UPDATE on International Talk Like a Quaker Day
International Talk Like a Quaker Day is now on the radar of linguists (anthropologists who study language). My wife wrote in under my name and her question made language log: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2732

So go celebrate ITLaQ Day!

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International Talk Like a Quaker Day
Tomorrow is International Talk Like a Quaker Day. In the spirit of Quakerism, the interpretation of what this means is left up to the individual. Tomorrow is, not coincidentally, also William Penn's birthday and United National day.

Examples of how to talk like a Friend:

Tomorrow is Tenth Month 24, 2010

Friend Omaba, thy policy in Afghanistan is not in keeping with the peace testimony.

Today is Seventh Day (of the week).

Three is a good friend.

(or if you want to combine with Pirate day) Give us all thy gold so we can use it for peace.

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Quaker-Pagan Anthology
Have you ever read the Non-Theist Friends' antholoyg "Godless for God's Sake"? It's an explanation of what some Non-Theist Friends believe and a compilation of their spiritual journey stories.
Now, it's time that Quaker-Pagans also had an anthology. At long last I have found a publisher, so I'm now collecting articles for the Quagan anthology. As an experienced editor, I will work with authors, so that we put out the most polished work possible.
Although I have not yet set a deadline, please try to send your submissions to jench1977 at hotmail dot com in the next few weeks. Send articles about your view of how one can be a Quaker Pagan (I know you've been asked this many times), about your spiritual journey and/or relationship with the divine or anything else that relates to being a Quagan.
Blessed Be!
Jen

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ENDA
It's Do-or-Die Time for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Whip Count Now Under Way. Call your Rep right now at 202-224-3121 to demand an inclusive ENDA with gender identity protections. If passed with gender identity included, the law will protect LGBT people from workplace discrimination.

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Imbolc
Happy Imbolc and Groundhog Day.
How is everyone celebrating?

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International Hug a Quaker Day
Today is International Hug a Quaker Day (and I didn't invent this one).

In honor of the occasion, I bring you a song about the Friends Testimonies

On the Fifth Day of the week my true Friend gave to me
Five simple things
Four thruthful statements
Three Friends for justice
Two genders equal
And a Peaceful Testimony.

(To the tune of "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me." Words by Tom Wolfe of Adelphi Friends Meeting in Maryland).

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Call Congress TODAY about ENDA
The fate of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) will be decided by YOU!

TODAY & TOMORROW CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE!

The bill should be moving in the House shortly after Thanksgiving, but it’s critical that our elected officials hear from us TODAY to ensure that all LGBT people are protected from workplace discrimination once and for all.

Just follow these three steps:
1) Call the Capital Switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to speak to your representative. (If you’re not sure who your representative is, simply give the operator your zip code and they will connect you.)

2) Follow this script:

My name is _____ and I’m a proud FAITH VOICE in (your city, state). As a (your faith/spiritual identity) I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017) to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from job discrimination. No one should have to fear losing their job simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Please pass ENDA THIS year. Thank you for your time.

3) Go back to step 1 and call at least one of your senators — we need to make our voice for equality as loud as possible.

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International Talk Like a Quaker Day
Friends, I am pleased to announce that Tenth Month 24 (10/24/09) will be the third annual International Talk Like a Quaker Day.

Basically, this is a day to use Plain Speech (thee/thy instead of you/your) and/or talk about Quaker principles, such as peace and equality.

I had no idea how popular this event would get when I first created it, so let's keep the Light shining!

Here are some examples:

ITLAQ Day is the 24th day of Tenth Month and it is Seventh Day (of the week). This day is also William Penn's birthday and United Nations Day.

Mind the Light.

Friend Obama, thy policy of increasing troop levels in Afghanistan is not in keeping with the Peace Testimony.

I have posed myself a query in the spirit of John Woolman and William Penn: where among my possessions and actions are the seeds of war and what I am doing to change that?


(PS- There is a Facebook page International Talk Like a Quaker Day!)

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National Equality March
Is anyone else here going to the NEM? It's October 10-11.

If you are a Michigan resident and want a seat on the bus to DC, go to http://www.mdplgbt.org/id14.html

Can't attend the National March on Washington or want to help a student or someone else who could not afford to go without your financial help? Make a donation at http://www.mdplgbt.org/id12.html

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Pagan Census, Part Deux
Remember the Pagan Census  that Andras Arthen and Helen A Berger put together about 20 years ago?  They're doing it again to get an idea of how the Pagan community looks nowadays, and because it's online, anyone who reads English can participate.  It's quite a long survey, but interesting.

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Newt Gingrich is afraid of Pagans!
Here's the video:

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Michigan Lobby Day Against Bullying
Already this year six young people in the United States have died due to bullying, with countless others attempting suicide or dropping out of school completely to avoid the unnecessary torment. It is time to put an end to the violence in our schools so all children can be safe.

