A view of York from the top of York Minster. Photo: mark-spokes.com / flickr CC.
Shine a light
Sam Cooper and Rici Marshall Cross report on the recent Young Friends General Meeting gathering
We gathered in York at Friargate Meeting House. As usual, the shared Meeting for Worship with local Friends on Sunday morning was a highlight, and, in ministry we celebrated the gifts that Friends of all ages bring to the Society.
We made an effort this weekend to shine a light on what it meant for our Meeting to be a spiritual community, with spirituality sessions starting only hours after people arrived. We shared reflections with each other on Advices & queries, and we were encouraged to think about how we could incorporate some of what we most value about Young Friends General Meeting (YFGM) into our daily lives, writing reminders to ourselves about them on postcards, which we look forward to seeing in the post in a few weeks.
As two new clerks, we looked forward with trepidation to our first experience of Meeting for Worship for Business from the clerks’ table. Though some of the business was at first glance procedural and mundane, out of it we found ways of strengthening our witness of community with each other. In approving our new safeguarding policy, we were brought to ask how we hoped to treat each other in our community; in beginning the process of reviewing our mental wellbeing concern, we spoke of how we hoped to care for one another; in approving our budget, we set aside money for training, with a view to helping our role-holders care for our community; and in nominations returns, ministry spoke of the need for the community to take responsibility for supporting and upholding those who take on responsibilities on our behalf.
We also undertook to write a memorial minute for our Friend Becky Garnault, and, in Saturday night’s epilogue, we remembered her to one another, sharing stories of her heart. We miss her presence in our community, and she lives on in the grace given to us through her life, embodied in the stories we tell about her and the effect of the strength and brightness of her character on those who knew her.
Following our minute in May’s YFGM, we invited the clerks of Central Nominations Committee to talk to us about how we could be more involved and included in the coming revision to the Book of Discipline. We’ve had special interest groups on the development of a new programme to nurture our sustainability witness, as well as planning our upcoming special interest gathering, our website, singing and capoeira.
In between all this, we’ve lived our community in conversation and friendship, eating, cleaning and cooking together, exploring the city, playing many silly games and worshipping together. We leave each other hoping to bring something back from YFGM into our daily lives.
Sam and Rici are co-clerks of YFGM.
YFGM was held in York from 26-28 October.
More information: http://yfgm.quaker.org.uk
