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author Henry Thompson <ht@markup.co.uk>
date Thu, 13 Jun 2024 17:05:39 +0100
parents 22e1ae46d6ae
children f3794206f0f1
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1 Henry Thompson and Jane Ditchfield met with Mark Ballard in his home 1 Henry Thompson and Jane Ditchfield met with Mark Ballard in his home
2 on the evening of 11 June 2024 2 on the evening of 11 June 2024
3 3
4 During our opening worship Henry read from QF&P 19.21 (Robert Barclay) 4 During our opening worship Henry read from Quaker Faith & Practice
5 "... I felt a secret power ... I became thus knit and united unto them" 5 19.21 (Robert Barclay) "... I felt a secret power ... I became thus
6 knit and united unto them"
6 7
7 Mark was an undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh, in early 8 Mark was an undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh, in early
8 1990s. He moved into a new flat, and although he had agreed to take 9 1990s. He moved into a new flat, and although he had agreed to take
9 over the running of the University Green Society, he was very nervous 10 over the running of the University Green Society, he was very nervous
10 about being in charge of his first meeting. His flatmate Anna Levin 11 about being in charge of his first meeting. His flatmate Anna Levin
22 Central Edinburgh on account of its large size. 23 Central Edinburgh on account of its large size.
23 24
24 He moved to Portobello in 2009 and joined the very new Meeting in Mary 25 He moved to Portobello in 2009 and joined the very new Meeting in Mary
25 Jane and Alastair's home. Soon he realised he had shifted from 26 Jane and Alastair's home. Soon he realised he had shifted from
26 "going to" Central Edinburgh to being "a part of" Portobello and 27 "going to" Central Edinburgh to being "a part of" Portobello and
27 Musselborough. That meant getting much more involved in helping to 28 Musselburgh. That meant getting much more involved in helping to
28 keep the Meeting going. 29 keep the Meeting going.
29 30
30 He likes the "secret power" quote, it reflects his own experience. 31 He likes the "secret power" quote, it reflects his own experience.
31 Mark grew up in a classic Church of England agnostic family, however 32 Mark grew up in a classic Church of England agnostic family, however
32 not until he came to Quakerism did he recognise the experience of 33 not until he came to Quakerism did he recognise the experience of
48 people's renegotiation of their relationship of with Divine as what 49 people's renegotiation of their relationship of with Divine as what
49 fostered our special structures, Which have lead to us to still being 50 fostered our special structures, Which have lead to us to still being
50 here today. 51 here today.
51 52
52 He recognised then that Meeting for Church Affairs is a vital part of 53 He recognised then that Meeting for Church Affairs is a vital part of
53 being a Quaker, and that meant he was now ready to not just attend LM and AM, 54 being a Quaker, and that meant he was now ready to not just attend
54 but to attend _as a Member_. 55 Local Meeting and Area Meeting, but to attend _as a Member_.
55 56
56 Mark has a long involvement in anarchist activities, and that may seem 57 Mark has a long involvement in anarchist activities, and that may seem
57 to be at odds with Quaker goverance. He quoted "the wheels of God 58 to be at odds with Quaker governance. He quoted "the wheels of God
58 grind slow, but exceedingly fine". Quaker business is very _slow_. 59 grind slow, but exceedingly fine". Quaker business is very _slow_.
59 The call to minister, right here, right now, without any 60 The call to minister, right here, right now, without any
60 qualification, feels very different to him. 61 qualification, feels very different to him.
61 62
62 Mark has a standup comedy routine that includes a "How many Quakers 63 Mark has a standup comedy routine that includes a "How many Quakers
63 does it take to change a lightbulb" joke. 64 does it take to change a lightbulb" joke.
64 65
65 He brought us back to the "secret power" and "knitted in" quote, and 66 He brought us back to the "secret power" and "knitted in" quote, and
66 recalled that at first he thought he was coming to a gathering of friendly people who were 67 recalled that at first he thought he was coming to a gathering of
67 a bit spiritual, and it took a while, years in fact, to detect the secret 68 friendly people who were a bit spiritual, and it took a while, years
68 seeking for spirtual guidance that we shared. You're not just sitting 69 in fact, to detect the secret seeking for spiritual guidance that we
69 with a bunch of like-minded people, rather you may find what someone 70 shared. You're not just sitting with a bunch of like-minded people,
70 else's spiritual path may not be going where yours is. But that's 71 rather you may find what someone else's spiritual path may not be
71 actually a very important aspect of Quakerism for him. 72 going where yours is. But that's actually a very important aspect of
73 Quakerism for him. So yes, he has come to see that Right Ordering
74 does belong as a religious test for being Quaker.
