79
+ − 1 <?xml version='1.0'?>
+ − 2 <?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="../../../lib/xml/doc.xsl" ?>
+ − 3 <!DOCTYPE doc SYSTEM "../../../lib/xml/doc.dtd" >
+ − 4 <doc>
+ − 5 <head>
+ − 6 <title>Meeting for Sufferings 2015-07-04</title>
+ − 7 <author>Henry S. Thompson</author>
+ − 8 <date> 4 Jul 2015</date>
+ − 9 </head>
+ − 10 <body>
+ − 11 <div>
+ − 12 <title>Introduction</title>
+ − 13 <p>Henry Thompson and Kate Arnot were present, representing SE Scotland on
+ − 14 Sufferings for the first time. As many of those in the room were new, the
+ − 15 morning's sessions were devoted to introducing Meeting for Sufferings: its
+ − 16 history, its
+ − 17 work, its procedures, its place in the overall structure of BYM.</p>
+ − 18 <p>We were reminded that Suffering is once again, harking back to its
+ − 19 origins in the 1670s, responsible for recording the names and situations of any
+ − 20 Friend in court or in prison for conscience's sake.</p>
+ − 21 <note notInPDF="true">Have an occasional meeting with the QL, QPSW and MfS representatives from AM?</note>
+ − 22 <p>Paul Parker offered the insight that MfS are the only part of BYM who
+ − 23 have, on a regular and ongoing basis, an overview of <emph>all</emph> the
+ − 24 activities of and within BYM, centrally and locally, internally and externally.</p>
+ − 25 <p>The words "visionary and prophetic" recurred, from many different people
+ − 26 throughout the morning, as the core role of MfS.</p>
+ − 27 <note notInPDF="true">To arrangements c'tee: Please may we have <emph>everything</emph>
+ − 28 electronically: the papers distributed on the day as well as everything else.
+ − 29 Sorry if they were online somewhere, I looked but couldn't find them.</note>
+ − 30 </div>
+ − 31 <div>
+ − 32 <title>Actual business</title>
+ − 33 <p>We received minutes from Yearly Meeting 2015, particularly <link href="http://www.quaker.org.uk/sites/default/files/YM-2015-Minutes.doc">Minute 36</link>, now being referred to as the "Call for Equality".</p>
+ − 34 <p>Paula Harvey, Friends House, is contact point for information about an
+ − 35 (invitation-only) threshing event at Woodbrooke in September to explore actions
+ − 36 in progress or contemplated with respect to BYM engagement with the problem of
+ − 37 housing, led by Quaker Housing Trust.</p>
+ − 38 <p>Refugees/migrants/Mediterranean -- QCEA have an Alert Network, which you
+ − 39 can <link>join online</link> to receive information about how you can help with
+ − 40 actions they are recommending.</p>
+ − 41 <note notInPDF="true">Arrangements: We heard this morning that one of the ?requirements? for a
+ − 42 minute coming to MfS is for the action requested from MfS is clear: If such
+ − 43 action(s) are in fact stated, and were endorsed explicitly in the minutes
+ − 44 offered to be taken on draft, it would be more likely that the draft minutes
+ − 45 would be accepted straightaway.</note>
+ − 46 <note notInPDF="true">We <emph>don't</emph> want MfS to get mired down in discussions about
+ − 47 housing politics, welfare/benefit reform or other <emph>symptoms</emph> of
+ − 48 inequality. . .</note>
+ − 49 </div>
+ − 50 </body>
+ − 51 </doc>
