Issue 01-06-2012
Featured story
Epistle from Britain Yearly Meeting
To all Friends everywhere, We send loving greetings to Friends everywhere from a sunny London, where about a thousand Friends have gathered, including 150 children and young people. A message from the sixth World Conference of Friends in Kenya in April inspired our consideration of what it means to be...
Top stories
What it means to be a Quaker today: Kindness and love
‘Quakerism has changed during the last thirty years and it continues to change. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be Quakerism.’ Geoffrey Durham, in opening the Sunday afternoon session, was a Friend charged with conviction, passion and energy. His address was an articulate and achieved piece of personal...
Economic justice and sustainability: Quakers back radical change
Britain’s Quakers have dedicated themselves to working to change the economic system. The commitment marks a step up from last year, when they agreed only to ‘ask the question’ of whether a new system is needed. On Saturday 26 May, they gave the answer: Yes.
Interview: Paul Parker (Part Two) - Engagement and communication
You said that the testimony to equality is a foundation value for you? The testimony to equality is the basis of the peace testimony – because anything other than a peaceful co-existence with each other ends up not recognising that fundamental equality – and, if you start from that premise, you...
Salter lecture: The top one per cent
‘How do they get away with it?’ asked Danny Dorling, one of Britain’s top geographers, as he spoke about the government. ‘How do they get away on telly, night after night, with telling you how much we’ve spent?’
Rachel Brett gives Swarthmore Lecture
The Swarthmore Lecture: ‘Snakes and Ladders’ was given by Rachel Brett to a packed and appreciative audience in the Large Meeting House on Saturday evening. Rachel talked of her work on human rights at the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva.
All articles
Postcards from the future
‘I would like you to join me on an adventure’, Jane Pearn said, as she introduced, on Sunday morning 28 May, what was to turn out to be a very creative and stimulating session entitled ‘Postcards from the Future’.
Snapshots from Yearly Meeting
Ron Barden: gratias tibi ago! There was a sense of anticipation in the air. How many jokes would he be able to thread into the mix of facts and figures? Ron Barden reminded Friends that this was it – the last time he would address Yearly Meeting as treasurer...
Quakers challenge economic system
Quakers in Britain have resolved to work with others to ‘achieve a better economic system’. The commitment goes further than a decision taken last year, when Friends agreed only to explore the issue of whether a new system is needed.
Kindlers launch new booklet
A highlight of the Kindlers interest group on Saturday was the launching of Answering that of God: Discovering Spirit Within by Peter Parr, the fourth booklet in the current series. Peter Parr introduced the new booklet and gave a short, inspiring talk on some of its reflections.
Quaker progress on sustainability
Two out of every five Quaker Meetings have measured their carbon footprint and are ready to reduce it. The news was warmly welcomed on Saturday by Jamie Wrench of the Minute 36 Commitment Group. The group is named after a minute of Yearly Meeting 2011, when British Quakers resolved to become a â€...
Peacemakers in primary schools
A new initiative to promote peace work in primary schools was introduced to Friends at an interest group on Sunday at Britain Yearly Meeting.