Issue 16-09-2016
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Thought for the Week: Trust, wait and meet together
We arrived at the Maison Quaker in Congénies, the only purpose-built Meeting house in France, at 10.30am after a drive of one-and-a-half hours, with time to relax and prepare for Meeting for Worship. I knew that a non-Quaker group had been following a week-long course based on silence and...
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QPSW introduces latest peaceworkers
Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) has revealed the identities of its six new peaceworkers. The six will work within peace organisations for a year, helping at local, regional and international level, explained Steve Whiting of QPSW. He said: ‘The peaceworkers are paid and gain experience to help them build...
New face at The Retreat
Cathy Waters has been appointed as chief executive of The Retreat in York
Words for Doris Pigeon
I’ve no idea, dear Doris, what love required of you. Though your name this morn was mentioned in Meeting. Like a light, blown skyward. The ash of a woman on her way.
Sleaze
We have been against war for over 300 years, but where are we now? We should go on trying, but, frankly, I am not holding my breath. It would be great if Friends were to start to deal from strength – where their aim has a good chance of success. My target...
From the archive: Sufferings - The road to Wormwood Scrubs!
Stephen Hobhouse had been instrumental in setting up the Emergency Committee for the Relief of Alien Enemies and was its chairman until he resigned on becoming caught up in the military system. The Friend of 1 September 1916 reported his tribunal in August, when he declared: As a disciple of Jesus Christ...
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Friends support call for revised refugee policy
Paul Parker, recording clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting, is one of 200 leaders of faith communities who have signed an open letter to Theresa May calling for urgent changes to the government’s refugee policy, particularly to allow families to be reunited.
Australian Quakers voice concern over plebiscite
Quakers in Australia have written to Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister, to urge him to put marriage equality before the Australian parliament rather than holding a plebiscite on the issue.
Peace Hub reveals theme for autumn
The Peace Hub in Birmingham has chosen ‘Think Global, Act Local, Get Equal’ as its theme for September and October.
Interest in early Quakers
A free online course on early Quakerism has attracted more than 5,000 students from all over the world.
Young Friends reflect on ministry
Eighty-two Friends aged from fifteen to eighteen joined eleven adult volunteers for this year’s Senior Conference for young Friends in the southern half of England.
Call by FWCC for prayer and action on peace
Each year on 21 September the World Council of Churches calls on churches to observe the UN International Day of Prayer for Peace. It is also the UN–sponsored International Day of Peace.
Wealth
Isn’t Quakerism wonderful? But can it solve economic crises and tax blunders too? The political economist and writer Richard Murphy thinks so, and extols our Quaker testimonies of peace, equality, truth and simplicity as being ‘the basis for a good tax system’. What a refreshing and invigorating thought. It...
Making darkness visible
Setting the world to rights over plates of pasta, Emma, Pat and I decided that it would be a very good idea if someone found a cure for depression. I nearly said that there was a cure, but I didn’t, because it seems to me (having struggled with the...
Eye - 16 September 2016
We will not fight A five-scene play that tells the story of conscientious objector John Hubert (‘Bert’) Brocklesby during the first world war has been made available on YouTube. Bert, who became a Quaker later in life, was a lay Methodist preacher and passionate in his opposition to war. He...
Letters - 16 September 2016
Spiritual discernment I have to take issue with Janette Denley’s (2 September) opening statement. This is a council of despair. How can every member and every attender, from last Sunday’s new arrival onward, ‘understand fully and be both willing and able to practice spiritual discernment’? So, is the Society...