the Friend INDEPENDENT QUAKER JOURNALISM SINCE 1843

CONTENTS VOL 170 NO 18

3 Thought for the Week:

Our Prayer Stephen Yeo 4-5 News 6 Quakers in dialogue Richard Seebohm 7 Only those who see Hilary Sidwell 8-9 Letters 10-11 Culture and conscience David Gee 12-13 Epistle from the

Sixth World Conference 14 A Peace of Africa Review by Marian Liebmann 15 Life Lines Review by Malcolm Elliott 16 q-eye: a look at the Quaker world 17 Friends & Meetings

Cover image: National Gallery, London. Photo: Masochismtango / flickr CC. See pages 10-11.

‘We greet you amid the beauty of the Rift Valley, surrounded by the welcoming embrace of Kenyan Friends.’

After the Friends World Committee for Consulation’s Sixth World Conference near Nakuru in Kenya, many Friends travelled to appreciate the beauties of Africa before returning home. Above are the flamingoes on Lake Naivashu.

(See pages 14-15 for the complete Epistle.)

.Carn

:Trish

Photo

2

The Friend Subscriptions UK £76 per year by all payment types including annual direct debit;

monthly payment by direct debit £6.50; online only £48 per year.

For details of other rates, contact Penny Dunn on 020 7663 1178 or subs@thefriend.org

Advertising Advertisement manager:

George Penaluna

Tel/fax: 01535 630230

ads@thefriend.org www.thefriend.org/advertise.asp

Editorial

Editor: Ian Kirk-Smith Articles, images, correspondence should be emailed to editorial@thefriend.org 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: Ian Kirk-Smith editorial@thefriend.org • Sub-editor: Trish Carn trishc@thefriend.org • Production editor: Elinor Smallman production@ thefriend.org • News reporter: Symon Hill news@thefriend.org • Arts editor: Rowena Loverance arts@thefriend.org • Environment editor: Laurie Michaelis green@thefriend.org • Subscriptions officer: Penny Dunn subs@thefriend.org Tel: 020 7663 1178 • Advertisement manager: George Penaluna, Ad department, 54a Main Street, Cononley, Keighley BD20 8LL Tel: 01535 630230 ads@thefriend.org • Clerk of the trustees: Janet Scott • ISSN: 0016-1268 The Friend Publications Limited is a registered charity, number 211649 • Printed by Headley Bros Ltd, Queens Road, Ashford, Kent TN24 8HH

the Friend, 4 May 2012 Thought for the Week

Our Prayer

God in all of us remembered be your name. Our re- public come, our wills be one for all, and all for one. Herewewillgrow,reap, grind, knead, bake then slice our daily bread. Trespasses?Themeasure for mercy is ours: we ask for no more than we give. Lead us not into temptation, which is to strip the evil which occurs with good in ‘us’ and stick it onto ‘them’. For ours is the human condition, the power and the story of Now and Again · recurringAmen.

Stephen Yeo Oxford Meeting

Afew years ago Stephen Yeo published ‘A Lord’s Prayer’ in the Friends Quarterly along with some other poems. The 9:30am Meeting for Worship in Oxford is normally a quiet one. On 1 April an unusual, ‘string of pearls’, set of ministries focused on the Lord’s Prayer, particularly on the meaning of the word ‘trespasses’. Following Meeting, Stephen went home and revised his Quakerly version of this prayer.

the Friend, 4 May 2012

3