‘I sometimes imagine the circle at Meeting for Worship as a campfire. Each Friend sits with a pile of wood on either side and a few sticks in front.' Photo: by Kevin Erdvig on Unsplash
Eye - 23 February 2024
From Gracing the airwaves to Our Circle to Our Circle
Gracing the airwaves
Friends have featured on BBC radio a number of times recently.
Maris Vigar, of Stourbridge Meeting, drew Eye’s attention to an episode of Sunday Feature, first broadcast on 21 January, focusing on Bayard Rustin’s life and music: https://bit.ly/3utuumm.
Maris describes it as: ‘Simply powerful beyond words.’
The programme delves into Bayard Rustin’s activism during the Civil Rights Movement, especially his teachings about nonviolent direct action. It also shines a light on a side of this Friend’s life that readers might not be familiar with: Bayard Rustin was a talented musician and singer. He sang African American spirituals, but also used Early Music – which generally comprises Medieval and Renaissance music – as part of his activism.
Researcher and harpsichordist Joseph McHardy speaks with musicologist Loren Ludwig about his academic research into Bayard Rustin. Joseph also travels to meet Bayard Rustin’s partner of ten years, Walter Naegle, and visits locations where he sang.
From civil rights we move to comedic travels: Quakers also appeared in an episode of Alexei Sayle’s Strangers on a Train, recently re-run on Radio 4: https://bit.ly/3Sw1dPN.
Sarah Mudd, of Billericay Meeting, shared: ‘I wonder if anyone else heard Alexei Sayle talking to Quakers on a train (Birmingham to Stansted)?… In response to a question on how they put their Quaker principles into action, mother and son replied: “Well, we are on the train, using public transport.” The young adult member of the family went on to speak about his passion for competitive Pokémon. Interesting.’
Felonious folly of fossil fakers
Penelope Putz, from Exeter Meeting, was inspired to concoct a tongue twister by a recent news story in our pages!
She writes: ‘In the Friend of 2 February there was a news item… “Friends resist petroleum bill” which included: “The science is clear that until we start leaving fossil fuels in the ground, floods, storms, droughts and heatwaves will only continue to worsen.”
‘In reference to this I send you my tongue twister, called “Felonious folly of fossil fakers”: “Fossil fuel felons fuel floods, fires and famines.”
‘I submit this for fun, and for forwarding fervently with fury.’
Our Circle
Duncan Dwinell, of Sevenoaks Meeting, shared a touching image with Eye
.
He writes: ‘I sometimes imagine the circle at Meeting for Worship as a campfire. Each Friend sits with a pile of wood on either side and a few sticks in front. On the left is the Pile of Woes and on the right a Pile of Joys. Friends keep the fire burning bright and warm by adding their sticks from either pile onto the flames. The sticks in front are the Friend’s Special sticks not for burning: a short one, a Stick of Fun, for a dog to chase or to use in ball games; a medium one, a Stick of Clearance, best used on brambles and undergrowth; a long, stout stick, the Stick of Journeys, to support the Friend along the way; and finally, a nondescript stick, a Stick of Giving, useful or not to you or someone else, it’s the thought that counts. And so the fire burns on.’
Are there are images of Meeting for Worship you’d like to share with Friends?
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