Winter ceilidh in Reading nurtures community and outreach
Reading Quakers held a ceilidh to 'raise the winter spirits' at the end of February for the third year running. More than 50 Quakers from across Mid Thames Area Meeting shared an evening of laughter and dancing and music.
On the night, there were more than 50 people, two kilts and three musicians with ten instruments between them from the excellent Brighton based Swallowtail band. Everyone was organised by their caller, Gill, to follow the steps and moves with a lot of laughter and not too much chaos. The two youngest members of children's meeting were often leading the way.
Everyone squeezed in to the dining hall for a noisy Bring and Share supper, with a plentiful spread. The band commented on how unusual it was to have participants at a Ceilidh get up and dance every number! Suitably refreshed, there was plenty more dancing after supper. The night ended in a gathered candlelight Epilogue, where Ministry of “Saving the World through throwing better parties" was shared and appreciated by those present.
One Friend reflected, “Reading is feeling very blessed by an upsurge in enthusiastic new young attenders in the past six months. Several asked if they could bring friends, which brought a welcome boost of young energy to the gathering. Conversation amongst them, overheard at suppertime, showed that interest had been sparked about Quakers in a very positive way, so it felt like successful outreach, dispelling the frequently expressed myth of us being an altogether sombre and old fashioned community."
This is just one of the creative ways Reading Friends come together, over the past couple of years they've also had home-grown pantos collaboratively written with Quaker ideas in mind.