Issue 02-09-2022
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Play it by ear: Anne M Jones’ Thought for the week
A starting point for many Quakers is ‘finding that of God in everyone’ (I know nontheists who interpret it as ‘seeing Good in everyone’). It served me well for a long time, but there came a point where I needed to look further into our theology and I went on...
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There’s something about Mary: David Curtis reads a Gospel
Visiting Shaftesbury Meeting in February, I was struck by the following reading from Advices & queries 5: ‘Remember the importance of… all writings which reveal the ways of God. As you learn from others, can you in turn give freely from what you have gained? While respecting the experiences and opinions...
Crimes against nature: Helen Moore on Ecocide
If a person or country is responsible for large-scale killing of people, they can be prosecuted for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or crimes of aggression. All are crimes against peace.
Red rag to a bulldozer: Sharen Green protests against JCB
For three years various organisations and individuals – including me – have been campaigning to stop the sale of JCB bulldozers to Israel, which uses them to demolish Palestinian homes. These campaigners also want to shame the children’s charity NSPCC into refusing cash from JCB. Recently, we heard of a tournament...
Speaking properly: Neil Morgan on shaping experience
To a Catholic, the eucharist is a supernatural event. Transubstantiation places the host in a sacred – yet at the same time physical – space. Mistreatment of a consecrated host is one of the gravest forms of sacrilege. It means immediate excommunication.
Expressions of hope: Margaret Fraser reports from Ireland Yearly Meeting
At the closing session of Ireland Yearly Meeting, participants from other European countries rose to express gratitude for the four-day residential gathering: ‘We came as visitors, but you made us feel at home’; ‘It was wonderful to have so many inspirational speakers. That gives me hope’; ‘It’s important to...
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QCEA announces new director
Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) has announced that Tracey Martin will be its new director.
Edinburgh Quakers ‘spark conversations’ at Fringe
Edinburgh Quakers have said they have received ‘a steady stream’ of visitors during the Fringe Festival period, despite being unable to host many performances because of new licensing rules. Sue Proudlove, manager of the Meeting house, said that the visits to the Loving Earth Project panels and Stitches for Survival...
Huddersfield Friends resume Earth vigil
Huddersfield Quakers have resumed a monthly Earth vigil in their witness to the climate and ecological crisis.
BYM contributes to new book on race relations in churches
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) has contributed to a new book examining race relations within British churches over the past quarter of a century.
Airton Friends complete grade II*-listed conservation
Airton Friends have completed major conservation and repairs to their grade II*-listed Meeting house. According to Airton Quakers, ‘the Meeting house now more closely resembles its traditional appearance and will be better able to withstand the wear resulting from its use and from its numerous visitors’.
Expressions of hope: Margaret Fraser reports from Ireland Yearly Meeting
At the closing session of Ireland Yearly Meeting, participants from other European countries rose to express gratitude for the four-day residential gathering: ‘We came as visitors, but you made us feel at home’; ‘It was wonderful to have so many inspirational speakers. That gives me hope’; ‘It’s important to...
White Debt: The Demerara Uprising and Britain’s legacy of slavery, by Thomas Harding
We inherit a past in which damage was done. We can’t cure the damage, but its effects persist. It presents us with responsibilities.
Letters - 02 September 2022
Halt these wars How should I respond as a Quaker to the ‘culture war’, and ‘war on woke’, seemingly the most pressing issues for the government and some media at present? This preference for ‘war’ is dangerously close to going beyond metaphor. Hatred and insecurity are being weaponised, and the...