Quakers speak out on poverty

Quakers in Britain have adopted a statement on “government cuts: welfare benefits”, which is to be used as a “starting point for meetings as a basis for action and speaking out” as well as for reflection, according to the decision-making body Meeting of Sufferings, which met on the first Saturday of the month in 04/2014.…

Online postgraduate Quaker courses launched

Two unique studying opportunities have been announced following a link up between Britain’s top Quaker study centre and a leading English university. Woodbrooke’s Centre for Postgraduate Quaker Studies has set up an innovative and interdisciplinary collaboration with Lancaster University, is offering the first online postgraduate courses in Quakerism: a Postgraduate Certificate in Quaker Studies; and…

Quakers invited to make Nobel peace prize nominations

Quakers are making their annual nominations for the Nobel peace prize. Quakers can make a nomination to the Oslo Committee that awards the prize because they were awarded the prize themselves in 1947. The formal nomination is made by the American Friends Service Committee and British Friends are encouraged to join in the process by…

British Quakers share stories of African peace builders

“Someone can’t forgive with a broken heart.  We need first to heal our wounds…Then start the work of peace and reconciliation.” So says Cécile Nyiramana, a peacebuilder from Rwanda at the British Quakers’ engaging exhibition This Light that Pushes Me. Cécile brought together the wives of victims of the Rwandan genocide to meet with the…

Photo: Jay Clark

being a Quaker parent

By Craig Barnett (x-posted from Craig’s blog, Transition Quaker) “The best thing about not having children must be that you can carry on thinking of yourself as a nice person.” Fay Weldon Over the last few years as a Woodbrooke Associate Tutor, I have helped to lead a couple of courses on ‘Being a Quaker…

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What does George Fox say?

Earlier this year the Norwegian musician Ylvis released a song The Fox (what does fox say?) Ever since, we’ve all been waiting for who could produce a Quaker version and Ben Guaraldi has finally taken the plunge and uploaded ‘What does George Fox say?’ to Youtube. This version retains the original fast-paced music of the…

A street scene in Geneva where an artist has made a physical light experiment

Podcast #07

This podcast features an interview with Chris Goodchild, author of A Painful Gift: The Journey of a Soul with Autism.   Nayler Podcast 07 by Jez Smith on Mixcloud Listen to the podcast here.  

A well-worn copy of Quaker Faith & Practice lying on a table

New thinking for Quaker Faith & Practice

By Oliver Robertson Quaker Faith & Practice, Britain Yearly Meeting’s book of discipline is revised each generation, incorporating fresh insights and revelations given to Friends. The last time this happened was in the early 1990s, and while I don’t believe we are yet in need of another wholesale revision, there are parts I have found…

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Quaker group wins Stonewall award

Stonewall supporters have awarded the Quaker Lesbian & Gay Fellowship (QLGF) the title of community group of the year for their long-standing commitment to equality. At the Stonewall awards ceremony the group was presented with a cheque for £5,000. Paul Campion, a long-standing campaigner who received the award on behalf of QLGF, said “this generous…

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Kindlers’ conference epistle

Epistle from the Kindler’s Conference Held at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham, England 1110-13/10/2013 This weekend, 91 Friends have met at Woodbrooke and sought ways to kindle afresh the Kingdom of Heaven within our Meetings. Does this language resonate for you Friends? Can we at last move beyond the words and really listen to each…