who are not happy with the credal religions. Indeed, these may be seekers after truth just as there were many in the early days of Quakerism.
I would urge Friends to meet where we can and when we can. Sunday morning? Yes, but what about a Sunday afternoon or a weekday – and not just in the Meeting house, but in the street and the coffee bar. Let us go to where the people are. Let us give them our unique message and, perhaps, see more members and attenders.
Richard Seed
Although Rosalind Mitchell decries history, it has the answer to the problem she identifies.
In 1895, when membership was as low as it is now, the Religious Society of Friends set out to review itself root and branch. The Manchester Conference produced radical changes, which led to better organisation and a rapid growth in membership.
We face a similar challenge today. We are completely committed to sustaining the environment and yet our resources sometimes militate against that aim. Rural Meeting houses are not, as Rosalind has demonstrated, reachable by public transport. This means not only that current members find it difficult to attend without cars, but enquirers are unlikely to come. Yet a reduction in the use of private transport is our target.
Are we able to make a radical step and ensure that all our Meetings are held near public transport hubs?
Do we need another Manchester Conference to address this issue?
John H Hall
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