Simpler meetings in six and a half objects
Friends from Notts and Derby AM came together recently for a meeting for learning on 'Simpler Meetings in Six and a Half Objects', which provided a playful exploration of the principles of simplification. The afternoon was hosted by Nottingham LM, and facilitated by the East Midlands Local Development Worker Sarah Shaw.
The session began with an interactive presentation on the key components of simplification, as laid out on the Simpler Meetings website. Friends were invited to choose from a selection of objects on a table, each of which represented a different aspect of simplification: a patchwork quilt sewn by Friends in New England stood for 'simpler communities', for example, while a blank page on a calendar represented 'simpler roles'. Sarah unpacked what themes such as 'simpler structures' and 'simplicity of heart and purpose' might look like in our meetings, both in theory and in practice, and there was an opportunity for questions and discussion.
In the send half of the session Friends split into groups to explore what forms simplification might take in their own Quaker communities. This provided a great opportunity for Friends from different meetings to hear from one another, and led to some lively discussion and heartfelt sharing. Simplifying our structures and processes can feel like a daunting and complicated task, and it can often seem as though there isn't a clear way forward. Friends were honest and supportive of one another in exploring these issues together.
In the end, of course, simplification is just one tool for shaping our Quaker communities so that they meet our needs as Friends in the twenty-first century. It sits within a broader picture about what it means to belong to a Quaker community. As one Friend who attended the meeting for learning at Nottingham put it: 'Rather than ask, How do we simplify our meeting?, we should be asking instead, What is our meeting for?'.