Quaker News No. 96 Autumn 2016

In case you missed the paper version of Quaker News an update on Quaker work in the care of British Yearly Meeting

Link to a PDF to view online

it includes an article about the four posters produced for Quaker Week 2015 [I saw one this week used as an advert in Private Eye!]

monthly notices December 2016 2 of 2

2016 Swarthmore Lecture DVD we now have a copy

The 2016 Swarthmore Lecture ‘Mending broken hearts, rebuilding shattered lives’ was given by Esther Mombo. The enclosed DVD has been produced for local and area meetings. It includes an introduction by Sandra Berry, Director of Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, and the full Swarthmore lecture, filmed at Britain Yearly Meeting, including spoken contributions from a number of peace builders throughout East and Central Africa. In addition, there is a post-lecture question and answer session between Sandra and Esther that was filmed at Woodbrooke. The running time is 106 minutes.

 

QPSW Spring Conference 2017: Journeys of Witness

24–26 March 2017, The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire

The keynote speakers at the 2017 QPSW conference will be Jane Pearn, South East Scotland AM and clerk of the QPSW Peace Education, Campaigning and Networking Sub Committee, and Chris Venables, attender and activist. Jane and Chris will sharesomething of the work they do/have done and why they felt moved to do this work.

Kristin Skarsholt, bymevents@quaker.org.uk, 020 7663 1121

www.quaker.org.uk/events/2017-qpsw-annual-spring-conference

 

Creating New Homes – what can we do?

11 February 2017, Friends House, London

London Quakers will run another conference on housing concerns, (open to all), which follows the successful day conference last year. It will be in the Sarah Fell room known to most of us as the Small MH.  Morning – review of current legislative developments, exploring what affordability means, workshops. Afternoon – London Citizens Housing  agenda, community hubs, workshops.

A detailed programme will follow.

Enquiries and registration via lqevents2017@gmail.com

Fred Ashmore, 07976 299721

 

Spirituality and End of Life Day Conference

4 March 2017, York Friargate Meeting House, York

Learning to live together with all faiths and none means learning how to die together. Beliefs about death affect beliefs about life, and likewise death and dying reveal a lot about what believers understand of the soul, the afterlife, the divine, and other questions.

Further details on the event, venue, agenda and practicalities are available at www.quaker.org.uk/events/?month=03-201

Graham Spackman, grahams@quaker.org.uk

 

monthly notices December 2016 1 of 2

The books of the month. Link to a PDF document

Woodbrooke: upcoming course. Link to a PDF document

Among Friends no. 127 Winter 2016 Europe & Middle East Section of Friends World Committee for Consultation Link to a PDF document [note from blog author - I always find this publication interesting and inspiring!]

Kindlers & Leaveners

further to leaflets and information given out at Meeting on Sunday 20th December 2016 if you weren’t there or didn’t pick up a leaflet….

A link to Kindler events in London and Leeds in 2017

http://thekindlers.webs.com/other-kindler-events

The following Kindler booklets are all £3 and available from Friends Book Centre [link]. And Narberth Meeting library

Signposts: Quakers exploring interfaith by Eva Tucker and Stephanie Ramamurthy.

Breakthrough to Unity: the Quaker Way held within the mystic traditions by Roswitha Jarman.

Journeying the Heartlands: exploring spiritual practices of Quaker worship. Elizabeth Brown and Alec Davison (eds.)

Explorations: discovering a spiritual way by Judith Fullard Smith.

Answering that of God: discovering spirit within by Peter Parr

But Who do you Say that I am? Quakers and Christ today by Douglas Gwyn.

Through us not from us: vocal ministry and Quaker worship by Rex Ambler, Alec Davison, Janet Scott and Michael Wright.

This I Warn You in Love: witness of some early Quaker women by Catie Gill and Elaine Hobby.

Love Growing in us: questioning the Quaker peace testimony by John Lampen

Visioning new fire: working for Quaker renewal. Conference inputs and outcomes

The Power we call God: threshings matter for Quaker visioning by Frank Parkinson.

