Oswestry Friends Meeting House in Oak Street has recently undergone refurbishment. Quakers have met there since 1962, previously using various locations around town, including the Town Hall and a room in Castle Street.
Quakers think that just as all of us experience the physical world in our own way, this is also so for a sense of the ‘non material’. Such a response can be triggered by many things: a glorious sunset, the natural world, music, dance, sport – the list is endless. Most humans often feel a sense of mystery when gazing into the night sky. It’s impossible to describe such experiences exactly. Words can get worn out, carry a lot of baggage, or change their meanings, ‘religious’, ‘spiritual’, and ‘god’ being particularly difficult.
For this reason, Quakers don’t have priests, creeds or prayers. Instead, our ‘Meetings’ are rooted in stillness. Sometimes someone (anyone) may feel moved to share something that has come to their mind. This will be very brief – a sentence or two. Otherwise, the Meeting stays silent.
Communal stillness and silence can feel very powerful, rather like the difference between a solo and a choir.
Today’s world is very fast, busy and noisy, and we have almost forgotten what stillness is like. It can be unnerving, but humans need still, quiet periods in our lives, and we may find ourselves unexpectedly refreshed by it.
We meet for an hour at Friends’ Meeting House in Oak Street every Sunday at 10.30. Everyone is welcome. You can just turn up, or you may prefer to speak to someone first. (The contact number for Oswestry is 01691 661793).
If you’d like more information about Quakers, please visit: https://www.quaker.org.uk/
