Rise And Fall
May. 26th, 2025 08:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphilo There's a question mark over the future of the Meeting House. Repairs to our 75 year old building could cost the Sussex East Area- which holds the money- something in the region of £50,000. There are those who say we should sell up and buy or rent something smaller and cheaper.
This came up in yesterday's Business Meeting and I got growly.
I made three points.
1. We have the best, most accomodating Quaker building in the County.
2. The Area has just spent an enormous amount of money on the Meeting House at Lewes, which, admittedly, is historic but with facilities inferior to ours.
3. They have the money in the bank. What else do they want to spend it on?
I continued growly when the matter of the person with the untrained puppy came up. This too threatens the Meeting (though in a different way) and anything that threatens the Meeting puts me on the defensive....
It seems I am vulnerable on the subject. Well, it's good to know these things.
Everywhere one looks The Society of Friends is on the retreat. Ailz asked Quaker Central about hard copies of the most recent Swartthmore Lectures (which are given annually) and was told they'd stopped publishing them.
Grrrrr. Grrrr. Grrrrr!
Only here in Eastbourne we're not on the retreat. We get a healthy attendance, we are attracting new (and younger) people, we have developed a website with lots of good stuff on it, we have started a monthly newsletter, we have something like a full roster of hirers, we have projects underway to beautify the building and improve the facilities- and all built up from a situation post-covid where the Meeting was rocking on its foundations after the shock resignation of the clerk and treasurer and had a Sunday attendance in single figures.....
I know that everything that rises must fall but I'd like our upward trajectory to continue just a little bit longer- at least for the rest of my active life- which, dammit- won't be for so very much longer......
This came up in yesterday's Business Meeting and I got growly.
I made three points.
1. We have the best, most accomodating Quaker building in the County.
2. The Area has just spent an enormous amount of money on the Meeting House at Lewes, which, admittedly, is historic but with facilities inferior to ours.
3. They have the money in the bank. What else do they want to spend it on?
I continued growly when the matter of the person with the untrained puppy came up. This too threatens the Meeting (though in a different way) and anything that threatens the Meeting puts me on the defensive....
It seems I am vulnerable on the subject. Well, it's good to know these things.
Everywhere one looks The Society of Friends is on the retreat. Ailz asked Quaker Central about hard copies of the most recent Swartthmore Lectures (which are given annually) and was told they'd stopped publishing them.
Grrrrr. Grrrr. Grrrrr!
Only here in Eastbourne we're not on the retreat. We get a healthy attendance, we are attracting new (and younger) people, we have developed a website with lots of good stuff on it, we have started a monthly newsletter, we have something like a full roster of hirers, we have projects underway to beautify the building and improve the facilities- and all built up from a situation post-covid where the Meeting was rocking on its foundations after the shock resignation of the clerk and treasurer and had a Sunday attendance in single figures.....
I know that everything that rises must fall but I'd like our upward trajectory to continue just a little bit longer- at least for the rest of my active life- which, dammit- won't be for so very much longer......
no subject
Date: 2025-05-26 06:57 pm (UTC)