Why Silence?: revisiting the foundations of Quaker worship by Brian Holley.

The Kindler’s On the Road series http://thekindlers.webs.com/the-kindlers-on-the-road

 

The Leaveners : art inspiring change

Their vision statement

"To lead on socially and ethically conscious programming based on Quaker values, so that we are an exemplar for community arts; encouraging cross-cultural dialogue and opportunities to learn and interact with other cultures to explore new ways of thinking and being.

Their website: http://www.leaveners.org/

And appeal [unlike many arts organisations they do not apply for lottery funding  http://www.leaveners.org/support/appeal/

A link to a pdf of the annual review and appeal - when it is online I'll change the link [they are updating their website]

 

 

 

Croeso Arberth event 18th November

Stories of African Peace Builders [and 200 Years of Quaker Action]

from Milford Haven Quaker Meeting
at The Torch Theatre

St. Peter's Road

Milford Haven

SA73 2BU
31st October - 25th November 2016


Rosa Imbega from Kenya travelling home by minibus overheard two young men planning to attack a tribe in her area. There had recently been a lot of trouble causing the deaths of many people and the loss of many homes. Mama Rosa, a Quaker, had been trying to help people from different tribes to get along with each other. She got off the bus with the two young men, asked them not to attack, and invited them to come to her home the next day to talk about the problems. She worried all night that they might attack her. She was delighted when they arrived and agreed to take tea with her. They told her about the injustices that had made them angry, and she said that she would talk to the people who had harmed them. She was able to help the two communities towards reconciliation and the prevention of further violence. She continues to work for peace in her region.

This is one of the stories told in the exhibition “This light that pushes me” at the Torch Theatre. The panels illustrate the courage shown by people in tackling some of the serious issues in the Great Lakes region of Africa and traces their journeys from violence, through healing, to activism.

Alongside this is another exhibition which tells of Quaker responses to conflict from the Irish Potato Famine, through two World Wars, and up to the present day.

Both exhibitions are stimulating and thought provoking and particularly relevant to Milford Haven with its long Quaker history. The Meeting House in Priory Road opened in 1811, remains an active Quaker community today, and welcomes visitors
link to Facebook event

All Faiths Service of Remembrance

the 8th annual All Faiths Service of Remembrance for All Victims of War
Narberth Quakers and Pembrokeshire Peace Group.

11 a.m Saturday 12th November the Celtic Cross [corner of St James Street and Spring Gardens]
The theme is Peace and Reconciliation.
During the service we will lay a wreath of mixed red and white poppies in memory of all victims of war, military ad civilian.

On Friday 11th there will be a stall near the parking area outside Span Arts between 10.00 and 14.00. There will be white poppies for sale. All monies collected will be donated to Medicins Sans Frontieres.

White Poppies are worn in the run-up to Remembrance Day every year by thousands of people in the UK and beyond. White Poppies have been worn in this way for over eighty years. They are distributed by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU).
There are three elements to the meaning of White Poppies: they represent remembrance for all victims of war, a commitment to peace and a challenge to attempts to glamourise or celebrate war.

link to Peace Pledge Union website

LINK to Facebook event page via Milford Haven Quaker Meeting

Novemeber notices from Friends' House

LINK: Books of the Month November 2016 (PDF)

LINK: Woodbrooke November 2016 courses and events (PDF)

LINK: The Young Quaker magazine (PDF)

 

Quaker Peace & Social Witness newsletters available online:
Earth and Economy Newsletter for information and action on sustainability and economic justice. Including investing in a green and just economy, what Brexit means for the UK’s trade policy, and news from Friends taking action across the country. www.quaker.org.uk/eartheconomy
Educate and Disarm The latest peace education and disarmament update features the story of a 10 year-old’s conscientious objection, grounds for optimism in the struggle against nuclear weapons, Quakers spreading peacemaking in schools, the Peace Tax Bill and stopping arms to Saudi. www.quaker.org.uk/educate-disarm

 

Quaker Activist Gathering
Places are still available at the Quaker Activist Gathering on 3 December at Friargate Quaker Meeting House, York. It will be a day to connect, share ideas and to inspire each other. No cost for attending. Places can be booked online at www.quaker.org.uk/events/ activist-gathering or by email kristins@quaker.org.uk.

