Hope springs from Bristol's 'Future of British Quakerism' conference
In mid March, Bristol Quakers gathered for their own Future of British Quakerism conference, with guest speaker Recording Clerk Paul Parker and inspiring workshops led by young people.
The day brought people of all ages together to share, listen and envision the way forward to create welcoming, vibrant and meaningful spiritual communities for younger and older people.
Zephyr Blofeld, Youth Development Worker co-facilitated workshops with the help of three young people. He said, "Events like these are really important in bringing Friends together to discuss some of the bigger issues facing Quakers."
The worskshops encouraged participants to explore what Quakers do well in attracting young people, where improvements could be made and what the future might hold. Friends of all ages shared honestly the joys and challenges of growing up in a Quaker community.
Older Friends reflected on their experience of coming to meeting for worship. One shared, "When I was a child, we weren't given a choice about whether or not to come to meeting... now young people have a choice... So how do we make it appealing for them to be part of?" This change underscores some of the challenges and opportunities for increased Quaker youth participation.
Young people agreed that being part of an inclusive community at local and national Quaker youth events has helped them feel confident in their identity and sense of belonging. One expressed, "As a non-neurotypical person, it is great knowing that I am going to be accepted exactly for who I am." Friends felt that there is a real need for them to be intentional about welcoming and nurturing young people in ways that cater to their needs.
The workshops also explored the barriers that can make participation challenging for young people. Many said that it is hard to feel a part of Quaker meeting when Friends don't talk about what they do during worship. It was agreed that Friends need to find ways to explain worship and how they to bring the stillness into their daily lives. There was broad agreement that this would make worship more accessible to all newcomers, not just young people.
Zephyr concluded, "It feels really important opportunity to bring together some of the different demographics, including young and old, to share how Quakerism shapes their lives and how we can all take action to ensure it thrives in the years ahead."
What could a local development worker do in your Quaker meeting?
If your meeting would like to have a conference about building all-age community, or any other subject, please get in touch with your local or children's and youth development worker.