Dorchester Quaker Local Meeting
All events take place in the Meeting House in Holloway Road unless otherwise specified. Please see other pages of the website for directions to the Meeting House.
Meeting for Worship each Sunday in the Meeting House 10.30am All Welcome.
Worship for one hour is followed by shaking of hands, notices and then informal time together over tea and coffee in the kitchen at the meeting house.
September
September 5th Food and Frolics at 5.55 and the Meeting House led by the Eldership and Pastoral Care Team. Please bring food to share.
September 6/7th Dorset County Show Please be sure to visit the Churches Together Tent to join with other churches from the area and meet the wider community of faithful people in the region. This is an important outreach event for Quakers and Marigold is representing Friends on behalf of the Meeting on both days.
September 7th Meeting for Worship at 10.30
September 9th Social day out at Litton Lakes, Litton Cheney along with Friends from Bridport Quaker Meeting led by Chris L and Matthew. Tuesday 9th September,1pm till 4pm, DT2 9DH Please bring your own lunch and drinks (it is unlikely that the café will be open). Your meeting will pay for your lake pass – which gives access to the site and the right to swim.
More information at www.littonlakes.co.uk.
Chris and Matthew particularly ask this to be a cycle expedition as well as a car trip. If you are cycling from Dorchester please meet outside Martinstown Church at 11:45am.
September Stop the Arms Fair – London – 9 th -12 th September 2025 Every two years, the global arms trade comes to Newham’s ExCel Centre, showcasing weapons and tools for war and armed violence. In 2025 the arms fair takes place from 9th – 12th September. There will be a presence from Stop the Arms Fair every day of the conference, with themed days relating to No Faith in War, Environment, Workers, Migrant Justice etc. There will be a camp providing support to activists and advice about protest behaviour should you be concerned. More information, and a leaflet to download, from https://stopthearmsfair.org.uk/
September 13th Who/what is the God you are listening for? 10 am to 4 pm, with arrivals from 9.30 am Salisbury Quaker Meeting House, 51 Wilton Road, Salisbury. SP2 7EF Please contact Chris L if you want a lift.
September 14th Meeting for Worship at 10.30
September 16th Tuesday Restorative Justice 7pm in St Mary’s Church,
Jacqueline Wilson will lead a discussion on how Restorative Justice and Restorative Mediation is practised in Dorset. Restorative Justice brings those harmed by crime and those responsible for the harm into communication supported by trained facilitators. It is provided by Dorset Police to reduce re-offending and the harm done to victims. Outside the Criminal Justice System, Restorative Mediation brings people who are in conflict into communication to prevent conflict, build relationships, and repair harm in a supported environment. It has proved to be a useful approach to settling disputes between neighbours. In that way it is relevant to all of us. Please consider joining us to learn how we might benefit from these approaches.
September 17th Mid Week Meeting for Worship 12.30 to 1 followed by shared lunch ending at 2pm (bring food to share) led by the Eldership and Pastoral Care Friends. After lunch Friends are encouraged to stay and help with simple garden tasks such as weeding the paths and the car park, making sure that the gravel is not on the pavement but in the car park, picking up any rubbish in the car park, watering any pots and the bird bath and walking on the grass free lawn. Thank-you from the gardening team.
September 19th 2-4pm Kings Arms Hotel “Looplet” Pastoral Care Group social meeting convened by Chris L. of the Pastoral Care team.
September 20th Future of Quakerism Area Quaker Meeting discussion in the Meeting House from 10am until 14.00.
September 21st Meeting for Worship at 10.30
September 27th FRIENDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 2025
The Presidential Address and AGM of the Friends Historical Society will be held in the Library at Friends House, London, on Saturday 27 September 2025, from 2 pm. This year’s Presidential Address will be given by Salisbury Friend Rosalind Johnson, entitled: ‘A faithful testimony? Quakers and tithe payments in the mid-18th century’. Please book in advance. The event will be held in-person and on Zoom (it will not be recorded). Please register in advance for the event, whether you are attending in-person or on Zoom, by emailing the Society at: friendshistoricalsociety@gmail.com, indicating whether you intend to attend in person or online, by Monday 22 September. Further information at: https://friends historical society.org.uk/events/
September 28th Bring and Share Breakfast and discussion meeting hosted by the Eldership and Pastoral Care Group at 9.15 followed by Meeting for Worship at 10.30
October
October 5th Meeting for Worship at 10.30 followed by Local Quaker Business Meeting from 12 noon till 13.00 Mike and Alison G are at the table as Clerks for this meeting. (Marigold is part of the European Peace & Service Network for Quakers and their gathering is in Paris 3/4/5th October and so gives her apologies).
