Meeting for Sufferings: News in brief
From recording clerk to Area Meetings
Recording clerk induction Paul Parker, recording clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM), reported to Meeting for Sufferings (MfS) on his induction activities since his appointment. He has held one-on-one meetings with almost all BYM staff at both Friends House and Swarthmoor Hall and has attended departmental and staff meetings. In addition, he has met with twenty committees and their clerks to learn about the governance structure. He has also been developing links with other faith organisations such as the United Reformed Church, Liberal Judaism, the Methodist Church, the Church of England and the Interfaith Network. Part of the minute read: ‘We appreciate the energy, commitment and deep spirituality that Paul has brought to the work.’
Budget 2012
Ron Barden, clerk of Quaker Finance and Property Central Committee, spoke about the agreed 2012 budget for BYM’s centrally managed work. He spoke of the reduction in individual contributions, which have been decreasing in recent years. Legacies have made up the difference but cannot be relied upon. The reduction in individual contributions may put work at risk.
Appointment
Gina Fenton, who has been acting head of Quaker Communications, has been appointed as the new head of Communication and Services.
Change of Area Meeting
Brecon Local Meeting will move from South Wales Area Meeting to Southern Marches Area Meeting following the procedure given in Quaker Faith & Practice. This transfer will be effective from 1 January 2012. Both Area Meetings support the change.
‘Breaking the Cycle’
QPSW Central Committee asked for a further letter to be sent to the Westminster justice secretary regarding this bill. The ‘Breaking the Cycle’ bill relates to the ‘effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders’. QPSW was asked to draft the letter for the clerk of MfS to sign between sessions.
Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations (QCCIR)
QCCIR reported on ‘Making Connections’, summarising the four facets of their work. This includes a wide variety of interchanges within and between other churches and faiths.
A Friend asked what work they were currently doing with those of the Muslim faith. The QCCIR representative responded that, as they are only fifteen people, they have not tried to do much with the Muslim community in all its variety, although some personal interaction takes place.
Their current efforts seem to be widely appreciated by those churches and faiths they work with.
Minutes from Area Meetings
BANBURY AND EVESHAM sent a minute about Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) and insufficient moves towards peace, suggesting that BYM join the Church and Peace group. This minute was forwarded to Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW).
BRISTOL has brought forward a suggestion that Quaker Faith & Practice be made available free in Kindle and other e-book formats and as ‘apps’ for Apple and Android formats. This has been forwarded to the Yearly Meeting Publications Group, responsible for Quaker Faith & Practice.
Northumbria sent forward a ‘concern about publicising the work of the Society through the use of film’. This has been forwarded to Quaker Communications Central Committee for advice.
LEICESTER forwarded a minute about the work being done by the Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network (QARN) on the plight of people being detained indefinitely in the UK. QARN has produced a statement on the indefinite detention of migrants and people seeking asylum, which can be found on their website. The minute was forwarded to QPSW for advice.
SOUTH EAST ANGLIA sent a minute about advocacy on behalf of BYM and an offer of funding for this work. The matter has been forwarded to the BYM trustees and will be returned to at the February meeting of MfS.
