Meeting for Sufferings: Working more effectively together
Quaker Life Central Committee's report posed a number of questions at Meeting for Sufferings
The last item on the agenda of Meeting for Sufferings saw a challenge presented to Friends.
Jocelyn Burnell, who is co-clerk of Quaker Life Central Committee (QLCC), spoke to the Committee’s report and highlighted how, in the past year, members of QLCC have been working hard on a ‘root and branch reappraisal of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it’.
She emphasised how ‘enormously enheartened’ she had been by the Committee’s response and of her gratitude for the support from Britain Yearly Meeting trustees, with whom QLCC has developed a good working relationship.
QLCC’s relationship with Sufferings was then addressed. The current arrangement of delivering an annual report and being given ‘a pat on the head’ was described as ‘not exactly an interaction’. She asked: ‘How does a bigger, disparate group like this relate to QLCC?’ and ‘How do we make this work, Friends?’
One Friend ministered that the questions ‘certainly woke us up!’ They reflected that having ‘one thing to niggle on’ may enable Friends to be more helpful in light of the amount of information being received by Sufferings.
Another Friend thanked Jocelyn Burnell for raising ‘a cardinal issue’ and added that the question went deeper, into the issue of wider communication. He wondered if Sufferings needs to be ‘more proactive’.
Jocelyn Burnell responded with thanks and informed Friends that work on the strategic objectives and vision for QLCC is underway.
She highlighted one particular issue that the Committee has been struggling with: the pastoral and spiritual care of dispersed Friends, including Young Friends and isolated Quakers.
Representatives with ideas were invited to contact QLCC.
Other Friends offered ideas, such as working on issues in smaller groups and knowing the purpose and objectives of committees within an operational context when reading reports.
Sufferings minuted that finding ways in which Meeting for Sufferings can work more effectively with QLCC is ‘an area that needs more work’ and asked the Arrangements Group ‘to do some initial thinking on this, liaising with QLCC as appropriate, and to report back to us’.
