BathQuakerNewsFebruary2017 Page1

NewsletterFebruary2017

Inequality:SwarthmoreLecture2017byCatherineWestMPWoodbrookeconfirmsthatthe2017SwarthmoreLecturewillbegivenbyCatherineWestMP.Itwillfocusonaddressinginequality,tacklingpovertyandpromotingsocialjustice,andexaminehowwecaneffectchangethroughpolitics–bothparticipatoryandrepresentative–whilstlivingoutourfaithintheworld.

CatherineWestMP(pic:DailyMirror)Catherinesays“Forme,activelyadvancingthecauseofequalityisbothapoliticalimperativeandaspiritualvocation.”OurfriendlyBathTreasurerSallyadds:

IfyouwanttogotoYMGatUniversityofWarwickthissummerbutarehesitatingbecauseofthecost,thenpleasehesitatenolonger!AreaMeetingcanofferyou(andyourfamily)abursarytomakeitaffordable–pleasehaveawordwithoneoftheOverseerswhowillbeabletohelparrangethis.

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Moreoninequality:BritishQuakersgetPayCompareMarkQuakersinBritainhavebecomethefirstmajorreligiousbodytobeawardedthePayCompareMark.Themarkisawardedtoemployerswhodisclosethegapbetweentheirhighestandlowerpaidworkersonthewww.paycompare.org.ukwebsite.

QuakersinBritainhaveamaximumof1:4ratiobetweenthehighestandlowestpaidmemberofstaff(allowingforLondonweighting).IntheUKprivatesectortheratioisnowreportedas1:129.“Ourvisionofequalityspringsfromourprofoundsenseoftheworthofeveryhumanbeing,”saidPaulParker,RecordingClerkforQuakersinBritain.“Everyperson’slifeissacredandinthisweareallequal.Neithermoneynorstatuscanserveasatruemeasureofthevalueofanyindividualorgroup.Publishingourpayratioisanimportantpartofourfaith-ledcommitmenttoworkforamoreequalBritain.”

BathFriendsenjoyepicNewYear’stalentshow

AswellasmusicandpoemsFriendsweretreatedtonaturallifeimpersonations.

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UntanglingFriends–morecomplicatedthanitlooksOnFriday13JanBathFriendsgottogetherforaNewYeartalentshowandfuneveningofmusic,gamesandactivities.Friendsplayedwhatwasnodoubtthebiggest-andmostpeaceful-versionof“winkmurder”they’veeverexperienced,tiedthemselvesupingroupknotsandtestedouttheirmusicalskills.PropstoMeredithforpullingitalltogether.

BathStopWar:RethinkingSecurityevent22FebJudithwrites:

BathStopWariscontinuingitsdiscussiononRethinkingSecuritybringinginwritersandpoliticianstoaddtheirviews.OnWednesday22ndFebruaryitistheturnoftheGreenPartytoshareitsideasonwhatsecuritymeansandhowitcanbestbeachieved.WehaveinvitedNatalieBennett-the'unashamedradical',asshedescribesherself-tospeakatthispublicmeetingat7:30pmonWednesday22FebruaryatourMeetingHouse.TheGreenPartyistheonlyUKpartythathasalreadymadeanewapproachtointernationalrelations;NatalieBennettwantstodevelopthisalternativelineofthinkingandwillbeanexcellentspeaker.WehopeFriendswillcomeandwillencourageotherstocomesothatthereisagoodaudienceandalivelydiscussion.

