With the Christmas holidays over and the decorations coming down, there is perhaps a sense of ‘getting back to reality’, or once again entering the ‘real world’. As my husband reminded me, the word ‘reality’ can often get confused with ‘normality’. Something may be normal, but on closer examination may not be as real (in… Continue reading Getting back to reality – a reflection for Epiphany
Author: Mark Russ
Extract from a Quaker cantata
Occasionally my musical and Quaker worlds collide, never more so than in my recent cantata 'The Nayler Passion', produced by The Leaveners in November. It's a 75 minute piece for piano, lute, chorus and baritone soloist. It tells the story of early Quaker leader James Nayler, drawing parallels with the Christian passion narrative.
A Purposeful Adventure – Othona and Mount of Oaks
In July I wrote about my and my husband’s plans for a ‘purposeful adventure’, a year of exploring a variety of intentional communities. As part of the planning process, before taking the plunge we are dipping our toes in the water. We’ll spend a weekend here and a week there visiting some places that may… Continue reading A Purposeful Adventure – Othona and Mount of Oaks
Protected: The Quakerly art of squashing
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Spontaneous hospitality
Some short thoughts.On Sunday, my meeting spent some time reflecting on the question 'What is our ministry?'. It was a really fruitful discussion and many people expressed how much they'd enjoyed it. It was preceded by a share meal, something readers of my blog will know I'm very keen on! I think there was a… Continue reading Spontaneous hospitality
Model Meetings
Let me begin by saying to any members of my local Meeting who read this blog, I have great affection for my local Quaker community. This post is intended to provoke discussion, and if any offence is unintentionally caused I hope you’ll feel able to talk with me about it. I was recently invited to… Continue reading Model Meetings
Preparing for a purposeful adventure
My partner and I recently heard we’d been unsuccessful in our application to volunteer for a year with Quakers in New Zealand. Naturally we were disappointed but we trust that NZ Friends discerned the right names. We were left with a large question hanging over us - what now? We both feel that, as much… Continue reading Preparing for a purposeful adventure
Sing in the Spirit
At Britain Yearly Meeting this year, I led a community singing session on the theme of Trust in the Spirit. I wrote some new words for the Thomas Tallis canon, one of my favourite simple melodies. It's normally sung to the words "Glory to Thee My God This Night", and I personally know it from… Continue reading Sing in the Spirit
Trust in the Spirit
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) is nearly over, and it has been both affirming and discomforting.The theme for the gathering was ‘Trust in the Spirit’. In reflecting on this over the past week, I arrived at the conclusion that we can’t trust the Spirit unless we trust each other. In session, on the Saturday morning, I… Continue reading Trust in the Spirit
Locating my Quaker identity
Last year I mused that British Quakerism is having an identity crisis. It may be, although I don’t know for certain. More truthfully, it’s me who’s having the identity crisis! I have said to friends in the past, ‘I'm a Quaker depending on which day you ask me’. I’d like to explore this thought a… Continue reading Locating my Quaker identity
Jolly Quaker 