April 2007

To Friends everywhere.

We greet you as we meet at Friends' School, Lisburn, in Northern Ireland, on sunny spring days, with the cherry blossom already visible. This message comes from Ireland Yearly Meeting held from 12th to 15th April 2007. Epistles have been received from eighteen Yearly Meetings worldwide. It gladdens our hearts to hear from Friends in other countries and to identify with them as a world family of Friends.

It has been a positive year for the communities on this island, who have come to realize that demands are being made to revise self-perceptions. This much has been achieved and progress is being made towards new modes of co-operation.

A great opportunity opens up before us in Ireland as a Religious Society of Friends, a family of Friends in a creative discourse with this ever-changing world where the mistrust, fear and isolation that have inhibited us in the discourse will fade away under the influence of Divine caring Love. We are learning an inter-dependency as global issues become localized and local issues become globalized.

We have heard of the political situation in Sri Lanka and have been given insight into the causes of the ongoing Arab/Israeli conflict and their implications for the single world we share. The desire to have a focused and united movement for peace that will dissolve our sense of isolation has encouraged Friends north and south to hold seminars and make progress away from the negativity of communal strife.

The Quaker family in Ireland also has to come to terms with change. Much as society has fostered isolation and self-containment so has the Religious Society of Friends in Ireland tended to reflect this in theological and social terms. There must be a desire for, and a passionate zeal for truth by Friends on all sides and from different perspectives. We need to be in relation with God and with the challenges offered by different people to us, not merely by 'doing' but by 'waiting'.

Some Friends speak of the 'Blood of the Lamb' and some of 'Holding in the Light' and might find it hard to accept an identity with one or the other expression, but there needs to be a trust that the same kindness, care and love is in the intention implied even where there is no agreement in words or image. If it is not possible to agree we can lovingly disagree but with greater understanding.

An effort should be made to accept the working possibilities offered by translation or paraphrase if our lives are to be opened to the transforming power of love and trust. Thus there can be a developing relationship, a core-partnership with a loving God seen operative in Jesus Christ. There can be the same intention to struggle through to truth on the 'path of inter-relatedness'.

We may know abandonment, the winter of godless despair, but can also know joy unbounded, the summer warmth of God's presence. Our future is to be 'tied in a single garment' of mutuality, of destiny. We cannot be half-involved like the Laodiceans. The half-committed may be more of a hindrance than a help. We must not lead lives that compromise our relationship with our Creator.

We face into this New Year with a positive sense that we can participate in the Divine Presence and transmit it to our communities in word and life. As we celebrate 38 years of work of the Ulster Quaker Service Committee and 25 years of activity from Quaker House Belfast we also look forward to welcoming Friends from all over the world who will participate in the Triennial Meeting of Friends' World Committee for Consultation to be held in Dublin this August.

Signed on behalf of Ireland Yearly Meeting,

Rachel M. Bewley-Bateman, Clerk.

Aibreán 2007

Chuig Cairde ó chian agus ó chongar

Seolann sinn ár mbeannachtaí chugaibh agus sinn ag cruinniú ag Scoil na gCairde, Lios na gCearrbhach, i dTuaisceart Éireann ar lá earraigh agus bláth na silíní le feiscint cheana. Tagann an teachtaireacht seo ó Chruinniú Bliantúil Éire a reachtáladh ó 12 go 15 Aibreán 2007. Fuarthas Litreacha ó ocht gCruinniú Bliantúil déag ar fud na cruinne. Is geal lenár gcroí cloisint ó Chairde i dtíortha eile agus castáil orthu mar theaghlach domhanda Cairde.

Bliain dheimhnitheach ab í i dtaca le pobail an oileáin seo. Tuigeadh dóibh gur éilíodh orthu leasú a dhéanamh ar a bhféin-iomhá. Baineadh seo amach agus déanadh dul chun cinn i Leith Conn agus Mogha i dtreo modhann úra comh-oibrithe. Mar Chuallacht na gCairde tá deiseanna móra á gcur ar fail dúinn in éirinn sa teaghlach Cairde i gcíoradh cruthaíoch leis an domhan a shíorathraíonn, áit a bhfuil easpa muiníne, sceon agus uaigneas a bhacann sinn ó chaibidil - síothlóidh said seo faoi ghrá cúramach Diaga. Tá muid ag foghlaim go mbraithimid ar a chéile nuair atá deacrachtaí domhanda á logánú agus deacrachtaí logánta á dhomhanú.

