World Plenary 2024 - part two
The Friend reports on the first Business Meeting of the FWCC World Plenary in South Africa (5-12 August)
At Business Meeting One, the various committees necessary for running a plenary (drafting the epistle, etc) were approved. At plenary, this included a ‘Weaving’ team, which was tasked with documenting – weaving together – the three thematic streams of the gathering. These were: ‘Care for creation’; ‘Ubuntu’; and ‘Healing historical and ongoing injustices’. Each of the themes would be considered over three sessions, and Friends were encouraged to pick one theme and stick with it. (You kind find our coverage of ‘Care for creation’ and ‘Healing historical and ongoing injustices’ in this week's issue. The plenary crossed two of our press cycles, so we’ll cover ‘Ubuntu’ next week, along with the worship and weaving.)
Simon than gave a report from FWCC’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). This body is tasked with doing the work of FWCC between world plenaries. It is made up of sixteen Friends, with the aim of global representation. It had eight key tasks. First was to ‘prayerfully seek to know in what direction God might be calling the community of Friends’. Second was to oversee the work of the FWCC world office. Third was to maintain and develop links between FWCC sections. Four involved setting the future direction of FWCC’s work. Five was ‘developing and maintaining opportunities for Friends to meet to enrich each other’. Six was taking care of the finances. Seven was maintaining a good relationship with the two Quaker United Nations Offices, and eight was to find and employ a general secretary – Tim Gee, who replaced Gretchen Castle.
CEC had a ‘deep sense of purpose’, said Simon. He was emotional as he told Friends that ‘We want to serve you to the best of our ability… I sometimes think that we’re not up to the job, because it’s hard to get it right’. But ‘God draws us back together when we aren’t clear.’
As Esther opened for comments, drama struck – an electrical fire in the sound system. No one was in any danger, but with the complicated number of language streams, online and in the room, the tech team needed a break to sort it all out. There followed, for online Friends, an amusing ten minutes. While people in the room sang ‘This Little Light of Mine’, Zoom users could hear just one of the technicians. It meant that, unwittingly, he was giving them, with some gusto, a solo rendition of the African American spiritual. The Friend doesn’t often name people who are not at the clerking table, but, in this instance, Gil George of Sierra Cascades YM, we salute you. ‘Let it shine’ indeed.
‘It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. But we are all children, and maybe our village is global now.’
Proceedings resumed with Tim Gee’s report from the FWCC world office. He was best known as ‘that person who sends emails’, he said, attempting to give a report that covered work since 2016, when the last plenary happened in Peru. And he had to do it all ten minutes, when he could only speak slowly, ‘so please uphold me’.
He began by sharing his understanding of the ‘spiritual and administrative leadership’ that he was tasked with providing. He thought of it as Friends gathering around a well, ‘and inside the well is the living water of Christ’. His work was ‘maintaining the well’.
The work involved staff, Meetings and committees. ‘By bringing people together, that’s how FWCC contributes to change.’
Since 2016 the office had: published a new edition of the World Quaker Map; run a sustainability program; launched the world office emergency fund; campaigned at the UN on plastic pollution; undertaken ecumenical and interfaith work; run online sessions; launched a new website; produced a newsletter; celebrated World Quaker Day; reopened the Young Adult Friends Development Fund; and coordinated events for George Fox’s 400th birthday with a ‘very popular’ birthday pack.
Tim recognised that inter-visitation is ‘the connective tissue through which the global body of Friends holds together’, and he had lost count of the number of YMs he had visited. This had been ‘a delight’, he said.
Responding to the report, one Friend had appreciated the online worship FWCC had coordinated during the pandemic. Could it do more of this?
A Friend in the US hoped FWCC would be able to help as her own Meeting dealt with issues around racism. Another, noting the 400th anniversary of George Fox, wanted to know what was being done to ensure Friends would still be celebrating in the next 100 years.
One Friend online got stuck in an echo loop, but it meant the words ‘Thank you so much’ were bouncing around on repeat.
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