Friends Old Burial Ground in Hillsborough

26/08/19 00:30 Filed in: UQM News

As part of the restoration of the Hillsborough Castle, attention has been paid to the old Quaker Burial Ground there. After discussion with Quakers, it was agreed that paving stones with some of the history of the Quakers in the area and other Quaker Quotes would be installed in that section of the Castle Gardens. Above is one of the stones. Visit the castle to see the burial ground and the rest of the stones. We are advised that future development may possibly include the addition of a seating area within the burial ground itself, and permission was sought from and approved by Monthly Meeting to remove a few of the trees to enable this.

Amazon Petition To Sign

24/08/19 16:43 Filed in: Sustainability

Hi Friends
Can you please consider signing this urgent campaign. Apologies if you have already signed.

The Amazon rainforest is on fire.

If the fires continue to rage, it’s not just the rainforest that’s at stake - it’s our very survival. Because if the Amazon dies, our chances of avoiding total climate breakdown will be seriously under threat.

I’ve just signed this petition calling on the UK government to suspend its trade deal with Brazil until the fires are out. Can you add your name too? This is an emergency.

Follow this link to sign the petition >> https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/stop-amazon-fires-em-sh

It’s hard to convey just how important the Amazon rainforest is, but I’ll give it a shot. The Amazon provides 20% of the earth’s oxygen, it’s home to more species than any other habitat on this planet, and it’s absolutely crucial in the fight against climate change because its trees soak up so much of the CO2 we emit.

The fires that are raging there right now aren’t natural - they’re part of the Brazilian president Bolsonaro’s war on the Amazon. Since coming into office, he’s encouraged farmers and illegal loggers to loot the rainforest. These fires were set by his supporters to show their support for him.

The Brazilian president isn’t the type of politician to pay attention to international outrage. But he does care about his economy. And that’s where we in the UK can have a real impact. We can do our bit to stop the Amazon fires that threaten the rainforest, the people who call it home - and the climate upon which we all depend.

A UK trade mission is in Brazil right now for talks. Let’s call on them to suspend any trade talks with Brazil until the Amazon rainforest is protected.

Follow this link to sign the petition https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/stop-amazon-fires-em-sh

Thank you for your support in this emergency.

Marie

Finding hope in today’s world

22/08/19 16:50 Filed in: SBQM Update

Finding hope in today’s world
Megan Corrigan, South Belfast Meeting

Following recent ministry in Meeting, and conversations with my teenage daughter, I have been thinking a lot about hope. In the current climate it can be very difficult to feel hopeful, the problems in our societies and across the world can feel overwhelming. However, if we have no hope and feel that the future is bleak, how do we engage with our children and young people about their future? If they feel there is no hope in the future then we are in a dangerous place.

Over the summer I happened to take on holiday a book that has been on my reading pile for a long time – a book by Rabbi Lionel Blue on everyday Jewish spirituality (1). Despite all the horrors and failings in Jewish history (from accounts in the Hebrew Scriptures right up to the current day) Rabbi Blue feels that what keeps Judaism going is ‘its essential hopefulness about time’ (pg91). Hope is written into the liturgy of Jewish worship and prayer.

This made me start to think about what Quakers say about hope so I looked up the word in the index of both Quaker and Faith and Practice (BYM) and Quaker Life and Practice (IYM) and it is not there (maybe it should be). I turned to the internet and on the Quakers in Britain website came across an interesting blog by Clare Bonetree (2). It ends by saying ‘Yes, these are very troubled times. This also means they are the time to come together, and step into our collective courage to 'do' hope, over and over again’. She points to a book Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone (3).

Central to the book is the idea that ‘active hope’ is something we can do: it’s about knowing what we hope for and then playing an active part in working towards it. The authors contrast ‘passive hope’, the ‘waiting for external agencies to bring about what we desire’, with this ‘active hope’, which ‘is about becoming active participants in bringing about what we hope for.’ They describe the three key steps involved in practising ‘active hope’, the guiding impetus of which is intention rather than optimism. As such ‘we can apply it even in areas where we feel hopeless’.

Active hope is a challenge, a way to do hope in today’s world. It is something that is probably already taking place at grass root levels but we need to talk more about it. We need to minister hope and find ways to inspire our young people about the world they are growing up in. However hard this may seem, it is our responsibility. Maybe ‘hope’ is partly what faith is and doing something about it is faith in action.

(1) Rabbi Lionel Blue (1975) ‘To heaven with Scribes and Pharisees,’ London: Darton, Longman and Todd.

(2) Clare Bonetree (2019)
https://www.quaker.org.uk/blog/finding-the-courage-to-hope

(3) Joanne Macy & Chris Johnstone (2012) ‘Active Hope’, California: New World Library.
http://www.activehope.info/active-hope.html

How Much Are We Spending On The Military?

14/08/19 22:40 Filed in: Peace

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For further details on the content of this info-graphic go to https://howmuch.net/articles/the-worlds-military-spending

War School Screening @ The Meeting House

09/08/19 21:25 Filed in: Peace | SBQM Update

War School is a film about the battle for the hearts and minds of Britain’s children.

