Meeting for Sufferings: Letter of Greeting to Ireland Yearly Meeting
Meeting for Sufferings agreed a letter from Britain Yearly Meeting to Ireland Yearly Meeting
A letter to Ireland Yearly Meeting 2018, which meets in Limerick on 18-22 July, was agreed at Meeting for Sufferings.
The letter highlighted the impact that the UK decision to leave the European Union was having on Ireland as well as on Britain. It recognised the close connection that exists between Friends in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and encouraged Quakers to maintain them.
The letter recognised that ‘Europe has become a place of refuge for people fleeing war, persecution and destitution in Africa and the Middle East’ and referred to the last public speech made by Christ before his arrest in which he invites ‘every one of us to welcome the stranger’.
It stated that ‘our government’ has created a ‘hostile environment’ and that this was ‘increasingly embedding policies of discrimination, backed up by violence, into the practices of the British state’. It also mentioned the ‘Sanctuary Everywhere Manifesto’ and the need to support a culture of sanctuary.
2017 was the third year in which Britain Yearly Meeting has explored the theme of ‘Living out our faith’ in the world. The letter acknowledged some of the work being done to address this theme and highlighted the plight of the impoverished and the need for a ‘safety net’ for them.
Several references were made in the letter to subjects such as loneliness and sustainability. The decision of Britain Yearly Meeting to divest from fossil fuels was also highlighted.
