Woodbrooke course brochure (2011) by Bananadesign Ltd

Courses & events 2011 Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre

h i s to ry o f wo o d b ro o k e wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

History of woodbrooke oodbrooke is europe’s only Quaker study Centre. it has a long and distinguished history in providing a broad-based spiritual and religious education to those of any faith from around the world.

woodbrooke was founded in 1903. John wilhelm rowntree (1868–1905) had previously led a campaign amongst Friends for a permanent settlement for religious and social study. within a few years, Quaker and local chocolate maker george Cadbury (1839–1922) had been inspired to offer his former home for this purpose. woodbrooke forms part of their legacy to future generations, based on a vision of our actions creating a better world. woodbrooke is special. if its walls could speak, they would tell tales of countless individuals seeking to deepen their faith and equip themselves for lives of service. they would describe the visits of thinkers, philanthropists, and religious figures such as gandhi who came here to extend their understanding and knowledge. they would recall with delight the visitors from the different continents of the world that came here throughout the twentieth century. they would also recount how woodbrooke has changed to meet the needs of the times, including an extensive programme of refurbishment to the library, the addition of en suite bathroom facilities and the installation of solar panels. Visitors who are interested in social history and ethical business come to stay at woodbrooke in order to savour the ambience of the former

home of george Cadbury, and to be able to ﬁnd out more about bournville, the village that he founded that lies a short walk away. As a pioneer in improving conditions for workers, george Cadbury created a community that had few rivals in terms of decent social housing, recreational facilities and attractive gardens. the location, history and up to date facilities of woodbrooke make it a unique conference and bed and breakfast venue. Although it has developed and changed to meet the demands of the twenty-ﬁrst century, the aims of woodbrooke are still the same. the historic house, home-cooked food and organically-managed grounds, with their palpable sense of peace and tranquillity, are well equipped to provide spiritual inspiration, education and nourishment to visitors for generations to come.

george Cadbury

Mahatma ghandi at woodbroke

wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011 w e Lco m e

welcome to Woodbrooke ”Live adventurously”. writing this introduction during my first few days as director, i have felt inspired by these words from Advices & Queries 27. such a challenge to embrace life and its opportunities seems to me to epitomise the spirit of woodbrooke. following the enthusiastic response to our courses in 2010, we decided to take our own leap of faith in offering our largest educational programme ever for 2011. i hope that you feel inspired to consider embarking on your own adventure with us, particularly if you have not been here before. do take a look at our friendly introductions series (p.14) and our two new family friendly weekends (p.38, p.58). if travelling here is difficult, why not see if we can come out to your meeting (p.9)? your continued support and involvement with woodbrooke is what sustains it.

director

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Woodbrooke 6 Good Lives

8 Becoming Friends

9 Working with Meetings

10 Longer-term opportunities

11 Other ways to use Woodbrooke

13 Equipping for Ministry and Quaker Approaches to Spiritual Practice pathway

14 Friendly Introductions

15 Course listing

66 Our tutors

Please also see our course calendar (page 72) and booking information and forms (page 76)

wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011 s p e c i A L o f f e r s

Special oers... keep an eye out throughout the brochure for oﬀers speciﬁc to each course. there may be chances for reduced accommodation rates for those wishing to participate in two courses following on from each other.

Sunday night special oﬀer! Anyone participating in a woodbrooke-based course ending on a sunday has the chance to enjoy our hospitality for just a little longer. For only £30 per person you are invited to join us for sunday evening supper, bed and breakfast. sound tempting? Quote sNs10 when booking your course.

Young Friends special oﬀer! two or more 18–30-year-olds booking on a course at the same time get 50% oFF the standard fee!

New members special oﬀer! if you are in your ﬁrst year of membership of the society of Friends, you are entitled to a 50% reduction on a 48-hour course. Please indicate that you are a new member on your booking form.

Making a booking To make a booking, complete and return the booking form (page 77). You can also book (or download booking forms) online at www.woodbrooke.org.uk

g o o d L i v e s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

good Lives …don’t have to cost the earth his series of courses, spread over three years, is a creative opportunity for Friends and others to bring head, heart and spirit together to equip ourselves for the future – of our own lives, of the planet and of humanity.

the good Lives Programme is for you if you are:

good Lives in your meeting

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in your 20s and 30s and know that these issues will impact your life in a significant way in your 40s and 50s and are thinking about how the later years of your life will be affected, and about the effects on your children and grandchildren in your 60s and above and want to do something positive about the legacy we leave to future generations.

2011 courses ●

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good Lives – because there isn’t a technical ﬁx for everything (science and technology) 25–27 February – see page 21 good Lives – because god has no hands but ours (politics) 1–3 April – see page 26 good Lives – because we belong to the earth (psychology of earth-relatedness) 10–12 June – see page 35 good Lives – because we need to walk humbly as well as cheerfully (spirituality) 14–16 october – see page 57.

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imagining a world without oil spirituality in a Changing world sustaining our beliefs for a sustainable world …or an event tailor-made for your meeting.

Please contact oﬀsite@woodbrooke.org.uk for further information or booking.

online ●

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More about good Lives at www.woodbrooke.org.uk/goodLives Free downloadable introductory study packs at www.woodbrooke.org.uk/ goodlivesstudypacks

the good Lives blog at www.woodbrooke goodlives.blogspot.com – weekly postings on a wide variety of topics, from the spiritual to the practical, from the political to the horticultural, from the philosophical to the technical. Visit occasionally, or sign up to follow the blog.

Further information and bookings As well as these modules, many other courses in this brochure provide skills, knowledge or experience needed for a truly sustainable human future. the good Lives courses, and all these others, are highlighted in the brochure. book on any one of them, and you will get a £20 discount on any of the others. email good.Lives@woodbrooke.org.uk for details. The Good Lives project is supported by the George Cadbury Fund.

wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011 g o o d L i v e s

b e co m i n g f r i e n d s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

becoming Friends living & learning with Quakers ecoming Friends is an exciting course for those who are new to Friends. It oﬀers an engaging, interactive learning experience that will enable you to ﬁnd out more about Quakerism while exploring your own faith journey with Friends.

the course materials are ﬂexible and accessible online or in paper format, combined with options for support from your meeting. Course participants work at their own pace and for as long as they wish, with choices for working alone and with others. there is a choice of learning units and activities to suit a wide range of interests and learning styles, including on-line discussion groups, resources and links. Meetings are encouraged to provide a becoming Friends ‘companion’ to support newcomers working with the learning materials: someone who can share their own knowledge and experience of Quakerism, and help arrange conversations and interactions with other Friends. For more information about becoming Friends, including signing up for the online course (cost £5), accessing a free demo, or ordering the paper pack (cost £10 + postage), go to www.woodbrooke.org.uk/ becomingfriends. Contact the Nurturing Friends and Meetings tutor on 0121 472 5171 or email becoming.friends@ woodbrooke.org.uk for more information.

wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011 wo r k i n g w i t h m e et i n g s

working with Meetings for learning, for leisure, for life… locally s well as running courses in Birmingham, Woodbrooke can also send a tutor to your Quaker meeting. We can bring learning to your meeting to deepen your spiritual life and support your good practice and work. Our new oﬀ-site brochure is available – get in touch if you’d like to know more or like a copy.

we offer a responsive, flexible, bespoke service that can answer your meeting’s needs. in addition, we have a menu of more than 50 themed courses. we currently have a range of special offers to support meetings in making the most of woodbrooke (while funds last). to discuss what might suit your meeting or how we could respond to a particular need please contact Lizz roe at lizz.roe@woodbrooke.org.uk or on 0121 415 6787.

training for Quaker roles

topics currently on oﬀer

Across britain yearly Meeting there are more than 2,000 people holding some kind of role in the service of their local, area or general meeting. each year we run a range of events on site at woodbrooke to help prepare those giving service. we can also deliver bespoke training locally and regionally in each of the following areas:

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Clerks trustees treasurers Nominations elders and overseers.

Additionally, we can help a meeting consider wider issues in the support of these roles such as: ● ● ● ●

Practising discernment together the sense of the Meeting stewarding our resources Approaching Conﬂict as a Meeting.

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the welcoming Meeting Conﬂict Handling Creating Community, Creating Connections ‘the whole banana’: making sense of our spiritual diversity the Peace testimony – past and present Nurturing spirituality inspiring small Meetings Practising discernment exploring Quaker Faith and Practice taking a Fresh Look at the bible experiencing god imagining a world without oil: preparing for an (un)certain future Quakers and the bible A day with three old Friends deepening the spiritual Life of the Meeting Practising Prayerfulness stewarding our resources.

we are always happy to plan new events to meet your needs.

Further information and bookings For all courses or for further discussion please contact: educational Administration, woodbrooke Quaker study Centre, 1046 bristol road, birmingham b29 6LJ or 0121 415 6779 or oﬀ-site@woodbrooke.org.uk

Lo n ge r - t e r m o p p o rt un i t i e s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

Longer-term opportunities at woodbrooke

the library the library at woodbrooke is the perfect base for a sabbatical or extended study leave, oﬀering the opportunity to read, think and write in quiet, comfortable surroundings with 24-hour access to books, wi-ﬁ laptop connection and the support (if needed) of a full-time professional librarian. our catalogue is available online via the woodbrooke website.

also representative collections of english ﬁction and poetry. while we generally aim at the interested but non-specialist reader, the more academically-oriented is also well served and in addition may be able to use the university of birmingham's libraries nearby. Contact the librarian, ian Jackson on 0121 415 6786 or email library@ woodbrooke.org.uk for more information.

team of six are now part of the Centre for Postgraduate Quaker studies (CPQs). the Centre offers Postgraduate Certificate and research degrees at M.Phil and Phd levels. Fees for those living within the eu are particularly competitive; woodbrooke offers postgraduate Quaker studies students an accommodation discount, and for overseas students there is also the possibility of ‘split-site registration’ which allows you to research from home, corresponding with your supervisor by email, post and occasional visits. CPQs also copublishes the journal Quaker studies and co-sponsors the annual and prestigious george richardson Lecture. Full information can be found at: www.woodbrooke.org.uk/CPQs or you can find out more by emailing b.p.dandelion@bham.ac.uk

Personal study there is of course a Quaker focus to our collections but members of other denominations and faiths are warmly welcomed and will ﬁnd that as well as Quaker books, periodicals, pamphlets and theses from around the world, the library also has some 50,000 nonQuaker titles. our remit covers all areas of interest to Friends and so the stock is surprisingly wide-ranging. we add approximately 900 new titles a year and aim to keep up to date with the main developments in subject areas such as peace, sociology of religion, Christian and interfaith theologies, biblical studies, green/ environmental concerns, and general church and british history (particularly of the 16th – 18th centuries). there are

Postgraduate Quaker studies since 1998, woodbrooke and the university of birmingham have worked together to create what is now the leading centre in the world for postgraduate research in Quaker studies. over thirty students and a staﬀ

As a dedicated study centre, woodbrooke is the perfect supportive environment for personal research. Come for a couple of weeks or months, working with a tutor to build your own programme, which can include short courses as well as guided reading. or use our world-class Quaker library for your personal research, perhaps during a sabbatical or as a preparation for retirement. deepen your understanding of an issue close to your heart while enjoying the beautiful surroundings of woodbrooke. Contact stuart Masters on 0121 415 6768 or email stuart.masters@woodbrooke.org.uk

wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011 ot h e r wAy s to u s e wo o d b ro o k e

other ways to use

Woodbrooke bed and breakfast

birmingham’s alternative conference venue

with bed & breakfast from £42 for one person and only £16.50 extra for a second person sharing – why not take a short break to relax and unwind at woodbrooke? enjoy our beautiful 10 acres of organically-managed garden, explore our grade 2 listed building and taste our delicious home cooked (and often home grown) meals.

woodbrooke is a conference centre with a diﬀerence. our beautiful buildings, 10-acre garden and friendly service provide the ideal setting for your small group or larger organisation. our seven elegant meeting rooms all beneﬁt from garden views and natural light.

we have 70 comfortable bedrooms, all have their own tea and coﬀee making facilities, desk and washbasin. Most of our rooms are ensuite and those that do not have bath and shower facilities close by. For disabled visitors specially adapted rooms are available. woodbrooke is located only a few minutes by train from birmingham city centre. From here you can explore the village of bournville as well as many other nearby attractions including the Lickey Hills, birmingham Nature Centre, Midland Arts Centre and selly Manor. to book, please contact our administration team by calling 0121 472 5171 or email enquiries@woodbrooke.org.uk

At woodbrooke you can enjoy complimentary full wireless internet access and the latest multimedia presentation equipment, excellent transport links plus free on-site car parking and fantastic home-cooking with all special diets catered for. whether you are organising a oneday workshop, a residential event or even a week-long conference, we are perfectly suited to groups seeking a quiet and inspiring space for work, relaxation and spiritual growth. to hold your meeting at woodbrooke, contact our friendly and experienced conference co-ordinators kirstie McAra or Faye Fenton on 0121 415 6774, or email conferences@ woodbrooke.org.uk

ot h e r Le A r n i n g pAt h wAy s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011 ot h e r Le A r n i n g pAt h wAy s

equipping for Ministry equipping for Ministry, or eFM as it is often known, is a ﬂexible programme designed to provide a more sustained approach to Quaker studies at woodbrooke. it is a two-year part-time course structured around time spent at woodbrooke and personal study time at home. the course is for anyone who is active in their local meeting and who wants to think more about what it is to be a part of that meeting and the wider society. it aims to give you a solid grounding in thinking about what it is to be a Quaker in the world today and how you are personally to live out that calling. every course starts with an induction weekend in January and the next induction will be in 2012. in each of your two years you are required to attend a residential week and alongside this a range of other courses from our programme. working with the support of a personal tutor, you can undertake personal projects of your own choice. Contact ginny wall on 0121 472 5171 or email ginny.wall@woodbrooke.org.uk for more information.

Quaker Approaches to spiritual Practice pathway this new pathway in the woodbrooke programme aims to help Friends expand and deepen their knowledge, understanding and experience of spiritual practice and prayer. some courses may be marked as suitable for beginners or for those with a little more experience – but since we are all only ever beginners in prayer, Friends will be very welcome to attend any of the courses as they feel led. the Quaker Approaches to spiritual Practice learning pathway will be developed over the next two to three years, but there are some courses in the 2011 programme already: examples are sacred reading (21–23 January: page 16) and what on earth do we Mean by Prayer? (14–16 November: page 62). Contact ginny wall on 0121 472 5171 or email ginny.wall@woodbrooke.org.uk for more information.

f r i e n d Ly i n t ro d u c t i o n s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

Friendly introductions providing a solid grounding in the Quaker way oodbrooke’s exciting new Friendly Introductions series oﬀers a comprehensive programme of courses to help you develop a solid grounding in all aspects of the Quaker way. This series has something for everyone, whether you are new to Quakers or a ‘seasoned’ Friend with gaps in your knowledge or experience.

the series is made up of thirteen courses which we plan to oﬀer at least once every two years. each course will explore an aspect of the Quaker way within the context of our living tradition, our spiritual practices and our engagement with the world. sessions will be delivered in a friendly and accessible way but will enable participants to work with material that has real substance and relevance to their lives as Quakers today.

the Friendly introductions courses ●

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becoming Friends: a friendly introduction to the Quaker way Quakers and the bible: a friendly introduction Quaker business Method: a friendly introduction Quaker discernment: a friendly introduction early Quaker History: a friendly introduction Quaker Faith & Practice: a friendly introduction Meeting for worship: a friendly introduction Moving into Membership: a friendly approach Quaker service, roles and gifts: a friendly introduction Quaker spirituality: a friendly introduction Quaker testimony: a friendly introduction Quaker theology: a friendly introduction the world Family of Friends: a friendly introduction.

