M&O June 22 Update

23/06/22 13:12 Filed in: SBQM Update

As we slowly make the transition to living alongside covid, the Ministry & Oversight team reviewed the current restrictions in place at the Meeting House and have agreed that masks can be optional in the Meeting House from now on, but we will continue to keep the chairs spaced apart. Also, those who want to shake hands at the end of meeting can now do this but please be aware that not everyone may feel ready to shake hands with others yet. We will continue to keep disinfectant spray at the front entrance.

We are exploring ways to have some sort of a Quaker presence at Queens University Belfast and are in the process of assembling a group to take this forward. We are starting with small beginnings and hope to have some sort of presence at Freshers Fair in the Autumn.

We have been looking at our unwritten Quaker conventions and practices as well as Quaker Jargon. We hope to produce a leaflet with explanations as to how they came about or why they are practiced.

We are also starting work on planning a series of ‘After Meeting Conversations’ for the autumn using the feedback from the survey carried out last year to provide our themes.

The Ministry and Oversight team - Felicity, Jonathan, Ian, Kerry, Marie, Michael, Sylvia and Will

SPRING PLANT SALE FOR QUAKER SERVICE

08/06/22 14:06 Filed in: Quaker Service

On Saturday, 28 May we held our annual plant sale, selling the seedlings and plants from across our gardens, enjoying coffee and buns together, and in the process raising funds for Quaker Service.

Friends from South Belfast were joined by Friends from Frederick Street, Lurgan, Moyallon and Hillsborough, and we were also delighted that many of our neighbours from Marlborough Park, on their way to the shops, also dropped in and bought plants. To date over £740 has been raised.

SOUTH BELFAST QUAKERS

Quakers (or the Religious Society of Friends as they are also known), have held Meetings for Worship in Ireland since 1654. After a previous failed attempt to establish a lasting Belfast Meeting around 1665, the first permanent Belfast Quaker Meeting was established in 1799, and in 1810 it moved to Brewery Lane, now known as Frederick Street. It wasn’t until 1956 that a second Meeting was approved for Friends who lived in Belfast, this time based in the south of the city. South Belfast Meeting House is an active Meeting with approximately 45 adult members and attenders who worship together each Sunday. Children & Young People also play a large part in our meeting, and we have on average 22, 1-18 year olds joining us for the last 10 mins of our worship, after their own activities.

Meeting for Worship takes place at 10.45am each Sunday at our meeting house ( see address and directions on the contact page )

Alternatively you can join us on Zoom with the following details:

Meeting iD: 4613195026
Pass: 143412

South Belfast Meeting is part of the larger Ireland Yearly Meeting (see details of Quakers in Ireland below)