Issue 13-07-2012
Featured story
Thought for the Week: ‘What canst thou say?’
The institutions which society once regarded as generally trustworthy are crumbling. Serious wrongdoing, greed and self-interest has been exposed among MPs, the press and the banks. Relationships between politicians, the press and the police have come under close scrutiny and more than thirty arrests have been made as a result...
Top stories
Economic justice: The cooperative alternative
Almost three thousand years ago the prophet Isaiah thundered against the arrogance of the leaders and the unjust disparities between rich and poor. If he were around today he would probably be using very similar words. At the beginning of this century, undeterred by criticism from a few perceptive...
Together in the open room
There was no room. I mean, there was a room, as the Yearly Meeting events listing had promised, but it was completely full. In the corridor outside, a dozen of us looked at each other. Alright, we said, let’s go and find a free space. So we found ourselves...
Synod votes on EAPPI
A Quaker-run programme has been backed by the Church of England following a heated debate at its General Synod. On the afternoon of Monday 9 July, the synod passed a motion expressing support for the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), a project initiated and run by the...
Meeting for Sufferings: A new chapter
The silence was settled. Friends had come from every corner of Britain. They were gathered in worship in the George Fox room at Friends House. A Friend rose. She paused. Then she gave her ministry. She explained that she had previously been one of three representatives from her...
Meeting for Sufferings: Roles and responsibilities
Meeting for Sufferings was told of the distinctly different roles and responsibilities of MfS and BYM trustees. Jonathan Fox, in his report on the work of Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees, said that the trustees were tasked with the strategic oversight of the centrally managed work – the ‘nuts and bolts...
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Natural History Museum hosts arms dealers
The Natural History Museum in London faced protests on Monday evening as it hosted a reception for arms dealers attending the Farnborough arms fair in Hampshire.
Fresh hope for marriage campaign
Nick Clegg has appeared to contradict the policy of his own government by suggesting that faith groups should be allowed to carry out legally recognised same sex marriages. David Cameron has offered same sex civil weddings in England and Wales, but has consistently ruled out allowing same sex religious weddings.
Churches condemn drone attacks
Two of the UK’s largest churches have voted to condemn targeted attacks on individuals by unmanned aerial vehicles, known as drones. The news follows several drone attacks on alleged terrorists by US forces in Pakistan.
Hall Green Quakers greet Olympic torch
Several Birmingham Quakers got up at 5am on a recent Sunday morning to make sure the tea and coffee were ready – for people greeting the Olympic torch.
A different kind of Pride
There were no floats, no crowd control barriers, not much sunshine and very little music. The ‘antis’ were up close on the pavement again. We prayed at them, waved our banner, sang ‘Leather Breeches’ and ‘Shaggy Locks’ and walked by. It was lovely to have enough Friends to raise a...
Meeting for Sufferings: The crisis in Syria
Marigold Bentley, of Quaker Peace and Social Witness, addressed Meeting for Sufferings on when and how it was best for Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) to speak out on an issue. She explained that BYM was prompted to say something when pressing for a change of policy, or a stop...
Meeting for Sufferings: Yearly Meeting reflections
The recent Yearly Meeting at Friends House was described at Meeting for Sufferings as a ‘beautiful weekend’ and ‘reflective’. Penny Vernon, in giving a personal response the event, said that highlights for her were the sessions on ‘What it means to be a Quaker today’ and ‘Economic justice and...
Meeting for Sufferings: New clerk of BYM trustees
Jennifer Barraclough, the recently retired director of Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Selly Oak, Birmingham, is to be the new clerk of trustees of BYM.
The Ithaca Statement
I think of being bisexual and think first of who I fancied: childhood feelings for girls, later re-evaluated feelings towards men. Thanks to bi and bi-friendly friends who cared about happiness and didn’t much care about gender combinations I was surprised, but not shocked, to consider myself bi. ...
Poem for a newborn in Meeting
Gabrielle Octavia born on a Tuesday Sunday you came to meeting
Eye - 13 July 2012
Green ideas take centre stage in Ipswich The problems facing bees was just one of many topics buzzing around bonnets in Ipswich recently. The Meeting House thronged with people on 12 May as Friends threw open their doors for the Festival of Green Ideas. It was organised by local Quakers in...
Letters - 13 July 2012
Skyspace When I heard of the trustees’ decision to reject the Skyspace, I felt like a door had been slammed in my face, that they were refusing to engage with an inspired work of art. I am still struggling to come to terms with their decision and, especially, the manner...