Category: Spiritual Practice
Ideas and thoughts inspired by a wide range of spiritual practice, especially how they connect to our work in the world.
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AdventWord 2024: Joy
Joy to the World I’m sure I’m not the only person who when they think of that phrase hear it sung, or indeed have trouble not starting to sing the carol. I like that this beloved hymn was written by a rebellious son, Isaac Watts, who complained to his father that current church music didn’t
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AdventWord 2024: Splendour
To see the splendour of the universe Tapestry of Blazing Starbirth Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI This is a marvellous world, full of beauty and splendour; it is also an unrelenting and savage world, and we are not the only living things prone to dominate if given the chance. In
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AdventWord 2024: Faithfulness
Faith fullness How can we live a life full of faith? Why do we try to do this? Quakers have a chapter called, ‘Faithful lives’ in Quaker Faith & Practice – our current book of discipline. The entries are often taken from Testimonies written after someone has died, they are more formally called, ‘Testimony to
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AdventWord 2024: Redemption
Quaker Redemption What do you do in Meeting for Worship? This is quite a frequent question when someone discovers I’m a Quaker, and that a Meeting for Worship isn’t like their more usual experience of a religious service. It is an hour of silence, or stillness, or expectant waiting – however you want to describe
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AdventWord 2024: Abound
What is Abounding? Abound is not a word I use often in conversation. But when I saw this on the list of words for AdventWord this year, two quotations came to me which I’ve included below. Social Justice is for me linked to the idea of equality and being aware of my own privilege and
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AdventWord 2024: Humility
Humility is a noun Micah 6:8 is one of my favourite Bible verses. I always appreciate a simple to do list – even if they are very hard to do! I find that they link to the Quaker Testimonies to Equality, Simplicity, Truth and Peace strongly for me. Equality is a foundational belief for me
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Fail or Grow?
Which questions are asked? This blog is the next in my four-part series of outtakes from the Future of British Quakerism Conference. Friday’s review of first the dwindling numbers from the Tabular Statement and then an increase of average age by a year from last year’s survey both added to the general feeling of worry
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All the colours
Letting the Light shine through Together with colours, it is always wonderful to get to see Friends and catch up. But also to join new conversations and discussions in corridors, and over meals. Last weekend I attended the Future of British Quakerism Conference in Yarnfield. We were joined by a very young Friend who ministered joyfully
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Following the leadings of the Spirit
Spirit as a hang glider! Last weekend at the Future of British Quakerism Conference, we joined together to explore ways to support our communities and our spiritual lives in the face of change. Over 250 people in both Yarnfield and online joined together in worship to receive information, work together to discern threads and make
