Message from the Pastoral Care and Eldership Team (PaCET) for Sunday Meeting 31st July 2022

Dear Friends,

Many years ago. Quakers were invited by Churches Together in  Lewes to lead their annual service. The Meeting House was not large enough so the service was held in the South Malling Anglican Church. The old pews had been replaced by chairs, so it was easy to arrange them as for a Quaker Meeting.

Everyone was seated and it was about to begin when the Vicar rushed in carrying a small wooden cross which he plonked on the table, saying, “I think that we need a symbol.” It was well intentioned but a complete misunderstanding of Quaker Worship.

In silence, without rite or symbol, we have known the Spirit of Christ so convincingly present in our quiet meetings that his grace dispels our faithlessness, our unwillingness, our fears, and sets our hearts aflame with the joy of adoration. We have thus felt the power of the Spirit renewing and recreating our love and friendship for all our fellows. This is our Eucharist and our Communion.

(QFP 26.15) London Yearly Meeting, 1928

While we would not use quite those words now, our experience is that we need nothing other than a few people gathered, preferably in a quiet and comfortable room, to make our worship possible and complete. We do not need any symbol to represent something far away or in the past. Everything that we need is already there.

In friendship

David

On behalf of the Pastoral Care and Eldership Team; Bob Harwood, David Hitchin, Chris Lawson, Theresa Samms and Nancy Wall