Quaker Concern for Animals NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2009 To say that we love God and at the same time exercise cruelty towards the least creature is a contradiction in itself John Woolman (1720 – 1772) www.quaker-animals.org.uk £1 HOW TO JOIN QUAKER CONCERN FOR ANIMALS Please complete the following form and send to our Treasurer: Ros Lowther, 43, Wirral Gardens, Bebington, Wirral CH63 3BD. I wish to become a member/renew membership of QCA. I enclose my yearly subscription of £10, or £5 (concessionary) I wish to pay by Standing Order ............................................................................................. I wish to make a donation of ................................................................................................... NAME: .................................................................................................................................... ADDRESS: ............................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................. Telephone number, if available: .............................................................................................. Email address, if available: ..................................................................................................... Meeting attended, if appropriate: ............................................................................................ Please make cheques payable to Quaker Concern for Animals. Please note, we regret we cannot accept CAF cheques. COMMITTEE OF QUAKER CONCERN FOR ANIMALS - 2007 - 2008 Teresa Brown, 12, Simod Court, Wantage Road, Reading RG30 2HQ. 0118 9576173 Joan Court, 74 Sturton St., Cambridge CB1 2QA. 01223 311828 Sally Fisher, Sativa, Upware Marina, Old School Lane, Upware, Ely CB7 5ZR. 07732 911917 Marian Hussenbux, 30 Sherry Lane, Arrowe Park, Wirral CH49 5LS. 0151 6777680 Ann Johnson, 5 Garden Mews, 15 Beachey Head Rd., Eastbourne BN20 7QP. 01323 644083 Ros Lowther, 43 Wirral Gardens, Bebington, Wirral CH63 3BD. 0151 3431779 Feargus O’Connor, 11 Claremont Square, Islington, London N1 9LY. 020 78374472 Sonia Waddell, 26 Thicket Rd., Tilehurst, Berks RG30 4TY. 0118 9412726 Scientific Advisor: Angela Walder, Arcadia, Oak Lane, Minster, Sheerness Kent ME12 3QR. 01795 872583 2 All bloody principles and practices we do utterly deny, with outward wars, and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever, and this is our testimony to the whole world. ~ Quaker founders, 1660 SERVICE FOR REMEMBRANCE The service for Remembrance Sunday, 9th Nov 2008 was held at the Animals’ War Memorial adjacent to Hyde Park. ”On a fine and dry day, thirty or more people attended, some with dogs. The service was led by the Animal Padre, Rev. Pastor James Thompson, and began with a short address by Cynthia O’Neil, who came alone on Remembrance Sunday two years ago. Last year, she was joined by one other person. So, deciding to do something about this, she contacted James Thompson. The first hymn was very moving, written by Linda J. Bodicoat, of theAnglican Society for the Welfare of Animals, in 2008 and sung to the tune of “I Vow to Thee, My Country”. The words remembered the precious lives of animals lost through war. One very emotive line was: “In war, the hidden victims, in peace, contempt we show”. There followed a reading from Isaiah 2 : 2-4 and 11: 6-9 and then the hymn “Behold the Mountain of the Lord”, followed by petitions of remembrance for animals, written by Linda Bodicoat, with responses from the congregation. Just before 11 am, two minutes silence for the animals was observed and another hymn, written by James Thompson, was sung. People then laid wreaths or flowers and some gave words of appreciation. I was proud to read out a message from QCA and lay the wreath of Animal Aid purple poppies. The actors Jenny Seagrove and Miranda Richardson also attended and the vet Marc Abraham, a patron of Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land. The monument was inspired by Jilly Cooper’s book Animals in War and was made possible by a fund, of which Jilly is co-trustee, and which was chaired by WSPA Director Peter Davies. I noted on the memorial that, among others, sponsors were PDSA, Blue Cross and RSPCA. I wondered why they had not mentioned the memorial and suggested that their supporters visit on Remembrance Sunday, whether or not there was anything arranged. There was, unfortunately, an absence of media. However, everyone who attended vowed to come again next year and in years to come. Thank you for asking me to attend. It was a joy and a privilege to represent QCA.” ~ Many thanks to Vickie Nealis for representing us, and for this report. 