2021 EMES annual meeting preparations under way
The EMES annual meeting takes place online from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 May 2021. Over 80 people have registered to take part in the event, for which there is no fee for participation.
Theme
And truth flourishes as the rose, and the lilies do grow among the thorns… for the seed Christ is over all (George Fox, 1663):
Discerning how we rebuild and grow with hope
Some background on this theme
In the winter of 1663 Quakers in Britain were being singled out, facing major persecution after the return of King Charles II. Many were imprisoned, some to die there, and Meetings were being closed down across the country. In these times, George Fox wrote these powerful words of encouragement, using a rich set of biblical images.
Our current circumstances are of course much less dramatic. Yet the tragic loss of life, the disruption to life – including the life of our faith community – and the isolation many of us have felt are very challenging.
But Fox’s images remind us of the powerful love that will nurture us. It talks of the unlimited capacity for faith and hope. At our Annual Meeting we want to explore together what we have learnt and how we can grow.
In preparing to join together you might like to find it helpful to consider:-
How can we hold onto our vision and drive when so much of “normality” appears to be gone? What power can strengthen us in our mission? Where do we identify the seeds of hope and change, and how do we nurture them?
How can we witness for those who are most vulnerable in these times, when existing inequalities are even further exacerbated?
How can a “pandemic” – striking the whole world – make us think and act like true fellow citizens of all of humanity, sharing their burdens, rather than protecting ourselves in our privilege?
(Thanks to Evan Welkin, whose article, “Further Exploration of Vulnerability: an update from Borgo Basino” in the current edition of Among Friends, served as a basis for our thinking about queries to reflect upon.
See https://fwccemes.org/news/among-friends-issue-150-spring-2021 )
