Monday 31 October 2016

Novemeber notices from Friends' House





 
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