 

Children and Young People
Living our faith in the world event
8 –13 April 2017, Embercombe, Exeter, Devon
A five-day event for young Quakers aged 13 to 17 and their friends. Young people will participate in Embercombe’s LEAP Programme which aims to inspire and empower them through learning from the environment by contributing to tasks such as gardening, building and cooking. They will learn sustainable living skills and reflect on their experience in relation to this and Quaker testimonies.
Application deadline: 1 December 2016. Shared accommodation in yurts.
020 7663 1013, cypadmin@quaker.org.uk www.yqspace.org.uk/bym-events

 

Training and conference
Being Friends Together Training Day
10 November 2016, Woodbrooke, Birmingham
There are still places available on the one-day training event. There is no charge but advance booking is required. It is a day to learn how to explore ‘Being Friends Together’ online learning material at together.woodbrooke.org.uk. It provides resources to support the national Reading Quaker faith & practice scheme and has historical learning material on our Christian tradition which could augment the Radical Spirituality course recently offered by Lancaster University.
No skill or experience is necessary. Free lunch included. To reserve a place, please email together@quaker.org.uk together.woodbrooke.org.uk
Spirituality and End of Life Conference
4 March 2017, Friargate Meeting House, York
Friends are invited to attend this one-day conference in York to hear from Christian and other faiths about spiritual approaches to end of life issues.
The day will include presentations and small group discussions led by both the speakers and members of the Quaker Committee for Christian and Interfaith Relations (QCCIR). There will be time for sharing experiences, reflections and questions. A number of speakers have been approached and more details on costs and how to book will be available early next year. QCCIR encourages area meetings to appoint Friends to attend.
Graham Spackman, 020 7663 1021, grahams@quaker.org.uk

Outreach

Ongoing Outreach
Outreach is for every day not just for Quaker Week!
We are delighted that during September 2016 we sent out 168 enquirers packs to individuals and 742 packs to meetings for you to distribute. This compares with our usual mail out of 200.
If you are planning outreach events, we can mail an invitation to recent enquirers in your area. Let us know the details of your next event and the county at outreach@quaker.org.uk. We will then send an invitation to people who have recently requested a pack. Please note we cannot let you have the email addresses of the individuals. outreach@quaker.org.uk

Support material

Toolkit for Action
Britain Yearly Meeting has put together a ‘Toolkit for Action’ to help Friends take more effective action on issues they care about. Drawing from knowledge and stories of Friends’ witness across the UK.
Eight guides are available for meetings and individuals to use. These cover topics from how to plan effective action for change and organise actions, to reaching the media and engaging elected representatives.
Visit www.quaker.org.uk/toolkit-for-action
If you would like paper copies, please contact
Maya Williams, 020 7663 1056, mayaw@quaker.org.uk
Encounters  accompaniment
The Quaker Life Network Mental Health in Meetings Cluster has developed a leaflet to accompany the book ‘Encounters with mental distress: Quaker stories’ that it published in 2015.
The new leaflet gives ideas on how Quakers might use the book to explore mental health, mental illness and issues relating to mental wellbeing in Quaker communities.
Find the leaflet enclosed or online at www.quaker.org.uk/documents/encounters-accompaniment.
Oliver Waterhouse, 020 7663 1007, qlnetwork@quaker.org.uk

Friends World Committee for Consultation

Support for Friends World Committee for Consultation
Representatives serving on Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) ask for your prayerful upholding and financial support of FWCC’s work. Quaker concerns cross continents and varied ways
of worship and theology. We hope you can help support FWCC as it ontinues to connect Friends in our work, our worship and our lives. Marleen Schepers, 020 7663 1143, marleens@quaker.org.uk www.quaker.org.uk/qwrc
how could we best support FWCC?

