By Don Badgley We few remaining Friends, find ourselves ever more diminished among the world’s myriad faith communities. We are scattered in small pockets around the globe, loosely connected, diverse in background, culture and theology. Our founders envisioned “a great people to be gathered†and for a brief time it was so. Yet, today we…
Class and environmental nonviolent direct action for Friends: an introduction to this article by British Quaker Sam Walton Class and nonviolent direction aren’t usually discussed in the same article, but American Quaker George Lakey thinks they should be. And he should know, he’s led over 1,500 workshops on five continents; training coal miners, homeless people,…
By Chris Diskin Before arriving at the Quaker United Nations Office Summer School in early July 2012 I was unsure of quite what to expect of the course, the QUNO staff or the other participants. I had worked for Friends House in London for a couple of years and while I thought I had a…
By Craig Barnett Last weekend at Woodbrooke was billed as a ‘threshing event’, exploring the potential for a renewal of the Religious Society of Friends for the 21st Century. It is an initiative of Britain Yearly Meeting’ recording clerk, Paul Parker. Paul has been visiting Meetings throughout the country, gathering a sense of new confidence…
By Andrew Williams In June 1660 Margaret Fell delivered to Charles II a paper directed to the king and both houses of parliament, making clear the corporate testimony of Friends ‘against all strife and wars.’ Introduction to 19.46, Quaker Faith and Practice Earlier this year Meeting for Sufferings received an invitation from Buckingham Palace to…
Public health and Quakerism: Health and wellbeing: the 21st century agenda  By Andrew Williams Public health has been defined as: ‘the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting physical health and efficiency through organised community efforts … and the development of social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the community…
by Drew Miller Crouching near the gravel, I brush away rocks to pull weeds. A long flight has brought me from America to Geneva to a tiny French village called Versonnex, and I find myself amongst rocks, dirt, and vegetables. I am not on a royal or priestly or magical journey, just a journey to…
by Valerie Graves I joined Friends with my husband in the 1960s. I had been a rather lukewarm Anglican and he was fleeing from the rigours of a very stern Baptist Church – everything nice was forbidden and there was no rejoicing in anything. We had been much impressed by a publication called Quaker View…
by Trevor Bending I listened to the ministry by Geoffrey Durham at Britain Yearly Meeting and later nearly stood to speak myself.  But the moment passed.  I’m a new member (since February).  What could I say? I reflected that not too many months before and only a few yards away I had heard Geoffrey speak…
by Geoffrey Durham This text was given as prepared ministry at Britain Yearly Meeting, a gathering of Quakers, in 05/2012. My name is Geoffrey Durham and I am a member of North West London Area Meeting. I am a Quaker. And the purpose of this session is to explore that phrase in depth. ‘I’m a…