Southport Friends, as part of Quaker week 2022, discussed what being a Quaker means to them, personal Quaker commitment and Quaker personal experience. Gerard Hughes Short talk by Gerard Hughes on “What Quakerism means to me, and how I live my Quakerly life”. I would like to start by explaining why I became a Quaker in the first place. I became a member in 2020 […]
Dear Friends, I hope you are all keeping well. As correspondence clerk I thought I would send you a short note about what has been happening at the Meeting House since we reopened in May 2021. It has been lovely to be able to attend Meetings in person again, knowing that we are as safe as we can be because of Michael’s diligent work in […]
Our Meeting is a small Meeting in size but we have had a few new attenders of late. They have been warmly welcomed and continue to worship with us. Unfortunately, 2021 saw the continuing Covid pandemic have a severe effect on the Meeting. We started Online Meetings to continue our worship together and these proved to be very successful. Following the relaxation of regulations in […]
I am sat here on a Friday evening with our dog Ziggy on my lap trying to keep him calm listening to Classic FM. Fireworks outside so unnerve him. The other one, Freddy, is totally chilled out on the sofa with Margaret. I don’t know what I like most about Quakers! Is it the lack of hierarchy? I dislike hierarchy, why do some individuals think […]
Second year of Covid 19 It’s been a very strange season of beekeeping. In fact the BBKA (British Bee Keeping Association) has sent a message around about mixed reports of the season. They have asked members to send in details of swarms and honey harvest. My year began in January when I checked on the two colonies for stores. Just in case I fed them […]
Some of you may know that I have recently started a branch of AndysManClub in Preston, Lancashire. AndysManClub was started in 2016 by Luke Ambler, a well known Yorkshire Rugby Player, when his brother in law, Andy Roberts, took his own life on a Monday. Luke had been at a family get together only the week before and Luke recalls talking to Andy. Andy was […]
Southport Friends may find the following resources useful for personal worship and study while access to the Meeting House materials is limited: Quaker Faith & Practice Online: https://qfp.quaker.org.uk/ A searchable online Bible: https://www.biblegateway.com/
May you always remember that the obstacles in the path are not obstacles – they are the path. Today I have been looking through and sorting out my Documents Folders, especially the poems and readings I was considering when planning Matthew’s funeral. A lot of wise words. And then a particular one (above) struck me as relevant to our present situation. It would be easier if our […]
What a strange year we’ve had. After the first lockdown in Spring, when the wonderful weather made everything tolerable, we now find ourselves in a third lockdown in Winter. It is so different. I still try to take a daily walk but I don’t tend to go so far or on routes that are very muddy. I’m so looking forward to snowdrops, daffodils and magnolia blossoming in the next […]
Southport Friends may be interested to learn about this fascinating figure from the 18th century, who spent a lifetime fighting prejudice (even amongst fellow Quakers) and was ahead of his time in many ways: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/benjamin-lay-abolitionism-racism-slavery-dwarfism-quaker