Meeting for Sufferings: March Meeting - part two
Rebecca Hardy reports on the second part of the final Meeting for Sufferings
QCCIR annual report
Reshuffling two of the morning’s items was either ‘Spirit-inspired or genius’, said Elaine Green, clerk to Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations (QCCIR), introducing the group’s annual report. QCCIR’s work for 2025 was governed by ‘clarity, curiosity and perseverance’, she said, echoing the themes highlighted in the ‘Peacebuilding in the UK’ session. A main focus of 2025 was writing guidance on Quakers’ approach to gender diversity – work that is ‘deeply grounded in our faith and yet speaks to us being in the world but not part of it’. This will also be shared with other faith groups. The year brought ‘acute’ issues around the turnover of committee members, shrinking from the ideal number of eleven, to six (mostly due to ill health). This wasn’t sustainable, so Central Nominations Committee is finding new Friends to serve. ‘Some… are put off because they think they can’t do it,’ said Elaine, but everyone thought this at the start. Pleading for people to come forward, she said: ‘It is talking to people you don’t agree with all of the time… It is the deepest faith work I have ever done. It’s not easy… but it’s the most uplifting, spiritually-driven work you could ever do.’
