Wednesday 19th May 7.30- 9:00 pm
After over a year apart, we are thrilled to be able to return to the Quaker Centre and hold our meetings iN-person. We are planning to continue to run zoom alongside in-person live from the centre.
Initially, we plan for our online meetings to be 15 mins longer and in-person 15 mins shorter, finishing at 9pm, as we adjust them to fit together.
In order to hold our sangha, we have to follow some restrictions which are for everybody’s wellbeing and health.
We have space to seat 25 people with one meter spacing between each chair. This means that we might need two circles rather than one. This is also the maximum number of people the centre allows, so regretfully we would have to refuse entry to anyone once 25 people have arrived.
Please email us if you are planning to attend and if you change your mind. You are welcome to come along if you haven’t emailed, but if we do hit capacity you may not be able to attend.
Other rules that the Centre have implemented:
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A mask must be worn inside the Quaker Centre unless speaking during our practices.
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The kitchen will not be available to us, so please bring your own drink with you.
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Toilets are available -please observe any Covid notices in the centre regarding using the loos.
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The Centre requires us to sign in with our contact details which we will give them after each sangha. There will be a signing-in sheet – please ensure that you sign in when you arrive.
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The door to the garden must be kept open. (Make sure you wear something warm)
In view of the above changes, we are having to make changes to our practices as well. On arrival, please keep your shoes on until you are seated, they can be left under your chair. You may decide to keep them on. Please put your shoes on again before you leave the meeting so that the exit from the meeting room remains free.
Changes and reminders for our in person practice:
We are not allowed to chant yet, so we are exploring alternatives to The Om Practice. We will probably be humming!
At the moment we will be keeping the online format for Dharma Reading with one person offering to read it to us every week.
Please arrive by 7.25pm so that we can start promptly at 7.30pm
Donations:
During lockdown, we have been able to send donations to support other organisations within our wider sangha as we have not had to pay for the hire of the meeting hall. From May 19th we will be paying for the use of the hall so we will be relying on our own generosity once again. As before we need to raise around £75 per week. All donations large or small are welcome and as before we invite a donation of £5 or more, if you can afford it. This generosity helps to support those who are less financially fortunate to be able to attend the Sangha. We will accept cash, but would prefer bank transfers if possible.
Zoom members are now also invited to donate, if you can afford, to support the Sangha. Please contact us to get our details.
Please do not come to The Quaker Centre Sangha if you have symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 such as a new continuous cough, fever, or loss of taste or smell or if you have come into contact with someone with coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms. Please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/
Finally. Welcome Back! We are so grateful that we are in this wonderful Sangha together, and we look forward to seeing you in person or on Zoom very soon.
Wishing you love and peace, courage and wisdom, good health and happiness
KMMG