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Barnstaple


Meditation is Like....


Sometimes, some gifted times, it is like
a great white bird that glides
on thermals, effortless, with every cell
and feather attuned
to the lifting wind and
still, no flapping of wings, just
an occasional shift of muscles
to go upward again, to touch
the sun's rays, the grace of warmth.
It is tempting to think that this
is the zenith of the soul's pilgrimage -
this joy and rising.
And yet
something, some voice, insists
that when I plummet in the storm,
stagger on drunken feet
on crazy outcrops,
surprised and ruffled, like
a grounded jackdaw,
clownlike and
ridiculous, unable to take off
let alone soar
on the shrieking winds,
this is
or well might prove
the growing time.

Kate Compston

barnstaple

Address:
Friends Meeting House
21 Newport Road
Barnstaple, Devon
EX32 9BG

 

 view map

From the A377 or A39 follow the signs for Newport. At the 'Rose & Crown' traffic lights, turn left into Newport Rd. The Meeting House is down the hill on the right by the zebra crossing. From Barnstaple town centre, we are directly up Newport Rd from Rock Park

 

Clerking team: Kit Mayers, John Wade

E-mail: mail at bqm.org.uk

Web Editor: Bill Waghorn 01598 710137


REGULAR TIMETABLE

Meeting for Worship: Sundays at 10.30 am. Meeting lasts for an hour and is followed by at least half an hour for tea, coffee and conversation. All are welcome, whether Quakers or not.

Business Meeting (Preparative Meeting): Usually the First Sunday in every month, after Meeting for Worship. But in months in which there is a Devon Area Meeting for Business, the Sunday immediately before that meeting.

Tradecraft / Fair Trade: Second Sunday in every month, after Meeting for Worship.

Shared lunch: Third Sunday in every month, after Meeting for Worship. We often are lucky enough to have some valuable input from friends outside our meeting.

Breakfast Meeting: Fourth Sunday in the month, at 9.00 am, prior to Meeting for Worship. Continental breakfast is followed by readings from Quaker Faith & Practice, which lead us inevitably into discussion of those and untold related subjects.

Meeting for Healing: Also on the Fourth Sunday in each month, after Meeting for Worship.

Fifth Sunday: When this occurs we take the opportunity to bring up subjects of interest to discuss in more depth. Meeting for Worship is followed by Extended Fellowship which leads us to unexpected places and discussions - all, of course, welcome.

Mid-week Meetings: Usually the Fourth Thursday in the month. Generally held at about 7:00 pm in people's houses with half an hour of silence followed by a shared supper and conversation.