SOUTH BELFAST QUAKERS

That of God in everyone

M&O March 22 Update

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STRENGTHENING OUR FAITH IN ACTION

Over the last number of months, as we are all edging back to what we hope will be a bit more like "normality", in the M&O team we have been working on several initiatives to strengthen our faith in action. Our sudden awareness of the tragedy in the Ukraine brings yet another level of challenge. Like every organisation we are trying to understand what it means, and what we must do as a faith community. The following are a number of actions that are currently underway at South Belfast.

The Loving Earth Project

In the coming weeks, our Meeting House is hosting the "Loving Earth Project", enabling us to look at the wonderful creativity in textiles as Quakers and others, across the world, reflected in what they loved in nature and how each of us can change our lives to protect the earth. Thanks so much to all those Friends who have organised this, and all who are greeting visitors to our Meeting House, before the exhibition goes on to Portadown, Derry/ Londonderry and Cork.

Quaker Quest

In Wednesday 27 April and 4, 11 and 18 June, in the evening, we will also be having Quaker Quest" sessions in the evening in the Meeting House to explore how we as Quakers think about issues of Faith, Worship, Integrity and Equality. We are very keen that as many Friends/ friends, from South Belfast, other Meetings and indeed elsewhere, interested in the Quaker way, join these very open and informal discussions as we explore what our faith means in our lives. There will be more detail in the coming weeks but do please put these dates in your diary now.

Quaker jargon and process

As we live our Quaker faith, we often speak of the importance of plain speech. But we realise that how we actually worship, and indeed how many of the processes of our Meeting operate, while clear to those to the long-standing Friends, must be rather mysterious to newcomers and far from plain! So we are looking at a simple document to explain what we are about - and also are planning a discussion after Meeting later in the summer.

Refugees

We are also planning an after Meeting Conversation about the City of Sanctuary in Belfast, and how people are working to support refugees. This links to the concern about how we support Ukrainian refugees as we go forward. Already many Friends are active in finding resources and finance to help people fleeing the war, but we are also investigating what other ways we might work to provide long term support. This is really challenging, seeing how best we help in this complex area, and we are seeking to research what best to do. One very practical action, to raise funds, but also to draw us together, is to organise breakfasts together before Meeting on Sunday, and further details will be circulated when are plans are developed.

The Ministry and Oversight team - Felicity, Jonathan, Ian, Kerry, Marie, Michael, Sylvia and Will

Loving Earth Project

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The Exhibition of 57 textile panels including some made by our own members will be of interest to  those interested in creative arts and environmental issues.
The Loving Earth Project https://lovingearth-project.uk/ is an international community textile art project, initiated by Quakers in Britain.  
The panels show how people are engaging with the issues of climate change and what they personally are trying to do in a most creative way. 
 Groups of panels have been exhibited in many venues, including in and around Glasgow for COP 26, where it was voted  “ one of the best cultural events at Cop26” 
The Belfast exhibition, will be part of the Imagine Festival https://imaginebelfast.com/events/loving-earth-the-exhibition/
We are hosting 4  workshops on how to start to make your own panel and an online civic conversation about what "loving earth" means to me.
In Belfast - participants can register here https://imaginebelfast.com/events/loving-earth-the-workshop/
In Londonderry at The Playhouse https://www.derryplayhouse.co.uk/event/loving-earth-workshop/
https://imaginebelfast.com/events/loving-earth-the-civic-conversation/
We hope everyone will get the opportunity to visit one of the 4 exhibitions and encourage others to come.
The exhibitions will be at
South Belfast Quaker Meeting House, 22 Marlborough Park North, Belfast BT9 6HJ.

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