Issue - 11 April 2014
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Thought for the Week: End hunger fast
Quakers throughout Britain took part in a national day of fasting on 4 April. They were supporting the End Hunger Fast campaign, which was launched on Ash Wednesday to draw public attention to the fact that half a million people go hungry in Britain today. A call for immediate action on...
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Bang, bang! My gun shoots you dead!
I hadn’t intended to visit the airshow. It just sort of happened. One minute I was on my way down Swansea’s St Helen’s Road, distributing posters for Quaker Quest in the windows of the launderettes, enjoying the sunshine and generally feeling happy with the world, and the...
Money and testimonies
We need both our passion and a clearer understanding of economics… Let us stand in the Light, pray for the emergence of a ‘good economy’, and practice our opposition to the current system: in our lives and in the deeply spiritual process of putting our money in better places. We...
Climate change: transforming the message?
On 31 March the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its new assessment of current and future impacts of climate change, and of the measures needed for human society to adapt. The report made front page headlines that day – but by 1 April it was displaced in the media by the...
Meeting for Sufferings: Economic violence
A statement on economic inequality was adopted by Meeting for Sufferings (MfS) on Saturday 5 April. ‘Quakers in Britain commit ourselves to redress the growing inequality of wealth and income in our country… The progressive movement towards greater economic equality of the mid twentieth century has been in reverse since...
Meeting for Sufferings: QCCIR report
The Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations (QCCIR) terms of reference ask it to keep Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) ‘informed of the various movements towards inter-church cooperation and opportunities for interfaith dialogue, and for responding on behalf of the Yearly Meeting so that Friends’ views on issues of faith...
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Meeting for Sufferings: Financial activities
Peter Ullathorne, treasurer of Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM), spoke to the ‘Review of financial activities for 2013’ and described the position as ‘reasonably robust’. He highlighted a new ‘project funding proposal’, which will see any legacy income above the budgeted £1.5 million per year made available to fund ‘distinctive Quaker work’....
Meeting for Sufferings: Revisions of Qf&p
Michael Phipps, of the Church Government Advisory Group, presented proposed revisions to Quaker faith & practice (Qf&p) to Meeting for Sufferings prior to sending them to Yearly Meeting (YM) 2014 in Bath for approval.
Meeting for Sufferings: Canterbury Commitment Group report
The Canterbury Commitment Group spoke about the structure of their report, which will be presented to Yearly Meeting (YM) 2014 in Bath. The report is to look at progress towards Britain Yearly Meeting’s (BYM) commitment to become a low-carbon, sustainable community. According to the report, the group has been â€...
Meeting for Sufferings: The Light shines again
The decision to add the name of ‘The Light’ to the Large Meeting House when it is advertised to external customers was discussed at Meeting for Sufferings (MfS) on Saturday 5 April. This was prompted by minutes received from Central Yorkshire Area Meeting and Hampshire & Islands Area Meeting, which...
Meeting for Sufferings: News in brief
Meeting for Sufferings Arrangements Group The terms of reference for the Meeting for Sufferings Arrangements Group were presented as they needed to be updated. The assistant recording clerk is now called the ‘deputy recording clerk’ and a change in the way members were appointed was explained. The changes were approved.
Cry of the Earth
Last summer we put on Cry of the Earth in Leiden, Netherlands. I would like to share, with British Friends, memories of a wonderful performance. The music was by Tony Biggin and the libretto by Alec Davison. You are so blessed to have these two men with you, who make...
Eye - 11 April 2014
Birthdays in Brighton Friends in Brighton have just celebrated a remarkable and joyful event – the ninetieth birthdays of three of their members: Joyce Laverpreddy, Pat Norman and Magda Cross (pictured above). Harvey Gillman, the gifted writer, story teller and Brighton Friend, was delighted to give Eye news of the event: â€...
Letters - 11 April 2014
Copyright concerns Hayley Gullen’s objection to one of her cartoons being used without permission on a Quaker Facebook page was headed ‘Copyright concerns’ (14 March). A visual artist’s work stands complete within itself. It cannot be cited in part as ‘fair use’. I, therefore, have a considerable measure of...