Hi Wandering Minstrel
I've been to meeting in Wiltshire and if I remember - decades ago, Gildford? (Gildford is the walled city where Charles the 1st was defeated isn't it, it is early in the morning and I am fuzzy headed... must have been Gildford... hmmmm) - well, both meeting were very much more like the NYC 16th street meeting than the now 80% programmed meetings, which look to me to be indistinguishable from Southern Baptist meetings, ministers - choirs, fundamentalists.
As to silence, I think it is much more important than most of what is said in meeting. I have only spoken 3 times in over 40 years, and once - two weeks ago it got me into a big tussle with some fundamentalists when I offered testimony on the meaning of the apostle's not recognising the risen Christ, until he revealed himself. I said that I felt this meant we are to look for God outside our tribe, in the worship of Buddhists, of Muslims, to see Christ where we would not expect to recognise Christ, as his closest friends did not recognise him in his risen form. BOY! Did I get it from a "Born again" friend who said the Bible says NOTHING about BUDDHA!
Oh well, it is better than the days when we used to get whipped and hanged here in New York by the Dutch for our testimony!
But, well perhaps in reminds me to wait in humility, something as most people here can see, is a real challenge to me!
Hope to find myself at your meeting in Berkshire or you here,
Your Friend and friend, Larry