October 9th Area Quaker Meeting online details from clerk@dorsetandsouthwiltsquakers.org.uk
October 11th Christian Aid walk to the river Jordan. Fundraising and community walk to Bowleaze Cove. See poster in the Meeting House for more details or ask our rep on the Christian Aid Committee, Dave.
October 12th Meeting for Worship at 10.30
October 13th Dorchester Churches Week of Prayer– and week designed by the Churches Together Group in Dorchester. Monday 13th Service at the Storehouse Church 7.30pm Wednesday 15th Service at St.George’s 9.30am followed by coffee and pastries. Thursday 16th Lunchtime Service at St. Peter’s. Saturday 18th Service at the Salvation Army 9.00 am followed by breakfast. Sunday 19th Evening Service at the United Church
October 14th Tuesday What does Quaker Socialism mean to me?
A Quaker Socialist Society Discussion Meeting 7.30pm, online All Friends are welcome, please bring your ideas. Chair: Ian Martin Ruth Kettle-Frisby: Socialism is an effort of the will spurred by the truth.Christine Green: Quaker testimonies, the gospel message, socialism – one and the same? Jesus would have been a socialist! Chris Newsam: Creatively is there a vision for our time in Quaker Socialism? Discussion. Everyone is warmly invited to share their views.Summary including speakers’ comments on the discussion and close.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84106406871?pwd=2DJaJj9OHyaqcutQHF6qqsdGlwGhXD.1
October 15th Mid Week Meeting for Worship 12.30 to 1 followed by shared lunch ending at 2pm (bring food to share) led by the Eldership and Pastoral Care Friends. After lunch Friends are encouraged to stay and help with simple garden tasks such as weeding the paths and the car park, making sure that the gravel is not on the pavement but in the car park, picking up any rubbish in the car park, watering any pots and the bird bath and walking on the grass free lawn. Thank-you from the gardening team.
October 19th Meeting for Worship at 10.30
October 26th Bring and Share Breakfast and discussion meeting hosted by the Eldership and Pastoral Care Group at 9.15 followed by Meeting for Worship at 10.30.
October 29th Defibrillator Training at 6pm in the Meeting House. All welcome. Please tell neighbours and Friends in Fordington that they are welcome to attend.
November
November 1st Saturday 10-16.30 in the Meeting House. Learning day George Fox on Spirituality, Community, Witness, & Hope – see below for the programme of the day.
November 2nd Meeting for Worship at 10.30
November 9th Meeting for Worship at 10.30 followed by a presentation from the Book Group about their reflections on what they have read on the subject of life after doom, then a vegan lunch “green feast” (vegetables, fruit and grains). More details to follow.
November 16th Meeting for Worship at 10.30
November 23rd Meeting for Worship at 10.30
November 30th Meeting for Worship at 10.30
Local Quaker Business Meeting
These are held as needed and all are welcome to attend. Next Area Quaker Meeting will be online on October 9th. The Clerking team is currently Marigold as Clerk and Mike as Asst. Clerk with Alison learning the ropes. Please contact Marigold if you have an item which you want to be included in the agenda for LQBM. Minutes are taken at these meetings so please ask an Elder or Pastoral Care Friend if you would like to see them.
For those who ask about the donation to Britain Yearly Meeting, please see the Charity Commission website which illustrates the finances of BYM which can be found under charity number 1127633.
If you want to explore more about Quakers, Kindlers might be for you. Visit the website www.thekindlers.org.uk email admin@thekindlers.org.uk
Every Monday at 19.30 there is an online JUST… meeting called One thing you can do this week for peace and justice in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel. Based on the AFSC format, American Friends Service Committee Action Hour, we witness… a minute silence remembering ONE event or person Learn… what’s going on – UPDATE Act…. ONE letter or petition to write or sign Share…what is happening in your area that counts as a small WIN Friend Nicola Grove spends about one day every week gathering and preparing resources for the meeting. You can join on https://www.campain.org/post/join-just-campain-s-weekly-action-for-peace-and-truth-in-the-middle-east
https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/international-work/responding-to-the-current-situation-in-israel-and-palestine is also useful
Church events in Dorchester (Our representative on Churches Together in Dorchester is Sarah)
Please remember to contribute to the Food Bank by dropping items off at the Dorford Baptist Church in Bridport Road.