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FriendlyfacesoftheBathStopWar!CoalitiononthestepsoftheAbbey(asthey

andtheirpredecessorshavebeeneverydayfor40years).MeanwhileChristinepointstotheexcellentEducate&disarmresourcesontheBritishQuakers’website.Moreavailableathttp://www.quaker.org.uk/resources/newsletters/educate-disarm

Asimplepractice:sharingthebestofthedayBrendaClaxtontooktoheartasuggestionfromafriendofthinkingofthreegoodthingsexperiencedeveryday.Shewrites:

EacheveningbeforegoingtobedTedandIsitanddescribethreethingsthathaveupliftedusduringtheday.Ithenwritethemdown,onecolumnforeachofus.Ifindwritingthingsdowngivesthemmoresubstance,anditishelpfultobeabletolookbacklaterandremindmyself.Theyturnouttobesimplethingslikeseeingthebirdsfeedingonthenutsoutsidethekitchenwindow;thesparrowssquabbling.Walkingmydogonthecoldfrostyground,watchingashechasesaroundfullofenergyandenthusiasm.Ortheglorioussunsetswhichhaverecentlylituptheeveningsky.Foreachofuswhatwefindgoodeachdaywillbedifferent.IfindIhavealsoincludedpracticalandcreativethingssuchasthedeliciousmushroomsoupImadeforlunch.Itmaybethatrememberingtheupliftingthingswhichhavehappenedisaformofprayer,ofthanksgivingandgratitude.Iamenrichedandlighterthis

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morning,thoughmylifeinallotherrespectsisexactlythesameasitwasyesterday.

BathFriendspreparenewwebsiteWe’vestartedanewwebsiteforBathQuakers.It’scurrentlyatthedevelopmentaddresshttps://bathquakers.wordpress.com/It’sintendedtoconveyfaithinaction,withoutward-lookingresourcesforenquirersandphotonewsstoriesincludinghistory,crime,fundraisingandfashion.

AsnapshotofBathQuakers’newwebsitetakeninmid-January:fornowsee

https://bathquakers.wordpress.com/

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Unlikethenewsletterthewebsiteknowsnodeadlines(orrather–likeQuakerChristmas-everydayisthedeadline).Soifyouhavenewsorphotostosharepleaseemailitanytimetotheeditorwmheath+BathQN@gmail.com.Meanwhilethere’samove–nowsupportedbytheOutreachgroupatFriendsHouse-tocreateoptionalsharedwebsiteresourcesforlocalmeetingsacrossthecountry,toimprovequalityofformandcontentandsavecostsondevelopment.We’llmakesurewestayinclosetouch.

Diarydates MayorofBath’sMultiFaithGatheringSunday5February2017,14:45Guildhall,BathMaisonQuaker:MusicWeek20-28May;ArtistRetreats28Apr-8May;22Sept-2October.GreenMarkets,SustainableBusiness:CEMEgreeneconomy&investmentevent2March,OneGreatGeorgeStreet,London.Contactoffice@theceme.org(viaLizRedfern,Quakers&BusinessGroupqandb.org)

AreaMeetings(starttime1300)5thMarch:BradfordonAvon4thJune:Devizes1stOctober:Bath3rdDecember:FromeFriendsareencouragedtoattendMeetingforWorshipatthehostvenue,ifpossible.ItisgoodforeveryoneinAMtoexperienceworshippingtogether,gettingto"knoweachotherinthethingsthatareeternal".Italsobuildsanunderstandingofdifference,whichBathmeetingisexploringasaconcern.

Furtherahead:BYM2017:29July–5August2017,UniversityofWarwick.BYM2018:4-7May2018,London.BYM2019:24–27May2019,London.

WorshipSunday 11:00-12:00 FMHYorkStTuesday 19:00-19:30 FMHYorkStWednesday 10:30-11:00 FMHYorkSt

RegularEventsEverySunday 11:00-12:00 Children’sMeeting FMHYorkSt1stSundayofFeb,Apr,May,July,Sept,&Nov

13:00 MeetingforWorshipforBusiness(PreparativeMeeting)

FMHYorkSt

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1stSunday 10:00-10:30 FriendsFellowshipofHealing FMH2ndSunevenmonths 13:00 FavouritePassagesfromtheBible

andQuakerFaith&PracticeFMHYorkSt

2ndSunoddmonths 13:00 PoetryGroup FMHYorkSt4thSunday 13:00 Sharedlunch FMHYorkSt

EditorsWilliamHeath&SophiaHeath;emailwmheath+BathQN@gmail.comDeadlineforMarchnewsletterisTue21Feb.