Read more about Pioneers in Mental Health
By Kelly Little was understood about mental illness in the Middle Ages. Sufferers were viewed either as eccentric or possessed by demons. The high point of abuse, however, actually came in the 1600s and it was just then that early Quakers began to counter the conventional wisdom. Perhaps it was Friends’ experience with prisons that…
Read more about The “C” in SPICES
By Adrian I’ve been thinking a lot about what creates an authentic community. At Illinois Yearly Meeting last June, I had the chance to talk with Windy Cooler whom I had met at a Pendle Hill retreat a few years ago. As she talked about her many experiences with both healthy and unhealthy communities, I…
Read more about Mowing and Gardening
By Carol The first spring in our meetinghouse (2009) we grappled not only with how to organize our rooms but also how to manage our yards. Mowing was a challenge because we have three — front, side, and back. We soon realized the front yard was mainly for show, the side yard for gardening, and…
Read more about 2BNew or New2B
By Kali As encouragement to new Quakers with a mix of questions, doubts, and wonder, I think it’s like that for long-time Quakers, too! Imagine how new it must have felt for the first Quakers nearly 400 years ago. They had serious doubts about the religious thought of their day and felt it would be…
Read more about A Prayer for Our Times
By Kent IF . . . if they depend on ignorance, may i read until my eyes dry out if they depend on chaos, may i be steadfast and serene if they depend on fear, may i be gentle and comforting to all i meet if they depend on division, may i nurture community wherever…