Quakers urgently call for safe paths for refugees

Posted on 18 September 2015 by Admin

“That which is morally wrong cannot be politically right”

— Quaker faith & practice 23.26

The representative body of Quakers in Britain, Meeting for Sufferings, has made the following statement in reaction to the unfolding refugee crisis.

“Quakers in Britain urge the UK Government to welcome those desperately seeking a place of safety, in Europe, from the dangers in their own countries. In this urgent situation it cannot be right to harden hearts against people who are struggling and dying on European soil and in the seas around us.

“In Britain we have a tradition of sheltering those in danger, as we did with the Kindertransport, rescuing thousands of children from Nazi-occupied Europe …”

To read the whole statement, please click the link to go to the Quakers in Britain website.

Posted in Ethics, Position Statements, World community, World issues | Leave a comment

Reading ‘Quaker faith & practice’

Posted on 16 September 2015 by Admin

Woodbrooke and Britain Yearly Meeting’s Book of Discipline Revision Preparation Group are working together to produce Reading Quaker faith & practice, a lively programme of monthly reading and reflection sessions which offers an opportunity to explore and get to know our current book of discipline better. We invite you to join with us, and other Quakers across the country, in discovering together how our book of discipline can speak to our condition and deepen our spiritual lives.

Each month from October 2015 to April 2017 Reading Quaker faith & practice will offer:
· group session guidance relating to a particular chapter or chapters, with options for longer or shorter sessions, and different response activities to allow for a variety of learning styles and preferences
· self-study materials for those working through the programme as indivi duals

Each month’s materials will be available as a free download from the Being Friends Together website at http://together.woodbrooke.org.uk, starting from 1st October 2015. You can also download a calendar showing which chapter(s) will be the focus for each month.

in friendship
the Reading Quaker faith & practice team

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Vital Friends eNewsletter from FGC

Posted on 7 September 2015 by Admin

FGC (Friends General Conference) is the liberal, unprogrammed grouping in North America. Have a look at it by following this link.

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MYRM 2015

Posted on 31 August 2015 by Admin

The 2015 MYRM was held at Koinonia in Johannesburg from 13-16 August 2015. The minutes and meeting report are available from the CSAYM page on this website. Please contact your Clerk for the password to access the document.

Posted in Reports, Yearly Meeting | Leave a comment

52-year anniversary of the March on Washington for Civil Rights

Posted on 31 August 2015 by Admin

Quakers supported Dr King to learn about Gandhi’s approach to non-violence, and published his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”.

ML-King

Posted in Ethics, History | Leave a comment

How do you listen to the Voice of God?

Posted on 19 August 2015 by Admin

When we sit in silence on Sunday morning, Quakers often like to say that we’re “listening.” But what does that still small voice sound like?

Watch the QuakerSpeak called Quakers and the Still, Small Voice.

Posted in Spirituality | Leave a comment

4 Things We Can All Learn From One Of America’s Oldest Religious Communities

Posted on 14 August 2015 by Admin

The Third Metric, part of the Huffington Post, describes its focus as ‘Redefining Success Beyond Money & Power’. On 14 August 2015 it published an article focusing on the Quaker approach to living. The article starts:

“Sunlight pours into the plain, open room through its many windows. Men and women of all ages gather in rows of simple wooden benches all aligned to face the center of the room, facing one another. Together they sit in stillness and silence, actively waiting for inspiration to arrive.”

Read the full article on the Third Metric site.

Posted in History, Quaker community, Quaker history | Leave a comment

Quaker Handbook being updated — comment requested

Posted on 11 August 2015 by Admin

The Quaker Handbook is in the process of being updated. Comment is requested on it prior to it being finalised. Because it is still in preparation, the page to download to it is password protected. Please contact your Clerk for the password if you wish to participate in this process. Click here to get to the download page.

Feedback should be submitted to Jennifer Kinghorn no later 31 October, with copies to Justine Limpitlaw and Hellen Holleman.

The download page can also be reached via the Publications page/menu.

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Friends Journal (US) is asking for articles

Posted on 11 August 2015 by Admin

Friends Journal in the US is looking for article submissions with a deadline of 7th September for the December 2015 issue, on Economic Justice and Poverty.

For more information on submissions, please visit the Submissions page of the Friends Journal website.

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Marking the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima — the AFSC

Posted on 7 August 2015 by Admin

The American Friends Service Committee marked the 70th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima with several articles on their site. Read them here.

Posted in History | Leave a comment