Thought for the Week: Being a Quaker today
Mary Penny reflects on being a Quaker today
At the time of the second Summer Gathering I was invited to cater for the Planning Committee so they could both stay and eat together throughout the event. I then went on to cater for small, low budget, residential meetings and gatherings. It was great fun. Food was always vegetarian, and I enjoyed the challenge of being as inclusive as possible while catering for a variety of special needs – even for the person who put ‘vegan’ just to see what turned up!
Not long ago I attended a large Quaker conference. The accommodation was of a high standard and at mealtimes, with great generosity, arrangements were made for Friends to sit in ‘friendship’ groups rather than grouped as vegetarian and ‘others’. Those with special requirements were served at the table of their choice. I was astounded by the bad manners and the abuse of the staff as they scurried around trying to meet the many different needs of Friends. The undisguised disdain – ‘Why! It is so easy to make a fat-reduced pudding!’ – and bad-tempered grumblings were embarrassing. Much more so the comment overheard in the kitchen: ‘Are these people really Christians?’
It was a very shocking experience for those of us who were at the conference to work with the children, especially when reflecting on our experience of Junior Yearly Meeting where the young people are commended for their appreciation of both the food and the staff who are serving them.
Recently I presided over a ‘Flower Fairy’ tea party. Once it had been established that the five-year-old guest was allergic to Marmite the party got under way, plates were offered and Marmite snails passed over in favour of slippery slugs (sausages) and butterfly wings. Conversation flowed and, towards the end of tea, the hostess, also five, leant over and said, very gently, ‘Maeve – you have such lovely manners.’
Friends will soon be meeting in Bath. When it comes to being looked after by the university staff, I hope all Friends will remember their manners.
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