Cristela Martinez, El Salvador Yearly Meeting Photo: courtesy FWCC
Yearly Meeting special interest sessions 5
‘Speak about Quakerism when asked; live in such a way to be asked.’
Quaker World Relations Committee (QWRC) provided four opportunities for those attending Yearly Meeting to worship with Friends from around the world. Each half hour blended Meeting for Worship was led by a different section of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC).
On Saturday morning Alfred Wasike, the general secretary of Uganda Friends Church, spoke of what Quakers in his country are doing, and their plans for the future.
He highlighted their work on the climate crisis and supporting those most vulnerable to its effects, as well as giving Friends a flavour of the challenges faced by the church. Alfred shared Uganda Friends Church’s strategic plan, based around a Mvule tree, a tropical tree that takes a long time to grow but is strong and provides very hard wood. Core values serve as the trunk, mangoes represent the key strategic pillars, and oranges carry the strategic goals.
On Saturday evening technical difficulties prevented Cristela Martinez, from El Salvador Yearly Meeting and the FWCC Traveling Ministry Corps program group, from being able to join the Friends gathered. As a plan B, Ruth Homer of QWRC, was able to share a short video that Cristela appeared in, made by the FWCC Section of the Americas. This video showed part of a bilingual online gathering the section held earlier this year called ‘Walking with the Bible’, in which three Friends from Latin America shared a passage from the Bible that was important to them and tried to explain what they felt God was saying to them. Cristela shared her reflections on Psalm 23.
On Sunday Friends heard from Kasia Kaczmarkiewicz, a Polish Quaker and clerk of Central European Gathering.
Kasia told the Meeting that Quakerism is not well known in Poland, but that there are several worshipping groups, as well as isolated Friends, around the country. She finds that Quakers are often confused with the Amish or Mormons, but that those who learn more are often ‘surprised and interested’ in the testimonies and Quaker practice. She shared something a fellow Quaker in Poland said: ‘Speak about Quakerism when asked, live in such a way to be asked.’ She has found that questions are asked when she does something ‘helpful, useful, which shines through with Quaker values’ or when Friends act together as a community.
On Sunday evening Myron Guachalla, of Bolivia Central Yearly Meeting, led the Meeting in semi-programmed worship. He began by offering up a prayer, then gave ministry to the assembled Friends.
He reflected on the challenges of recent years – war, pandemic, bereavement – ‘but there are some things that we need to give thanks for as well’. He gave thanks for Friends helping in Ukraine, the Covid vaccine, those people who have been able to recover from Covid, for those gathered at Friends House, being able to worship with Friends around the world via the internet… ‘the Lord gives us so many blessings as well’.
‘We can still help… and because of the blessings, we have a reason to be in peace because we know we can do something and we know that God is helping in many ways… We will get through these times together as Friends, we’ll help each other and try to help our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, we are a powerful force around the world and God is with us… please bear in mind that you have God and a family all over the world… God bless us all as we go through this time of uncertainty… we need to have that peace beyond all understanding and be sensitive to help in every way we are needed.’
Yearly Meeting special interest sessions reporting by Alastair Reid, Annique Seddon, Elinor Smallman, Joseph Jones, Laurence Hall, Rebecca Hardy and Sarah FitzGerald.
