I am still at Gathering. I’ve not been posting much. Had a couple of nights with the baby that weren’t brilliant on the sleep front and that soon eats into my ability to talk clearly, think clearly, get around where I’m meant to be and to organize us, let alone writing something you might find [...]
Creating community
One of the central themes of this year’s Yearly Meeting
The last full day
Friday, July 31st, 2009Monday at YMG
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009Miranda Chadkirk writes about Steve Whiting’s session on the JYM theme of Ubuntu and Jennifer Barraclough’s session on communities:
http://jym2009.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/session-4-steve-whiting/
http://jym2009.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/session-5-jennifer-barraclough/
A day of connections
Sunday, July 26th, 2009Sitting among so many people in Meeting for Worship this morning I found myself thinking about different kinds of connection. We are a large group together here but we are also only a fraction of Britain Yearly Meeting, a small part of Quakers worldwide and a tiny part of the total population of these islands. Although here [...]
All our eggs in the ‘God’ basket
Sunday, July 26th, 2009I made it to YMG09 on time, though I have only just got my computer out for the first time. Everything seems to be going very smoothly. Things are seeming to flow, the way stuff does when it is oiled by a lot of prayer and people’s readiness to help each other. I’m sure a [...]
Opening session
Sunday, July 26th, 2009We were reminded we come to Yearly Meeting ” to see one anothers faces”.
Certainly plenty of faces to see. I spent much of the afternoon, with responsibilities, saying “how lovely to see you, must go…”.
One of the great joys for me always at YM is looking around the room at the faces there. Lots of [...]
Geese, wonky bridges and a Quaker up a tree
Saturday, July 25th, 2009Well I’ve arrived, unpacked and sorted out an internet connection [luckily I know a man with an ethernet cable] so I thought I’d say something about first impressions.
I’ve been to York before but I had forgotten the geography until I started to walk around. I’m in James and the whole registration process was very smooth. [...]
Visions of the world to come
Friday, July 24th, 2009“Humanity is trapped in systems of oppression and domination, yearning for liberation and empowerment. Some will receive a vision of a new world where liberation and empowerment has come. Jesus called this new world the kingdom of heaven, Buddha called it the Pure Land, Marx called it Communism, and others call it the New Age. [...]
Trusting each other, in church government
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009One thing that is much on my mind in my preparation for YMG09 is how much we have to trust each other, to be able to do church government in the manner of Friends. If we believe that we are all necessary, all part of the Body of Christ, then no-one can be dismissed, ignored [...]
Gathering queries 2: expectations
Sunday, July 19th, 2009What am I looking forward to? What am I concerned about?
I am looking forward to the discipline of being in collective ‘Quaker space’ for a whole week. I wonder what that will make me freshly aware of, in my process of becoming fully right with God?
I am looking forward to telling other Friends what I [...]
Gathering queries 1: the personal challenge
Saturday, July 18th, 2009I’ve done various kinds of preparation for Gathering so far: in a group of Friends from our local Meeting; and in a few sets of one or two Friends when the opportunity arose; and on my own in reflective writing and prayer. I’ve been using the study pack which got sent out to all our [...]