3 FRIENDLY NEWS HOW IMPORTANT ARE OTHER ANIMALS IN CHRISTIAN THINKING? A FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 2009 – 2014 Friends may remember that we were consulted, as Local and Area Meetings and as Linked Informal Groups – of which QCA is one – on future priorities in 2007. Last year, the document produced as a result of this consultation was sent out to meetings. If you have not yet seen this booklet – which all meetings received - the priorities for Quakers in Britain are: Strengthening the spiritual roots in our meetings and in ourselves - Speaking out in the world – Peace – Sustainability - Strengthening local communities - Crime, community and justice - Using our resources well. Though we would contend that a concern for our fellow beings could well fit within several of these categories, it is no surprise that it is only under Sustainability that they do feature. The last paragraph reads: “We ask all meetings and all members and attenders to work together, led by projects such as Living Witness, to live simpler lives that help to conserve our environment and enable all forms of life to flourish”. The following news about a World Council of Churches initiative of December 08 will be of interest, especially the last paragraph: Peace declaration to be "mission statement" for the churches Peace is a way of life, says Rev. Dr Geiko Müller-Fahrenholz, German theologian and coordinator of the group that produced the "Initial Statement Towards an Ecumenical Declaration on Just Peace" - and it is the mission of the churches to bring up new generations of Christians to live out God's peace in all aspects of their lives. The Initial Statement Towards an Ecumenical Declaration on Just Peace emphasizes that our starting point is God's peace, as manifested in the life and death of Jesus Christ. It is not "our peace". We do not have to invent it. God's peace speaks to all aspects of our life and work. Peace or just peace, therefore, is not just an issue of political ethics among many others. It is the frame which determines our approach to all ethical issues… Finally, the statement offers a new framework for the peace issues by putting "peace with creation" at the centre. Hence it goes beyond the anthropocentric concepts of peace which have dominated the churches' agenda thus far. If humanity cannot make peace with the earth all other forms of peace are bound to fail. This is the biggest challenge that not only the churches need to live up to. This declaration that affirms the churches’ commitment to peace and non-violence and recommends good practices is expected to be the major outcome of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation in May 2011, in Kingston, Jamaica, and will culminate the Decade to Overcome Violence of the World Council of Churches. 4 The decision to culminate the Decade to Overcome Violence with an ecumenical declaration on just peace was taken at the World Council of Churches’ 9th assembly in 2006. Since then, expert consultations organized by the WCC, its member churches and partner organizations take place worldwide on eight thematic areas, including the traditions of Christian peace theology and Christianity’s violent history, violence in family and gender relations, as well as ecological and economic aspects of just peace. A first draft for the peace declaration was recently sent to WCC member churches. They now have one year to contribute their own reactions and suggestions for the working document that will be submitted to the peace convocation. Note: The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 349 in number, representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries in all continents, from virtually all Christian traditions. Quakers are represented in this body. www.oikoumene.org NEWS FROM FRIENDS’ HOUSE To the Editor of The Friend, Quaker Concern for Animals (QCA) would like to congratulate Friends’ House, which has been nominated for a Good Egg Award from Compassion in World Farming, to be presented in May 09. This award, which several large companies, local councils and public bodies have won, recognises that Friends’ House, in all their catering facilities, are committed to using only cage- free eggs; that is, barn and free-range for all whole eggs and products with egg ingredients. Find out more about the awards at www.thegoodeggawards.com Many thanks to Paul Grey, Head of Hospitality, and Adam Pannell of Hospitality, Services and Facilities, for responding so enthusiastically to QCA’s suggestion that they might be eligible for this award. Perhaps your Meetings