2011 programme we will begin the series in 2011 with the following courses:

early Quaker History 19 4–6 February tutors: stuart Masters & betty Hagglund becoming Friends 18–20 February tutor: simon best

Moving into Membership 34 3–5 June tutors: Helen rowlands & stuart Masters Quaker discernment 17–19 June tutor: Lizz roe

becoming Friends 21–23 october tutor: simon best

Quaker testimony 26–28 october tutor: Maud grainger

All thirteen courses will be oﬀered at least once between 2011 and 2013.

special oﬀer – book three courses and get the third half-price if you book three Friendly introductions courses in any twelve month period you will get the third course half price.

Courses & events Woodbrooke calendar 2011

JA NUA RY 20 11

Courses & events Always here to help… We want your time at Woodbrooke to be as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. If you have accessibility issues, low energy levels or are unsure in any way about the suitability of a course for you, please contact our administration team for advice by calling 0121 472 5171 or email enquiries@woodbrooke.org.uk. More information about arrangements we can make to enhance accessibility at Woodbrooke is on page 76.

January 2011 Muslim spirituality Price includes travel to a local suﬁ gathering of invocation.

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 January | 18 places | £194 ensuite | £184 standard

the practice of islam rests on essential traditions of spirituality. this course aims to provide understanding of the inward path of islam, taught traditionally as the science of tassawuf or sufism. the course will examine: the islamic understanding of the spirit; soul and self identity; the path of purification of the heart and self knowledge. Participants will have an opportunity to visit a sufi gathering and will meet both Muslim women and men devoted to this path. tutor(s): Abdulhaq bewley | shaykh Muhammad bar shoaib Course type: Friends and other Faiths Course delivery: seminar/subject based

sacred reading: encountering god in words QuAker ApproAches to spirituAL prActice

Anyone attending this course is entitled to a £20 discount on the course ‘what on earth do we Mean by Prayer?’ (14–16 November).

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 January | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this weekend oﬀers a chance to make a contemplative journey into the heart of scripture and other texts, where we can meet the spirit at work right here and now. we will explore a variety of approaches to sacred reading, including the monastic practice of lectio divina, creative responses, shared group reading and walking meditation with words. there will be opportunities throughout the weekend for contemplative encounters with diﬀerent spiritual writings including the bible, Quaker texts and poetry. tutor(s): ginny wall | Nicola James Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

Looking Afresh at that ‘old book’: bible study resources for Friends Friday 21 – Sunday 23 January | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

there are many new, interesting and illuminating ways of looking at the bible. Not only in books, but also in innovative forms on the internet or on dVd, these are often more accessible for today’s diverse Friends. the course will give participants a chance to sample a range of useful material in diﬀerent media along with some helpful guidance on how to use it fruitfully in local meetings and for personal study. tutor(s): timothy Peat Ashworth | Alastair reid Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being a Quaker Clerk Friday 28 – Sunday 30 January | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for new or prospective clerks of area meetings or local meetings with little or no experience of Quaker clerking. we will spend some time considering why we use a particular business style in our meetings and how this has evolved over the centuries. Alongside this there will be practical sessions including planning agendas, making minutes, keeping records and the discipline of the meeting. Participants will learn from each other as well as from the leaders. tutor(s): Janet scott | Clare scott booth Course type: training for Quaker roles | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being an elder Friday 28 – Sunday 30 January | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

For all Friends with eldership responsibilities who would like to cover the basics of the role. why not come with another Friend from your meeting who is new to eldership? the course aims to help those responsible for eldership to respond to the core spiritual life and needs of the meeting. there will be practical ideas and resources, and an opportunity to share experience with others. we hope everyone will take away more conﬁdence and a better understanding of the role. tutor(s): Mary Jo Clogg | barbara windle Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being an overseer Friday 28 – Sunday 30 January | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

For Friends with oversight responsibilities who would like to cover the basics of the role. why not come with another Friend from your meeting who is new to oversight? we aim to include expectations of the role and explore its spiritual basis. we will look at the range of tasks, good practice, and ways of handling difﬁcult issues. we hope everyone will leave with practical ideas and resources, more conﬁdence, a better understanding of the role, and some new ways forward. tutor(s): Margaret bryan | Marilyn Higgins Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

£20 discount when two participants book from the same meeting.

FEB RUARY 20 11

February 2011 Managing our Meeting Houses: training and support for staﬀ and Friends who manage them Wednesday 2 – Friday 4 February | 30 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this training and support event includes: witnessing to Quaker values, updates on employment law and good practice, building working relationships and support networks, health and safety, together with separate sessions for staﬀ and employers/committee. we aim to be responsive to the particular needs of those taking part. we hope everyone will gain increased enthusiasm, skills, conﬁdence and knowledge to take back to their meeting houses. Leaders include wardens/employees, and specialists on managing meeting houses and supporting employers/employees. tutor(s): Judi brill | strawberry roth | wendy blake ranken Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

the spirit Level good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 February | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the book The Spirit Level (2009) met with great critical acclaim. it shows that inequality in every society is bad for every one, and the greater the degree of inequality the worse it is. this evidence conﬁrms the Quaker testimony to equality and the many reasons to pursue this countercultural witness. during the course we will explore the diﬀerent dimensions of the subject and what we can do to see our testimony to equality expressed in this country for the good of all. tutor(s): Martin wilkinson Course type: Adventurous Living Course delivery: seminar/subject based

Quaker Nominations: exploring good practice Friday 4 – Sunday 6 February | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

An event for members of nominations committees in all Quaker settings. How can we root ourselves in good practices of discernment whilst responding to the particular issues that face us? Nominations are at the quiet heart of the way we live together as Friends, when we listen faithfully to the spirit. we will include the practical aspects of being ‘on nominations’. Friends can expect a renewed insight into the potential of nominations to strengthen meetings and enable them to ﬂourish. tutor(s): Paul bowers isaacson | ethel Livermore Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

early Quaker History: a friendly introduction Friday 4 – Sunday 6 February | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

do you want to know more about early Friends? if your knowledge of Quaker history is a little hazy or you are relatively new to the society of Friends, this is the course for you. we will trace the early Quaker story in its historical context, explore the development of the Quaker vision and look at the movement’s leading ﬁgures. this will all be done in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere using a mixture of lectures, discussions and group reading. tutor(s): betty Hagglund | stuart Masters Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

becoming Friends Companions Course: preparing for service Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 February | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for those oﬀering service as becoming Friends companions in meetings. ‘becoming Friends: Living and Learning with Quakers’ is an exciting project from woodbrooke and Quaker Life which aims to nurture and support those who are new to Friends through the provision of ﬂexible learning materials and support from ‘companions’ in local meetings. For more information, go to www.woodbrooke.org.uk/becomingfriends or email becoming.friends@woodbrooke.org.uk . Please provide a letter of support from your meeting when booking on the course. tutor(s): ginny wall Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory

the experience of the divine in early Christianity: a study week Monday 7 – Friday 11 February | 16 places | £294 ensuite | £278 standard

this innovative biblical study week will consist of three elements: a viewing together of a substantial dVd study course given by Luke timothy Johnson focussing on the nature of religious experience among the ﬁrst Christians; seminars on the course with timothy Peat Ashworth; and a live web link up for our own question and answer session with Luke timothy Johnson. if you are looking to do some serious biblical study with like-minded companions, this programme has been designed for you. tutor(s): Luke timothy Johnson | timothy Peat Ashworth Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based

friendLy introductions

book three friendly introduction courses within 12 months and get the third half price.

FEB RUARY 20 11

National trusteeship Conference 2011: ‘trustees: creators of time and space’ Friday 11 – Sunday 13 February | 57 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard in partnership with Quaker stewardship Committee

How are Friends managing the processes of trusteeship? is the service of trustees creating time and space for others, enabling the spirit to prosper in our meetings? what difﬁculties are we encountering? Area meetings are invited to nominate an experienced trustee to come and share experience of how trusteeship is working in reality. there will be opportunity to consider good practice and gain support in areas of difﬁculty. Members of Quaker stewardship Committee will be on hand for consultation. tutor(s): keynote speaker: Christine A.M. davis. Planning team: Virginia Pawlyn | Adrian walker-smith | Helen rowlands Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Conference | Participatory

becoming Friends: a friendly introduction to the Quaker way friendLy introductions

book three friendly introduction courses within 12 months and get the third half price.

Friday 18 – Sunday 20 February | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Are you new to Friends? would you like to deepen your understanding of the Quaker way? if so, this course is for you. Friendly and interactive sessions will draw on the becoming Friends course materials to provide a broad overview of contemporary Quakerism. Although this course stands alone, participants can also use it to launch a more in-depth engagement with the becoming Friends learning project. tutor(s): simon best Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Churches together: what is the place for Quakers? Friday 18 – Sunday 20 February | 28 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard A conference in partnership with QCCir

Many Friends are involved with other Churches: in chaplaincy work in prisons, hospitals and universities; in local and national ecumenical bodies; in shared social action. this is a weekend for those interested in ecumenical work and relationships to learn together and exchange experiences and ideas. what is the Quaker contribution to the ecumenical agenda? Join members of the Quaker Committee for Christian and interfaith relations to explore future directions for Friends and Churches. tutor(s): beth Allen | John gladwin | rowena Loverance | timothy Peat Ashworth Course type: Friends and other Faiths | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Conference | Participatory

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

what next for Quaker Nontheism? Friday 18 – Sunday 20 February An open event run at woodbrooke by Nontheist Friends

Five years after the publication of Godless for God’s Sake Miriam yagud and david boulton invite nontheist Friends to share their experience of what it means to be a humanist, atheist or agnostic in our creedless religious society of Friends. this event is an opportunity to share our journeys and explore creatively how best to combine adventurous commitment to the Quaker way with open and honest rejection of a theistic world view. bookings and further information: miriam.yagud@talktalk.net or phone 01453 547032 Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Landscapes of the soul: welcoming the wisdom of the world within Monday 21 – Thursday 24 February | 16 places | £299 ensuite | £286 standard

the gaels called the body ‘the soul-shrine’, rightly recognising that within is a landscape of wonders and a treasury of story, knowledge, wisdom and healing. on this shamanic art course we will explore our own inner landscapes. this course is suitable for anyone interested in their personal treasury of symbols, in myth, dream, inner and magical work. No artistic ability or previous shamanic experience are required, although artists and shamanic practitioners are warmly welcome. tutor(s): Caitlín Matthews | Felicity wombwell Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

Quakers in Criminal Justice Annual Conference Friday 25 – Sunday 27 February An open event run at woodbrooke by Quakers in Criminal Justice

Non-members welcome! the exact topic and speakers will be ﬁnalised soon and will reﬂect current criminal justice concerns from a Quaker perspective. An enriching opportunity for those with an involvement or interest in criminal justice matters to meet up with other Quaker members/attenders from a wide-ranging spectrum of experience. bookings and further information: Please contact simon ewart simonewart@btinternet.com 01736 871161 or Ann Jacob annj83@googlemail.com 020 8991 0158 Course type: Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory | Conference

good Lives – because there isn’t a technical ﬁx for everything Friday 25 – Sunday 27 February | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this good Lives weekend will look at science and technology – at what we can expect science to do for us and what it can’t do. taking in both the big picture and the detail of particular examples, we will examine the interaction between new science and technologies (eg: food, energy, transport), and the essential changes required in our own behaviour, attitudes and habits. tutor(s): Pam Lunn | gillian smith | Michael tovey Course type: Adventurous Living | green spirituality and the Natural world Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

MARCH 2011

March 2011 islamic spain: what can we learn from a 1000-year-old history? Friday 4 – Sunday 6 March | 23 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

islamic spain was a multi-cultural mix of the people of three great monotheistic religions: islam, Christianity and Judaism. Although Christians and Jews lived under certain restrictions, for much of the time the three groups managed to get along together, and to some extent, to beneﬁt from each other’s presence. this weekend is an opportunity to explore a fascinating and distinctive time and place which will enable us to see present-day tensions between the traditions in a diﬀerent light. tutor(s): Pam Lunn | timothy Peat Ashworth | simon barton Course type: Friends and other Faiths Course delivery: seminar/subject based

Friends of the Creation: gospel order and the earth good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 March | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

gospel order was a term often used by early Quakers to characterise the quality of life of a community that is reconciled to god and to one other. More recently, it has been described as ‘the right relationship of every part of creation, however small, to every other part and to the Creator’. this course will explore what gospel order meant for early Friends, and how this might inform our current concern to live in harmony with the creation. tutor(s): stuart Masters | geoﬀ Morries Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | green spirituality and the Natural world Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being a Quaker treasurer Prices include extra bookkeeping session on Friday. Price without bookkeeping: £194 ensuite, £184 standard. dinner, b&b available thursday night if required.

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 March | 16 places | £246 ensuite | £236 standard For new and prospective treasurers, and those who still feel uncertain

we will cover all the main tasks, from first entries to year-end preparation of accounts, principles, responsibilities, and legal requirements. you will find sympathetic companionship with other treasurers, and explore the spiritual basis of the role. Please note times: Friday 11.00am to 6.00pm: basic book-keeping. those without much experience need these sessions. if Friday attendance is difficult, these exercises can be done at home beforehand. sunday 1.45pm to 3.00pm: computer spreadsheets (optional). tutor(s): rosemary elias | Valerie Farrow | kate gulliver Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

working with Friends: an event for non-Quaker employees in Quaker organisations Wednesday 9 – Friday 11 March | 10 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course will help staff understand the context in which they work, so as to operate effectively in their jobs. we will explain what motivates Quakers, their faith and their work in the world, and how these underpin Quaker organisations. we will see how Friends worship, how decisions are made (e.g. in management committees), and how different bodies inter-relate. you will meet others in similar circumstances and explore how to contribute effectively in your work setting. tutor(s): Helen rowlands Course type: training for Quaker roles | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

the world is our Cloister: a retreat in everyday life Friday 11 – Sunday 13 March and Friday 20 – Sunday 22 May | 15 places | £368 ensuite | £348 standard

this retreat involves two linked weekends at woodbrooke with ten intervening weeks at home, inviting us to explore elements of contemplative traditions and practices, and open ourselves to experiencing a deeper awareness of the spirit at work in our everyday lives. this ﬁrst weekend includes introductions to the retreat’s themes and practices and gives opportunities for spiritual friendship conversations. the home-based modules, available online or in paper format, will then provide linked suggestions for reﬂection and practice. tutor(s): Jennifer kavanagh | ginny wall Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

Please note this price is for both courses as it is a linked course.

MARCH 2011

developing a Practice of Christian Meditation Friday 11 – Sunday 13 March | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Meditation helps people to awaken and deepen their spiritual life. it is a universal tradition found in all the great religions. Many Christians have been helped to recover contact with their own tradition of meditation because of the work of John Main, the benedictine monk (1926-82). His teaching of this ancient tradition of prayer is rooted in the gospels and the early Christian monastic tradition of the desert. this will be a weekend introduction to the practice and teaching. tutor(s): Liz watson Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: inner experience | retreat

understanding conﬂict – in our lives and in our meetings good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 11 – Sunday 13 March | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

when two people meet, a relationship develops; the more people, the more complex the relationships become. we will explore how conflicts may develop and find the underlying causes. we will look at processes for transforming these conflicts. there will be time to identify and practise the skills of building rapport, understanding and trust in both easy and more difficult situations, borrowing from both Quaker and conflict resolution skills and procedures. tutor(s): roger Cullen | Marion wells-bruges Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory

Fruits of winter: tasks and opportunities for later life Monday 21 – Wednesday 23 March | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

As life expectancy increases, it becomes even more important to use the later years creatively, anticipating and shaping the changes, and uncovering the meaning of our lives. during this weekend we will explore core themes, including: spirituality in later life; harvesting a lifetime; practical wisdom for the end of life; making a good death. there will be led sessions on these themes, and opportunities to reﬂect and participate through individual and group work. tutor(s): Peggy Heeks | susan sawtell Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory

the Ministry of inspiring Meetings Monday 21 – Friday 25 March | 10 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

Quakerism makes a connection between the inward life and discernment, active participation in a religious community and giving service in the world. it is the braiding together and balancing of these aspects of meeting life that forms the focus of this workshop. As well as exploring the components of meeting cultures, participants will hone their diagnostic and interactive skills through composing and engaging with case studies on inspiring the life of the meeting. tutor(s): derrick whitehouse Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

exploring worship: being a spiritual warrior Friday 25 – Sunday 27 March | 44 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard A partnership event run by Quaker Life and woodbrooke for 8–12-year-olds with a separate programme for the adults

this weekend is about children and adults working in a community to talk about worship. Children will explore ideas such as: what is god, what is worship, what is a Quaker and what is a spiritual warrior? we will play, talk, be still, use art, hear stories and design worship for woodbrooke and worship places for ourselves. the adults will have a programme especially designed for them! everybody will eat together and we will form a community for the weekend. tutor(s): Chris Nickolay | Howard Nurden | others Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Quaker registering ofﬁcers training weekend Friday 25 – Sunday 27 March | 15 places | 184 ensuite | £174 standard A course run in partnership with the recording Clerk’s ofﬁce of britain yearly Meeting

this is a training event for Quaker registering ofﬁcers who will be sent more information directly. tutor(s): Linda Craig | Anne wood Course type: training for Quaker roles Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Celebrating the Quaker way Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 March | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

what does our Quakerism mean to us? How have we been nurtured? what parts of the tradition do we most connect with and what is our vision for its future? there will be a mixture of talks, worship, and exercises to help us reﬂect. our time together will allow us to learn more about the tradition and to celebrate the worship, witness, and community inherent in the Quaker way. we will share stories and experiences, our visions and dreams. tutor(s): ben Pink dandelion Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Children 8–12: £92 ensuite or £87 standard; Adults: £184 ensuite or £174 standard. woodbrooke bursary help available towards the cost.