72 75
73 Meeting for Worship and the are a great resolution of the Protestant dilemma, 76
74 that there is no barrier between God and us. 77 Meeting for Worship and Meeting for Church Affairs are a great
75 Right Ordering does belong as a religious test for being Quaker. 78 resolution of the Protestant dilemma, that follows from the removal of
76 [HT and MB discuss theory of membership] 79 the barrier between God and us.
77 Environmental Protest Workshop on decision making, democratic process, 80
78 anarchist consensus decision process, ceding authority to someone in a 81 All three of us shared some thoughts about the meaning of Membership
79 protest in order to make us safe, you take it for all of us and it is 82 and where it fits in our Quaker vision of decision making in worship.
80 by definition right. So the same for MCA: you aren't there, you 83
81 uphold them for the decision the make. 84 Mark's particular contribution to this started by telling us about a specific
82 JD: I agree about the respnsibilty/rights relationship, but you can 85 personal experience that he shares regularly when leading an
83 also take initiative [ref joke] 86 Environmental Protest Workshop on decision making. He contrasted it with
84 MB: Musselb members are interested in a 3rd weekly meeting, and 87 normal democratic process, and the anarchist consensus decision
85 although I'd rather that didn't happen, I would uphold them and attend 88 process. In preparation for a particular collective non-violent
86 if they decide to go ahead. Just because I don't want to organise it 89 action, it was crucial that all the participants agreed to cede authority to
87 doesn't mean I won't support them if they do. 90 one particular person in the group to make the call to bring the action to an
88 [A complicated history] 91 end. This amounted to all of them agreeing that "to make us safe, you
89 MB: My love of Quakers, ref. Anna and the Green Party story. There 92 take this decision for all of
90 was a MFA about same-sex marriage, when (before York) a male couple had asked 93 us and it will be, by definition, right: no discussion, we will just
91 for a ceremony of commitment, and it was a difficult MFA. And the SGP 94 end the action immediately you say so".
92 was in some internal difficulties, where when you won a vote on a 95
93 problematic issue, if you 'won' the vote, you tried you best to get 96 So the same for Meeting for Church Affairs: even if you aren't
94 rid of the losers, whereas the MCA worked very hard to support _all_ 97 there, you uphold them for the decision they made.
95 the people there, to respect their pain and acknowledge it, respecting 98
99 Mark described a Quaker case where a decision was probably going
100 support a project which he would have preferred not to see happen:
101 "Although I'd rather that didn't happen, I would uphold them and
102 [participate] if they decide to go ahead. Just because I don't want
103 to organise it doesn't mean I won't support them if they do".
104
105 He offered another example contrasting his love of Quakers and
106 involvement with the Green Party, recalling the Meeting for Church Affairs in Central
107 Edinburgh which had to decide a response to Derek McLean and Mal
108 Cowtan's request for a ceremony of commitment in Victoria Terrace. This
109 was quite some time _before_ Yearly Meeting at York adopted a clear
110 position on marriage as being "equally available to same-sex and
111 opposite-sex couples". It was a difficult Meeting for Church Affairs,
112 which did eventually find unity in agreement to hold the ceremony.
113
114 Now when the Scottish Green Party was in some internal disagreement
115 about an issue, and it was voted on, then if you 'won' the vote, you
116 tried your best to present a united front by getting rid of the
117 'losers'.
118
119 Whereas that Meeting for Church Affairs worked very hard to support
120 _all_ the people who were there, _including_ those who were unhappy
121 with the result, to respect their pain and acknowledge it, respecting
96 that of God in the people on the "other side". 122 that of God in the people on the "other side".
97 We are happy to recommend membership for MB, it's "a full stop on my 123
98 process of discernment on whether I should become a Member" and it 124 We are happy to recommend membership for Mark Ballard. Mark said
99 fills me with joy to join in the recommendation. 125 "This is a full stop on my process of discernment on whether I should
126 become a Member" and "it fills me with joy to join in the
127 recommendation".
128
129 Mark Ballard
130 Jane Ditchfield
131 Henry Thompson