Going for a song: Rebecca Hardy on how Quakers have changed their tune

‘We try our hand, the Quaker choir.’

‘Songs can be an aid in growing closer to God.’ | Photo: Photo by Cherry Laithang on Unsplash

The preface to Rise Again, the songbook created by Quakers Annie Patterson and Peter Blood in 1988, has a quote from the renowned folk singer Pete Seeger. ‘Why is singing good for the planet?’ he asks. ‘Nobody can put it in words. But if there is a human race here in a hundred years, my guess is that one of the main reasons will be we found ways we can sing together – different religions, different languages. The act of singing together makes us realize we’re human beings.’

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