A PRIL 2 01 1

April 2011 good Lives – because god has no hands but ours good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 1 – Sunday 3 April | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

All governments make policy choices that fail to meet the challenges of creating a sustainable society. Campaigners are coming to despair that a democratic society will ever be able to do the right thing. we will explore what we, as citizens, can and should do to change britain’s politics for the better, considering aspects of witnessing to Quaker values in a compromised and combative political process. Participants will gain an insight into eﬀective ways of using politics to get things done. tutor(s): simon beard | Pam Lunn Course type: Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

being Peace: living in the present moment Friday 1 – Sunday 3 April | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

whether a beginner or someone experienced in eastern spiritual practice, you will taste something of the deep peace that can be discovered through simple practices of being present and the support of doing this in a group. guidance will be given on a variety of practices to encourage a sense of mindfulness. this event is run in partnership with the Community of interbeing, the group who live by and communicate the teachings of thich Nhat Hanh in the uk. tutor(s): Murray Corke | Marion Mills dadds | timothy Peat Ashworth Course type: Friends and other Faiths | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

the welcoming Quaker Community Friday 1 – Sunday 3 April | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Are there Friends in your meeting who for one reason or another feel on the margins? Are there newcomers who might be helped to feel more included? is it always the same few who shoulder responsibility? through sharing experience and ideas, and by opening up fresh possibilities for embracing diversity and planning for growth and change, this course will explore practical approaches to creating a more inclusive and welcoming worshipping meeting community. tutor(s): Zélie gross | deborah rowlands Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | training for Quaker roles Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

the kindlers: the power of Quaker worship Monday 4 – Friday 8 April | 15 places An open event run at woodbrooke by the kindlers, an informal group working for Quaker renewal: to vision new ﬁre

the kindlers work to re-vitalize Quaker spiritual life. this third woodbrooke course will be participatory, exploring how to speak more clearly in contemporary ways about god/spirit, silence, prayer, Light/ Christ, Jesus and ministry. experientially, we shall look at sunday worship afresh. the aim is to develop a team of workshop facilitators for local and area meetings. it is suggested that two Friends, maybe elders or spiritual mentors, come together from a region to support each other on returning home. bookings and further information: Please contact Alec davison on 020 7226 5448 or email alec.davison@btinernet.com Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: inner experience | Participatory

Quaker spiritual Healers: a training course Monday 4 – Friday 8 April An open event run at woodbrooke by Quaker spiritual Healers

the Quaker spiritual Healers, a recognised and fully insured group, oﬀer an opportunity for those who feel drawn towards the ministry of healing to explore their own potential within the Quaker ethos of simplicity, and receive encouragement from Quaker tutors. if it feels right, there is the opportunity to join the QsH and become a probationer healer, leading to full healer membership in due course. bookings and further information: Please contact rosalind smith on 01359 252248 or email rossmith@btinternet.com Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

A PRIL 2 01 1

being a Quaker treasurer Prices include extra bookkeeping session on Friday. Price without bookkeeping: £194 ensuite, £184 standard. dinner, b&b available Monday night if required.

Tuesday 5 – Thursday 7 April | 16 places | £246 ensuite | £236 standard For new and prospective treasurers, and those who still feel uncertain

we will cover all the main tasks, from first entries to year-end preparation of accounts, principles, responsibilities, and legal requirements. you will find sympathetic companionship with other treasurers, and explore the spiritual basis of the role. Please note times: tuesday 11.00am to 6.00pm: basic book-keeping. those without much experience need these sessions. if tuesday attendance is difficult, these exercises can be done at home beforehand. thursday 1.45pm to 3.00pm: computer spreadsheets (optional). tutor(s): kate gulliver | Janet Lynch Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Life writing for transformation Sunday 10 – Thursday 14 April | 14 places | £324 ensuite | £308 standard

this course will help you use the gifts of your life experience to create stories with ‘transformative writing’. this process guides you around detours to claim your greatest creative treasure – your authentic voice. it is suitable for beginning or experienced writers and journallers. we will encourage each other to discover our authentic voice and natural strengths; and renew our motivation for personal writing, whether in our own journals or in published memoirs or stories. tutor(s): Joanne klassen | eleanor Hildebrand Chornoboy Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | Art/Creative

singing for Joy: harmony songs and chants from around the world Friday 22 – Sunday 24 April | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this is for anyone who likes singing or wants to try. together, we will raise a wonderful sound, singing songs from around the world and taizé chants, in rounds and glorious harmony. No special knowledge or skill needed, only a willingness to listen, copy and sing out! experienced singers also very welcome. everything will be unaccompanied and taught aurally. the aim is to experience the joy of singing together, the fellowship that follows and the stillness that comes after song. tutor(s): Jane read Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory

green Fire: an Appleseed course Friday 22 – Monday 25 April | 16 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

the green fire of spring is sparked by sunlight and the deep germinating power of the earth. this green fire is also in us. the Appleseed process of short talks followed by simple arts-based activities (no skills required) and optional worship sharing, provides a safe environment to explore the condition of the green fire in our lives and its possible effect on those areas which need renewal. this course is suitable for those with and without previous Appleseed experience. tutor(s): kathleen Nelson | Liz Perkins Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Art/Creative | inner experience

Quaker theology seminar: the Holy spirit Tuesday 26 – Thursday 28 April | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard An open event run at woodbrooke by Quaker theology seminar

the seminar provides a place for Quakers interested in theological questions to share papers and discuss with each other. the topic for the year is chosen in April and this will be the second seminar with papers on the Holy spirit. there are many intertwining strands from recent topics: god, the easter story and kingdom of god and we look forward to a variety of papers. Please send papers to Qts c/o woodbrooke four weeks before the event. Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory

No Friend is an island: Quakers exploring connections through writing and publishing Thursday 28 April – Monday 2 May An open event run at woodbrooke by Quakers united in Publishing

A rare opportunity to meet in the uk. our 2011 gathering will focus on writing by and for Quakers using all kinds of media. we will share experience through talks, panels, workshops and informal conversation. our aim is to encourage Quaker writers, potential writers and publishers from diﬀerent countries and traditions to come together and discover what links them. bookings and further information: see www.quakerquip.org and the QuiP Facebook page Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Conference

MAY 2011

May 2011 spirituality in Musical Performance: insights from Quaker experience Tuesday 3 – Friday 6 May | 9 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

this course is a series of musical performance workshops, for individual performers or groups of soloists on any instrument or voice, interested in exploring areas of contact between spiritual perception and imaginative engagement in musical performance. repertoire will be selected in advance in consultation with robin, who will provide keyboard partnership if needed. A concert, with some listeners from outside the course, will form part of the ﬁnal session. tutor(s): robin bowman Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Art/Creative | inner experience

becoming Friends Companions Course: preparing for service Friday 6 – Sunday 8 May | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for those oﬀering service as becoming Friends companions in their meeting. ‘becoming Friends: Living and Learning with Quakers’ is an exciting project from woodbrooke and Quaker Life which aims to nurture and support those who are new to Friends through the provision of ﬂexible learning materials and support from ‘companions’ in local meetings. For more information, go to www.woodbrooke.org.uk/becomingfriends or email becoming.friends@woodbrooke.org.uk. Please provide a letter of support from your meeting when booking on the course. tutor(s): ginny wall Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory

Counting Carbon: a new spiritual path? good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 6 – Sunday 8 May | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

As a catalyst for self-awareness and change, carbon footprinting can be part of moving towards spirit-led sustainable living. we will look at the quality of the science and statistics behind footprint calculations. we will explore moral questions – are we responsible for all the emissions linked to our lifestyle? How deep are the cuts we should make? And we will ask how the challenges and successes of personal change inform our relationship with ourselves, our communities and god. tutor(s): Laurie Michaelis Course type: Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

being a Quaker treasurer Friday 6 – Sunday 8 May | 16 places | £246 ensuite | £236 standard For new and prospective treasurers, and those who still feel uncertain

Prices include extra bookkeeping session on Friday. Price without bookkeeping: £194 ensuite, £184 standard. dinner, b&b available thursday night if required.

tutor(s): Alison gray | tom Heydeman | delia suﬄing Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | training for Quaker roles Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Quaker Fellowship in Christ Annual gathering Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 May An open event run at woodbrooke by the Quaker Fellowship in Christ (previously called Christian Quaker renewal Fellowship)

For those seeking a closer connection with Jesus as central to our understanding of Quaker faith. we will include participatory and reﬂective activities, exploring in a transforming way opportunities for enriching and encouraging each other as we listen, laugh, pray and worship together. Newcomers will ﬁnd welcoming fellowship. sessions will be facilitated by timothy Peat Ashworth, woodbrooke’s own tutor in biblical studies. bookings and further information: Please contact Phil Petty 01536 523013 or email thepettys16@hotmail.com Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

the Art of Awareness: the spiritual teaching of Anthony de Mello Friday 13 – Sunday 15 May | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

“only look and someday you will see…” this is the challenge of Anthony de Mello, a Jesuit priest from india, a master of storytelling from different traditions, to ’wake us up’. “there was a little fish in the sea and someone said to the fish, ‘oh how vast the ocean is. it is huge and marvellous’. And the fish replied, ‘where’s the ocean?’”. we shall explore some of Anthony de Mello’s work and contemplative exercises to help increase our awareness.

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): Mark scholeﬁeld Course type: Adventurous Living | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: inner experience

MAY 2011

being a Quaker Clerk Monday 16 – Wednesday 18 May | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for new or prospective clerks of area meetings or local meetings with little or no experience of Quaker clerking. we will spend some time considering why we use a particular business style in our meetings and how this has evolved over the centuries. Alongside this there will be practical sessions including planning agendas, making minutes, keeping records and the discipline of the meeting. Participants will learn from each other as well as from the leaders. tutor(s): Judith roads | gillian waddilove Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | training for Quaker roles Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

spiritual Friendship Thursday 19 – Sunday 22 May | 12 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

this course explores a gift of friendship that supports each other in ‘that which is eternal’. we will practice essential listening and sharing skills, in small groups and our larger course group. we use a model of peer-based friendship in a small group, with shared leadership, participatory inquiry and experiential reﬂective activities. this course oﬀers you the opportunity to help create and experience spiritual friendship and learn skills to take back to your own community and friendships. tutor(s): Joycelin dawes Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

the Pathless wood: an Appleseed course Saturday 21 – Thursday 26 May | 16 places | £350 ensuite | £331 standard this is for beginners as well as those who have done Appleseed before. Please note that this course begins at 4.30pm

woods are places of transformation where we can get lost – and ﬁnd ourselves. they can give a sense of escape and safety, but also of fear and challenge. the variety and seasonal changes in woods and trees, as well as their mythology, speak to us of the life of the spirit. this theme will be explored through talks followed by simple arts-based response activities and worship sharing. there will also be an ongoing arts activity and a Quiet day. tutor(s): Chris Cook | brenda Heales Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: Art/Creative | inner experience

thomas kelly: testimony of a life Anyone attending this course is entitled to a £20 discount on the course ‘sink down to the seed: deepening our life in the spirit’ (27–29 May).

Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 May | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

exploring the life and writings of 20th-century American Quaker thomas kelly will provide an opening to self-reﬂection on the presence and relevance of the Quaker testimonies in our own lives. the course balances study and personal spiritual experience as we engage with the outward manifestations (testimonies) of the inward transforming work of the spirit, in kelly’s writings and in our lives. Participants should come open to sharing from their own experiences, as well as learning from one another. tutor(s): deborah shaw Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

‘sink down to the seed’: deepening our life in the spirit Friday 27 – Sunday 29 May | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Centred listening, prayerful noticing and devotional readings reflective of Quaker faith and practice will guide us as we seek ways to respond to the invitation for deeper relationship with the spirit. worship, corporate and individual reflection, journal writing and sharing will enrich our experience together. As we become “aware of the spirit of god at work in the ordinary activities and experience of (y)our daily life,” we also increase our ability to “find the inward source of our strength”. tutor(s): deborah shaw | ben Pink dandelion Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

Midwives of the spirit: accompaniment, nurture and discipline through eldership Friday 27 – Monday 30 May | 24 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

the core quality that elders have always brought to meetings has been a deep connection with, and grounding in, the spirit underpinning the life and worship of Quaker communities. grounded in worship and drawing from the experience of participants and facilitators we will explore how eldership can be reclaimed and revitalised through accompaniment, nurture and discipline. the course is designed for Friends with experience of eldership or for whom nurture of the spiritual life of meetings is a particular concern. tutor(s): elaine emily | Jenny routledge Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

who was Jesus? Friday 27 – Monday 30 May | 20 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

How did Jesus the man become a divine figure? How was he seen in his own lifetime? even within the bible there is substantial evidence of debate among the first Christians about Jesus. so the challenges of painting an accurate picture today are obvious. drawing on the range of recent scholarship, david boulton and timothy Peat Ashworth investigate Jesus from contrasting positions but both find the quest fascinating and worthwhile. Join them for four days of shared discovery and discussion. tutor(s): david boulton | timothy Peat Ashworth Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

£20 discount for anyone who attended ‘thomas kelly: testimony to a life’ (24–26 May).

J UNE 201 1

June 2011 Jewish Mysticism and kabbalah: a short introduction Friday 3 – Sunday 5 June | 18 places | £194 ensuite | £184 standard

this course will offer participants the opportunity to dip their toes into the sea of Jewish mysticism: to look at some key texts from the mystical tradition, learn something of the history of this approach to the divine, and experience some of the practices from the tradition that enhance personal spiritual reflectiveness. we will look too at how aspects of the kabbalah – the word means ‘tradition’ – offer an opportunity for developing personal spirituality both within and outside traditional religious frameworks. tutor(s): rabbi Howard Cooper | Andy stoller Course type: Friends and other Faiths | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

Moving into Membership: a friendly approach friendLy introductions

book three friendly introduction courses within 12 months and get the third half price.

