Summary of experience in the Quaker organisational structures
(i.e. not experiences that are strictly spiritual or religious )
S.P. Revised 8/7/09, 21/1/21, 14/8/21, 8/2/23
I started attending Quakers in 1971 (Coventry Meeting) and became a member around 1975.
I’ve always attended P.M. (now renamed LM (Local Meeting’s monthly business meeting).
I’ve attended the MM (now renamed AM (Area Meeting’s monthly business meeting) perhaps 80% of times possible.
I’ve attended almost all our annual "Yearly Meetings".
Other YMs' sessions: France YM once and Southeastern (USA) YM twice.
My main local meetings have been (approx dates):
Coventry PM, Warks MM, 1971 - 79
Paris Meeting, France YM, 1980
Wolverhampton PM, Staffs MM, various periods of up to 13 months during 1975 to 2021)
As from early 2021 I am at Wolverhampton L.M.
15th Street MM, New York YM, 83
Orlando MM, Southeastern YM, 83 - 85
Den Haag MM, Netherlands YM, 85 - 87
Westminster PM, Westminster MM, 88 - 2002
Bedminster Local Meeting, Bristol Area Meeting, 2002 - January 2013
Central Bristol L.M. November 2013 – 2021
Wolverhampton L.M. 2021 - present.
Also attended a few times:
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Brighton, Hastings, Canterbury, Amsterdam, Wanstead, Toynbee Hall, Kingsbridge, Oxford, Totnes, Tavistock, Aukland, Delhi, Cardigan, Ramallah, Redland, Horfield; Portishead,and others.
Also attended once: (P=Programmed)
North Walsham; Newtown; Hampstead; Victoria BC; Montreal PQ; Puno, Peru (P); La Paz, Bolivia (P); San Jose and Monteverde, Costa Rica; Guatemala City (P); Baton Rouge; Santa Fe; Walnut Creek (P); Riverside and Los Ossos, California; Honolulu; Sydney; Canberra; Melbourne; Hoshangabad; Itarsi (P); Bangkok; Singapore; Moscow; Stockholm; Bude; Kendal; Salisbury; and others, particularly in Warwickshire MM and in Westminster MM and in Bristol MM/AM.
At Coventry I did some work with the Young Friends group.
At Orlando I was on Ministry and Counsel Committee, then was Clerk to the MM.
At Westminster I was on Overseers, then was clerk to Premises, then an Elder.
At Bristol I was an Elder, then clerk to my PM, then clerk to Premises, then on General Committee (Trustees) as clerk to the Finance Committee, later clerk to Trustees then co-opted back onto Finance.
Also Assistant clerk to MM
As Assistant clerk I was convenor of the Public Statements Group (but had little to do)
As Assistant clerk I was convenor of the annual meeting of clerks
As Assistant clerk I was clerk of a special nominations committee to nominate elders and overseers
I was the MM’s QPSW Representative, as such attended two conferences.
I was on the MM IT Group.
I was on the MM’s Charitable Status Working Group, then as a trustee I worked on rationalisation and re-registration of all (13) our linked charitable Trusts.
I was on the MM’s Bedminster Meeting House (Extensions) working Group.
I was Assistant clerk of Sidcot School General Meeting.
I was on YM Nominations Committee.
In 2008-09 I was on YM Nominating Group (nominating Nominations Committee)
Attended Friends World Conference (Honduras site) 1991
I served for 6 years as BYM rep on FWCC,
As such attended 2 FWCC Triennial Conferences (Albequeque, New Mexico and Birminham, UK)
Attended international Quaker conference on Baptism, Eucharist and Authority (B’ham, UK).
Was member of Quaker World Relations Committee (QWRC)
Was on European and Middle East Section (EMES) Executive Committee,
Attended 8 annual conferences of EMES, all on European mainland. .
Served on Meeting for Sufferings for 4 years - was very active on it.
At YMs I was twice moved to speak to significant effect (1. re CCBI, 2. re Kosovo/a).
Incorporated and then Company Secretary of Quaker Homeless Action (QHA).
At Westminster, organiser of weekly Tea Runs for homeless people.
Many times volunteer/shift leader at Quaker Open Christmas
Board Member of the Penn Club (when they were incorporating).
Was to have been employed by Quaker International Centre had it not been abandoned by YM
Incorporated Friends of Sangam Foundation (FOSF) - a mainly Quaker body supporting a school in India
also at various times Treasurer, Administrator, and Company Secretary of it.
Company Secretary of AVP Britain (also mainly Quaker).
Attended very many courses, retreats, discussion groups while at Westminster, and including a full 3-month term at Woodbrooke,
also two periods at Powell House (New York YM’s study centre).
Active part in revision of Q F & P including As & Qs.
Attended joint meeting of QCCIR and QWRC representing QWRC.
Helped design and run a course at Woodbrooke on international Quakerism.
Served as Visitor many times
Committee of Bristol Inter-Faith Group, and still maintain its website (bifg.org.uk)
AM rep on Bristol Multi Faith Forum
Most of the time I was in Bristol I was a Trustee and/or on Finance Committee
Represented Trustees on Project Strategy Group (re £350,000 Meeting House extensions)
AM’s Custodian of Burial Grounds
Trustee – Claverham Meeting House Trust
AM Representative on Sidcot School General Meeting
Organised two weekly Zoom discussion groups.
Around January 2020 I held 9 appointments within Bristol AM.
I left Bristol AM in February 2021, to join Wolverhampton L.M., part of Staffordshire AM; my membership was transferred in March 2021.
(I had visited this meeting many times since the mid 1970s.)
Stafforshire AM appointed me as an Elder c October 2021
Currently (8 February 2023) I am:
AM rep to Quaker Life Representative Committee (QLRC)
On QLRC's Planning Group
AM rep to CLASP (Staffordshire equivalent of Churches Together)
LM Rep to Inter Faith Wolverhampton
I also regard my active membership of the Green Party to be based on my Quakerism.
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