Horsham Quaker meeting is an active friendly community with on average 14-18 people attending Sunday Worship & 10-12 on Wednesdays.
This page is designed specifically for our meeting community: members, attenders and visitors. As well as specific details of Meeting roles, business news and mailings, this page also gives a flavour of our meeting life with details of recent, current & upcoming projects, trips, events and news. There are also details of our Young Peoples meeting and activities.
Roles: 2022
Clerk: Jacinta White
Assistant clerk: Maggie Weir-Wilson
Pastoral Care: Marilyn Quail and Maggie Weir-Wilson
Treasurer: Michael Sturdy
Treasurer's Assistants: Martin Chick, Maggie Weir-Wilson,
Convenor of Premises Committee: Martin Chick
Horsham Quaker Spiritual Enquiry Meetings 2023
After the period of the pandemic when little happened at the Meeting House apart from Zoom Meetings for Worship it was with some relief and anticipation that we started a Spiritual Enquiry Group. The aim of this informal gathering was to hear about each other’s diverse experiences and explore different spiritual insights each of us may have. We had not done this in recent years and so began by basing our discussions on a Kindlers booklet called ‘Answering that of God’ which we took chapter by chapter to discuss in each monthly session. The group ran from 21st January, 2023, to 15th July, 2023, seven sessions covering the seven chapters.
There were about 10 of us to begin with at each session, both members and attenders, some of them new. The Kindlers booklet we chose was written by Peter Parr and as a long-standing Quaker he was commenting on his understanding of Who we Are, and then some of the Quaker Testimonies of Truth, Equality, Simplicity, Peace, then Letting your Life Speak, and finally Remembering. Each chapter ended by giving suggestions for reflection. We certainly found enough to comment on and discuss.
The group ran on a Saturday morning, which suited most people but not everyone. However, we have decided to continue with our Spiritual Enquiry Group in the autumn and there has been a call from some of our members to look more deeply at what Quakers stand for, their ways of doing things and why. This seems very worthwhile and prescient given our new attenders, and even for those that have been coming for some while.
Horsham Quaker Book Club 2020-2023
We began our Horsham Quaker Book Club at the end of November 2020 when we were all in the grip of the Covid pandemic, and it ran consistently on Zoom ending on World Book Day, 2nd March, 2023. We regularly had about 8 Friends and because we were unable to chat as easily as you would in a face to face meeting, the convenor decided to record the books discussed and recommended, along with a list of books to read for the next meeting in a month’s time. This was sent out as an email and appreciated.
We had originally intended to include books with a Quaker theme or value. This got rather lost in the enthusiasm to read recently released or recommended novels. However, looking back some of the titles we included were: Where the Crawdads Sing, Humankind, The Shepherds Life and English Pastoral, On Chapel Sands, Refugee Tales, Hope in the Dark, Silent Earth, and many many more.
The pandemic ended before our book club did but we kept on Zoom as it was just so convenient in the early evening, before supper, to meet for an hour or so and not have to think about taking the car out, catching busses or walking. It came to an end as we were down to 5 regular Friends and we had begun the Spiritual Enquiry Group. Not many could attend two monthly sessions. Also, the lighter evenings were beginning and other commitments beckoned. At this point in mid-summer we are undecided whether to start it up again. It is difficult running two groups a month, however If there is enough demand we could do so. If you would be interested in a new book club, then do let us know with a message regarding Quaker Matters on the Contact Us page, with Book Club in the subject line.
The play ‘numinous’ at Horsham Quaker Meeting House
On the afternoon of Saturday, 24th September, 2022, Andy O’Hanlon brought his play ‘numinous’ to Horsham Quaker Meeting House.
We had a good-sized audience which all settled down to watch Andy perform his one-man show about the life and dreams of Henry Morris, early 20th century educationalist. Using Morris’s own words and objects from the period, we heard how his vision and determination transformed ideas about learning and community which lead to the setting up of village colleges in Cambridgeshire and beyond.
