Forty-five Friends attended the NFPB meeting held on 28th February, with most present at Darlington Meeting House and a number also online. This first meeting of the year took place on the day that news was coming through of the military action by the United States and Israel against Iran. The Board agreed a short minute noting the danger of military action of this sort, the breach of international law and asking that we write to the government to urge de-escalation and diplomacy.
Friends had times for reflection and conversation with one another during the day; on the theme of change as we gathered, and at the end of the day considering the questions brought to us by Hannah Brock Womack of Quakers in Britain on being a confident Quaker voice for peace. We also heard reports from NFPB members of Friends’ peace witness and action across the NFPB area and beyond.
This year is a time of change for NFPB. Clerk to Trustees, Jayne Meadows, updated Friends on the plans being developed by their staffing sub-group for recruiting a Coordinator later in the year, when current post-holder Philip Austin, as well as Steven Waling, Admin Assistant, both retire at the end of December. More details about the post will be made available during the spring.
In place of the normal June NFPB members’ meeting, this year a larger gathering – ‘Living our Peace Testimony’ – is being planned, to take place in York on 13th June. Till Geiger reported on behalf of the working group developing the programme for the day. NFPB members were asked to help publicise this and to encourage other Friends to attend from their Area Meetings. As the project has some additional funding, the working group intends that modest financial support be made available to enable those to attend who would not otherwise be able to afford travel costs. Further publicity will be available soon.
We were very pleased to welcome as a speaker during our afternoon session Paul Rogers, emeritus Professor or Peace Studies at the University of Bradford. Paul’s analysis of our current international situation reflected on environmental and economic pressures, including extreme inequalities, and frustrated expectations, and the vast increases in military expenditure. He reflected that the US administration is shaped by the current President but that its policies and outlook are driven by a wider political project than him alone. At the same time, this is being challenged both internally and internationally. This can feel overwhelming and Paul reminded us that none of us can do everything, but that we can all do something – at the very least to try to stop things getting worse and, more hopefully, to improve the situation. We were reminded by our speaker and others in the room of the importance of solidarity, of the opportunities and urgency of developing a different approach that this moment opens up, alongside the considerable challenges. (We plan to make the content of this talk available and will put a link here when that work has been done)
We were warmly welcomed and looked after by local Friends, our meeting being grounded in worship and friendship, and generously supported by tea and cake.