I'm continuing my journey away away from exclusion.
Back in April, Ross and I were visited by two of my fellow Quakers as part of the process of my gaining membership of the Religious Society of Friends. Cherry and Roger then wrote a report for Monthly Meeting to inform them as to how I came to be ready for membership.
This is what they wrote.
We visited David Guy at his home in Crosby on April 10th, 2006. We spent a couple of interesting hours learning of David's journey towards Quakerism. David's partner, Ross, sat-in on our conversation; this is unusual, but having ascertained that he and David were comfortable for this to happen we both felt it to be in right ordering.
David has an Anglican background; he was confirmed in the Church of England in his teens. At university in London he attended a meeting for worship which appears not to have left much impression on him. Some years later, in the company of Quaker friends, he attended a number of meetings for worship in Liverpool. Although he liked the form of worship he did not at that time feel drawn to further exploration of Quakerism.
In his mid forties, at a low period in his personal life, he sought out a meeting, as he put it "on my own and for me". Wanstead meeting was a good meeting for him at this point; he was made welcome but without undue demands being made on him. In his own time he began to explore Quakerism, both in worship and business meetings. On returning to Merseyside in 2000 he looked for a Meeting for Worship in which he might settle. In early 2004 he found his way to Southport meeting, where he now feels at home.
David has thought deeply and read widely about Quakerism, but principally his organic growth in understanding has come from many conversations with Friends, attendance at a Swarthmoor Hall gathering, at Swanwick for QPSW, and our own Monthly Meeting weekend at Penmaenmawr in 2005. He has participated in the Hearts and Minds course, and currently the Quest course, together with members of Southport meeting.
No longer does David feel an outsider; he thinks that the time has come for him, through membership of the Society of Friends, to make a positive contribution to the life of the Meeting. This he has already been doing for some time, frequently serving as doorkeeper with all that this entails. He is a good listener; which is a significant asset for a doorkeeper.
We discussed Quaker business methods, of which David is somewhat critical and impatient; but he is willing to learn more about a Meeting for Worship for Business at its best. He appreciates that all Friends should make a contribution to the finances of the Meeting, in right balance with their disposable means.
David's partner Ross lives with the condition Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Increasingly, David understands his caring for Ross as an aspect of his Quaker service. However, he feels that this does place limits on the time he is able to offer the meeting; this has helped him to learn that it is sometimes necessary to say "no". This lesson is universally useful among Friends, and follows directly from our universal priesthood. His willingness to serve the meeting is mature and well-considered. He has been gifted with significant talents and strengths, and to us seems to be both growing in the Spirit and firmly grounded in humanity.
Armed with this information, the Monthly Meeting of Hardshaw West came to a positive decision and I am now a bona fide member of Britain Yearly Meeting.
Whilst this was going on, Liverpool won the FA Cup. As with last year's
European Cup, they made things difficult by
conceding three goals and then staging a come-back. Even then Stevie Gerrard left it
until the 90th minute before rifling in a 30 yard equaliser. Penalties are a doddle
after such excitement.
Sunday was very pleasant as my weekly Meeting for Worship welcomed me into membership. Mary, my friend and overseer, gave a touching eulogy celebrating all the good things about me, I let everyone know that I had brought some cake for everyone to have with their cups of tea and much gladness was had by all. Then we had another of our Quest meetings and, all in all, it had been a very Quakerly weekend.
At this point, Ross and I were to have gone over to the Wirral but the small matter of Liverpool FC parading the FA Cup around town got in the way and so, by mutual consent, we postponed the trip for 24 hours.
Monday itself was a complete washout of a day but it was very pleasant to see the aging Ps. We were there to celebrate father's 82nd birthday. Father liked his book about the Liverpool trams and it should give him a chance to get nostalgic.
Meanwhile, it has been good to have Dr Who back on television, even if it doesn't have quite last year's WOW factor. Noel Smith's Mickey is around a lot more this series. And they've had him down to his boxer briefs with resident CBBC gay boy Andrew Hayden-Smith shining a torch on his thigh. How camp is that?