Set against the backdrop of Remembrance the controversial and challenging documentary reveals how, faced with unprecedented opposition to its wars, the British government is using a series of new and targeted strategies to promote support for the military. Armed Forces Day, Uniform to Work Day, Camo Day, National Heroes Day - in the streets, on television, on the web, at sports events, in schools, advertising and fashion – the military presence in civilian life is on the march. The public and ever younger children are being groomed to collude in the increasing militarisation of UK society.

Interweaving the powerful and moving testimonies of veterans of Britain’s unbroken century of wars with expert commentary, archive and a redolent score, War School’s mosaic of sound and imagery evokes the story of the child soldier who becomes a peace campaigner, challenging the myth of Britain's benign role in world affairs and asking if perpetual war is really what we want for future generations?

http://powprods.com/ws.html

Tea and Coffee served from 7:00pm Movie starts at 7:30pm

August's Monthly Readings

03/08/19 20:59 Filed in: Advices & Queries

Live in love with one another as commanded by Christ watching over one another for good, bearing with each other’s failings, upholding one another prayerfully in times of difficulty and sorrow, and sharing in each other’s joys.

IYM Query For Serious Consideration 10

Do you cherish your friendships, so that they grow in depth and understanding and mutual respect? In close relationships we may risk pain as well as finding joy. When experiencing great happiness or great hurt we may be more open to the working of the spirit.

BYM Advices & Queries 14

Eco Congregation Newsletter & UQM Updates

03/08/19 20:19 Filed in: Newsletters | UQM News | Sustainability

The New Eco Congregation Ireland Newslertter is available to download HERE

Also

Ulster Quarterly Meeting Updates are below

Dear Friends

Welcome to the August 2019 edition of the Ulster Quarterly Meeting Central Committee newsletter. Below you will find some events and information that Ulster Friends have shared for circulation around Meetings. This newsletter will be circulated at the beginning of each month. If your Meeting is planning any events that would be of interest to Ulster Quakers and that Friends from other meetings could attend or you have any information to share, please send me it and I will include it. The deadline for the September 2019 edition is Friday 30 August 2019.

Agenda for September Ulster Quarterly Meeting in Bessbrook
Please find the first draft of the agenda attached.

Quaker Cottage Belfast currently have vacancies for one year volunteer internships
Please see attachment for all details. Dave Morton encourages Friends to circulate at home and abroad!

Quaker Service AGM 2019
Invitation from Dave Morton: Friends! Book early and avoid disappointment as space is finite! This year we are excited to be highlighting a new developmental area of our work which is sure to generate a lot of interest and, we will be closing with a social lunch allowing lots of time for F/friendly chat around the tables of the Moyallon Centre!

Love and Despair - Action & Responses to the challenge of climate breakdown
Advance notice of an exciting EcoQuaker series of three conferences across the island of Ireland starting this Autumn.

The first conference, entitled ‘Love and Despair - Action & Responses to the challenge of climate breakdown', will take place on Saturday 19th October from 10am until 4pm at South Belfast Meeting House, Marlborough Park North, Belfast and will be aimed primarily at all Meetings in Ulster. Others who are interested in promoting a sustainable approach in their meetings and lives are also all welcome to come along.

There will be a number of speakers to introduce us to the issues at stake - Lindsay Fielder-Cooke the representative for Climate Change from QUNO (Quaker United Nations Office); John Barry, Professor of Green Political Economy at Queens University; and Lynn Finnegan from Coleraine Meeting who will talk about the relationship between hope and despair, and the emotional difficulties we are currently experiencing with this climate crisis. Lunch will be provided.

Richard Bloomfield, Clerk of EcoQuakers Ireland will be writing to each meeting/worship group with more details very shortly. If you would like further information feel free to email Kerry Nicholson at kerry@karenandkerry.com or any of the EcoQuaker’s Committee members. Please put Saturday19th October in your diary. EcoQuakers hope to run another two conferences in the Leinster and Munster areas in early 2020.

Kind regards

Karen
--
Karen Nicholson
Administrator
Ulster Quarterly Meeting
admin@ulsterquakers.com

SOUTH BELFAST QUAKERS

Quakers (or the Religious Society of Friends as they are also known), have held Meetings for Worship in Ireland since 1654. After a previous failed attempt to establish a lasting Belfast Meeting around 1665, the first permanent Belfast Quaker Meeting was established in 1799, and in 1810 it moved to Brewery Lane, now known as Frederick Street. It wasn’t until 1956 that a second Meeting was approved for Friends who lived in Belfast, this time based in the south of the city. South Belfast Meeting House is an active Meeting with approximately 45 adult members and attenders who worship together each Sunday. Children & Young People also play a large part in our meeting, and we have on average 22, 1-18 year olds joining us for the last 10 mins of our worship, after their own activities.

Meeting for Worship takes place at 10.45am each Sunday at our meeting house ( see address and directions on the contact page )

Alternatively you can join us on Zoom with the following details:

Meeting iD: 4613195026
Pass: 143412

South Belfast Meeting is part of the larger Ireland Yearly Meeting (see details of Quakers in Ireland below)