These times have been, and continue to be, difficult for all, whatever our religious or spiritual beliefs.
At least we can now practise our faith in our places of workshop once again, whether it be a church building, meeting house, community centre, or just at home.
The pattern of worship for most, involves singing, preaching, and praying in communion with others.
This has been denied to us for many long months, but now the light shines brighter, as we meet again to celebrate our faith, in our places of worship.
As a Quaker, our practice is for silent worship, unless we feel moved to speak if guided by the spirit.
This can be a very profound and moving experience, whether sitting alone at home, or on a bench in the countryside, or even (as we have been doing) sharing through Zoom.
In the absence of communal meeting, these experiences have helped me much. As has the support of family and friends.
I have been affected by the events of the last 18 months, as I know many others have, by mental health issues.
In my case, I was diagnosed in November 2017, (at the age of 68) as having Asperger Syndrome.
I also experienced the sad loss of my sister two months later. She had been through a very short illness, so this was quite sudden.
These events affected me very deeply but my faith held firm, as did the support of those around me, including my Quaker friends.
So, as a semblance of normality returns to our daily lives and practices, let us move forward in faith, for a brighter, progressive future – for everyone.
Martyn Towle, from Wokingham Friends’ Meeting House, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham
