Issue 09-01-2015
Featured story
Thought for the Week: Rembrandt van Rijn
The exhibition of the late work of Rembrandt, held in the National Gallery in London over the past four months, has been an extraordinary experience for the thousands of people who have visited it. When I walked around the exhibition with others who had come to see the work of...
Top stories
The prophetic voice
These days you often hear people, and Friends in particular, asserting or even claiming prophetic authenticity. So, it is perhaps timely to remind ourselves what that might mean. If someone, individually or corporately, prefaces a statement with such words as ‘Quakers say that…’ then it is essentially descriptive: it tells...
‘An eternity before us’
Recently, I had a phone call from a Friend in distress. The message was typical of many that I have received over the years. I feel it is time to speak out. The distress was caused because the Friend concerned was unable to speak openly to anyone in his Meeting...
Growing in the Light
In the summer of 2014 I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Peru and Bolivia on the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage. I was joined by twenty-five other pilgrims and seven leaders from all around the world and, as we embarked on our journey through Andean South America, I was incredibly excited...
Manchester equality vigil
Manchester and Warrington Area Meeting Social Justice Group held an equality vigil on 17 December. Up to thirty Friends took part on the steps of the Mount Street Meeting House in Manchester.
Zero-hours vigil at Friends House
Two support vigils were held at Friends House on 19 December, calling for the reinstatement of three former members of the hospitality staff.
All articles
Taunton Meeting House closes for redevelopment
A nine-month long redevelopment of Taunton Meeting House will lead to ‘a model for how places of worship can be used,’ local Friends hope. The Meeting house closed earlier this week.
OBE for Wandsworth Friend
Quaker and academic Paul Ekins was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to environmental policy.
International carols for peace
Art complemented campaigning recently, when East Cheshire Friends joined with local peace lobbyists and choirs to sing for peace. Friends, members of Stockport for Peace and representatives of community choirs held an ‘international carols for peace’ event on Sunday 7 December.
All-Age Worship
The Peace Testimony, for me, is one of the foundations of Quakerism. In times of conflict, for many Quakers going to war was a dilemma, along with other people of faith who were opposed to war. Some went to prison or helped in noncombatant roles. I am the daughter of...
Christmas and paganism
The Christmas tree, decorated with love and attention, was the focal point of celebrations last month in many Quaker homes. And across Britain an increasing number of churches hosted ‘Christmas tree festivals’. Many raised funds for charity. This all sounds laudable from a secular point of view, but what does...
Eye - 09 January 2015
Peace postcards Bournemouth Quakers have threaded Friends’ into a local exhibition called ‘The unfolding war’. Kate Wright told Eye the story, which began in November 2014 when ‘Bournemouth Libraries invited people to embroider a postcard to commemorate the 1914-18 war. Many embroidered postcards were sent by troops serving in France.
Letters - 09 January 2015
Climate change In response to Stevie Krayer (21 November 2014), I agree that we should not despair about mitigation. What is needed is to stop burning fossil fuels as quickly as possible and also to look at safe ways of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The soil has a large carbon-sequestering...