Firm Roots is a Christian cancer support group. Dorchester Family Church Office: 2 Red Cow Business
Park, Long Bridge Way, Dorchester DT1 1YD Join us for friendship, encouragement, reflections, refreshments and prayer for anyone affected by cancer.
Everyone welcome. Email: dorsetfirmroots@admin
Please also get in touch if you would like to go on our prayer list and our group will pray for you.
www.firmroots.org.uk
Acorn Christian Healing Foundation Dorchester Hub The Quiet Space Poundbury DT1 3RG
Second Wednesday and Third Friday of each month 10.30-12.00 All very welcome, any faith or none
OTHER EVENTS OR OPPORTUNITIES YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN
Individual Quakers are involved in a range of social action activities and some are mentioned here.
Quakers are part of the World Wide Family of Quakers and the Around Europe Newsletter has articles from various aspects of Quaker activity across the Europe and Middle East Section latest issue of Among Friends. https://fwccemes.org
For those interested in the demonstrations and protests in relation to Israel and Palestine, there is a Dorset Palestine Solidarity Campaign which can be followed through these links.
Facebook: https://fb.me/e/awqc2ZXll
Twitter/X: https://x.com/dorsetpsc/status/1851643419065532557
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBwPIBxNFoB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Contact dorsetpsc1@admin or dorsetstopthewar@gmail.com
The Quaker Socialist Society meets online from time to time – and had a meeting on how we promote Quaker values in state schools and private Quaker schools. Prof Francis Green spoke about his book on private schools: Engines of Privilege. See the Quaker Socialist Society website for further details. Also, a lecture on George Fox by Graham Taylor, which quotes some of Fox’s unpublished work, is on https://quakersocialists.org.uk/
We encourage Friends to see a Lecture by Revd Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Christian on https://quakersocialists.org.uk/.
In June at Salisbury International Arts Festival on Friday June 6th this year, Friend Michael Mears with Riko Nakasono performed THE MISTAKE – see below from Michael.
It’s 80 years since atomic bombs were dropped on two Japanese cities.
I’m Michael Mears, actor/playwright and pacifist and I attend Wandsworth Quakers in southwest London.
In 2023 I toured THE MISTAKE, the play I wrote about Hiroshima and the first atomic bomb, around the UK, with no public arts funding – just the enthusiastic support of crowdfunders and one or two small organisations. The play was performed by Japanese actor Riko Nakazono and myself. This year, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings, I feel compelled to take the play further afield to the USA and to Japan.
We will be touring in the USA for six weeks from the start of April, and it’s an expensive undertaking, though in order to help the tour proceed, I have chosen to be unpaid myself, as part of my witness for peace.
Potential sympathetic funding bodies in the UK won’t fund a project that goes abroad. So will you help us bring THE MISTAKE to the USA, to share the urgent themes and message of this play with a wider, American, audience? Join us in our efforts to enlighten, to illuminate, to change hearts and minds, through the emotional power of theatrical storytelling?
Any donation however small will make a difference and help us. Here is a Crowdfunding link for donations which will give you a lot more information, with photographs and reviews.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/taking-the-mistake-to-the-usa
George Fox on Spirituality, Community, Witness, & Hope
Saturday 1 November 2025, 10:00-16:30
Quaker Meeting House, Dorchester
Throughout his life, George Fox provided valuable guidance to the early Quaker community, offering hope and encouragement in difficult times. In our day together, we will explore four well-known passages written by Fox that reflect this aspect of his ministry. We will also listen to the words performed in plainsong by Paulette Meier. What did these messages mean in the 17th century? What do they mean for us today?
| 09:30 | Arrivals |
| 10:00 | Opening worship |
| 10:15 | Session 1 – Be still and cool in thy own mind and Spirit |
| 11:30 | Morning break |
| 11:50 | Session 2 – Meet together in that which is eternal |
| 12:50 | Lunch |
| 13:50 | Session 3 – Be patterns, be examples |
| 14:50 | Afternoon break |
| 15:10 | Session 4 – An ocean of darkness and death and an ocean of light and love |
| 16:10 | Evaluation and Closing worship |
| 16:30 | Finish |