Letters - 17 June 2016
From raising our giving to Friends and statistics
Raising our giving
When Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) treasurer Peter Ullathorne suggested at Yearly Meeting that Friends consider raising the level of their giving, he quite properly added that decisions could not be made on how the extra money would be spent ‘until we know we have it’ (3 June). That does not, however, prevent us from considering why we should give more and in what ways our work and witness could be expanded.
I believe that as Friends we should take seriously our giving to the Society. We put our faith into action in many ways and at many levels, but the work that is done centrally either does things that local Friends cannot do on their own or supports our local work and witness.
I am personally focused on our work to demilitarise minds and societies and support peacemaking at home and overseas. I can think of many aspects of that work that could be expanded given the resources. I know that the same must apply to work that addresses the causes and effects of climate change and to creating social justice in different ways.
I hope we will encourage each other to inform ourselves about our impressive and exciting central work and to regard this as our primary form of ‘charitable giving’. It isn’t really charity at all. It is a matter of solidarity in faith and action.
Diana Francis
EU referendum
Brexiter Joyce Trotman (10 June) is correct in reminding us that former subjects of the Crown have been made second-class citizens and denied UK visas whereas EU citizens enjoy freedom of movement. That happened long ago in the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts of the sixties and was made more punitive by last month’s Immigration Act. If the polls are correct and Brexiters win, then further legislation may exclude most foreigners from the UK.
Joyce’s logic, to me, is confounding. I believe to achieve equality we must remove all national barriers and not erect more. We must break down walls and build bridges between nations.
We all are stewards of the earth and global citizens, and should all enjoy freedom of movement by its land, sea and air.
Tommy Gee
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