#home groups

While these are big, deep issues, and the discussions were intended to bring us together as a group, I often felt as though we were talking in parallel to each other – that although all of us shared our experiences and thoughts, there was not much dialogue, debate, questioning of these thoughts. Perhaps that was the intention, or perhaps that was just because we didn't want to offend each other, to be too challenging. Perhaps it was just that I didn't really click with the people in the group. It's a fine line to tread I think – to examining the differences we have without making the atmosphere confrontational, and to cultivate a friendly ambience, without glossing over differences.

One of the big things I realised from the home group though was that I wasn't just there to learn from and about other Friends' traditions and practices, but I was also there to teach others about our traditions in Britain/Europe/liberal Quakerism. “Teaching” in this way is undoubtedly a more uncomfortable concept for liberal Friends than evangelical ones, but that discomfort is quite necessary. In my home group, I was at the seeker end of the spectrum, probably with the least certainty about my beliefs, and did my best to explain those views to the other members. It was heartening to find that others were curious about our ways of worship and practices, particularly one Friend, Jorge from Honduras with whom I carried out a number of conversations, each of us doing our best in the other's language. I also gave him a copy of Advices & Queries translated into Spanish.

A shot of our home group

Consultations & business

A major part of the conference, and of my time there, were the consultations – essentially four separate focussed groups. One looked at FWCC's constitution and how to reform the organisation for it to work to its highest potential, one looked at how to make Quaker Meetings vibrant, living communities, and one looked at the role of young people in the Society, and how they can be encouraged to play active roles.

The last consultation, and the one I was involved in, considered living sustainability and sustaining life on Earth. This consultation focussed on what global Quakers felt moved to do on environmental issues, particularly in response to the crisis of climate change. In Kenya in 2012, the Friends world gathering had issued the inspirational Kabarak call for peace and eco-justice, and this consultation aimed to build on that. First we brainstormed ways that individuals, groups and yearly meetings could act on sustainability, before sharing personal stories in the spirit of worship, and moving to consider action. One of the most important concepts that came out of our discussions for me, was the need to move beyond preserving our comfort, and accepting our necessary discomfort.

The group produced a minute which was sent to the main business session of the plenary. I was involved with writing the minute; a process which was simultaneously encouraging and frustrating as we grappled with certain Friends pushing their hobby horses, and haggling over wording. The eventual minute is ambitious and direct, calling for all Yearly Meetings of Quakers to take two direct actions on sustainability in the next year. I hope it will further galvanise Friends to work for a sustainable world. It was extremely satisfying that the plenary accepted the minute enthusiastically, and more or less without changes.

every time we looked out the window in Pisac we were reminded of nature’s beauty

Young Friends

Out of the 300 odd Quakers in Pisac that week, ninety Friends were Young Adult Friends (under the age of 35) – which for Quakers is pretty damn impressive. They certainly had a big impact on the conference, as YFs were involved with planning the conference from the very beginning. We had a few evening sessions, first of all just playing a few games, and doing Quaker speed-dating (without translation, which for a conference where all the main sessions happened in English and Spanish was quite a rarity) we discussed what it's like to be a Young Friend in our home meetings, and built a community together.

Towards the end of the week, coming out of the consultation group considering youth and leadership, we were asked to consider in meeting for worship for business, whether we were called to organise a world gathering of Young Friends – the last of which took place in Lancaster and Mombasa in 2005. After one mammoth business session, lasting probably about 4 hours, it was clear that there was no impelling energy amongst us to organise a gathering, but we were not ready to give up yet – there was something we could do and say as young Friends. This session was disciplined, but frustrating and unproductive. We resolved to meet again, the following night, the last night of the plenary, to thresh something out.

On Tuesday night, we had another 3-4 hour session to try and knit together the previous nights loose threads. What was clear was that before we organised a world gathering of YF with no particular calling, we needed to strengthen the links between Young Friends within sections. Europe is in a rare and fortunate position, in that there is an established section wide organisation for Young Friends -  Europe and Middle East Young Friends (EMEYF), which although it is not perfect, does at least give YF in the section a structure to meet each other. Friends from Africa spoke of never having met each other before arriving in Peru, and for many in Asia West-Pacific (beyond Australia and New Zealand, who have good links) it was the same, due to the huge distances in question. In the section of the Americas too, many from North and South had never met before the Pisac conference. Most people also don't meet those from outside their sections apart from at world gathering – there is also clearly room to strengthen links bilaterally between sections. Eventually then, we reached the point where we appointed a group (typical Quakers) to thresh out what Young Friends can do to improve our connections, and potentially whether there is a calling for a world gathering of YF.

YF at the gathering

For more on this subject, see the article by Elinor here – although you need a the Friend subscription to see that (It was printed in the issue around the 18th February, if you can get your hands on a paper copy. Alternatively I will put up a link to the EMEYF annual report, where I know it's being reprinted, when it's finished...)