Wimborne Minster. Photo: Photo: Richard Bush.
Shoots of growth
Richard Bush asks: What are the ingredients that bring about new life in our Meetings?
When does the sense of a new Meeting emerging into its own life occur? Listening deeply to one another, in our worshipping community and in our wider community, are aspects of this process that in our recent experience in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, have led to wonderful shoots of growth, from seeds planted many years ago.
Wimborne Friends have been worshipping once a month in Wimborne, Dorset, for over twenty-five years, in a Friend’s home, as part of Poole Local Meeting, some eight miles away. Seven years ago we decided to rent a public space, as more interest was being expressed, and met twice a month on a Sunday evening.
A year ago, in addition, we decided to experiment by holding a morning Meeting for Worship. These decisions were made as part of our whole worshipping community, Poole and Wimborne, and deep Threshing Meetings and Meetings for Clearness took place as we made each step.
We have now taken a further step, this year, by increasing our morning Meetings to two a month and have become Wimborne Meeting.
A special, affirmatory moment occurred on Sunday, 20 January, when we were invited to lead the unity service in Wimborne Minster, as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. There is much love and respect amongst churches in Wimborne and our small group has a special place, valued for the stillness of our worship. Our Meetings for Learning twice a month have enabled interested enquirers and newer Friends to learn more and ask their questions in a gentle, welcoming atmosphere.
We gathered to discern how we could accept this invitation, feeling it was meant to be, at this point in our spiritual journey, and a programmed Meeting for Worship emerged based upon a draft order of service produced by the Church of South India. Janet Scott wrote about her visit there in the Friend (18 January). Churches around the world were using this service plan on the same date.
On a snow-filled evening, some sixty people made their way to the Minster on 20 January. Wimborne Friends sat in a semicircle at the front of the nave, near the pulpit. We had Indian and African music as part of our worship, as well as segments of the service plan we felt could be absorbed, and periods of stillness and silence, including twenty minutes at the heart of the service.
Careful introductions enabled those present to move into deep worship, understanding the nature of the stillness we sought in the silence. Afterwards, those present commented upon the silence entered into by everyone, as they arrived in the Minster, as an unusual occurence! We were seated fifteen minutes prior to the service starting, to encourage this entry into worship. The music and programmed words fed the stillness. Three new attenders came over from Poole, enthused by this unusual experience of worship, as were others present. Our local Roman Catholic priest was there, as were a wide variety of local people.
I spend much of my time engaged in conversation with people I have known for many years. These conversations, not infrequently, move on to a Quaker focus, and, as Meeting correspondent, feel like part of my role. Communities exist wherever we live, be it in the middle of a large urban area or in small rural villages. We are all part of communities. We live alongside people where ‘being and doing’ as a Quaker is part of our life experience. We can build bridges and create connections anywhere!
