Woodbrooke

If we want to build belonging and true community, then we also need to practice caution. If we encounter mistrust, anger, disgust, or fear, then these emotions will sometimes be warranted. But if we are close, if we are up close, then in them we might recognise an echo of what makes us feel mistrustful, angry, disgusted, and fearful. We can use the echo to forge connection. Proximity allows us to recognise shared human experiences, and to reach out imaginatively. It reinforces belonging, by challenging us to make it.

Ben Jarman, The 2024 Swarthmore Lecture
Getting What We Deserve? Imprisonment and the Challenge of Doing Justice

We are really looking forward to Ben Jarman's Swarthmore Lecture this evening!

Watch the lecture at 19:00 (UK time) using the link below. If you have any trouble watching the lecture the other place to go is direct to our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/

Watch the lecture: https://www.youtube.com/live/F9TFQAnuDnw?si=geNUzMB7RYzrIs0p

2024 Swarthmore Lecture - Getting What We Deserve? Imprisonment and the Challenge of Doing Justice In this year’s lecture, Ben will explore the myth and reality in how society responds to serious crimes, charting the uses and abuses of society’s responses ...

Exploring and experiencing the faithfulness group process to aid discernment around witness. A process where we can hold a spiritual space together to help each-other be faithful in a mutual, shared way.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/faithfulness-groups-to-support-witness/

🌍 There's not long left until we start this course, held in partnership with Quaker Peace and Social Witness, which explores the links between militarism and climate.

Find out more information ➡️ https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/linking-climate-justice-and-demilitarisation/

In this two-part exploratory space, held in partnership with Quaker Peace and Social Witness, we will delve into the links between militarism and climate and explore how re-envisaging these challenges is necessary for shaping a safer, fairer world.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/linking-climate-justice-and-demilitarisation/

This year's Swarthmore Lecture will take place this Saturday at 7pm (UK time) as part of Britain Yearly Meeting 2024. The lecture will be live-streamed on the Woodbrooke YouTube Channel.

In the lecture, Ben will explore the myth and reality in how society responds to serious crimes, charting the uses and abuses of society’s responses to crime: retributive punishment, rehabilitative intervention, public protection, and calls for incremental or radical reform. Drawing on personal and professional experiences, Ben will invite Friends to reflect on where current prison conditions belong in the longer flow of Quaker witness on penal reform, and to ask: who (if anyone) gets what they deserve from the institutions we have?

Ahead of the lecture, we have provided a couple of resources to offer some background and context to the lecture and the lecturer. These can be found on our website: www.woodbrooke.org.uk/swarthmore

Are you a serving Quaker Trustee? Take a walk through the new 2024 Trustee Handbook with its editor and Woodbrooke staff tutor Rhiannon Grant to find out how this updated and improved resource can support you further in your role.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/trustee-update-new-handbook/

This single live session will explore the inclusion of young adults and gay and le***an people in Quaker communities. Brian Blackmore and Matt Alton will speak about their chapters from The Quaker World, edited by C. Wess Daniels and Rhiannon Grant.

For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/the-quaker-world-inclusion/

The emphasis on personal action, which in the case of war means abstention, inevitably raises the problem of where one draws the line. In the total wars of the first half of this century, Quakers accepted non-combatant service with the armed forces, served in an independent but uniformed Friends Ambulance Unit, relieved the sufferings of civilian war victims, did alternative civilian service of ‘national importance’ at home, went to prison for refusing any service which might assist the war effort, even fire-watching. Some refused to pay taxes. There are no formal rules laid down for Quaker conduct in such circumstances, other than to follow the Light of Christ.

Wolf Mendl, The 1974 Swarthmore Lecture
Prophets and Reconcilers: Reflections on the Quaker Peace Testimony

Prepare for the 2024 Swarthmore Lecture!

Ahead of Ben Jarman’s lecture ‘Getting What We Deserve? Imprisonment and the Challenge of Doing Justice’ we held a panel discussion with Alex South and Simon Scott both of whom have extensive, and different, experience of the prison and the criminal justice system.

In this discussion Alex and Simon share some of their experiences and insights and explore the current situation and problems with prisons in the UK. We hope that this will provide helpful background to Ben’s lecture whatever your level of knowledge of the UK prison system.

Listen here: https://www.mixcloud.com/WoodbrookeUK/2024-swarthmore-lecture-panel-discussion/
Find out more about the Lecture at: https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/research/swarthmore-lectures/

2024 Swarthmore Lecture - Panel Discussion Alex South and Simon Scott both have extensive, and different, experience of the prison and the criminal justice system. In this discussion Alex and Simon share some of their experiences and insights and explore the current situation and problems with prisons in the UK. We hope that this will provid...

Let’s compose our own chants together! We’ll first explore how we can put melody to words, and then we’ll practice making chants out of favorite short texts that participants would like to embody and carry with them as song. No music background is needed!
For more information visit https://ow.ly/5H6c50SyFVp

Get to know the 2024 Swarthmore Lecturer!

Last week we spoke to Ben Jarman, the 2024 Swarthmore Lecturer ahead of his Lecture ‘Getting What We Deserve? Imprisonment and the Challenge of Doing Justice’.

Ben’s lecture will be given at 7pm (UK time) on Saturday 27th July as part of Britain Yearly Meeting 2024. The lecture will be live streamed on the Woodbrooke YouTube Channel.

Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0irsd7UWFg
Find out more about the Lecture at: https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/research/swarthmore-lectures/

Interview with Ben Jarman (2024 Swarthmore Lecturer) Get to know the 2024 Swarthmore Lecturer, Ben Jarman, in this introductory interview with Woodbrooke’s Communications Officer Aled Vernon-Rees.More about the...

