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Yearly Meeting 2023: All-together’ Meeting for Worship
Sunday morning saw a distinct change in tone. This was an ‘All-together’ Meeting for Worship, and those who made it to Friends House were greeted with a table full of art materials. Many Friends joined with their Local Meetings online, for a session that was to be part-programmed but based,...
Yearly Meeting 2023: Session 4 - Truth and Integrity
Session four opened by minuting the morning’s worship and welcoming interfaith visitors. The theme for the session was ‘Truth and integrity’, and Friends heard prepared ministry from Diane Randall, who served as general secretary of the US Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) until 2021.
Yearly Meeting 2023: Session 5 - Looking at Meeting for Sufferings
As Sunday afternoon’s Session Five opened in worship, one Friend lamented the way people had been talking about committee work in Saturday’s session. ‘One of the things that gave me greatest joy was being on Children and Young People’s Committee… I am really was saddened by the...
Yearly Meeting 2023: Session 6 - Required business; as led
It was clear in Session Six that Friends had been processing overnight. In opening worship, participants recognised that BYM trustees were hard-working and dedicated, and that their service had not always been easy. ‘Trustees are our Friends’ said one, ‘and we are grateful for them’. ‘Great is their contribution’, said...
Yearly Meeting 2023: Session 7 - Our all-age community, closing session
Session Seven, YM’s last, contained quite a lot of required business. But some of it was ‘really lovely’, said Fred Langridge, assistant clerk. It would deal with the YM epistle (see page 15) and hear from younger people attending in the relevant age groups. After a round of thanks, the...
Hundreds of Friends at ‘The Big One’
Hundreds of Friends joined Extinction Rebellion (XR)’s ‘The Big One’ last weekend, demanding urgent action on the climate emergency.
Quaker says Churches Together must evolve
Hannah Brock Womack, who was prevented from fully taking up her position as a president for Churches Together in England (CTE) because she is in a same-sex marriage, says the organisation must continue to evolve to stop history repeating itself.
Friend highlights plight of hospices
A Bolton Quaker has called for more funding for hospices, highlighting the financial strain many face. The call echoes warnings from Hospice UK that many providing end-of-life services in partnership with the NHS may have to shut beds and sack staff because of rising energy bills of up to 350 per...
Friends spread the word on voter ID
Britain Yearly Meeting has urged Friends to highlight the issue of voter ID. Writing in the Quake! newsletter, BYM said: ‘The government is bringing in voter ID, starting with the local elections in May 2023. It’s important that we remember to bring valid ID to the polling station and help...
Yearly Meeting 2023 Preparatory sessions
A series of online theme preparation sessions were run between 19 and 23 April to help Friends get ready for Yearly Meeting (YM) 2023. Its theme is ‘Releasing our energy so that we can follow the leadings of the spirit, fulfil our purpose and build a better world’. YM in session will address...