Please join us and other Michigan organizations for the All American Lobby Day to end bullying in Michigan! Join us Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. at Teamsters Hall (local 580), located at 5800 Executive Drive in Lansing, MI. We will lobby for SB 0159*, a law to protect all Michigan youth from bullying and increase the safety in Michigan schools. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer will be train participants that morning on how to effectively lobby. Midday, we will host a press conference to let all Michigan residents know about this important bill.

We need your help getting the word out to others about this Lobby Day, so please work with us to inform, invite and mobilize your friends, family and peers in the upcoming weeks to get as many people involved as we can.

Some of the sponsoring and endorsing organizations include: the Michigan Democratic Party LGBT & Allies Caucus, the Michigan Democratic Party’s Youth Caucus, Michigan Equality, The University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) College Democrats, Project Light, Order of St John the Beloved (a Catholic organization), the American Family Committee and the Kalamazoo Gay and Lesbian Resource Center.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Phil Volk at philvolk2004 at yahoo.com or (734) 474-5290.
Want to get involved prior to Lobby Day?

Each Tuesday beginning April 14th we will have a ‘work parties’ in Ann Arbor at 7:00p.m. in the lower level of Starbucks at 222 S. State St.
*Please read this important section of Bill SB 0159:

(iv) Is based on a pupil’s actual or perceived religion, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, height, weight, gender identity, socioeconomic status, or any other distinguishing characteristic or is based on association with another person who has or is perceived to have any of these characteristics.

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My wife and I attended my grandmother's funeral this Sunday. During the eulogy that my aunt gave she said that Grammy made a point of telling everyone that she could see how much my wife and I love each other, that we make each other happy and that she supports our marriage. I cried so hard to hear that! It's not every grandmother who would be so supportive, loving and accepting. It's not every aunt who would be willing to say so publicly.
Perhaps being part of a minority group that is so vilified by much of society makes one truly appreciate being loved and accepted in a way that straight people take for granted. I was also pleased to see that my cousin's foster children and all Grammy's children's and grandchildren's spouses (including my wife) were included in the list of relatives in the eulogy and in the obituary published in the newspaper.
I'm sad to lose my last grandparent and sad to think that my own children will not know their great-grandparents on my side of the family and indeed may never know any of their great-grandparents.

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International Talk Like a Quaker Day
Friends, I am pleased to announce that the second annual International Talk Like a Quaker Day will soon be here. On the 24th day of Tenth Month (or October for those not using plain speech), Friends will talk...like Quakers. This day parallels International Talk Like a Pirate Day but is much more peaceful.

Example of ways to speak that day:
Friend, thy foreign policy ideas are not in keeping with the Peace Testimony.
Today is Sixth Day.
I will go to Meeting on First Day.
I feel a Leading to use plain speech today.
No, I do not wear a bonnet. Yes, I do have electricity at home.

International Talk Like a Quaker Day also happens to be United Nations Day and William Penn's birthday. If Friends feel lead to also act Quakerly on this day, so much the better. Thee can even put thy plain speech to good use by letting your elected officials know that you oppose war. Go to www.fcnl.org if you live in the United States.

Please feel free to spread the word if thee feels so moved by the Spirit.

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Christianity Today Article
Are the Quakers Going Pagan?

from here.

I think a better, more fitting title would be "Are the Pagans Going Quaker?" My understanding is that more Pagans are exploring Quakerism, not that more Quakers are exploring paganism... Am I wrong? Thoughts and responses to this article?

Current Mood: contemplative

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Modern-Day Slavery
Here's an article on modern-day slavery. It focuses on a book written by an investigative journalist who is also a Quaker.
http://www.salon.com/books/int/2008/03/27/slavery/

If you want to help modern-day slaves, check out http://www.freetheslaves.net/

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The Perfect Clerk?
I read this and realized how easy it might be to rewrite it for the perfect clerk.

http://www.tarotforum.net/library/16/2003-10/humour-the-perfect-high-priestess-20031015.shtml

If you read to the end, you find this is a chain letter. I am particularly amused at the idea of sending off your Clerk (who is presumably human) to eventually get N Clerks from other meetings, one of whom will likely be perfect....

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Monthly Meeting
Next Sunday is the east Cheshire (north west England) monthly meeting, and I've been welcomed by the local meeting to attend.  I'm quite excited by the prospect of seeing the range of people involved, learning more about how Quakerism is done in the area, and how the business of the meeting is conducted.  It'll be an interesting experience.

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Announcment
Hello- First, a warm welcome to our new members. Please post a bit about yourselves and your spiritual journey.

Next, an announcement: Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Concerns (FLGBTQC) will hold its annual MidWinter Gathering in Minnesota February 15-18, 2008. To find out more or to register go to http://flgbtqc.quaker.org/2008MWGText.html.
Scroll down to the very end to get the registration forms.

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I thought this discussion about Christo-Paganism on solitarywiccans would be interesting to this community.

http://community.livejournal.com/solitarywiccans/710738.html

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