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Thank you, Thank you

Authored by:
Sandy Kewman

Dear Editor: The May/June issue, “On Expansion,” is wonderful. I read every article this morning and can’t wait to share the articles “Race and Quakerism” and “Journey to the Heart of Worship” with my meeting – as well as the pullout section for young people. Kat Northrup’s article was helpful to me in the way that she listed and explained so well the stumbling blocks we confront when reaching across racial differences. John Kretzman’s article will be helpful to all members and attenders of our meeting as we seek to deepen our worship experience. Two weeks ago, we had fifteen children at a Family Worship and hike to Mel’s Pond on the Sierra Friends Center campus! I plan to share the pullout section with some of those children. Thank you, thank you.

On Bosses (July 2018)

Building a Bridge to COP26

Quakers, Sport, and Being in the Zone

Authored by:
Joy Belle Conrad-Rice

It is surprising to me that so few Friends do sports. For me, doing a sport and going to Quaker meeting are of the same intention and compulsion. If I don’t do something physical for a few days, my body hurts. If I don’t center regularly into meditation, either in a group or by myself, I feel out of sorts. For me, Quaker meeting and sports are both essential parts of an authentic life.

On Pride (July 2014)

Quaker Disrespect

Authored by:
Andrea English

Dear Western Friend: Thank you for publishing Rob Pierson’s article in the last issue of your magazine. The article is substantial, but does not cover what I experience as some Quakers’ suspicion of any companies, even small ones, including non-profits – ones that practice prudent business processes and employ management, ones that may ask their Boards to use Robert’s Rules rather than “consensus.”

On Pride (July 2014)

Who is this “We”?

Authored by:
Kate McClellan

Dear Editor: Robert Griswold’s article in the July/August 2014 issue of Western Friend discusses ego development without any references and starts off all about “we.” Since he is not referring to any research or current psychological literature, I assume he is sharing his opinion of how ego development worked in his own life.

On Family (September 2014)

Shareholder Activism versus Divestment

Authored by:
Karie Firoozmand

Dear Editor: I read with interest the article “Quakers, Climate, and Money” in the May/June 2015 issue of Western Friend. I am always happy when Friends concern themselves as individuals with the future that climate change will bring, and take action. I would like your readers to know, however, that in deciding how to handle invested assets, they may find useful information by reading about the movement for divestment from fossil fuel companies that is going on worldwide. The Friend who wrote the article may find additional information that could change his opinion about the values of shareholder activism vs. divestment.

On Difference (July 2015)

Children as Soldiers

Authored by:
Shelley Blank

Dear Friends: Please consider this article I wrote for Epoch Times, September 10, 2015 on “children as soldiers.” UNICEF estimates that about 300,000 children under 18 are currently involved in more than thirty conflicts across the globe. Although there are no exact figures, the average age is 16 in government forces, younger in armed rebel groups. Some soldiers are as young as eight years old. Please consider this issue, and let your conscience be your guide. Read the article here.

On Money (November 2015)

Beyond Hatred and Scapegoating

Authored by:
Tom Kowal

Dear Friends: In the last edition of Western Friend, the last paragraph of the “Daily Justice and Injustice” article was incomplete — I had not gotten my final edit back to Mary in time. So please consider this to be a correction to that article, which I call “WWJWD: What Would John Woolman DO?”

On Rules (November 2020)

A Good Push

Authored by:
Nancy Rice

Dear Editor: Thank you for this latest issue of Western Friend, “On Rules.” I’m only half-way through, but I’ve appreciated every article. Eleanor Dart and David Tucker gave good viewpoints on their topics. And then I got to Valerie Ireland and Lori Patterson, and I was truly moved to tears, which is really unusual for me. I don’t know if you will get some flak for Lori’s article, but it was a really good push for me. I have a lot to learn, and these present-day Quakers, sharing their struggles with present-day issues, are really great. I know Valerie Ireland, so it felt like she was just sitting in my living room explaining what it’s like these days to work in inner-city schools. Really important to hear. I don’t know Lori, but I very much appreciated her challenge to us white folk.

On Vision (January 2021)

No Homework Required

Authored by:
Jo Ann Kidder

Dear Editor: A Friend in our meeting, Patricia Hogan, started a group you might like to hear about. On the third Sunday of every month, we meet for an hour before meeting for worship to read an article from Western Friend. So that no one feels like they have to do “homework” before getting together, we read the article aloud and stop for discussion or comment at any time. This group has proven to be a way to more thoroughly digest articles and also to get to know each other better. We used to work our way through books this way, but reading articles from Western Friend has been more rewarding.

On Place (May 2022)