October’s Meeting of Friends in Wales: Carolyn Sansom attends

‘Our four Area Meeting “fingers”, and the MFW “thumb”, could be tightly knitted together, like a glove.’

It was good to see the faces of the sixty Friends attending Meeting of Friends in Wales (MFW) via Zoom in October. We were efficiently led through the business by our clerking team. As usual, the business was a mix of matters internal to MFW, those relating to other Quaker bodies, and those regarding our wider witness. Among these was a review of our finances, and hearing updates from various committees and groups. We also heard the submission to Yearly Meeting Agenda Committee, which summarises those matters that have been of most concern to us over the past year. We considered the proposed move of the Museum of Military Medicine to Cardiff Bay from Aldershot, and agreed to ask Friends and Meetings to take this forward ‘as led’. We were pleased to welcome our new administrator Laura Karadog. Jules Montgomery was thanked for her thirteen years of faithful and efficient service.

After a welcome comfort break, we considered the main item on the agenda, the report of the Symud Ymlaen/Moving Forward Group. This item was introduced by Lesley Richards. The group was set up by MFW to consult on and consider ways of simplifying Quaker structures in Wales and the Marches, in order to ‘release more time, energy and enthusiasm of Friends for the tasks of the spirit’. The group’s proposal to amalgamate the five existing charities (North, Mid and South Wales Area Meetings and Southern Marches Area Meeting, plus MFW) into one single charity has already been accepted.

Jonathan Carmichael, the Simpler Meetings project manager for Britain Yearly Meeting, put the work of the group into the wider British context. Several of his points struck me forcibly. First was his observation that ‘the Quaker way’ turns out to be variable! What he perceives as common though, is that all approaches are grounded ‘by Quaker principles’. Jonathan reminded us that Quaker faith & practice more often outlines ‘approaches’ rather than ‘directives’.

Jonathan shared some useful tips, such as seeking to ensure continuity in the people involved in any process of change. He acknowledged that many people find change difficult, and that the problems discussed with him so far have tended to focus on control of decision making and money. He gave a useful analogy of adapting to a new coat – its new features may be helpful or problematic, but either way they take some adapting to.

Another analogy was shared, which was that the four Area Meeting ‘fingers’ and the MFW ‘thumb’ could be more tightly knitted together, like a glove, as the new structure and way of working develops. We then watched a video, which imaginatively summarises the work done so far. This was produced by the group with the support of Helen Oldridge, our local development worker.

Friends accepted the proposal of the Symud Ymlaen/ Moving Forward Group. When Lesley spoke about the work done so far, she said it was about ‘listening to the winds of the spirit blowing through the Quaker tree’. That description summarisesd my experience of listening as we progressed through the business before us at this Meeting.

Carolyn is from South Wales Area Meeting.

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