It was a really entertaining and enjoyable play and we all learnt more about the astonishing Henry Morris, who probably did leave the world a better place than he found it, which is what he wanted.
Children & Young People in Meeting
Once a month we have a Children and Young People’s meeting, usually on the second Sunday at 10.30.
The Young People's meeting starts with 15 mins quiet worship together with the main meeting. The group led by 2 responsible adults then moves to the smaller back room for a programme of learning, fun, sharing and activities.
Examples of activities:
- We have made our own white Peace poppies,
- Created a small scale Quaker meeting (see inset image)
- Prepared mini trifles for a shared lunch
- Held a sustainability quiz out of which grew our Tree of Life (see below).
All the adults working with the Children & Young People have up to date DBS checks.
For more details of the young people's programme please contact the committee's convenor via the contact page.
Friends protesting at International Arms Fair Sept 2019
A group of Horsham Friends (along with some others from West Weld Area Quaker Meeting) joined thousands of Quakers at a Meeting for Worship during the week long Arms trade Fair held at the Excell Centre in East London.
All of us found it a moving and positive experience despite many arrests. Friendly non compliance and singing were the features of the event.
Sustainability Project 2019
With Sustainability as a fundamental Quaker testimony, Horsham meeting has started its very own Eco-church style project to look at our carbon foot print as a meeting and as individuals.
Our Young People's meeting has led the way in creating a large "tree" poster for Friends to add their own top tip "footprints" and Horsham Meeting House to add its eco achievement "leaves".
We are also tracking the building energy use over several years and recording our personal modes of transport to meeting for worship.
The footprints represent individual thoughts, actions, hints & tips for a more sustainable future.
The leaves of the tree tell you about actions taken by Horsham Quaker meeting. The exercise shows how we learn from each other & what we can do in our own lives to improve the environment.
Though the project has started this year, we plan to continue for many more. It is designed to fulfil many functions. Firstly, we want to celebrate what we have already achieved as a meeting in making the building as eco-friendly as we can. Measures (represented by the leaves) include:
- Electricity & Gas with Good Energy (100% renewable fuel)
- Secondary glazing to front windows
- Insulation to roof space
- Installation of cycle stands outside the meeting house
- Ethical banking
As Individuals, we have also tried to make our lives more sustainable & recognise there is always more to do! Our "top tips" represented on the footprints share ideas to inspire each other and members of the public using the building who see the tree on display
Pilgrimage to "1652" Country - Quaker History trip
In Sept 2018, many of us took a trip up to Cumbria (better known to Quakers as 1652 country in honour of George Fox's founding of the Quaker Faith) to discover more about our Quaker history... and each other!
We stayed in Swarthmoor Hall on the edge of Ulverstone where Margaret Fell had her family home, and where George Fox came to stay. The rest as they say is history....
Experiment with Light
Horsham Light Meditation group met once a month at the meeting house but this had to stop during Covid lock-down. It comprised 4-5 Friends and was not a drop in group. If you would like to see this group restarted please contact the Pastoral Care team,
About Experiment with Light Practice:
Experiment with Light (EWL) is a Quaker practice which is based on early Friends' discoveries. It was devised in 1996 by Quaker and theologian Rex Ambler, following his study of early Friends' writings.
At the core of the practice is a meditation that guides Experimenters through the following steps:
- Mind the Light (pay attention to what's going on inside you, particularly where there's something that makes you feel uncomfortable)
- Open your heart to the truth (don't run away from anything that's difficult or that you don't want to face, but keep a little distance from it: 'be still and cool in thy mind')
- Wait in the Light (be patient, let the Light show you what is really going on, ask questions if what is offered to you isn't clear or you want to know more, and wait for the answers to come, don't try to explain)
- Submit (accept and welcome the information or images, and the insights, dreams and perceptions that may come later, and allow them to show the truth)