"COMING HOME" TO QUAKERS

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

"Coming home" to Quakers

David Clark (First Person, January 21) explains the dilemma of many within the traditional Christian churches, in wanting to remain part of a worshipping community, but finding difficulty with some of the doctrines, whether they be Catholic, Anglican or Islamic. 

As one confirmed long ago in the Church of England, I know how hard it is to break from the fellowship of a faith community, but we cannot hide our doubts. I once heard a great churchman, Canon Charles Raven, say: "Your doubts are your growing points". 

My doubts led me to Quakers in the Society of Friends. Quakers have no creeds and no set prayers or hymns that oblige us to repeat things we cannot believe. Instead Quakers rely on silent communion – meeting together to experience a deep sense of peace and spiritual renewal. Our meetings are open to anyone who wants to share an hour of silent Sunday worship (10.30am, the Meeting House, Queens Road).

We don't have to dress up to go to meetings and we certainly don't wear Quaker Oats hats. In fact, we like to think that, generally speaking, we are really quite normal!

Malcolm Elliott, Leicester