16 January 2009 £1.70 the DISCOVER THE CONTEMPORARYFriend QUAKER WAY Our work abroad Theist and nontheist The heartache of change Language needs care Encounter with art Shaming? Bolton’s outreach Does it work? the Friend INDEPENDENT QUAKER JOURNALISM SINCE 1843 CONTENTS VOL 167 NO 3 3-5 News 3 Child soldiers campaigners look to 2009 4 Junior Yearly Meeting in print 5 European Quakers seek way forward on climate change 6 What is a Local Ecumenical Partnership? Michael Langford 7 Comment Jackie Fowler and Barbara Forbes 8-9 Letters 10-11 Is this really what you meant to happen? Judith Baker 12-13 Arts 12 Quaker art work project Nick Tyldesley 13 When astronomers and poets meet… Bob Ward Two ways towards truth Fred Watson 14 ‘Gently move’ John Lampen and David Boulton 15 Originality and religion Michael Oppenheim 16 q-eye: a wry look at the Quaker world Cover image: The new art work at Bolton Local Meeting. Photo: Nick Tydlesley. See 17 Friends & Meetings page 12. 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Articles, images correspondence For details of other rates, Tel/fax: 01535 630230 should be emailed to contact Penny Dunn on [email protected] [email protected] 020 7663 1178 or [email protected] www.thefriend.org/advertise.asp or sent to the address below. the Friend 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Tel: 020 7663 1010 Fax: 020 7663 1182 www.thefriend.org Editor: Judy Kirby [email protected] • Production editor: Jez Smith [email protected] • Sub-editor: Trish Carn [email protected] • News reporter: Oliver Robertson [email protected] • Arts editor: Rowena Loverance [email protected] • Environment editor: Laurie Michaelis [email protected] • Subscriptions officer: Penny Dunn [email protected] Tel: 020 7663 1178 • Advertisement manager: George Penaluna, Ad department, 54a Main Street, Cononley, Keighley BD20 8LL Tel: 01535 630230 [email protected] • Clerk of the trustees: A David Olver The Friend Publications Limited is a registered charity, number 211649 • Printed by Headley Bros Ltd, Queens Road, Ashford, Kent TN24 8HH 2 the Friend, 16 January 2009 News Child soldiers campaigners look to 2009 Campaigners against child soldiers Soldiers Coalition. consideration of the government’s are beginning the year with a push Ralf Willinger of child rights education proposals. to end their use. organisation Terre des Hommes Michael Bartlet, parliamentary The Coalition to Stop the Use of said: ‘We want the international liaison secretary for Britain Yearly Child Soldiers is aiming to collect community and the public to look Meeting, called on Quakers to a million ‘red hands’ to present to at the topic and realise… we have a ask their MPs to sign the EDM, the United Nations on 12 February, good protocol [treaty] but it has to which currently has only thirteen while in Britain Quakers are be enforced’. signatures. ‘Although sixteen- backing a drive to prevent under- Meanwhile, Early Day Motion year-olds cannot generally have eighteens being recruited into the (EDM) 50 in the UK Parliament is contracts enforced against them, armed forces. calling for the military recruitment are too young to drive a car, drink The ‘Red Hand Day’ initiative age to rise in line with the school in a pub or marry without their seeks to present statements against leaving age. By 2015, children will parents’ consent, on joining the the use of child soldiers to the UN have to remain in education or army they commit themselves for secretary general Ban Ki Moon on training until eighteen, but can still a period of four years beyond their the anniversary of the international join the armed forces aged sixteen eighteenth birthday’, he said. ‘By treaty on child soldiers coming into (the lowest age in Europe) as they delaying enlistment until the age of force. Those involved, young and are deemed to provide training. eighteen, the UK would conform old, have been encouraged to send The issue of under-eighteen to the spirit of the Convention a message to the UN together with involvement in the military was on the Rights of the Child and its a red print of their hand; the red due to be debated in Parliament Optional Protocol.’ hand is the symbol of the Child on 15 January, as part of a wider Oliver Robertson Quaker peace activist freed early Yorkshire Quaker and peace activist Sylvia Boyes has do these small things’. been released from prison. During her sentence, which included Christmas and Sylvia, who was given a three-month jail sentence new year, Sylvia received ‘a ridiculous amount’ of cards on 18 December 2008 for refusing to carry out a and letters from well-wishers in Britain and abroad. community service order relating to a criminal ‘I always get a lot’, she said. ‘This time there has been damage conviction at RAF Fylingdales, was freed on more’, possibly because of the length of the sentence Monday 12 January. Speaking to the Friend on the or the time of year. However, she encouraged people day of her release, Sylvia was unrepentant about her to be involved in the issues themselves: ‘There’s no actions: ‘My responsibility is my action that I took’, she good them sending cards to me in prison if they’re not said. ‘I don’t do it in order to get sent to prison. I do it doing anything themselves. Not necessarily what I do, to draw awareness to the issues.’ but something.’ During her imprisonment, where she felt the only noticeable difference from previous times in jail was the lack of strip searching, Sylvia was sustained by Friends and her faith. John Cope, clerk of Sylvia’s Guantánamo tour Local Meeting in Keighley, visited her in early January, A national tour by Guantánamo Bay inmates and while other Quakers corresponded with her. Alison a former guard at the notorious detention camp Tyas, assistant clerk of Craven & Keighley Area began in Friends House last Sunday. Meeting, said that she had received a note from Sylvia The tour, by Cageprisoners, features former and that the envelope contained a small origami crane, detainees Moazzam Begg and Sami al Haj a sign of peace. Sylvia explained that she made the together with Christopher Arendt, who worked cranes for something to do, tearing up bits of paper at the facility. The tour began on 11 January, and coloured envelopes for materials: ‘When you’re exactly seven years after the first detainees were being locked in for quite a long time… you do have to transferred to Guantánamo. the Friend, 16 January 2009 3 News Junior Yearly Meeting receives recognition Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM) has been featured in a that volunteers acquire, as well as government publication about successful youth-led increased self-awareness and personal projects. The annual gathering of Quakers aged fifteen development. to eighteen, which will take place in 2009 as part of The youth-led approach, explains Yearly Meeting Gathering, was included because of Howard Nurden, extends beyond the way the arrangements committee is made up of JYM. Other Young Quaker events, and nominated by participants themselves. It was one such as link weekends and summer of five case studies highlighted by the National Youth schools, operate in the same way. ‘I Agency and features across four pages, as well as on think it’s something about the ethos the cover of the magazine. of Quakerism that lends itself to ‘We’re dead chuffed with it’, said Howard Nurden, this approach, about people taking head of the Children and Young People’s Section of responsibility for themselves for these Britain Yearly Meeting. ‘I think it’s affirming to the events’, he said. young people who were involved.’ Being featured is an affirmation of the way Quakers As well as detailing what happens at JYM, the article do these events, feels Howard, adding that when he also analyses the outcomes of the Meeting and notes now attends meetings with other youth organisations, the benefits for those involved, particularly the young ‘my head is held a little bit higher’. people involved in the organisation. It highlights Visit http://tinyurl.com/7odox4 to download the the planning, management and facilitation skills magazine for free. Youth book deadline nears The worldwide Quaker Youth Book nine-strong editorial board, said: ‘I However, she continued, so far Project is beginning a final push see it as providing an opportunity she has received no submissions for submissions. for Young Friends to share their at all from British Quakers. ‘If The project, which aims to experiences of Quakerism, to be none of them show up I’ll be a collect the spiritual thoughts and given a chance to speak out about bit embarrassed really and a bit experiences of Young Friends their faith. It’s not just for young sad that British Friends have been across the globe into a single people to read.’ given this chance to be involved anthology, will finish accepting In recent months, Harriet has in an international Quaker project articles, essays, poems and artwork been promoting the Youth Book and in effect turned it down.’ at the end of February. The book Project in various ways: through itself is due to be completed by workshops, email lists, leaflets and Young Friends aged fifteen to spring 2010. in a youth edition of Journeys in the thirty-five may send contributions Harriet Hart, the only British Spirit, the regular publication for to Harriet (harrietdjhart@yahoo. Young Friend on the project’s use in Quaker Children’s Meetings.