2

the Friend INDEPENDENT QUAKER JOURNALISM SINCE 1843

CONTENTS VOL 170 NO 24

3 Thought for the Week:

Father’s Day Janet Scott 4-5 News 6 Faith and clarity? Terry Wood 7 Being challenged simon gray 8-9 Should Quakers speak out about banking? Gill Westcott 10-11 Early Quakers as mystics Elizabeth Brown 12-14 Letters 15 Are you a Holy Man, Dad? Reg Naulty 16 Simple life at the Meeting house 17 Friends & Meetings

100 days of peace launched

Hundreds gathered last weekend at St Martin in the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, for an all-night Vigil for Peace to proclaim the first day of the ‘Sacred Truce’ – the Olympic 100 Days of Peace.

The event included readings, poetry and music – from sitar playing to Taize chants. Some participants came for a few hours. Others were there for the entire vigil.

The 100 Days of Peace is a coalition initiative to celebrate the London 2012 Games and the Olympic Truce concept of peace. It will be held before, during and after the Games and hopes to create and promote a legacy of peace for London and beyond.

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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, 15 June 2012