Friday 3 – Sunday 5 June | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Are you thinking of applying for membership of the religious society of Friends? if so, this course is designed to assist you in this process by providing practical information, space for discernment and a chance to share with others in similar circumstances. Friendly and interactive sessions will give you the opportunity to consider what membership means, what responsibilities it brings, the membership application process and where all this ﬁts into your spiritual journey. tutor(s): Helen rowlands and stuart Masters Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Listen adventurously: learn from others, give freely Monday 6 – Wednesday 8 June | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

How can we delight in the gifts of Quaker diﬀerences? is there a common ground of religious experience beneath the diverse words in which we describe our faith? our learning will grow from the experience of participants, through worship, listening to one another, reading, discussion and personal reﬂection. some may also choose to explore writing, music, art and other creative activities. the course is for those looking beyond their local meeting, increasing their understanding of the wealth of Friends’ spiritual insights. tutor(s): elizabeth duke | Anne Hosking Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being a Quaker Parent: joys and dilemmas Friday 10 – Sunday 12 June | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

‘Learning how to be an effective parent goes on and on, a learning which for me has been very revealing and given me insights…’ Quaker faith and practice 22.64. time and space for parents of under-18s to reflect on being a Quaker and a parent, finding ways that our faith and Friends can help. A mix of group discussion and creative activities celebrating joys and exploring dilemmas in supporting our next generation in walking cheerfully through the 21st century. tutor(s): Helen Chambers | Chris Holmquist Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

For parents bringing children, a free carer’s place is available (we are not running a separate children’s programme during the weekend.) Children: under 2 years no charge; 2–12 years 50% discount; 13–17 years 25% discount.

good Lives – because we belong to the earth Friday 10 – Sunday 12 June | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

this weekend oﬀers an exploration of ecopsychology, and how we are all still fully part of the earth, our only home, out of which we evolved. we will explore our relationships with the larger natural world, and with ourselves as part of that world. How can we experience and nurture these relationships, allowing them to shape our desires, intentions and behaviours? How can we strengthen our sense of ‘inter-being’ with a tapestry of life which can sometimes seem remote?

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): Pam Lunn | sandra white Course type: Adventurous Living | green spirituality and the Natural world Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

soulcraft for Men Friday 10 – Sunday 12 June | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

A weekend for men to share perspectives on childhood, fathering and preparation for death. through creative exercises, journaling and sharing circles we will explore our soulcraft, emotional intelligence and sense of spiritual adventure as males. we hope to encourage men to: own and articulate their feelings; allow their vulnerability; celebrate the male archetypes of warrior, king, shaman and Lover of Life; help men prepare as fathers, godfathers and grandfathers. tutor(s): Peter Fishpool Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | Participatory

J UNE 201 1

being a Quaker trustee Monday 13 – Wednesday 15 June | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard Particularly suitable for new and less experienced trustees; may also be of interest to anyone wanting a refresher

we will be factual and practical. what does the law require? what is considered good practice for charities? How does it all ﬁt with Quaker good practice? How do trustees, area and local meetings relate to each other? How can trustees best serve our meetings? we aim to provide easy-tounderstand information and enjoyable learning, to make trusteeship approachable and rewarding. tutor(s): Virginia Pawlyn | deborah rowlands Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Playing and Praying with the Light: a photography retreat Monday 13 – Friday 17 June | 12 places | £294 ensuite | £278 standard

explore the beautiful grounds of woodbrooke in meditative and playful ways through the lens of your digital camera. we will ﬁnd wordless expression for personal prayer as we encounter images that reﬂect our responses to the natural world and its place in our spirituality. there will be an opportunity to create a visual poem by putting together a slide-show of your images. tutor(s): Jasmine Piercy Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | Art/Creative

the Case for god: a Quaker discussion Monday 13 – Friday 17 June | 20 places | £294 ensuite | £278 standard

karen Armstrong has gained an impressive reputation for a series of substantial works on religion. in this event, we will take as our starting point her book, The Case for God: what religion really means. invited speakers representing a range of Quaker views will engage with her ideas. Participants will be expected to have read the book and to come prepared for lively conversation. tutor(s): timothy Peat Ashworth | rachel Muers | david boulton | Alex wildwood | Harvey gillman Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

sustainable Medicine good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 17 – Sunday 19 June | 16 places | £189 ensuite | £179 standard

For anyone interested in reducing their reliance on medicines from large pharmaceutical companies. we face great environmental and economic challenges, and this course looks at sustainable, alternative sources of medication. Cultivated and wild plants can provide some safe and effective remedies for common illnesses. using woodbrooke’s herb garden and woodland, the course will cover the identification, cultivation, appropriate harvesting, preparation and actions of a range of plants that can give an equivalent benefit to many over-the-counter treatments from pharmacies. tutor(s): Nicola Peterson (MNiMH) Course type: green spirituality and the Natural world Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Quaker discernment: a friendly introduction Friday 17 – Sunday 19 June | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

when Friends say they are led by the spirit or they are seeking god’s guidance just what do they mean? How do Friends make personal and group decisions? this participatory course will provide an introduction to diﬀerent tools for discernment used by Friends at both individual and corporate levels. there will be a chance to make use of some of these tools and to gain familiarity with ways of practicing discernment.

friendLy introductions

book three friendly introduction courses within 12 months and get the third half price.

tutor(s): Lizz roe Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory

doing Conﬂict better Friday 17 – Sunday 19 June | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

why and how would we want to do conflict better? especially if we place a high value on peacefulness? this will be a lively and interactive course to try and answer these questions together. ‘why’ will draw inspiration from both Quaker and wider sources, and ‘how’ from the creativeness of the participants. both leaders have wide experience of engaging with conflict, both among Quakers and in the wider world; the course is for anyone who wants to do conflict better!

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): susan robson | Paul whitehouse Course type: Adventurous Living | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

J UNE 201 1

Playing with Prayer: using the Myers-briggs type indicator to deepen the spiritual life Monday 20 – Thursday 23 June | 15 places | £249 ensuite | £236 standard

the Myers-briggs type indicator helps us understand our own and others’ preferred ways of being and doing. those new to Mbti are welcome as there will be the opportunity to take the indicator as part of the course. in the light of that knowledge we will experience contemplative and meditative practices from the Christian and buddhist traditions. through silence and discussion, stillness and movement, rest and play, we will discover where the ‘juice’ is for us and follow that! tutor(s): Caroline Jones Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: inner experience | Participatory

Creating Quaker gardens: greening the worshipping community good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Monday 20 – Thursday 23 June | 20 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

For Friends wanting to develop, renovate or redesign their meeting house gardens, yards, forecourts or burial grounds. we will explore how to make more of our outdoor spaces: the opportunities they provide for spiritual nurture, building community, outreach and practical amenity, and for expressing our witness to care of the earth. the course includes space for reﬂection and discussion as well as practical and creative activities, both indoors and outside in the glorious gardens of woodbrooke. No experience necessary. tutor(s): Zélie gross | deb Arrowsmith Course type: green spirituality and the Natural world | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory

Family-Friendly weekend this is a family-friendly weekend at woodbrooke. A children’s programme will run alongside two courses for adults. there are 15 places available for children between the ages of 2 and 13 years. the fee for the children’s programme is £90 per participant.

time to Listen, space to grow Friday 24 – Sunday 26 June | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the valuing of each individual’s spiritual journey is at the heart of this weekend and participants will have the opportunity to afﬁrm and widen their own distinctive experiences. topics will include: Listening, Praying/dialogue, Human being/spiritual being. we will use silence, diﬀerent kinds of prayer (in its broadest sense) and the Quaker method of ‘creative listening’ with thought-provoking questions. rather than learning through formal teaching, participants will be encouraged to ponder their spiritual journey in small, facilitated groups. tutor(s): Frances Henley Lock | Mary watson Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

Quakers and transition: a weekend for Friends involved in local transition initiatives Friday 24 – Sunday 26 June | 38 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

if you are already engaged, or just starting to get involved, in transition activity (or other similar low-carbon communities), this weekend is for you. Come as an individual, or come representing your meeting’s involvement. we aim to share and learn from each other’s experiences, and look at what Friends can both contribute to, and learn from, collaborative work in our local communities. is there something unique that Friends can bring, from our processes and testimonies?

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

three Forgotten Friends Monday 27 – Wednesday 29 June | 6 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course will introduce you to three almost forgotten Friends from the 17th to 20th century who made signiﬁcant contributions to Quaker thought or practical witness. you will also have time and guidance in using the rich resources of woodbrooke’s library to rediscover your own forgotten Friend. tutor(s): John Lampen Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

spinning yarns Monday 27 June – Friday 1 July | 12 places | £299 ensuite | £283 standard

A creative course to share and explore the use of ﬁbres – wool, silks, cotton, bamboo and ﬂax – and to develop projects in collage, felt-making, rag-rugging and natural dyes. wheels and all materials are provided. tutor(s): Jenni simmons Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: Art/Creative | Participatory

Life in the seed: isaac Penington’s spiritual journey and counsel Tuesday 28 – Thursday 30 June | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

isaac Penington is perhaps the most eloquent Quaker writer of spiritual counsel. How did he come to such clarity? we will follow his journey from radical Puritan to seeker, near-ranter and Quaker. His struggle with the intellect yields important insights for many today. seed imagery articulated Penington’s breakthrough to a sub-rational awareness. we will examine the biblical roots of his seed language, and explore its resonances with our own experience. tutor(s): doug gwyn Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

J ULY 2011

July 2011 ‘that your joy may be complete’ (John 16:24): following the leadings of Christ Friday 1 – Sunday 3 July | 30 places An open event run at woodbrooke by the New Foundation Fellowship

we shall explore the theme together, with presentations and discussion. what does joy mean to us? How does following Jesus complete our joy? the weekend is open to all, and provides an opportunity to share in worship, fellowship, nurture and bible study ministry with other Friends for whom our Christian roots are important. Newcomers will get to know the work and message of the New Foundation Fellowship. bookings and further information: Please contact sarah eilbeck on 01452 423442 or email sarah@eilbeck.org.uk Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

intuition and inner sparkle: a creative retreat for women Friday 1 – Sunday 3 July | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

working together in a secluded space, using humour and art as ‘research and experiment’, we will explore and develop impulses towards inner vitality and purpose. Letting our hands work wildly whilst focusing on our hearts as ‘burning coals shedding sparks’ each participant will open up to their intuition and shape their purpose, using a range of media and movement. No experience of art is needed; this workshop will be particularly suitable for women who do not see themselves as ‘creative’. tutor(s): Vivien whitaker Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

Faith for the Future: searching for a sustainable Quaker theology good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 July | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Fears for the future of humanity and of earth make us re-examine our ultimate values – what we care most about, what truly motivates us, and what is really worth saving for future generations. How do we deal with both our power and our helplessness, and what language can we use about this? we will share experiences, read and reﬂect on Quaker and other writings, and seek to discover what Quakers can say to the spiritual questions raised by environmental crises. tutor(s): rachel Muers Course type: green spirituality and the Natural world | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

‘to solve the riddle of the universe’: a course on the poetry of s.t. Coleridge Monday 4 – Thursday 7 July | 15 places | £244 ensuite | £231 standard

Coleridge famously said that the poet is made “to solve the riddle of the universe”. if ‘solving’ means waking up to our profoundest feelings, and to the human conditions of joy, depression, despair and freedom with the ‘shaping spirit of imagination’, in exploring his poetry we shall indeed address the riddle. we shall read his magniﬁcent major poems and extracts from his prose writings. As well as ﬁnding much pleasure, we may also rediscover our own freedom and imagination. tutor(s): barbara Vellacott Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory

time set Aside: an individually guided silent retreat Monday 4 – Friday 8 July | 6 places | £350 ensuite | £331 standard

For this new development at woodbrooke, six participants will join timothy Peat Ashworth in a silent retreat which will utilise a designated area in Holland House, away from the busyness of the main woodbrooke building. Participants will be able to join woodbrooke’s Meeting for worship and epilogue but will otherwise enjoy a quiet space for prayer and reﬂection. Meals will be in Holland House and mostly in silence. each day will include one short talk and one-to-one time with tim. tutor(s): timothy Peat Ashworth Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

A Century of Peace Making: the shape of our future witness Tuesday 5 – Thursday 7 July | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

british Quakers found themselves full citizens of the state at the end of the nineteenth century and enjoyed their new status, yet found this cosy relationship ruptured by the approach of european war and the introduction of conscription in 1916. since then british Friends have ‘swum upstream’ as paciﬁsts and peace-makers. this course surveys a century of peace-making and asks what shapes our witness and how it might evolve in the future. A course for activists and historians.

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): brian Phillips | ben Pink dandelion Course type: Adventurous Living | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

J ULY 2011

Plant Portraits in watercolour Friday 8 – Monday 11 July | 12 places | £249 ensuite | £236 standard

this course is for anyone with a love of plants who wishes to capture their beauty with watercolour and is suitable for beginners and experienced painters alike. there will be a guided tour of woodbrooke’s wonderful garden, where there will be plenty of plant material for you to choose to paint. Painting demonstrations and supervised drawing and painting sessions will enable students to complete a ﬁnished plant portrait to take home with them at the end of the course. tutor(s): Jeni Neale Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: Art/Creative | Participatory

discover and enjoy your Voice Friday 8 – Sunday 10 July | 15 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

A joyful course for anyone who loves singing, or even just the idea of singing. our voices are unique vehicles of personal expression, and this course aims to help you realise your vocal potential, learning something of the way your voice works, and starting to develop it. we shall work with exercises on tone production, breath control, tuning and diction, with the emphasis on fun and discovery. then we shall enjoy singing in harmony, with rounds and part songs. tutor(s): kate eckersley Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | Art/Creative

the world in your wallet Friday 8 – Sunday 10 July | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

every penny we earn or spend makes a statement about our values and beliefs. this course will provide a framework to help you invest in exploring different ways of relating to your money, which could lead to changes in the way you, your meeting and/or other groups you are part of choose to use it. we will offer opportunities to work individually and also to explore spiritual, ethical and practical issues with the group. we will not give any financial advice. tutor(s): Linda batten | Jennie Levin Course type: Adventurous Living | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

garden retreat day Monday 11 July | 12 places | £63

this is one of three woodbrooke garden retreat days with themed input. echoing what we encounter in a garden these themes will include spiritual growth, change, abundance, awe, wonder, and challenges in our lives. there will be space and time to reﬂect on and experience the diverse woodbrooke garden and an opportunity to simply be. the day will run from 10am until 4pm. tutor(s): steve Lock | Frances Henley Lock | others from the Quiet garden Movement Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | green spirituality and the Natural world Course delivery: retreat | Participatory

Apocalypse Now? exploring the book of revelation Friday 15 – Sunday 17 July | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

The Book of Revelation has puzzled even some of the greatest ﬁgures of Christian history. yet it has also proved inspirational to marginal and radical groups throughout the centuries, Quakers among them. this weekend will explore some trends in recent interpretation of revelation, and enable participants to grapple with selected passages from the book. the overall aim is to chart a course through revelation’s sometimes bewildering imagery, and consider ways in which it might speak to the contemporary world. tutor(s): ian boxall Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

dance for Joy: a weekend of circle dancing Friday 15 – Sunday 17 July | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

if you enjoy moving to music, then this is the weekend for you. we will dance to a wide variety of music and in diﬀerent styles, some lively, some more meditative. Circle dance enhances our sense of community, of wholeness and of harmony, drawing as it does on the diverse heritage of traditional cultures from around the world. experienced and less experienced dancers are welcome. our sunday morning session will incorporate a Meeting for worship. tutor(s): sandie wade Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

J ULY 2011

keeping on track: an intermediate course for treasurers Prices include extra bookkeeping session on Friday. Price without bookkeeping: £194 ensuite, £184 standard. dinner, b&b available thursday night if required.

