Issue 18-11-2022

Featured story

Honest mistake: Bernie Kennedy’s Thought for the week

17 Nov 2022 | by ‘We can, if we choose, put things right, or at least try.’

The man sitting to my left rose suddenly, reading from Isaiah 43 on his phone: ‘But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.’ The last...

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Country pursuits: Nick Tyldesley looks for resonance in Chinese verse

17 Nov 2022 | by Nick Tyldesley

‘There is some connection between Tang poets and modern Friends.’ | Photo: Li Bai, painted 1800-1850, unknown artist

Ni hao, huan ying!1 Traditional Chinese poetry has a long history. For 3,000 years, it has been a popular literary form – the style, rhythms and images have not altered significantly. Emperors and communists have written and enjoyed classical poetry. Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China, was trained...

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French connection: Richard Thompson on France Yearly Meeting

17 Nov 2022 | by Richard Thompson

‘The first French Quakers were led by the Spirit to confront violence.’ | Photo: Excercise on the beach, courtesy of the author.

The annual assembly of France Yearly Meeting this year was unusual: two days at Le Lazaret, a Protestant centre next to the beach at Sète; and two days at Congénies to celebrate the bicentennial of its Meeting House. Our theme was ‘How does the Spirit guide me? How...

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On the nail: Huw Meredydd Owen of Crynwyr Cymru

17 Nov 2022 | by Huw Meredydd Owen

Davydd Jones, in Y Ffordd Dawel. See www.crynwyrcymraeg.org/c

Crynwyr Cymru is the new name for Meeting of Friends in Wales. We met online and heard that this change has been minuted formally.

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Friend calls for more blue plaques for women

FREE 17 Nov 2022 | by Rebecca Hardy

Blue plaque unveiled on 1 April 2021 by English Heritage

A Chesterfield Quaker has highlighted the issue of the lack of blue plaques for women.

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I shall betray tomorrow

17 Nov 2022 | by Translation by Peter D Leeming.

'You do not know where my courage ends. I do.' | Photo: Lynette Giesbrecht on Unsplash

I shall betray tomorrow, not today. Tear out my nails today, I shall not betray. You do not know where my courage ends. I do. Five of you, hard hands with rings. And on your feet you’ve boots With nails.

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Quaker group for neurodivergent Friends

FREE 17 Nov 2022 | by Rebecca Hardy

The Quaker Disability Equality Group (QDEG) is shining a spotlight on neurodivergent Friends by exploring the possibility of them forming a group to support each other.

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Quakers share diversity work

17 Nov 2022 | by Rebecca Hardy

Quakers have been sharing news of their diversity work for a major survey.

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Bolton Friend’s work shown at Manchester festival

17 Nov 2022 | by Rebecca Hardy

Bolton Quaker Rosie Adamson-Clark had two films shown at a film festival last month. The LGBT+ campaigner, who was given three months to live during the summer, spoke in a Q&A session at Kinofilm Manchester International Short Film Festival.

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Sally Beamish premieres music for Remembrance

17 Nov 2022 | by Rebecca Hardy

A new musical piece by the well-known Quaker composer Sally Beamish was premiered at a Songs of Protest concert on Remembrance Sunday.

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Support network: Peter Fishpool attends the Quaker prison chaplains conference at Woodbrooke

17 Nov 2022 | by Peter Fishpool

Geoff, a former prisoner, described his ‘epiphany’. He felt like he had just hatched out of a shell. His vulnerability meant he then shielded himself, carefully calculating steps forward. He welcomed the prison chaplain being there for him.

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Eye - 18 November 2022

17 Nov 2022 | by Elinor Smallman

An invitation These ‘greatest hits’ are here to give you a flavour of what Eye has been (see 4 November), and to inspire you, our lovely readers, to reach out with stories and pictures you’d like to share in future editions. Let’s get to know each other in the...

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Letters - 18 November 2022

17 Nov 2022 | by The Friend

Activism I have heard it said that ‘Quakers support Extinction Rebellion’. Without the word ‘some’ this is an inaccurate and potentially divisive statement. Early Friends endured a great deal of suffering through speaking out or acting for what they felt to be the truth. Throughout our history we have had...

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