Quaker Ranter
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Read about curated and contextualized newsletter of Quaker discussions by Martin Kelley at Quaker Ranter.
Quaker Ranter
4d ago
My meeting hosted another Halloween event earlier this week. When we did it in 2022 we arranged to have flyers distributed by the homeowners’ association of development behind us but we missed the October mailing deadline this time. So a few members flyered in the neighborhood and it worked! Someone saw it and shared it ..read more
Quaker Ranter
2w ago
Craig Barnett, in his Transition Quakers blog, talks about the future of Quakerism in the UK. Here’s a snippet but go read the whole thing: There is likely to be an even larger number of people whose most regular engagement with other Quakers is online, perhaps supplemented by retreats, camps or other in-person events. There ..read more
Quaker Ranter
3w ago
I don’t share every new QuakerSpeak video (you can subscribe on the website or directly on its YouTube channel). But this new one on Quaker rabble-rouser and abolitionist Benjamin Lay is particularly well-done. Its base is an interview with Marcus Rediker, the historian who has done more than anyone to popularize the seventeenth-century Friend. But ..read more
Quaker Ranter
3w ago
I’m excited to see that The Quaker World is finally available as a paperback at a more affordable $50. Published in 2022, this is a rich tome put together by my friends (and frequent Friends Journal collaborators) Wess Daniels and Rhiannon Grant. Clocking in at over 500 pages, there are a lot of great contributors ..read more
Quaker Ranter
3w ago
Last week I spoke with Friends Journal author Don McCormick. Don’s been a prolific writer for us in recent years. We talked of our experiences of community among modern Friends, especially in different types of meetings, as well as techniques for orienting and welcoming newcomers to Quaker meetings ..read more
Quaker Ranter
1M ago
The Friends meeting in Santa Rosa has apparently been letting unhoused people use its parking lot overnight as part of a “Safe Housing Program.” Apparently that’s ending, at least temporarily, and you might not be surprised at why: the meeting’s insurance company has threatened to cancel coverage if the meeting doesn’t stop. What a crock ..read more
Quaker Ranter
1M ago
Nancy has an article in the current issue of Friends Journal called “A Love Letter to My Meeting.” With a title like that, it could be overly sappy but I found it tender and deep, a reflection on her changing roles and relationships. In the video interview we talk about navigating controversies—a fight over carpets ..read more
Quaker Ranter
2M ago
My friend Matt Rosen sent me the epistle from a recent YAF retreat at Jordans Meeting in the UK. They even tried to recreate the famous “Presence in the Midst” painting ..read more
Quaker Ranter
2M ago
From Johan Maurer, a look at how we should think about growth and outreach. One part that stood out to me: There is nothing about this obligation that requires me to exaggerate Quakers’ virtues, or to conceal our defects. I certainly don’t need to claim that no other faith communities are equally trustworthy or equally ..read more
Quaker Ranter
2M ago
The September issue of Friends Journal is online, with articles about Relationships. I hope you all like the selection! This Friday’s feature: True to Your Word, a really thoughtful look at non-monogamy. Also to check out: our report on Public Friends, a new ministry from Ashley Wilcox ..read more