Friday 15 – Sunday 17 July | 16 places | £246 ensuite | £236 standard

A refresher for Quaker treasurers in post who wish to confirm their knowledge, understanding, confidence and practice. An opportunity to revisit the practicalities of end of year work, and the reassurance of looking at your own accounts with a tutor. there will be discussion on financial controls, sorP requirements and a chance to practice some presentation skills. Please note times: Friday 11.00am to 6.00pm: refresher session (optional) revisiting practical exercises on preparing annual accounts. sunday 1.45pm to 3.00pm: computer spreadsheets (optional). tutor(s): this course will be led by members of the treasurers’ training team Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

t’ai Chi: in your spiritual journey Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 July | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

An exploration of gerda geddes’s ideas of the t’ai Chi form as an allegorical journey through life from birth to death with signiﬁcant moments of transition and challenge. As it is mainly practical you will need to have had some experience of t’ai Chi in order to be able to follow the teaching of the form. each session will include the signiﬁcance of the form to life’s journey. tutor(s): Janet wilks Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Friends and other Faiths Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

NAMAste: dances of universal Peace Friday 22 – Sunday 24 July | 30 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

“i honour the place within you where, when you are in that place in you, and i am in that place in me, there is only one of us.” this sanskrit blessing describes perfectly the aim of this heart-centred and embodied retreat which will honour and celebrate our connection to others, nature and the sacred through ‘dances of universal Peace’ which use simple steps with devotional gestures danced in a circle, while singing sacred phrases from diﬀerent spiritual traditions. tutor(s): glenda Huggons | trevor Huggons Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

the ‘drunken and depraved’: Quakers, prisoners and reform in 18th and 19th centuries Friday 22 – Sunday 24 July | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

As the title suggests, attitudes to prisoners and punishment in this period were brutal and the course will examine the role of Quaker reformers of the time. why did Friends become involved in this work? what were the circumstances which engendered such cruelty and the attitudes which supported it? How well did Quakers understand the lives of the prisoners they encountered? the course will seek to answer these questions through the examination of writings, documents and the experiences of prisoners. tutor(s): Jenny Paull Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based

AUG US T 2011

woodbrooke at yearly Meeting gathering Woodbrooke will be at Yearly Meeting Gathering in Canterbury Saturday 30 July to Saturday 6 August. Look out for us there.

August 2011 the Literature of slavery and Abolition Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

one way to better understand the world in which human beings were bought and sold as slaves is to read the literature written at the time. we will explore poems, stories and true accounts written by slaves, slave-owners and abolitionists from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, both Quaker and non-Quaker. we will also look at the way both those who argued for slavery and those who argued against it used scriptural sources to support their case. tutor(s): betty Hagglund Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

the great work and Quaker testimony good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

thomas berry – priest, theologian, cosmologist – calls us to a reverential ecology. He speaks of the earth community (all species) as ‘a communion of subjects’, not a ‘collection of objects’: the ‘great work’ of our time is to bring the human species back into benign relationship with the earth community. together, we will explore what our own Quaker testimony, and learning from other “wisdom traditions”, have to teach us about this mighty endeavour. tutor(s): Cliodhna Mulhern Course type: green spirituality and the Natural world | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

summer Pathways: delighting in diﬀerence good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the Quaker testimony to equality is not about everyone being the same; it is a celebration of the uniqueness of each of us. but our diﬀerences bring challenges in our dealings with others, both in our families and meetings and in the wider world. Making use of the richness of woodbrooke’s splendid garden and drawing on insights from the Myers-briggs type indicator and the enneagram, we will explore diﬀerence in ways that are both creative and practical. tutor(s): gillian stewart | Heather brown Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

Journeys to the Centre: spiritual exploration through movement Tuesday 16 – Thursday 18 August | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

we will combine two proven approaches to deepening spirituality through movement: the labyrinth and the Chantraine dance of expression. the ancient image of the labyrinth appears across the world. its single, convoluted path to the centre provides a reﬂective walking meditation. we will use an indoors and outsdoors labyrinth. Chantraine dance is accessible to all: it is dance for the harmony of the whole person, uniting physical and spiritual aspects of movement. No prior experience of dance is necessary. tutor(s): kate green | Jan sellers Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: inner experience | Participatory

garden retreat day Wednesday 17 August | 12 places | £63

experiencing the tao Friday 19 – Sunday 21 August | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

explore various aspects of the tao and how they might be relevant in your life. each session will address one aspect of the tao and include time for practical work and discussion. throughout there will be reference to the basic tenets of taoism: Qi as a universal force; yin & yang; balance; mutual interdependence and so on. one session will be practical t’ai Chi but be prepared to move in all of them. tutor(s): Janet wilks Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Friends and other Faiths Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

Quaker Families and the development of birmingham Friday 19 – Sunday 21 August | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the course explores the impact of Quaker individuals and families on birmingham’s life, including the local tradition of humanitarian activism. we will follow a Quaker trail in the city centre, visit bull street Meeting House and birmingham Archives and Heritage to see sources relating to Quaker history, including those of the Cadbury and galton families. there will also be a discussion of the 1943 ﬁlm on urban regeneration, ‘when we build Again’, produced by the bournville Village trust. tutor(s): Malcolm dick | ian Jackson Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

AUG US T 2011

Journalling with Jung Friday 19 – Sunday 21 August | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for anyone interested in Jung or journalling or both. we will use aspects of Jung’s life and work to help us to connect with our own spiritual and creative processes, which we shall then explore in greater depth through our journal writing. No prior knowledge of Jungian psychology or journalling techniques is required. All you need to bring (apart from pen and paper) is an attitude of openness and a willingness to be surprised. tutor(s): John knowles Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | Art/Creative

Joy Fool Friday 19 – Wednesday 24 August | 12 places | £334 ensuite | £318 standard

Fools are simple innocents into whom the spirit divine can easily enter. An energising combination of clowning, play, movement, song, meditation and stillness, allows the fool to gradually awaken in all those willing to journey beyond the comfortable. working with the voice and body can be both pleasurable and healing in a sensitive and kind atmosphere. Clowning beautifully teaches the freedom to be real, free and trusting. tutor(s): Angela Halvorsen bogo (née knowles) Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Art/Creative | inner experience

seeking wisdom in the garden: a contemplative working retreat good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Tuesday 23 – Friday 26 August | 15 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

this retreat oﬀers an opportunity to take time to be, and use all our senses, in woodbrooke’s diverse garden. using the garden as a parallel of growth in our own lives, through silence, outdoor activities, questions and sharing in small groups, we will seek to explore with wisdom/god/energy/other that which helps us grow as individuals, neighbours and sharers of this world. tutor(s): stephen Lock | Frances Henley Lock Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | green spirituality and the Natural world Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

A watching brief: the poetry of uA Fanthorpe Friday 26 – Sunday 28 August | 14 places | £199 ensuite | £189 standard

this course oﬀers the pleasure of a whole weekend spent roaming the many-faceted poetic world of the late, great uA Fanthorpe. we will explore some of the major themes in her work and learn more about her attitudes to life and faith. Participants will have the opportunity to gain insights into Fanthorpe’s vision from rosie bailey, her partner for over 40 years. tutor(s): stevie krayer | rosie bailey Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Jung and soul and spirit Friday 26 – Monday 29 August | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course will present ideas and facilitate experiences which will give participants a feeling for Jung’s concept of soul and spirit (in particular the anima and animus). we will also include postJungian interpretations because this is one of the most contested areas of Jung’s work. the weekend will include experiential participation, for example in dream work and fairy tale enactment as a balance to lectures and more formal input. tutor(s): Nancy krieger | Angela Cotter Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

to be broken and tender: a Quaker theology for today Tuesday 30 August – Friday 2 September | 18 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

waiting in the silence can change us. Listening to others and being listened to can help us live out a vision of a just, compassionate world. Listening can break down barriers that keep us from god and make us more tender to motions of the spirit. we will explore what we encounter when our hearts are tuned to that which is eternal, and what it means to take up the cross daily and live in god’s New Creation now. tutor(s): Marge Abbott | beth Allen Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

SEPTEMB ER 2 011

september 2011 restorative Justice good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 2 – Sunday 4 September | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

restorative justice has received recent media attention as an alternative to the destructive effects of punishment. what does it mean and how does it work? through a combination of input and participation, this event considers the different elements of restorative justice and the ways in which it can contribute to building a just and peaceful society. tutor(s): Marian Liebmann with other tutors working in the field Course type: Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory

who Am i?: rs thomas’s search for a personal identity Friday 2 – Sunday 4 September | 10 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

r.s.thomas’s poetry has been described as possibly one of the great literary voyages of selfdiscovery. this will be a chance to explore aspects of the poet-priest’s human journey and search for god. An introductory and user-friendly course for those who enjoy poetry, particularly that of spiritual quest, and who value the insights it can bring into their own process and journey. Copies of sections of rs thomas’s works will be provided. tutor(s): barbara Prys-williams Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

reclaiming Quaker Light Friday 9 – Sunday 11 September | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the Quaker tradition is full of wonderful spiritual advice and support. we are also open to new light but it’s valuable to look back on our sources to provide a shared experience, a shared language, a shared way of expressing our ministry. together we’ll examine the writings of some of our Quaker “ancestors” – texts which already contain proven ways of stilling and opening our minds. related exercises will extend participants’ own experience of spiritual quietness, thus letting the Light shine. tutor(s): estella Lovett | eleanor Jackson Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

working with Conﬂict: a course for elders, overseers and clerks Friday 9 – Sunday 11 September | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

Conflict may arise in many different situations. we will be begin by illustrating the cycle of harmony and discord that is a familiar experience in many Quaker meetings and see how difficulties can be resolved in different ways. we go on to explore what we value and what upsets us. we will try reframing negative feelings and other useful ways of restoring harmony. Although conflict can be deeply painful, it can also be the means for growth and development.

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): roger Cullen | Marion wells-bruges Course type: Adventurous Living | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

dietrich bonhoeﬀer: doing the right thing in a world gone wrong Friday 9 – Sunday 11 September | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

He was a pastor, a theologian, a paciﬁst and an anti-Nazi conspirator. How does dietrich bonhoeﬀer’s life and work challenge and inspire us today? what should discipleship, ethics and our life together look like in a world gone wrong? what do we do when it’s not possible to do the ‘right thing’; separate ourselves from evil and maintain our purity or get our hands dirty and accept the guilt? what does all this tell us about the nature of god?

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): rachel Muers | stuart Masters Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Adventurous Living Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Mindfully together: a retreat guided by the teachings of thich Nhat Hanh Monday 12 – Friday 16 September | 45 places | £294 ensuite | £278 standard in partnership with the Community of interbeing

the buddhist practice of thich Nhat Hanh can be used by anyone, of whatever faith. this retreat, which follows the pattern of his community at Plum Village in France, involves discovering together how the practice of mindfulness of the present moment can bring peace and happiness. while the practice is accessible and guidance will be given to those with little or no experience, it is not without demand. silence will be encouraged. Food will be vegetarian. tutor(s): Monks or nuns from Plum Village have been invited to lead this retreat | timothy Peat Ashworth | Marion Mills dadds Course type: Friends and other Faiths | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

SEPTEMB ER 2 011

Quakers and Pagans: recharging our batteries in hard times Friday 16 – Sunday 18 September | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the Quaker context, while disciplined and responsible, can be austere. bare walls, still bodies and silent worship. Long time Quakers, Alison Leonard and kevin redpath, will lead a workshop to invigorate your Quaker faith by helping you reconnect to the deep nurture and grounding that the cycle of the seasons and festivals can provide. Ceremony, prayer and sensual experience of the fruits of the land, at this time of harvest, will be interwoven with our traditional practice of Quaker worship. tutor(s): Alison Leonard | kevin redpath Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory

being a Quaker trustee Friday 16 – Sunday 18 September | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard Particularly suitable for new and less experienced trustees; may also be of interest to anyone wanting a refresher

we will be factual and practical. what does the law require? what is considered good practice for charities? How does it all ﬁt with Quaker good practice? How do trustees, area and local meetings relate to each other? How can trustees best serve our meetings? we aim to provide easy-tounderstand information and enjoyable learning, to make trusteeship approachable and rewarding. tutor(s): Virginia Pawlyn | Another member of the trusteeship training team Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Prayer: the soul in paraphrase (an Appleseed course) Saturday 17 – Thursday 22 September | 16 places | £350 ensuite | £331 standard For people with previous Appleseed experience, normally at least one weekend Please note this course begins at 4.30pm

george Herbert’s Prayer offers unexpected and challenging images for the practice and experience of prayer. with “the soul in paraphrase” as our focus, we shall be reflecting on our own practice and experience of prayer, our own paraphrase, or language, of the soul. we shall also be seeking wisdom from other faiths and traditions. the Appleseed method, consisting of talks followed by simple arts activities and (optional) worship sharing, allows plenty of space for reflection and includes a Quiet day. tutor(s): Chris Cook | brenda Heales Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: Art/Creative | inner experience

Life beyond death: a lost part of the Quaker tradition Friday 23 – Sunday 25 September An open event run at woodbrooke by the Quaker Fellowship for Afterlife studies

early Quakers were powerfully aware of a spiritual world which inspired and sustained them: how do we interpret this fundamental aspect of our faith today? we will explore past and present Quaker spiritual/psychic experience, sharing insights and looking at the value of such experience in our lives. we hope to include members of the Quaker theology and the Quaker death and dying groups. bookings and further information: Please contact Angela Howard 01371 850423 or email angela1@webbscottage.co.uk Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

the time is Now – follow-up to the swarthmore Lecture Friday 23 – Sunday 25 September | 25 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

Action on sustainability? “you know you want to, you know you ought to, you feel concerned, you’re a bit overwhelmed, you hope someone will come up with a solution, you think it might all be a bit pointless, you’re too tired, you’re incredibly over-committed already…” if any of these sounds like you, then come to this weekend for some encouragement and nourishment in preparing for an uncertain future. Come just as yourself, or come representing your meeting.

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): Pam Lunn | Lizz roe Course type: green spirituality and the Natural world | Adventurous Living Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

Quakers to shakers: for a greater increase of Light Monday 26 – Wednesday 28 September | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the oral tradition of shakers acknowledges that it emerged from Quakers in the bolton-Manchester area. we will look at the conditions of 18th century Quakerism that might have fostered the growth of shakers and explore its development, patterns of growth, communal foundations and theology that made it one of the longest lived communal experiences. the course will also help us explore our own faith experiences using shaker thought. tutor(s): thomas swain Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | Participatory

Creative Contemplation: prayer, art and meditation Wednesday 28 – Friday 30 September | 11 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the essence of contemplation is a wordless experience. Contemplative prayer takes us out of our chattering minds and into a place where imagery gives form to our emotions and desires. this workshop will combine a variety of meditation methods with a range of possibilities for expressive and responsive art. both will work together to take us to a place of inner peace. tutor(s): Adam boulter Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Art/Creative | Participatory

SEPTEMB ER/ OC TOBER 201 1

garden retreat day Thursday 29 September | 12 places | £63

being a Quaker Clerk Friday 30 September – Sunday 2 October | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for new or prospective clerks of area meetings or local meetings with little or no experience of Quaker clerking. we will spend some time considering why we use a particular business style in our meetings and how this has evolved over the centuries. Alongside this there will be practical sessions including planning agendas, making minutes, keeping records and the discipline of the meeting. Participants will learn from each other as well as from the leaders. tutor(s): Michael eccles | deborah rowlands Course type: training for Quaker roles | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being an elder Friday 30 September – Sunday 2 October | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

For all Friends with eldership responsibilities who would like to cover the basics of the role. why not come with another Friend from your meeting who is new to eldership? the course aims to help those responsible for eldership to respond to the core spiritual life and needs of the meeting. there will be practical ideas and resources, and an opportunity to share experience with others. we hope everyone will take away more conﬁdence and a better understanding of the role. tutor(s): barbara Lippitt | Marion wells-bruge Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

being an overseer Friday 30 September – Sunday 2 October | 18 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

For Friends with oversight responsibilities who would like to cover the basics of the role. why not come with another Friend from your meeting who is new to oversight? we aim to include expectations of the role and explore its spiritual basis. we will look at the range of tasks, good practice, and ways of handling difﬁcult issues. we hope everyone will leave with practical ideas and resources, more conﬁdence, a better understanding of the role, and some new ways forward. tutor(s): gilly Charters | Zélie gross Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

october 2011 ‘into the actual presence of god’: the letter to the Hebrews Tuesday 4 – Thursday 6 October | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

in Hebrews, ideas from greek and Jewish thought get dramatically reshaped in the light of the experiences of the first Christians. guest speaker stuart Masters will show how early Friends drew on it regularly, finding their own encounters with the divine confirmed as they read its affirmation of faith beyond religious forms. its unusual approach enables us to look afresh at some central Christian themes, in particular, the way Jesus was understood in the time before doctrine became fixed. tutor(s): timothy Peat Ashworth | stuart Masters Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based

the seasons of my Friendship: a retreat for seasoned Friends Wednesday 5 – Friday 7 October | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

A retreat for Friends who are actively serving in their meetings and feel the need to reconnect with god to rediscover what brought them to Quakers. we will explore themes of seasons and transitions. there will be a balance of spoken and silent fellowship. this is an opportunity for introspection, inspiration and re-orientation. it is time to explore deeper spiritual issues around service to Quaker meetings and to ﬁnd ways for continuing nurture and nourishment. tutor(s): Julia ryberg Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

OC TOBER 20 11

Quakers and Politics: the pursuit of a just society (seeker Movement Conference) Friday 7 – Sunday 9 October An open event run at woodbrooke by the seeker Movement

this year’s Annual Conference will focus on the political involvement of Quakers in pursuit of a just society. we will explore the leadings of the spirit in the testimonies of early Friends. bookings and further information: Please contact Judith Hedges 01758 760 527 or e-mail judithhedges@hotmail.com Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Adventurous Living Course delivery: Conference | seminar/subject based

the spirit of Luke Monday 10 – Wednesday 12 October | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

the author of Luke claims to be an historian but his gospel is also a reﬂection on the nature of the good news for all the nations. we look at the major themes of the gospel, what it says about poverty and wealth, how it reaches out to ‘the lost’. we consider its teaching on prayer and look at how the author presents the activity of the Holy spirit. Finally we think about the implications of this gospel for Friends today. tutor(s): Janet scott Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based

thinking Non-Violently good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Monday 10 – Wednesday 12 October | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Most of us try to avoid violent actions and language, but are still conscious of the seeds of violence in some of our thoughts and attitudes. this course oﬀers the chance to work together in gentle and practical ways to think, speak and act in a more peaceful spirit; gain insight into the personal roots of violence; and learn ways to function more peacefully and develop relationships free from destructive thoughts. tutor(s): John Lampen | diana Lampen | georgeanne Lamont Course type: Adventurous Living | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory

For biographies and further information about tutors see page 66.

