I greet you in friendship at the great still point of the year, a time when creatures of the forest, river, and sky are quiet. How wonderful that Nature offers a visceral experience of peace and rest.
Some news of a few of my latest activities, and information about upcoming events for your diaries:
This past month I facilitated an afternoon of all-aged fun — during an imaginative play session at the Oxford Meeting House, for Friends aged 1 to 81. In a short time we travelled to the bottom of the sea and to the moon, as starfish, fire, and penguins. One amongst us was a fabulous pancake! It was amazing how beautifully the group moved as one and beyond words to create different forms and worlds.
I am glad to announce a slate of new outreach initiatives following recent meetings with Sibford School and Leighton Park School — opportunities for meaningful, exploratory, and fun experiences for students and our communities of Friends alike are on the horizon. In mid-June 2023 at Sibford, Quakers from across the Area Meeting are invited to spend a day with primary school children to share stories, life experiences and games. Students will learn about biography by interviewing Friends about Quakerism; through shared activities the tall and small will discover what they have in common by having fun together. I shall let you know the precise date of this event next year. It would be great to involve as many Friends as possible in this venture — please get in touch for further details.
In January 2023, I will join Newbury Friend, Howard Grace, at Leighton Park for a screening of the film ‘Beyond Forgiving’, and discussion to follow with a Year Eleven cohort. A Peace Conference in the autumn 2023, as well as activities week in mid-June are in the pipeline. There are spaces for Friends who’d like to join in collaborative outreach, planning, devising, and leading sessions.
In January I will also facilitate an all-aged activity at Reading Meeting to make a ‘Quaker Quilt of Joy’. Following a relaxed shared lunch, we write and draw our personal joys on coloured paper hexagons, and then together make a patchwork quilt of joys for display. I am happy to run a similar event for Local Meetings across the Thames Valley.
Photo by J HendersonIt is clear that OSAM is gifted with so many Friends who have a rich array of talents, enthusiasms, wisdom, and expertise. In a spirit of collaboration, as I develop new events and programmes across the Area Meeting, I invite Friends to consider offering time and skills as volunteers. In fact, I would like to plan activities whose seeds are YOUR passions. Stay tuned for a February gathering for any amongst you who would like to explore what inspires you, and how to share this excitement through volunteering.
I am initiating an outreach group of Friends across Mid-Thames and OSAM to develop innovative interactive outreach performances and workshops to target audiences. Please contact me for more details. I also note for your interest that Local Development Worker Moya and I will be co-leading Restore sessions for Local Meetings — details to follow in February.
From Quaker faith and practice 1.07: ‘Spiritual learning continues throughout life, and often in unexpected ways. There is inspiration to be found all around us, in the natural world, in the sciences and arts, in our work and friendships, in our sorrows as well as our joys. Are you open to new light, from whatever source it may come?’
Happenings of Note in early 2023
Tea, Cake and Play
Parents and Toddlers Group
Regular weekly sessions from 17 January 2023, on Tuesdays 10:00-12:00 at Oxford Quaker Meeting House. Open to all.
Meet and Greet Julia, your OSAM Children, Young People and Families Development Worker
Thursday 19 January 2023, 17:30-19:00, Oxford Quaker Meeting House. For all adult Friends, drop by for refreshments and a chat about making beautiful experiences for all ages, I’d LOVE to meet you.
For those who cannot come in person, I will hold a ZOOM meeting on Friday 20 January 2023, 19:00-21:30. Contact me for further information and an invitation link.
Wonder Days 2023
A call for OSAM Friends of all ages and sizes to attend the launch of Wonder Days at the Area Meeting at Burford on Saturday 11 March 2023. During the day, Friends will be invited to write a response to the question, ‘What makes your heart sing?’, and place their paper in the Wonder Box, which children will have made for the occasion. All-aged Saturday activities once per month across the region will be planned from this collection of singing hearts (which is, in effect, the collective excitement of OSAM Friends). Children, young people, and families will be welcome at the AM. Activities will be planned for them throughout the day, including the design of a framed picture of Friends’ responses for display. Stay tuned for further details in my next update.
In my role to support, listen, co-initiate, facilitate, inspire, encourage, celebrate, play, challenge, and enliven, I am always happy to chat with, meet, and co-create with Friends across OSAM. Please feel free to contact me.
| Previous Article | Next Article |
Back to January 2023 Newsletter Main Page
Forty-Three Newsletter • Number 525 • January 2023
Oxford Friends Meeting
43 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LW
Copyright 2023, Oxford Quakers