Issue 09-12-2022
Featured story
Having a wobble: Keith Denerley’s Thought for the week
I made a discovery last week. I’d been re-reading Eben Alexander’s Proof of Heaven. Alexander is a neurosurgeon who, after a remarkable out-of-body experience, realised that the seat of consciousness is not the brain, but on another dimension altogether. He dares to summarise quantum physics thus: ‘All the...
Top stories
Ukraine invasion: John Lampen asks what the war might be telling us?
Events like the invasion of Ukraine are a challenge to pacifists. It is difficult to state our beliefs with confidence when we doubt whether there is a practical alternative to fighting for the Ukrainians – apart from surrender. But I can’t give up my convictions just because they are being...
Anaïs Mitchell nominated for Grammy
The Quaker-raised singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell has been nominated for a Grammy Award for her song ‘Bright Star’. The track, from Anaïs’ self-titled album, has been nominated for Best American Roots Song.
On course: Chris Hunter on peace training in Russia and Ukraine
Together with Peacebuilding UK, Friends Peace Teams, a Quaker-based organisation, is training a network of young peaceworkers in Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan. The training equips them with conflict transformation skills, drawing upon decades of international experience with AVP.
The Doctor, by Robert Icke (Duke of York’s Theatre, London)
This brilliant play exposed some of my worst fears about the future of human beings. The story turns round a well-known, highly successful doctor trying to save the life of a fourteen-year-old, who has contracted sepsis after a failed, self-administered abortion.
Right as rain: Kate Arnot from General Meeting for Scotland
On 19 November, Friends met at Aberdeen Meeting House, and on Zoom. Unfortunately a month’s worth of rain was falling on Aberdeenshire, and flooding prevented some from travelling.
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Lancaster Friends’ plaque acknowledges slavery links
Quakers in Lancaster have installed a plaque to acknowledge their forebears’ role as ‘slave traders’ and ‘slave owners’.
Nuclear disarmament education poll
Ninety-three per cent of teachers do not agree that nuclear disarmament education is too political to be taught, a new survey from the Nuclear Education Trust has found. It reveals that most teachers believe students should learn about the humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons.
Friends highlight new social tariffs
A Quaker from Malvern Meeting has highlighted the issue of high broadband costs and how Friends can get more help. Asking ‘Are You Paying Too Much for Your Broadband?’, Richard Bartholomew puts new social tariffs for broadband and mobile deals under the spotlight, in the Malvern Quaker newsletter.
Quaker climate campaigners at Yorkshire festival
Quakers had a presence at the Yorkshire Festival of Story last month, where they highlighted the value of storytelling at a time of climate emergency.
Meeting for Sufferings: Replacing ‘overseers’
At December’s Meeting for Sufferings (MfS) last week, Friends agreed to explicitly ask Area Meetings (AMs) to cease using the name ‘overseer’ and to replace it with another suitable term.
Meeting for Sufferings: Yearly Meeting Review Group
The first main item on Saturday saw Sarah Donaldson, convener of the Yearly Meeting Review Group (YMRG), which is appointed to review Yearly Meeting (YM), Yearly Meeting Gathering (YMG) and Meeting for Sufferings (MfS), speaking to the group’s second report. ‘As reported in October, we’ve heard that Spirit-led...
Meeting for Sufferings: Book of Discipline Revision Committee speaks on third report
Next, the Book of Discipline Revision Committee (BDRC) clerks shared a timeline for the revision project.
Meeting for Sufferings: Quaker membership and nominations
The morning session ended with Friends agreeing a way forward on the issue of Quaker non-members serving on Central Committees.
Eye - 9 December 2022
A touching encounter This isn’t just a page for the light-hearted, but for the heart-warming – which is exactly what popped into Eye’s mailbag from John H Hall, of Clacton Meeting. He tells Eye: ‘In 2009, as part of our project to photograph all Quaker Meeting houses (bit.ly/qmhouse),...
Letters - 09 December 2022
Common worship In the 25 November issue, Harvey Gillman asked the question ‘What, where is the communion that makes us a community?’ At Frederick Street Meeting, in Belfast, we have an occasional early finish to the Meeting for Worship. This gives time for a short, prepared talk, designed to stimulate discussion...