Quaker Prison Chaplains training Course Thursday 13 – Friday 14 October | 10 places | £92 ensuite | £87 standard in partnership with Quaker Peace and social witness. starts thursday 6.30pm and ends Friday 4pm before Quaker Prison Chaplains weekend conference

this is a training event for Quaker prison chaplains who will be sent more information directly. tutor(s): Led by two experienced Quaker prison chaplains Course type: training for Quaker roles Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

good Lives – because we need to walk humbly as well as cheerfully Friday 14 – Sunday 16 October | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

good Lives

How do you sustain yourself spiritually, day to day, when life is testing? How do you start to strengthen and nurture your spiritual life now? Facing tumultuous times, how do we make ready for the moment when life demands something extra from us? this course is a space to reﬂect on, and draw inspiration from, our distinctive Quaker spirituality, and from the experience of other spiritual activists; and to discern what our Quaker values are calling forth from us.

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): Pam Lunn | Cliodhna Mulhern Course type: Adventurous Living | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Financial stewardship for trustees and treasurers Monday 17 – Tuesday 18 October | 16 places | £92 ensuite | £87 standard

A new 24-hour course, responding to the needs of area meeting trustees and treasurers in caring responsibly for Quaker assets. we will consider good practice in writing and presenting charitable annual reports and accounts. we will explore how to develop and improve good ﬁnancial practice by exploring ethical investment, reserves policies and priorities for spending in your area meetings. there will be lots of opportunity to share experience and learn from one another as well as the tutors. tutor(s): the course will be led by members of the treasurer’s training team Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Advices and Queries and the Five Mindfulness trainings Monday 17 – Thursday 20 October | 15 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

good Lives

“take heed” says the first of the Quaker Advices and Queries and what follows is a short compendium of Quaker wisdom on how to live. the Five Mindfulness trainings provide similar direction for the buddhist. Considering these two short texts alongside each other helps clarify and confirm what makes a good life. Course sessions will examine the spirituality which underlies these documents and offer a framework for each of us to consider our lives in the light of this guidance.

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

tutor(s): timothy Peat Ashworth | estella Lovett Course type: Friends and other Faiths | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

OC TOBER 20 11

Mindfulness Meditation for schools: a course for teachers Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

there is growing interest in the value of mindfulness practice for children in schools. Mindfulness Meditation has been found to be particularly eﬀective in promoting calmness and enabling children to understand their emotional responses. it can help to improve behaviour and can increase the ability to concentrate and focus. this course has been designed to enable teachers to include mindfulness within their teaching programme. CPd certiﬁcates can be provided and the course fee includes the availability of follow-up consultation. tutor(s): John Preston Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Friends and other Faiths Course delivery: seminar/subject based | inner experience

becoming Friends: a friendly introduction to the Quaker way friendLy introductions

book three friendly introduction courses within 12 months and get the third half price.

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 October | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Are you new to Friends? would you like to deepen your understanding of the Quaker way? if so this course is for you. Friendly and interactive sessions will draw on the becoming Friends course materials to provide a broad overview of contemporary Quakerism. Although this course stands alone, participants can also use it to launch a more in-depth engagement with the becoming Friends learning project. tutor(s): simon best Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Quaker studies research Association (QsrA) Annual Conference and the george richardson Lecture 2011 Saturday 22 October An open event run at woodbrooke by the QsrA

QsrA is the professional academic association for everyone researching Quakerism and interested in the ﬁndings. the conference theme is ‘Networks’ with papers on this broad topic in history, theology, sociology, etc. Afterwards at 5pm, the prestigious annual george richardson Lecture is given by rosemary Moore, author of A Light in their Consciences and expert on early Quakerism. the Lecture is a free public event and everyone is welcome. bookings: to attend the conference, please contact ben Pink dandelion at woodbrooke Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Conference

Quaker Nominations: exploring good practice Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 October | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

An event for members of nominations committees in all Quaker settings. How can we root ourselves in good practices of discernment whilst responding to the particular issues that face us? Nominations are at the quiet heart of the way we live together as Friends, when we listen faithfully to the spirit. we will include the practical aspects of being ‘on nominations’. Friends can expect a renewed insight into the potential of nominations to strengthen meetings and enabling them to ﬂourish. tutor(s): brenda rigby | roy stephenson Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Quaker testimony: a friendly introduction Wednesday 26 – Friday 28 October | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Peace, simplicity, equality, truth. Have you heard people talking about corporate testimony or testimonies? do you wonder what they are and what it means to have a testimony? do you know what makes a testimony a corporate one or when it’s an individual simply being led or acting under concern? this interactive course will answer every question you’ve asked about testimony and some you didn’t know you should have! tutor(s): Maud grainger Course type: Adventurous Living | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

friendLy introductions

book three friendly introduction courses within 12 months and get the third half price.

NOV EMB ER 2011

November 2011 economic Justice and a sustainable global society good Lives

booking on this course entitles you to a £20 discount on any other courses highlighted as good Lives.

Friday 4 – Sunday 6 November | 60 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard woodbrooke and Quaker Peace and social witness working together. saturday 24th september, 10am – 5pm, Friends House (open to all) and Friday 4 to sunday 6 November, woodbrooke (seminar/workshops – area meeting nominees)

Following the successful Zero growth economy events in 2009, woodbrooke and QPsw are collaborating again to present another joint programme in 2011. in the Zero growth events, we looked at the role of our existing economic systems in environmental degradation and climate change. in this next programme we will broaden our focus to examine the centrality of economics and economic justice to the achievement of a sustainable peaceful global community. what have our testimonies to simplicity, equality and peace to say? the format will follow the same format as 2009. we hope to have some brieﬁng/study notes for meetings by the middle of the year and there will be a one day conference in september open to all followed by a residential weekend at woodbrooke for area meeting nominees. “we can now see that the economic order is not a peripheral concern, but central to the whole relationship between faith and practice.” david eversley Quaker faith and practice 23.53 details will be sent to meetings or contact: Maud grainger, woodbrooke, 0121 472 5171, maud.grainger@woodbrooke.org.uk or Anne wilkinson, QPsw, Friends House, 020 7663 1062, annew@quaker.org.uk Course type: Adventurous Living | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

diversity Among Friends: testimony Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 November | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Liberal silent Friends are a small percentage of worldwide Quakerism today. Most Friends are evangelical and live in the global south. this course will brieﬂy examine the forces that led to the separations among Friends in North America and how those divisions shaped Quaker evangelism and experience in Latin America and Africa. the course will focus primarily on how 21st century Friends express Quaker religious and social testimonies, contemporary worship practices, and prospects for building better relationships across the branches. tutor(s): Mary Lord Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Adventurous Living Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

beyond religion: the revolutionary experiences of Jesus and his ﬁrst followers Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 November | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

Conﬂict plays a big part in the life of Jesus. it comes to a head in the temple in Jerusalem. what was Jesus challenging? was it corruption? or was it something more integral to his vision of god? we will look carefully at what motivated Jesus and his ﬁrst followers in a way that does not simply raise historical questions and we will ask: how does a true following of Jesus relate to religion today? tutor(s): timothy Peat Ashworth Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based

Anger Management with Art Friday 11 – Sunday 13 November | 12 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this course is for anyone who wants to look at anger issues using art materials – those wanting to look at their own anger, those working with others who are angry, or both. No ability in art is needed, just a willingness to have a go. we will look at what anger is; whether it is good or bad; at the physical symptoms of anger; the inﬂuence of early family patterns; using relaxation and assertiveness to manage anger more constructively. tutor(s): Marian Liebmann Course type: Adventurous Living | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | Art/Creative

NOV EMB ER 2011

A Course for safeguarding Co-ordinators Friday 11 – Sunday 13 November | 48 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

this weekend for area meeting safeguarding co-ordinators will provide opportunities for learning, sharing, reﬂection and mutual support on the task and responsibilities of the co-ordinator. the intention is to look in depth at this role, and to include theological and spiritual realities of this role. it will also aim to help participants pass back the essential message and requirements to their area meeting, showing the importance of safeguarding within our Quaker community. tutor(s): Michael booth | Carolyn buckeridge | Chris Nickolay Course type: training for Quaker roles | Nurturing Friends and Meetings Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

what on earth do we Mean by Prayer? QuAker ApproAches to spirituAL prActice

Anyone attending this course is entitled to a £20 discount on the course ‘sacred reading: encountering god in words’ (21–23 January).

Monday 14 – Wednesday 16 November | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

would you like to explore what prayer or spiritual practice means to you as a Quaker? would you like to enliven your own prayer life? this event will offer introductions to different approaches to spiritual practice, including the use of silence and stillness, music, movement, and words, as well as time for sharing our reflections and experiences, and time alone. we hope to leave feeling spiritually refreshed and supported, having begun to deepen our own understanding and practice of prayer. tutor(s): ginny wall Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

breath of god: mystery and mastery Friday 18 – Sunday 20 November | 16 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

For many religious traditions, the breath is considered a deeply sacred aspect of our being. we will explore the spiritual signiﬁcance of breath in the three Abrahamic religions and in the Vedic (Hindu), buddhist and taoist paths and also engage in simple practices from each of them, which will involve breathing awareness, sound and gentle movement. whether seeking direct access to the divine, personal transformation or enhanced health, the potential to change our life is only a breath away. tutor(s): glenda Huggons Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: inner experience

understanding islam and Muslims Friday 18 – Sunday 20 November | 26 places | £194 ensuite | £184 standard in partnership with reﬂection Network

An exceptional opportunity to hear from members of the Muslim community about their faith and how it forms their lives. this acclaimed course is being oﬀered at woodbrooke for the third time. the programme will not avoid difﬁcult issues but will also give a taste of the spirituality and cultural richness of the Muslim tradition in the uk and beyond. if you are struggling to understand the truth about islam in contrast to distortion and prejudice, this is for you. tutor(s): Atallah Fitzgibbon | rehanah sadiq | timothy Peat Ashworth | invited speakers Course type: Friends and other Faiths | Adventurous Living Course delivery: seminar/subject based

Quaker theology seminar Friday 18 – Sunday 20 November | 15 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard An open event run at woodbrooke by Quaker theology seminar

the seminar provides a place for Quakers interested in theological questions to share papers and discuss with each other. it meets twice a year and the topic for this seminar will be decided by the group meeting in April. For more information contact the Qts Clerk, c/o woodbrooke. Please send papers to be circulated four weeks before the course. tutor(s): tbC Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions Course delivery: Participatory | seminar/subject based

Cost includes travel to a local mosque and suﬁ gathering.

NOV EMB ER/DECEM BER 2011

our Quaker spiritual roots: for elders and overseers in Quaker meetings Tuesday 22 – Thursday 24 November | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

For Friends with responsibility for eldership and oversight, who need to feel more rooted and conﬁdent in Quaker spiritual understandings and practice. direct experience of the spirit, and our corporate faith and practice as Friends, underpin our meetings and our roles. we will look at some essentials – what we mean by right ordering, discernment and leadings, some of Friends’ core religious understandings, leadership, and much more. we hope everyone will gain deeper understanding, personal strength and tools for strengthening meetings. tutor(s): Leonora wilson Course type: Nurturing Friends and Meetings | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Participatory

december 2011 december sing: a choral singing weekend Friday 2 – Sunday 4 December | 20 places | £188 ensuite | £178 standard

enjoy choral singing? would you like to explore things you might not get from weekly rehearsals or concert preparation? this weekend will include a mixture of (non-festive!) european music from four centuries, as well as breathing techniques, listening exercises and bodywork. the emphasis will be on the experience of singing in four parts – soprano, alto, tenor and bass – without the pressure of performance, but discovering the fun and conﬁdence of making live music together! tutor(s): Monica buckland Course type: Creative Arts and spirituality | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | Art/Creative

being Peace: living in the present moment Friday 2 – Sunday 4 December | 20 places | £184 ensuite | £174 standard

whether a beginner or someone experienced in eastern spiritual practice you will taste something of the deep peace that can be discovered through simple practices of being present and the support of doing this in a group. guidance will be given on a variety of practices to encourage a sense of mindfulness. this event is run in partnership with the Community of interbeing, the group who live by and communicate the teachings of thich Nhat Hanh in the uk. tutor(s): Murray Corke | Marion Mills dadds Course type: Friends and other Faiths | spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: retreat | inner experience

the bible in Art, Music and Literature Friday 16 – Sunday 18 December | 15 places | £192 ensuite | £182 standard

the inﬂuence of the bible on western culture has been profound, but many people today are not as familiar with its stories and themes as they might wish to be. this course will explore the ways in which biblical themes have been used as subjects for art, literature, music and even Hollywood epics. the weekend will include a guided visit to the barber institute’s art collection. the course is suitable for participants with any level of bible knowledge – or none! tutor(s): betty Hagglund | Maureen bell Course type: Quaker and Christian traditions | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: seminar/subject based | Art/Creative

give Peace a dance: a New year retreat Friday 30 December – Monday 2 January | 25 places | £239 ensuite | £226 standard

dances of universal Peace are an embodied form of prayer which honour and celebrate the unity at the heart of many diﬀerent spiritual traditions. Accompanied by live music, we sing and dance in a circle using simple steps and devotional gestures. we will share uplifting and heart opening dances, devotional songs and mediative silence, which will help us move into the New year in a peaceful, purposeful and intentional way. No singing or dancing experience is required. tutor(s): glenda and trevor Huggons Course type: spirituality and Personal growth | Creative Arts and spirituality Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

yearning for wholeness: ﬁnding our path in a divided world Friday 30 December – Monday 2 January | 20 places | £244 ensuite | £231 standard

the human quest for wholeness is an integral part of the spiritual journey. given our increasingly divided world, this can be challenging. At this retreat, we will explore how we can hold the tension between polarities (i.e. being vs doing) within ourselves in order to experience wholeness. we’ll do this through group discussions, gentle Conscious embodiment exercises, simple meditation and creative activities. there will be time for silent contemplation within woodbrooke’s grounds. tutor(s): beth Follini Course type: spirituality and Personal growth Course delivery: Participatory | inner experience

o u r t u to r s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

our tutors woodbrooke has the uk’s only team of permanent Quaker tutors (highlighted by feature boxes). together with our 141 Associate tutors, they run woodbrooke’s programme of on and oﬀ-site courses.

marge Abbott has been released by her meeting in Portland, oregon for a ministry of writing and speaking about Friends. beth Allen is Co-Clerk of the Quaker Committee on Christian and interfaith relations. the theme of her 2007 swarthmore lecture was Quaker discipleship.

simon best will be joining the tutor team in september as the new tutor for Nurturing Friends and Meetings. His previous work has been in the Children and young People team at Quaker Life. Abdulhaq bewley is a british Muslim scholar and a suﬁ.

deb Arrowsmith is a professional gardener and garden designer committed to realising the potential for gardens to enhance our physical and spiritual lives.

