the Meeting is gathering

A classic Quaker sign
Originally uploaded by jez s.

There are only three weeks until Britain Yearly Meeting 2007.

If you haven't already got them, documents in advance are available from the Friends House Bookshop (see post below).

There is no need to register in advance, as long as you are a member of a Meeting within Britain Yearly Meeting.

If you are not an official member, you will need to provide a letter, on registration, from your local Meeting. Young Friends can arrange for letters from the clerk of Young Friends General Meeting, if they contact the YFGM office in advance.

Members from other Yearly Meetings will need to provide a specific letter from their Yearly Meeting, or, a travelling minute.

When I worked at the Quaker UN Office in Geneva as a volunteer for 2 months in 2002, I took a travelling minute with me. I announced myself at the end of a Meeting for Worship and presented my letter. The person dealing with notices, took the letter and put it away.

They were good sports at Geneva and a few weeks later some of us young Friends took over the Meeting for a day. We told people that it was 'open day' at the Meeting House and consequently several people came to worship with us for the first time, who had said that they did not want to go to a meeting for worship if there would only be established Quakers there.

I was the doorkeeper and read notices. One Friend was visiting from the US on business and gave me a travelling minute. Following previous form, I put it to one side, only for the fellow to tell me that this was his travelling minute and when handed over, it must be read to the whole Meeting!

Hopefully, as we prepare ourselves for Britain Yearly Meeting, we won't be too silent, but we will soon gather...