‘We’ve HAD Meeting! We’ve HAD Meeting! We’ve HAD Meeting!’

The clear, almost piercing plaint of a blond three-year old, short on stature but long on memory. One Meeting a day is quite enough for anyone, thank you... especially three-year olds. Dad to the rescue and he is led out of Meeting and into the long green grass of Coanwood Quaker Meeting House burial ground and an early start to the children’s activities.

Some sixty Quakers, including seventeen children and young people, gathered for the third annual Coanwood Meeting for Worship and Family Picnic on a seriously sunny Sunday in September, pictured right. Owned by the Historic Chapels Trust, the Meeting House is nurtured by Hexham Quaker Meeting, who organise the picnic and by kindly neighbours, who keep the Meeting House open, welcoming, warm and dry. Brought back to life by the worship of Friends and the wonderful fidgeting of children, the Meeting House is a reminder of the plain living of early Friends, holding memories of sober ministry absorbed into the fabric of walls and woodwork.

Following worship, and afterthoughts in the spirit of worship, Friends broke into their mess tins and hampers, spread out among the Wigham family headstones and enjoyed sunshine, creepy-crawly beasties and good food – shared. Most Friends then did the energetic thing and went off for walks in the stunning Northumberland countryside around Coanwood before making their way home. Tired, but refreshed spiritually by that extra worship, good fellowship and the plain speaking of young children.

by Michael Long