Governance

Church Government: a questionnaire
Please would you take a few minutes to complete this online questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ChurchGov
The Book of Discipline Revision Preparation Group is keen to find out more about how Friends in Britain currently use Quaker faith & practice (Qf&p). In particular, we want to know whether and how Friends who have been appointed to various roles in the society use the church government sections of Qf&p to help them (chapters 3–9 and 11–17). This will be helpful in any future revision. Whether you use Qf&p often or infrequently, your thoughts are important to us.
Deadline for completing questionnaire: 12 January 2017 Michael Booth, 020 7663 1023, qfp@quaker.org.uk

august notices

LINK: Books of the month August 2016 (PDF)

LINK: Woodbrooke courses and events August 2016 (PDF)

LINK: Friends World News 2016 vol 1 no 183 (PDF)

The bulletin of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, including reports from the World Plenary Meeting in Peru.

LINK: Among Friends No136 Summer 2016 (PDF)

The journal of Europe & Middle East Section of FWCC, including report on a vigil held outside the Eurosatory arms fair in Paris in June. Paper copy will arrive September

‘So you’ve read Quaker faith & practice, what next?’

4–6 November 2016, Woodbrooke, Birmingham
A weekend organised by the Book of Discipline Revision Preparation  Group especially for Friends of less than about 10 years standing, or certainly people who’ve come to Friends since the last time our book was revised! A chance to reflect on the spiritual experience of reading Quaker faith & practice and to consider its meaning in our lives.
Bookings via Woodbrooke on 0121 472 5171 or online at
www.bit.ly/wbform1. Other enquiries to qfp@quaker.org.uk

Exploring Being Friends Together

10 October 2016, Woodbrooke, Birmingham
A day to explore the Being Friends Together website and how to use it as a tool in your meeting’s learning and growing together. No skill or experience is necessary; this is an ideal opportunity for  clerks, elders or anyone involved in developing the life and learning of the meeting to find out more about this treasure trove of resources, ideas and workshops.
Email together@quaker.org.uk to find out more and to book a place.

A weekend event for newcomers at Charney Manor

4–6 November 2016, Charney Manor
New to Quakers? Want to explore Quaker worship? This weekend is for people who know little or nothing about Quakers,  and for those who have been around Quakers a while and want to  explore further. Come and find out more about core Quaker beliefs,  discover Quaker worship and hear how Quakers live their lives.
How to book: Download the booking form at: www.charneymanor.com/events
Email: admin@charneymanor.com Telephone: 01235 868206

Echo Chamber: Voices of conscience – an exhibition from the Quaker Arts Network

18 August–2 September, Friends House, London
The Quaker Arts Network will host an exhibition at Friends House. The exhibition focuses on conscientious objection drawing inspiration from COs during World War I and bringing our understanding of conscience up to date.
Open 11am–4pm daily (except bank holiday Monday 29 August).
Link: ECHO CHAMBER flyer pdf

Workshop to explore engaging 0–3s and families in meetings

15 October 2016 and 12 November 2016
Newcastle, Liverpool, Cambridge and Bristol
These workshops aim to encourage and support meetings to engage with 0–3s and families in meetings including identifying what steps meetings need to take to encourage families to come and to be ready when they do.
Thais de Oliveira, 020 7663 1013, cypadmin@quaker.org.uk
www.quaker.org.uk/workshops
Link: ENGAGING 0-3s AND FAMILIES flyer PDF

Apply for a QPSW Sustainability & New Economy grant

Got ideas for a project that will help to build low-carbon, sustainable communities or a more just kind of economics? Apply for £100–£2,000 before 3 October 2016.
Find out more at: www.quaker.org.uk/sustainabilitygrants

Engaging with your local policing bodies
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) in England and Wales, and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) are responsible for setting policing policy, practice and budgets in our communities. The enclosed flyer gives details of a new briefing from QPSW Crime, Community and Justice Subcommittee for Friends wanting to engage with these public servants.
Paula Harvey, Crime, Community and Justice Programme Manager
020 7663 1036, ccj@quaker.org.uk
Link: ENGAGING WITH YOUR LOCAL POLICING BODIES flyer pdf