The Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) encourages fellowship and understanding among all the branches of the Religious Society of Friends. Ahead of the 2026 Meeting, Ethel Livermore, clerk of Europe & Middle East Section (EMES), reflects on attending all four FWCC Section Meetings in 2025.

Quakerism, as an experiential faith, changes over time. Friends around the world have evolved differently so Quakers today are very diverse, with different worship styles and theologies. But we all share the same roots – the teachings of early Friends. We all share the same Quaker values and testimony, and a recognition that Quakerism is about how we live our lives in the world, not just “what we do on Sunday”.

FWCC brings Quakers together in multiple ways to celebrate God in our lives, to gather the Quaker voice, build networks to address issues of our time, and to unite Friends within our diversity.

Despite differences in the ways we worship and our theologies, our Quaker values are shared by all Friends and there is a willingness to share and to learn from each other. For example, a number of East African Friends have shared how much they value the silence and want to find ways of incorporating it more into their services. I know a number of European Friends who have felt their spiritual lives enriched by the input from Programmed Friends.

In the last year, as Clerk of FWCC Europe & Middle East Section, I have been privileged to attend all four regional gatherings of Quakers around the world – in the Americas, Europe & the Middle East, Asia West Pacific, and Africa. Each group is different and has its own flavour, but there are so many things that unite us. This is not intended as a travelogue or a report on each event, more a reflection on what unites us all – a real reflection on unity in diversity.

The 2026 EMES Annual Meeting will take place online on these evening of Thursday 28 & Friday 29 May, and all day on Saturday 30 May. All Friends are welcome to attend this online meeting! As usual the meeting will carry out the essential business of EMES. There will be opportunities to worship together, for workshops, home groups and to hear from some speakers and Quaker organisations.