Issue 14-06-2013
Featured story
Thought for the Week: Hope in the Holy Land
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out John 1:5
Top stories
A soaring space
Sometimes, a celebration marks a personal milestone, such as a birthday, and, at other times, the anniversary of a community or a building. In April 2013 Heswall Meeting celebrated all three. We have existed, as a group of Friends, for seventy-five years. Our unique Meeting house was ready for worship in...
Syria and peace
Our delegation met and spoke, at the Syrian parliament, with the governor, prime minister and seven other ministries. We were given details of the new constitution and political reforms being put in place and plans for elections in 2014. Government ministers admitted that they had made mistakes in being slow to...
Consensus voting
Many people think that democratic decisions may be taken either in consensus – by which they mean a verbal consensus – or by voting and here they mean a majority vote. On any contentious topic, such as when there may be a number of options ‘on the table’, the two processes could...
Travelling in ministry: Travelling light
As I prepare for travelling in ministry, I soon lose any elevated sense of this old and enabling Quaker practice. There are many details to work out before leaving – where will I stay and how long is a ‘comfortable’ visit? I live with the sense that three days are a...
A climate for concern
In March a book that I have been working on for nearly six years was finally published. Beacons: Stories for our not so distant future is a collection of original short stories by some of Britain’s finest writers. They were tasked with finding new narratives to encompass the enormity...
All articles
A Friendly action in Cambridge
On the morning of Thursday 6 June four Friends from Cambridge Hartington Grove, Stevenage, Luton and Westminster took part in an imaginative action to support American campaigners who are highlighting the continued destruction of ecosystems in the Appalachian mountains by mountaintop removal coal mining.
Church alliance highlights misrepresentation of poor
Quakers in Britain are among an alliance of churches representing Christians from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland who have spoken out about how the poor have been ‘misrepresented’ by the government at Westminster.
Winchester Meeting house refurbished
Winchester Meeting has moved back into their Meeting house after closing for five months for a major refurbishment.
A proper balance
Jan Arriens’ interesting reflections on Yearly Meeting (7 June) are very relevant to Agenda Committee’s ‘Manner of Holding Yearly Meeting’ exercise and need proper consideration. Jan raises a spectre of Yearly Meeting without time for discernment – lacking in passion and radicalism – with an overemphasis on managerialism. I agree that we...
Eye - 14 June 2013
Blossoming membership Maldon Meeting, in Essex, has recently welcomed six attenders into membership; something that records show hasn’t happened in over fifty years! In April, Friends held a welcoming party and a ‘bring and share’ lunch, along with others from the Area Meeting.
Letters - 14 June 2013
Yearly Meeting I feel Jan Arriens is getting to the heart of the matter (7 June). Yes, the main sessions I attended were well-clerked. There was deep, gathered silence and some thoughtful ministry. But I agree that too much time was given to routine business, too little to deeper reflection and,...