Angela halvorsen bogo develops transformational processes using performance techniques. she founded the Community of Fools and lives in Norway. (www.thefoolstory.com)

timothy peat Ashworth is woodbrooke’s tutor in biblical studies and interfaith Coordinator.

clare scott booth has been Clerk to a local meeting and six weeks Meeting, and is currently Clerk to Quaker stewardship Committee.

rosie bailey was uA Fanthorpe’s partner for 44 years and a respected poet in her own right.

michael booth is the support for Meetings ofﬁcer in Quaker Life, byM safeguarding ofﬁcer and an active and involved Friend.

simon barton is author of A History of Spain. Linda batten values a creative relationship with money, which informs her choices about how she lives, gives, spends and saves. simon beard works in parliament advising MPs, Peers, think tanks and other organisations. He specialises in equality, wellbeing and the environment. maureen bell has lots of experience of helping students to approach and understand the literature and drama of the past.

Adam boulter is an artist and an Anglican priest. His triptych The Dawn of Creation is in woodbrooke’s Cadbury room. david boulton is author of The Trouble with God: building the Republic of Heaven and Who on Earth was Jesus? robin bowman taught at the guildhall school of Music and drama, works at woodbrooke, and specialises in developing musical imagination.

ian boxall teaches New testament at st stephen’s House, oxford. He has a long-standing fascination with the book of revelation. Judi brill is a meeting house warden and has been a Quaker Life volunteer running wardenship events for ﬁve years. heather brown is a learning consultant working with people to help them integrate their personal, life and career development. margaret bryan has been a convener of overseers. she is a peripatetic string teacher, and a trustee of the Joseph rowntree Charitable trust. carolyn buckeridge is a social worker currently advising bristol diocese on child protection. she attends her local meeting and an Anglican church. monica buckland is a conductor based in dresden. she works with choirs and orchestras, and loves to get people singing. helen chambers works for a national children’s organisation, has been a Quaker for 22 years and now enjoys being a grandparent. gilly charters, of Harrogate meeting, was co-clerk to the Quaker Life eldership and oversight Committee, and now has a portfolio career. eleanor hildebrand chornoboy has published three books of life writing and enjoys helping writers reach their goals.

mary Jo clogg is an overseer at Muswell Hill Meeting, where she has also served as an elder. she frequently co-leads eldership and oversight courses. chris cook was an initiator of Appleseed along with brenda Heales. she has been facilitating Appleseed courses since 1987. rabbi howard cooper is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, lecturer, and the author of The Alphabet of Paradise: An A–Z of Spirituality for Everyday Life. murray corke is a veterinary surgeon, conservationist and dharma teacher in the tradition of thich Nhat Hanh. Angela cotter is a Quaker, a Jungian analytical psychotherapist and director of training at the Minster Centre. Linda craig has been LM clerk and AM assistant clerk. she was general secretary of QPsw for seven years. roger cullen has experience of conﬂict resolution and mediation in restorative justice and family settings. He has been an elder and a clerk. marion mills dadds is a Quaker and a buddhist, interested in how these two traditions complement each other. Joycelin dawes, co-author of The Quest... Exploring A Sense Of Soul (www.thequest.org.uk) is a Quaker who leads spiritual friendship courses. malcolm dick is director of the Centre for west Midlands History. elizabeth duke is a New Zealander and has met with Friends of diﬀering traditions through Friends world Committee for Consultation.

michael eccles is a member of woodbrooke’s tutor team. He is developing new work with young adult Friends and provides support for QPsw placement programmes. kate eckersley teaches singing and music history to people of all ages. she has sung and recorded with many early music ensembles. rosemary elias has been a member of Quaker stewardship Committee and has a professional interest in the accounts being right. elaine emily from Paciﬁc yearly Meeting has travelled extensively as an elder, healer and accompanying those travelling in the ministry. peter fishpool has wide ranging groupwork and artswork experience and has written about men’s rites of passage in The Friend. Atallah fitzgibbon works with the international charity, islamic relief, and specializes in islamic social teachings, rights and diversity. beth follini is a life/work coach, Conscious embodiment teacher and Quaker. she facilitates retreats in europe and North America. harvey gillman, writer on spirituality, language and Quakers, is working on an essay based on walkers of the mystical way. John gladwin recently retired as bishop of Chelmsford and is a former Chair of Christian Aid. maud grainger is woodbrooke’s new Faith in Action tutor. A Friend since childhood, she recently joined the Programme team.

Alison gray is a local meeting treasurer, primary school teacher and a Mum. kate green worked in Higher education for 20 years. she has been a Chantraine teacher and has taught clerk’s courses at woodbrooke. Zélie gross is an experienced associate tutor with a particular interest in creative approaches to learning in a range of settings. kate gulliver has many years experience as a treasurer for Quaker and other charitable organisations and as a woodbrooke tutor. doug gwyn is a scholar of early Quaker history and thought. His books include Seekers Found and Heaven on Earth (with Pink dandelion and timothy Peat). betty hagglund is a literary scholar and Project development ofﬁcer in the Centre for Postgraduate Quaker studies. brenda heales was an initiator of Appleseed along with Chris Cook. she has been facilitating Appleseed courses since 1987. peggy heeks is a research fellow at oxford’s institute of Ageing and a pastoral care volunteer at a hospice. tom heydeman edits Treasurers Handbook and Treasurers’ News and has many years experience as AM treasurer and woodbrooke tutor. marilyn higgins has been an overseer, is currently an elder at Central edinburgh meeting, and teaches at Heriot-watt university. chris holmquist works in adoption, has been a Quaker for 32 years and has been learning parenting for 18 years.

o u r t u to r s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

Anne hosking was eva koch scholar 2010 exploring the journey from Light to truth via toleration. glenda huggons is a group leader and retreat facilitator with many years experience in britain and abroad. (www.dancingspirit.co.uk) trevor huggons is a group leader and retreat facilitator with many years experience in britain and abroad. (www.dancingspirit.co.uk) paul bowers isaacson is a woodbrooke trustee and a member of bunhill Fields Meeting. He has extensive tutoring and facilitation experience. eleanor Jackson joined Friends aged 21. Her understanding of what it is to be Quaker is still constantly evolving. ian Jackson has been woodbrooke’s Librarian since 2001. He enjoys opening the riches of the collection to new readers. nicola James is a Mental Health Leader and Quaker Chaplain.

Luke timothy Johnson is author of The Writings of the New Testament. caroline Jones has been teaching the Mbti since 1998 and draws on her experience in education, counselling and theatre. Jennifer kavanagh writes and speaks on the spirit-led life. Joanne klassen is a published author. she is founder of Heartspace writing school and the originator of transformative writing John knowles is a counsellor and spiritual director. He teaches courses on the interface between Jungian psychology and spirituality. stevie krayer found Quakers and discovered her poetic voice in middle age. she has published two collections of poetry. nancy krieger is a Quaker (switzerland yM) and Jungian analyst in private practice who lectures regularly at the isAP Jungian training institute in Zurich.

georgeanne Lamont is a trainer and facilitator of transformation in the workplace; author of Values and Visions and the spirited business. diana Lampen is a trainer in conflict resolution and a yoga teacher. she wrote Facing Death for Friends. John Lampen is a trainer in conflict resolution and author of books on peace work, Quaker history and religious thought. Alison Leonard, a Quaker for 40 years, has attended earth-spirit and shamanic events for 15 years. she writes fiction and poetry. Jennie Levin enjoys juggling time, energy and money; and is interested in how our use of all three affects others. marian Liebmann is an art therapist and mediator. she works as a practitioner, consultant and trainer in restorative justice and has published widely in all these areas.

barbara Lippitt is an elder in her LM, and AM’s registering ofﬁcer. she has facilitated various woodbrooke courses and woodbrooke-on-theroad days. ethel Livermore of south London Area Meeting is a life-long Friend with experience of Quaker Nominations at all levels. frances henley Lock is a spiritual director, counsellor and retreat facilitator. she has worked with Friends for many years. stephen Lock, woodbrooke’s garden Manager, is keen to share how the awesome wonder of the garden and grounds can enable a relationship with the other. mary Lord, now at Pendle Hill (usA), is researching contemporary Quaker social testimonies. she speaks and travels widely among Friends. rowena Loverance has been Clerk of QCCir and co-President of Churches together in england and is currently a byM trustee. estella Lovett serves as an elder and became a convinced Quaker after many years of teaching and practicing buddhist meditation. pam Lunn is the Programme Leader for the good Lives Project at woodbrooke.

Janet Lynch has been a tutor for treasurer’s courses, Cornwall AM treasurer and a byM trustee. she now lives in bristol. stuart masters is woodbrooke’s senior Programme Leader (on-site courses). He is interested in the contemporary relevance of early Quaker theology and experience.

caitlín matthews is a shamanic consultant and author of 60 books. (www.hallowquest.org.uk) gordon matthews, warden of evesham Quaker meeting house, is coordinator of the energy working group of transition evesham Vale. Laurie michaelis is the Co-ordinator of Living witness Project. He has a background in energy and climate policy research. geoﬀ morries is a retired professional ecologist who recently completed a Phd on early Quakers and the Natural world. cliodhna mulhern facilitates dialogue and transformation processes, working towards the spiritual and social birthing of the longed-for new and better world. rachel muers, a lifelong Quaker, lectures in theology at Leeds university. Her books include Living for the Future: theological ethics for coming generations. Jeni neale has many years experience in botanical illustration and her paintings are in a number of exhibitions and collections. kathleen nelson has been using Appleseed methods for over 20 years and is an experienced Appleseed facilitator. chris nickolay is the Children’s work ofﬁcer in the Quaker Life Children and young People’s team at Friend’s House. howard nurden is the Head of the Quaker Life Children and young People’s team at Friends House. Jenny paull is a research historian, tutor, lecturer, the Quaker guide at Lancaster Castle and works with the 1652 Committee.

virginia pawlyn serves on Quaker stewardship Committee, worked for a national charity and was a trustee of the Quaker Housing trust. Liz perkins has facilitated a series of women’s workshops blending craft and spirituality. she currently serves as Area Meeting elder. nicola peterson (MNiMH), of Cotteridge Local Meeting has many years experience as a medical herbalist, running her own practice and teaching students. brian phillips is a human rights and peacebuilding practitioner and educator. He is currently co-editor of the Journal of Human rights Practice. catrina pickering is transition Network’s diversity Co-ordinator, developing collaboration with diverse groups, including faith groups. Jasmine piercy is a retreat facilitator, particularly interested in ﬁnding expression for our personal Quaker testimony through creative and practical means. ben pink dandelion has been a tutor at woodbrooke for 15 years and has written widely on Quakerism. John preston has been a counsellor, adult education lecturer, senior social services manager, and, for ﬁve years, a buddhist monk. barbara prys-williams is a Quaker, a teacher and the author of Twentiethcentury Autobiography in the Writing Wales in English series. wendy blake ranken is a human resources professional specialising in Hr support to organisations in the voluntary and public sectors.

o u r t u to r s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

Jane read has led singing workshops throughout the uk for 15 years. Her teaching style is clear, empowering and light-hearted.

strawberry roth is a meeting house warden. she specialised as an occupational therapist in mental health and daily living skills.

kevin redpath rediscovered his Quaker roots twenty years ago. He loves sharing his experience of Pagan traditions with Friends.

Jenny routledge has a concern for reclaiming eldership supported by Norfolk and waveney Area Meeting. spirit-led eldership and clerking are her passions.

Alastair reid organizes a ‘reading the bible with Friends’ group in edinburgh. brenda rigby of Pickering and Hull Area Meeting is an experienced Friend who has real enthusiasm for nominations work. Judith roads enjoys guiding new clerks and building their confidence. she has clerked many types of meeting, small and large. susan robson has retired from social work in family conflict. she was an area meeting clerk while researching conflict among Quakers.

Lizz roe is woodbrooke’s senior Programme Leader (oﬀ-site work) and is a trustee of The Friend and Quaker social Action. deborah rowlands has tutored a variety of courses about the Quaker business method and developing meetings as worshipping communities. helen rowlands, woodbrooke’s Head of education, experienced clerk and trustee, has broad experience of Quaker faith and practice, locally, nationally and internationally.

Julia ryberg has various roles in sweden yM, is european Project Coordinator for woodbrooke and eMes Ministry and outreach Coordinator. rehanah sadiq is a hospital chaplain and regularly speaks on the position of women in islam. susan sawtell, of Northampton Quaker Meeting, has facilitated a number of events which focus on aspects of growing older. mark scholeﬁeld has worked at the Ammerdown Centre since 2005. He has used Anthony de Mello’s writings over many years. Janet scott has retired from teaching religious studies at Homerton College Cambridge. she gave the swarthmore lecture on Quaker theology in 1980. Jan sellers works in Higher education, with a background in adult and community education and guidance. she is a Veriditas-trained labyrinth facilitator.

deborah shaw, a lifelong Friend, serves in ministry at guilford College, usA, and in travel amongst Friends. shaykh muhammad bar shoaib is a Muslim scholar and a suﬁ of yemeni origin. Jenni simmons is a Quaker and lives in yorkshire where she teaches spinning and textile crafts. gillian smith, of bristol Area Meeting, is an engineer working for a renewable energy consultancy. roy stephenson, of Lancaster Meeting, worked on nominations, travelling around the country in 2004/5 as a rowntree Quaker Fellow. gillian stewart, from southampton Local Meeting, works with people and teams improving joie de vivre and performance Andy stoller comes from a Jewish background but has been a Quaker for over 25 years. delia suﬄing is AM treasurer, Clerk of the Annual Conference of treasurers and member of Quaker Finance and Property Central Committee. thomas swain has a long and personal connection with the shakers and has been teaching ways of faithfulness for over three decades. sunniva taylor is Programme Manager of QPsw’s sustainability and Peace programme. (www.quaker.org.uk/sustainability) michael tovey was Professor of industrial design at Coventry university, and director of the Centre of excellence in Product and Automotive design (CePAd).

barbara vellacott enjoys devising ways of making poetry participative and inspirational. Her background is in education and world development issues.

derrick whitehouse has worshipped with Friends for ﬁfty years, researching, running courses and serving on local and national committees.

gillian waddilove is an experienced clerk who enjoys helping clerks and meetings understand how to work better with our business method.

paul whitehouse works with widely diﬀerent social groups. He is currently Chair of the gangmasters Licensing Authority and of sidcot school governors.

sandie wade has shared her love of circle dancing for many years, leading groups and encouraging others to discover its delights. ginny wall is woodbrooke’s spirituality tutor. she is passionate about meditation, prayer, spiritual friendship and everyday contemplative living. Liz watson is the uk coordinator for the world Community for Christian Meditation. (www.wccm.org) mary watson is a roman Catholic, an experienced spiritual director and facilitator of weekend retreats with Friends and others. marion wells-bruges is a mediator and tutors courses on conﬂict. she is a local meeting co-clerk and has been clerk to elders. vivien whitaker is a sculptor, mentor and facilitator. she enables people to access their creativity, resolve issues and achieve their potential. (www.vivienwhitaker.co.uk) sandra white works as an ecopsychologist, creating cultural change within government and business. she is a founding member of transition Hertford.

Alex wildwood, co-author of Rooted in Christianity, Open to New Light, speaks and writes on spirituality in the contemporary world. martin wilkinson previously worked for QPs and has been a Quaker for more than 50 years. Janet wilks has studied t’ai Chi for over 35 years and is registered with the t’ai Chi union for great britain. Leonora wilson is an elder in her meeting and woodbrooke’s tutor for Quaker roles until she retires in early 2011. barbara windle was an eldership & oversight Committee member and regularly co-leads eldership & oversight courses. she helped create the Quaker Life Network. felicity wombwell is a psychotherapist and shamanic consultant. Anne wood is a lifelong Friend who has been Clerk to area meeting elders and overseers and to the Quaker tapestry trustees.

