Articles

Between the relinquished past and the untrodden future stands this holy Now . . . In the Now we are at home at last. The fretful winds of time are stilled, the nostalgic longings of this heaven-born earth-traveler come to rest. For the one-dimensional ribbon of time has loosed its hold. It has by no means disappeared. We live within time, within the one-dimensional ribbon. But every time-now is found to be a continuance of an Eternal Now, and in the Eternal Now receives a new evaluation. We... Read more.

Art of Life
by Alivia Biko
reviewed by Derek Lamson

Alivia Biko’s music is important in its own right  and it’s beautiful. Beyond that, her music is important as... Read more.

Quakerism: The Basics
by Margery Post Abbott and Carl Abbott
reviewed by Tom Head

Two of our Western Friends, Marge and Carl Abbott, long-time members of Multnomah Monthly Meeting in Portland, Oregon, have teamed up to offer a book providing a clear, simple, and accessible overview of the Society of Friends. While the book serves as an introduction for... Read more.

In the Struggle
by Dan O’Connell
reviewed by Klara East

Anyone who has driven through the Central Valley of California has seen the thousand-acre “farms” of mono-cropped fields – tomatoes, cotton, melons, almonds, and pistachios. Indeed, the San Joaquin Valley is touted as the “the most productive agricultural area in the world.” It is also one of the poorest... Read more.

A thrill is in the air when a storm is on the way. Some creatures run and shout and seek the highest vantage point. Others look for the nearest root cellar. Reckless versus responsible, selfless versus selfish – any reaction to danger can be seen in various lights. Some good neighbors rush to warn the rest to hurry up and take cover. Some keep busy in the cellar, shoring up the weight-bearing timbers.

Public-health and traffic-safety experts have expressed surprise recently about the... Read more.

I’ve just read an open letter in Western Friend online that describes a proposed restructuring of AFSC, which includes funding an additional management layer. [https://westernfriend.org/media/afsc-perilous-crossroads]

The restructuring is presumed to be in line with the goals in an AFSC 2020-2030 strategic plan, and will facilitate AFSC’s role in “the state of the... Read more.

Beloved Friends:

Many of you have inspired me through your tireless efforts in the Spirit to also help souls get along better. I have often gone within to try to escape, to rest, or even ignore that mission by obsessing on other things. I notice that the more I am asked to embrace change, the more I can get obsoletely stubborn about things which have served as anchors to my character. The more I learn to let the Holy Spirit be my Anchor, the less I seem to suck my thumb. Yet I’ve... Read more.