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Extracts from a Radio InterviewTrevor Fry: Radio Bristol & Radio Somerset SoundNick Large: Thornbury Quakers8th October 2000Sunday Starts is produced by Radio Bristol & Radio Somerset Sound and can be heard between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. each Sunday |
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| Trevor Fry: | "This morning for ’Sunday Starts’ we’ve come to Thornbury. We’re in the home of Nick Large, who’s a Quaker. Nick, we normally interview a vicar. Quakers don’t have vicars as such, do they?" | |
| Nick Large: | "No. I’m not a Quaker minister. You’re right we don’t have them. Everyone who takes part in a Quaker Meeting for Worship is responsible for it. Most of the time we will be sitting in silence, but occasionally, when someone feels moved by the spirit, they speak. And anyone can do that - even someone who’s come along for the first time. Usually,three or four people will make some spoken contribution." | |
| Trevor Fry: | "People might find that a little hard to grasp. We have inhibitions, don’t we? So if you want to come along but you’re nervous of being in a Quaker Meeting, is it just that spiritual movement that gets you? Or what?" | |
| Nick Large: | "I think we’re aware, as Quakers, that many people do find the idea of sitting in silence difficult. If somebody comes they’ll be met at the door, and if they tell us that this is their first time at a Quaker Meeting we give them a little pamphlet that they can read during meeting which explains our way of worship. Some Quakers, in fact, never speak in meeting, but nevertheless their presence there, as part of a silent worshipping community, is very important. There’s a strong feeling of bonding. We say that we 'centre down', and it normally takes about fifteen minutes from the beginning of the meeting for us to feel that we’re a gathered worshipping community." | |
| Trevor Fry: | "There’s no pressure then, on the individual. Nobody comes up and says ’You haven’t spoken for three weeks’?" | |
| Nick Large: | "No. Not at all. And it’s uncanny really how sometimes you’ll be thinking of something and somebody else will speak and what they say mirrors your thoughts completely. It’s almost as though there’s a kind of telepathy." | |
| Trevor Fry: | "Do you use the Bible?" | |
| Nick Large: | "Yes:. There is a table in the centre of the room on which there are a few books, including the Bible. And sometimes someone will stand up, pick up the Bible, and read a passage to us. My first piece this morning, in fact, is a bible reading. Quakers believe that there is that of God in everyone, and we sometimes refer to this by saying that we all have an inner light. The Bible passage I’ve chosen is the opening lines from John’s Gospel, where the idea of spiritual illumination is presented. So Quakers sometimes refer to it as 'the Quaker text'." | |
| Trevor Fry: | "Excellent. Let’s hear that." | |
| From John I, verses l-9.
"In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence, and what God was, the Word was. He was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be ... In him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered it. There appeared a man named John. He was sent from God, and came as a witness to testify to the light, so that through him all might become believers. He was not himself the light; he came to bear witness to the light. The true light which gives light to everyone was even then coming into the world." |
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| Trevor Fry: | "The Quaker Movement itself Nick, it’s very active around the world, and sadly it’s an activity we hear little about, isn’t it?" | |
| Nick Large: | "Quakers have always taken an interest in world affairs. I suppose
our Peace Testimony is what a lot of people associate with us.
Once again, this goes back to the idea of that of God in everyone. Even in your enemy, or potential enemy, there is that of God, and we need to appreciate that and respect it and work towards reconciliation - trying to settle disputes by mediation rather than combat. You’ll find Friends widely spread in different countries that have come from Britain and are supported by the Quaker Movement. Someone I know was out in Bosnia; somebody else is working in Africa; and somebody else is in an intermediate technology. project in Nepal. And so it goes on." |
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| Trevor Fry: | "You seem to be everywhere. Like I say, we tend not to hear anything about this. You don’t resort to publicity. It’s always the United Nations doing this or that as peace-keepers. But you’re there too. Doing great work." | |
| Nick Large: | "Hopefully. And it’s very important to us that we try and have a neutral stance. During the Korean War for instance, Quakers were sending medical supplies to the North Koreans as well as the South Koreans. And similarly there ‘s been a lot of work by Quakers in Ireland, where we’ve tried to understand both sides." | |
| Trevor Fry: | "Amazing ... Nick, where are your Quaker meeting houses around Bristol?" | |
| Nick Large: | "There are seven in all. The biggest is Redland,
and if somebody went to a meeting for worship there they'd very likely
be part of a gathering of over a hundred. And there are children’s classes
as well. There's an historic Quaker meeting at Frenchay,
beside the Common; there‘s a meeting in the centre of Bristol, just off
Broadmead - it’s called Central and it’s in
River Street; there’s a meeting at Bedminster;
there's a lovely old meeting house at Portishead,
which has a thatched roof; there’s a meeting at Horfield
on the Gloucester Road; and there’s also a Quaker meeting here in Thornbury.
It meets in a room in the local community centre, the Chantry."
Look up 'Quakers' in the telephone book and you’ll get a number that you can ring. And if you are interested, do make the effort to get along and savour the atmosphere of a Quaker meeting. I say this with feeling, as it’s something it took me a long time to pluck up the courage to do. I see now that I then had a very false impression of the sort of people Quakers were. |
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| Trevor Fry: | "There’s no pressure at all. Just go along, and make up your own mind." | |
| Nick Large: | "Yes, you’ll be made to feel very welcome." | |
| Trevor Fry: | "I’m sure you will. Nick, thank you very much indeed. We’re going to finish with a prayer, and we wish you all a very pleasant Sunday." | |
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