Surge of registrations for Yearly Meeting
‘For our comfort and discomfort: Living equality and truth in a time of crisis.'
Over 1,800 people have already booked their place on this year’s Yearly Meeting Gathering (YMG) – thought to be one of the highest numbers in recent years..
Clare Scott Booth, clerk of the Gathering, said: ‘For centuries, Quakers have come together in fellowship to see each other’s faces. This year we’ll be together on our screens, though apart. In deep stillness we can listen for the promptings of love and truth in our hearts and discern the work we are emboldened to do. We’re delighted to welcome so many, particularly children and young people.’
The Gathering began on 19 July with an array of Fringe events and runs for three weeks. Yearly Meeting will be in session on 30, 31 July and 1, 6, 7 and 8 August, exploring the theme ‘For our comfort and discomfort: Living equality and truth in a time of crisis’.
Quaker Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge will give the annual Salter Lecture on ‘Quaker values in South Africa’s Struggle’. She was elected to the first democratic parliament in her country, and served as a pacifist deputy minister of defence.
Sam Donaldson will give the George Gorman Lecture, ‘Old Roots, New Routes’, and journalist Thomas Penny will give the Swarthmore Lecture, ‘Kinder Ground: Creating space for Truth’.