Thug cainteoirirí ag an gCruinniú léargas ar na cúiseanna a bhaineann leis an gcoimhlint Arabach/Iosraelach agus an t-aighneas i Sri Lanca agus a nimpleachtaí ar an domhan cláir a bhfuilimid thuas air. Cuirfear ó mhaith an mothú scoiteachais ag an dtoil ar ghluaiseacht aontaithe aontreorach síochána a spreag Cairde Leath Conn agus Mogha le seimineáir a reachtáil agus dul chun cinn a dhéanamh ag bogadh ó dhiúltachas an fhoiréigin phobal.

Tá ag teaghlach na gCairde in éirinn glacadh le hathruithe. Díreach mar a chothaigh an sochaí aonarachas agus teorannú is amhlaidh gur chlaon Cuallacht na gCairde in éirinn mar scáth ar seo i leith an fhéinteorannú i ngnóthaí diagachta agus soisiálta. Caithfidh toil a bheith i measc Cairde uilig agus díogras fuinniúil ar thóir na fírinne. Caithfidh caidreamh a bheith againn le Dia agus le na dúshláin a chuireann daoine éagsúla ar fáil dúinn ní hamhain tríd 'ghníomh' ach tríd 'fanacht' leis.

Bíonn cuid de na Cairde ag caint faoi 'bhFuil an Uain' agus cuid ar 'Choimheád sa tSolas' agus cuid a mbeadh sé deacair orthu aitheantas a aimsiú ann ach caithfidh muinín a bheith ann go bhfuil an cineáltas, cúram agus grá céanna sa rún a mhaítear fiú nuair nach aontú i bhfocail nó san íomhá. Mura féidir aontú is féidir easaontú go grámhar le tuiscint níos fearr. Caithfear iarracht a dhéanamh glac go fonnmhar le haistriúchán nó coimriú má tá saol seo againne le glacadh le cumhacht athraíoch, grá agus muinín. Tagann dá bharr caidreamh forbarthach croípháirtneach le Dia grámhar le sonrú in íosa Críost. Caithfidh an rún céanna streachailt chuig an fhírinne ar 'chosán an idirchaidrimh'. Is dúinn an tréigint, b'fhéidir, dúluchair an éadóchais gan Dia ach is eol dúinn chomh maith lúchair gan srian, brothall i láthair Dé. Is í ár gcinniúint a bheith de dhlúth agus d'inneach a chéile i gcomhionannas. Ní féidir linn bheith cos isteach agus cos amuigh faoi a bhí na Laodaicigh. Is féidir leo siúd atá idir dhá intinn a bheith ina mbac seachas ina gcabhair. Ní feidir linn beatha a chaitheamh a thagann salach ar ár gcaidreamh leis an Chruthaitheoir.

Mothaíonn sinn go docht ar thairseach bliana úire go dtig linn a bheith rannpháirteach sa Láthaireacht Diaga agus sin a chraobhscaoileadh i mbriathar agus sa bheatha. Agus comóradh á dhéanamh againn ar ocht mbliana déag agus fiche d'obair Choiste Ultach Seirbhís na gCairde agus cúig bliana agus fiche de shaothar Teach na gCairde Béal Feirste tá sinn ag tnúth le fearadh na fáilte a chur roimh Chairde ó chian agus ó chóngar a bheidh ag glacadh páirte sa Chruinniú Tríbhliantúil ag Coiste Domhanda na gCairde um Chomhairle a reachtálfar i mBaile átha Cliath an Lúnasa bheag seo.

Sínithe thar cheann Chruinniú Bliantúil Éire

Rachel M. Bewley-Bateman, Cléireach