COURSE CA LENDAR

Co u rs e C A Le NdA r

march 2011

for alternative ways of searching for courses, please visit www.woodbrooke.org.uk

friday 4 – sunday 6

January 2011 friday 21 – sunday 23 • Muslim spirituality

• sacred reading: encountering god in words

• Looking Afresh at that ‘old book’: bible study resources for Friends

friday 28 – sunday 30 • being an elder

• being a Quaker Clerk

• being an overseer

• being a Quaker treasurer

wednesday 9 – friday 11 • working with Friends: an event for non-Quaker employees in Quaker organisations

• Quaker Nominations: exploring good practice

• early Quaker History: a friendly introduction

friday 11 – sunday 13 • the world is our Cloister: a retreat in everyday life

• developing a Practice of Christian Meditation

• understanding conﬂict – in our lives and in our meetings

• the Ministry of inspiring Meetings

• exploring worship: being a spiritual warrior

• Quaker registering ofﬁcers training weekend

tuesday 29 – thursday 31 • Celebrating the Quaker way

monday 7 – wednesday 9 19

April 2011 friday 1 – sunday 3

monday 7 – friday 11 19

friday 11 – sunday 13

• good Lives – because god has no hands but ours

• being Peace: living in the present moment

• the welcoming Quaker Community

monday 4 – friday 8 20

friday 18 – sunday 20

• the kindlers: the power of Quaker worship

• Quaker spiritual Healers: a training course

• becoming Friends: a friendly introduction to the Quaker way

• Churches together: what is the place for Quakers?

sunday 10 – thursday 14

• what next for Quaker Nontheism?

• Life writing for transformation

tuesday 5 – thursday 7 • being a Quaker treasurer

monday 21 – thursday 24 • Landscapes of the soul: welcoming the wisdom of the world within

friday 25 – sunday 27

• the spirit Level

• National trusteeship Conference 2011: ‘trustees: creators of time and space

monday 21 – friday 25

friday 4 – sunday 6

• the experience of the divine in early Christianity: a study week

• Friends of the Creation: gospel order and the earth

• Fruits of winter: tasks and opportunities for later life

wednesday 2 – friday 4

• becoming Friends Companions Course: preparing for service

monday 21 – wednesday 23

february 2011 • Managing our Meeting Houses: training and support for staﬀ and Friends who manage them

• islamic spain: what can we learn from a 1000 year-old history?

friday 22 – sunday 24 21

friday 25 – sunday 27

• singing for Joy: harmony songs and chants from around the world

friday 22 – monday 25

• Quakers in Criminal Justice Annual Conference

• good Lives – because there isn’t a technical ﬁx for everything

• green Fire: an Appleseed course

tuesday 26 – thursday 28

friday 10 – sunday 12 • being a Quaker Parent: joys and dilemmas

thursday 28 April – monday 2 may

• good Lives – because we belong to the earth

• No Friend is an island: Quakers exploring connections through writing and publishing 29

• soulcraft for Men

may 2011

• being a Quaker trustee

• Quaker theology seminar: the Holy spirit

monday 13 – friday 17

tuesday 3 – friday 6 • spirituality in Musical Performance: insights from Quaker experience

monday 13 – wednesday 15

friday 6 – sunday 8

• Playing and Praying with the Light: a photography retreat

• the Case for god: a Quaker discussion

friday 17 – sunday 19

• becoming Friends Companions Course: preparing for service

• sustainable Medicine

• Counting Carbon: a new spiritual path?

• Quaker discernment: a friendly introduction

• being a Quaker treasurer

• doing Conﬂict better

tuesday 10 – thursday 12 • Quaker Fellowship in Christ Annual gathering

monday 20 – thursday 23 31

friday 13 – sunday 15 • the Art of Awareness: the spiritual teaching of Anthony de Mello

thursday 19 – sunday 22 • spiritual Friendship

saturday 21 – thursday 26 • the Pathless wood: an Appleseed course

• time to Listen, space to grow

• Quakers and transition: a weekend for Friends involved in local transition initiatives

monday 27 – wednesday 29 39

monday 27 June – friday 1 July • spinning yarns

friday 27 – sunday 29 • ‘sink down to the seed’: deepening our life in the spirit

• Creating Quaker gardens: greening the worshipping community 38

• three Forgotten Friends 32

tuesday 24 – thursday 26 • thomas kelly: testimony of a life

friday 24 – sunday 26 (Family-Friendly weekend)

monday 16 – wednesday 18 • being a Quaker Clerk

• Playing with Prayer: using the Myers-briggs type indicator to deepen the spiritual life

tuesday 28 – thursday 30 • Life in the seed: isaac Penington’s spiritual journey and counsel

July 2011

friday 27 – monday 30

friday 1 – sunday 3

• Midwives of the spirit: accompaniment, nurture and discipline through eldership

• who was Jesus?

• ‘that your joy may be complete’ (John 16:24): following the leadings of Christ

June 2011

• intuition and inner sparkle: a creative retreat for women

friday 3 – sunday 5

monday 4 – wednesday 6

• Jewish Mysticism and kabbalah: a short introduction 34

• Faith for the Future: searching for a sustainable Quaker theology

• Moving into Membership: a friendly approach

monday 4 – thursday 7

monday 6 – wednesday 8 • Listen adventurously: learn from others, give freely

• ‘to solve the riddle of the universe’: a course on the poetry of s.t. Coleridge

COURSE CA LENDAR

monday 4 – friday 8 • time set Aside: an individually guided silent retreat

tuesday 23 – friday 26 41

tuesday 5 – thursday 7 • A Century of Peace Making: the shape of our future witness

• seeking wisdom in the garden: a contemplative working retreat

friday 26 – sunday 28 41

friday 8 – monday 11

• A watching brief: the poetry of uA Fanthorpe

• Jung and soul and spirit

• discover and enjoy your Voice

tuesday 30 August – friday 2 september

friday 8 – sunday 10 43

• Apocalypse Now?: exploring the book of revelation

• dance for Joy: a weekend of circle dancing

43 44

thursday 21 – sunday 24 • t’ai Chi: in your spiritual journey

friday 22 – sunday 24 • NAMAste: dances of universal Peace

september 2011 friday 2 – sunday 4 • restorative Justice

friday 15 – sunday 17

• keeping on track: an intermediate course for treasurers

• to be broken and tender: a Quaker theology for today 49

monday 11 • garden retreat day

friday 26 – monday 29

• Plant Portraits in watercolour

• the world in your wallet

• who Am i?: rs thomas’s search for a personal identity 50

friday 9 – sunday 11 • reclaiming Quaker Light

• working with Conﬂict: a course for elders, overseers and clerks

• dietrich bonhoeﬀer: doing the right thing in a world gone wrong

monday 12 – friday 16 45

• the ‘drunken and depraved’: Quakers, prisoners and reform in 18th and 19th centuries 45

saturday 30 July – saturday 6 August woodbrooke at yearly Meeting gathering

• Mindfully together: a retreat guided by the teachings of thich Nhat Hanh 51

friday 16 – sunday 18 • Quakers and Pagans: recharging our batteries in hard times

• being a Quaker trustee

August 2011

saturday 17 – thursday 22

friday 12 – sunday 14

• Prayer: the soul in paraphrase (an Appleseed course)

• the Literature of slavery and Abolition

friday 23 – sunday 25

• the great work and Quaker testimony

• Life beyond death: a lost part of the Quaker tradition 53

• summer Pathways: delighting in diﬀerence

• the time is Now – follow-up to the swarthmore Lecture

tuesday 16 – thursday 18 • Journeys to the Centre: spiritual exploration through movement 47

wednesday 17 • garden retreat day

friday 19 – wednesday 24 • Joy Fool

• Quakers to shakers: for a greater increase of Light

• Creative Contemplation: prayer, art and meditation

thursday 29 47

• Quaker Families and the development of birmingham 47 • Journalling with Jung

monday 26 – wednesday 28 wednesday 28 – friday 30

friday 19 – sunday 21 • experiencing the tao

• garden retreat day

friday 30 september– sunday 2 october • being a Quaker Clerk

• being an elder

• being an overseer

october 2011

friday 11 – sunday 13

tuesday 4 – thursday 6

• Anger Management with Art

• A Course for safeguarding Coordinators

• ‘into the actual presence of god’: the letter to the Hebrews

monday 14 – wednesday 16

wednesday 5 – friday 7

• what on earth do we Mean by Prayer?

• the seasons of my Friendship: a retreat for seasoned Friends 55

friday 18 – sunday 20

friday 7 – sunday 9 • Quakers and Politics: the pursuit of a just society (seeker Movement Conference)

• the spirit of Luke

• thinking Non-Violently

friday 14 – sunday 16 57

monday 17 – tuesday 18 • Financial stewardship for trustees and treasurers

friday 21 – sunday 23 (Family-Friendly weekend) • Mindfulness Meditation for schools: a course for teachers

• becoming Friends: a friendly introduction to the Quaker way

saturday 22 october • Quaker studies research Association (QsrA) Annual Conference and the george richardson Lecture 2011 58

monday 24 – wednesday 26 • Quaker Nominations: exploring good practice

wednesday 26 – friday 28 • Quaker testimony: a friendly introduction

november 2011 friday 4 – sunday 6 • economic Justice and a sustainable global society

• understanding islam and Muslims

• Quaker theology seminar

• our Quaker spiritual roots: for elders and overseers in Quaker meetings

friday 2 – sunday 4 • december sing: a choral singing weekend

• being Peace: living in the present moment

friday 16 – sunday 18 • the bible in Art, Music and Literature

monday 17 – thursday 20 • Advices and Queries and the Five Mindfulness trainings

december 2011

thursday 13 – friday 14

• good Lives – because we need to walk humbly as well as cheerfully

• breath of god: mystery and mastery

tuesday 22 – thursday 24

monday 10 – wednesday 12

• Quaker Prison Chaplains training Course

monday 7 – wednesday 9 • diversity Among Friends: testimony

• beyond religion: the revolutionary experiences of Jesus and his ﬁrst followers

friday 30 december – monday 2 January 2012 • give Peace a dance: a New year retreat

• yearning for wholeness: ﬁnding our path in a divided world

b o o k i n g s wo o d b ro o k e s t u dy gu i d e 2011

bookings T

o make a booking, complete and return the booking form. You can also book (or download booking forms) online at www.woodbrooke.org.uk

Accessibility

Cancellation policy

woodbrooke has hearing loops, ramps, scooters, a wheelchair lift, stair lifts and specially-ﬁtted bathrooms, toilets and bedrooms. if you or your child needs a carer in order to attend a course, woodbrooke will oﬀer the carer a free residential place. Please contact us if you have any additional needs and would like further information.

Course cancellation policy

Financial help woodbrooke’s bursary scheme is available for anyone who is not able to attend our courses for financial reasons. Please do not be reluctant to ask about the scheme. enquiries are treated confidentially. New members of the society of Friends are entitled to a 50% reduction on a 48-hour course. this must be within the first year of membership. Please indicate that you are a new member on your booking form. your area or local meeting may have the funds to assist you; many meetings do support Friends who wish to attend courses at woodbrooke. Please ask an elder or overseer. the Hope Fund is administered by QPsw at Friends House, and may be able to offer some help to eligible unemployed british Friends. Please call 020 7663 1000. the Corder and gwen Catchpool Fund was established to help european Friends to attend our courses. Contact our Administration office or see www.woodbrooke.org.uk for details. we offer payment plans if you would prefer to pay for your course in monthly instalments. Please contact the admin team on 0121 472 5171 before booking a place to discuss this.

A 20% deposit by cheque or credit/debit card is required to conﬁrm a place on a course. For cancellations made 8 or more weeks before the start date of the course: the fee (including the 20% deposit) is 100% refundable. For cancellations made between 3 and 8 weeks before the course: your 20% deposit will be retained, with 80% refundable (if paid). For cancellations made less than 3 weeks before the course: no refund will be issued – full payment is required. Visitor cancellation policy

A 20% deposit by cheque, or credit/debit card details are required to hold a visitor booking. Cancellations made up to one day before the date of arrival will not incur any cancellation fee. if cancelled on the day of arrival or in the case of no-show, the ﬁrst night will be charged.

Travel you can reach birmingham by train or National express coach, and then take local transport to woodbrooke; or you can travel by car. A local map and travel directions are on page 79.

Start and ﬁnish times Courses begin at 6.15pm, with an evening meal, and end with lunch on the last day (unless there are diﬀerent timings printed under the individual course details).

Please call 0121 472 5171 for a large print version of this information.

woodbrooke booking form

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if yes which meeting do you attend

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is this your ﬁrst course at woodbrooke?

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would you be willing to share a room if necessary? Are you male or female (for room allocations)? would you prefer (if available)?

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security code (last three digits from back of card)

signature

date

financial assistance (if required)

debit

date

financial assistance (if required)

i enclose a 20% deposit* and need to know about bursary help

i can contribute a total of: £

*deposits refundable subject to our cancellation policy

return to woodbrooke Quaker study Centre, 1046 bristol road, birmingham b29 6LJ, uk

e Lane Harbo rn

Chapel Lane

Weoley Park Road

M5 motorway Northfield

Witherfo rd Way

= Bus stops

Middle Pa rk Road

getting to woodbrooke

Road istol A38 Br Fircroft College

Selly Oak

M6 motorway City centre

Tr ee

Woodbrooke O

La ne Co b

Police Station

Bournville Lane

Footbridge

3.9 miles to New Street Station

M40 motorway M42 motorway

directions By Bus you can catch the 61 or 63 from the City Centre or from outside New street station. Ask for the ‘witherford way’ stop. After passing through selly oak, get ready to get oﬀ as the bus begins to go down the hill. buses accept the exact fare only so please make sure you have plenty of change with you.

By Coach National express coaches terminate at digbeth Coach station, a 10–15 minute walk from New street, from where you can travel by bus or train.

By Rail trains arrive into birmingham New street, Moor street and snow Hill stations. From New street station you can catch a bus, taxi, or local train to selly oak. Local trains to selly oak take about 10 minutes. From selly oak station it is a short bus ride on either the 61 or 63 or if you walk it will take about 20–25 minutes.

By Bicycle Local train operator London Midland welcomes bicycles on board all oﬀ-peak services free of charge. From selly

oak station, woodbrooke is a 5–10 minute cycle. detailed cycle routes from the city centre are available upon request or by visiting our website.

By Car From the M6, leave at Junction 6 and take the M38 Aston expressway into birmingham City Centre. the expressway will turn into the A38 bristol road. keep going on this road and you will see woodbrooke on the left after about 5 miles. From the M42, leave at Junction 2 and take the A441 towards birmingham (signposted Cadbury world). After 6 miles, turn left onto the A38 bristol road. woodbrooke is on the left after Fircroft College. From the M5, leave at Junction 4 and take the A38 north for 6 miles towards birmingham. After passing under a footbridge, look out for woodbrooke 200 yards beyond on the right. go further up the hill and do a u-turn through the next gap (as signposted) to come back down the hill to the woodbrooke entrance. Contact us or visit www.woodbrooke.org.uk for more detailed information.

Environmental policy

1046 Bristol Road, Birmingham B29 6LJ, UK T +44 (0)121 472 5171 F +44 (0)121 472 5173

Our approach to the environment is informed by the principles outlined in Advices and Queries, 1994. In running Woodbrooke, we aim to make decisions about the resources that we consume based on a regard for simplicity and consideration of the effects that our actions have on the world. Some recent measures that we have taken include investment in dual flush cisterns, the installation of solar panels, and encouraging staff and visitors to reduce wastage and increase recycling. we encourage visitors to travel by public transport.

enquiries@woodbrooke.org.uk www.woodbrooke.org.uk

For more information on our policy visit our website: www.woodbrooke.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 313816. This brochure is printed using vegetable-based inks on 9 Lives Oﬀset 100% recycled paper.