What do you, what do we, need, to ensure that we are able to flex our ‘creative loving imagination’ muscles, both towards ourselves and those around us? How can we... reduce the burden and release the joy?

Esther Loukin, The 2023 Swarthmore Lecture
How We Can Change Society

This July marks the 400th Anniversary of the birth of George Fox, one of the founders of Quakerism. Throughout the year we are offering a range of courses and sessions that explore the legacy and influence of Fox on the Quaker movement.

You can explore our George Fox programme at: www.woodbrooke.org.uk/fox-at-400/

Quakers across the world are marking the occasion. A listing of all the George Fox 400 events can be found on FWCC's website: https://fwcc.world/event/fox/

This single live session is part of a series celebrating the 400th birthday of George Fox, in which key speakers assess Fox’s legacy from a variety of positions. In this session we will hear the perspectives of nontheist Friends.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/george-fox-nontheist-quaker-perspectives/

Refreshing our faith is about process, not task! When we sink into the silence and stillness, we are transformed by our encounter with God and our discernment of God’s leadings. We are transformed by using our gifts and living our ministry. In turn, our ministry helps transform the world. As a people, we are about listening, connecting, experiencing and being transformed personally, collectively, so that we see the world anew and act to correct its injustice because we can do no other.

Ben Pink Dandelion, The 2014 Swarthmore Lecture
Open for transformation: Being Quaker

The four New Testament Gospels are the source of what we know about Jesus and his earliest impact. Focussing on several key points for each gospel, we will seek to draw out some observations relevant to Quaker understandings today.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/approaching-the-gospels-a-quaker-introduction/

Do you feel your Meeting for Worship for Business aren’t running as smoothly as you’d like? Whether you have specific issues or would like to explore issues more generally this session is for you!
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/business-method-surgery-august/

What is the role of grandparenting in my life journey? Can grandparenting deepen my spiritual seeking? In this online course we will share our experiences, joys and concerns together to deepen our perspective on our role as Grandparents.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/being-a-quaker-grandparent/

Tomorrow we come together to reflect on the results of today's General Election in the UK.

Whether the results leave you elated or heartbroken, come to this online session to share how you are feeling and connect with others.

The UK General Election: Sitting Together With the Results - Woodbrooke This 90-minute session will use a blend of dialogue tools and worship sharing. It is not a space for political debate, but an invitation to share your own

How do you react to George Fox’s vivid image of ‘an infinite ocean of light’? Prompted by our experience of this well-loved phrase, we will look at creative actions within ourselves: touched by words and imagery, we may find a new and surprising response.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/an-infinite-ocean-of-light-awakening-the-creative-spirit/

In this two-part exploratory space, held in partnership with Quaker Peace and Social Witness, we will delve into the links between militarism and climate and explore how re-envisaging these challenges is necessary for shaping a safer, fairer world.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/linking-climate-justice-and-demilitarisation/

So let‘s not waste time feeling shame for past wrongs dear Friends. Instead of feeling shame, let‘s do our very best to swim into unfamiliar waters, to feel the currents and chills in that water, to experience the vivid colours and motion in those chillier places, and to work together with people who are different from us, to create a better planet for us all.

Helen Minnis, The 2022 Swathmore Lecture
Perceiving the temperature of the water

Next Tuesday is the first of our monthly Business Method Surgeries! This is a great opportunity to explore issues that occur during business meeting and gain insights from our experienced tutors to find solutions.

Do you feel your Meeting for Worship for Business aren’t running as smoothly as you’d like? Whether you have specific issues or would like to explore issues more generally this session is for you!

For more info: https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/business-method-surgery-july/

The Religious Society of Friends is changing rapidly, with established ways of being and working together giving way to new paths. This is a chance to survey this scene and to explore courageously and creatively where the Spirit may be leading.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/renewing-quakerism-embracing-change-with-hope/

As the conflict in Israel-Palestine rages, emotions are high. How can we talk about it with people who hold very different views from us? In this session, Marigold Bentley will share with us her experience of doing this.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/how-can-we-talk-about-israel-palestine/

Come, drink in the transformational wisdom of Quaker spirituality through chant! Drawing on the chants from her album, Wellsprings of Life: Quaker Wisdom in Chant, Paulette will lead us in singing, exploring, and embodying this profound spiritual wisdom.
For more information visit https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/courses/embodying-quaker-wisdom-through-chant/

Quakerism is a religion of experience – a dynamic, practical religion of life. It is formed and reformed in dialogue with our ever-changing world. Our testimonies remain more-or-less constant, the guiding strands that run through the fabric of our faith. There is, though, always room for development. The addition of sustainability to our previous quartet of testimonies is one recent example. Our testimonies must continue to find new expressions in our rapidly changing world. We too must change in order to effectively answer that which we face now and shall face in the future.

Chris Alton, The 2018 Swarthmore Lecture
Changing Ourselves, Changing The World

We have two upcoming sessions which take on themes around The UK General Election.

The first explores how we can renew and revitalise democracy and the second offers an opportunity to sit together and reflect on the results of the election.

Find out more information about both sessions on our website: www.woodbrooke.org.uk/UKGE

Last chance to apply!

Just a reminder that application window for our Programme Coordinator for Quaker History closes on Monday.

Make sure to get your applications in if you want to help shape the future of Woodbrooke's Quaker History learning programme.

Vacancies - Woodbrooke Current Vacancies Programme Coordinator - Quaker History Woodbrooke is seeking a creative and knowledgeable person to develop and deliver our learning in