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Central England Quakers Events
Support Peaceful Midlands Arms Trade Resistance
9:30 am - 4:00 pm on 20/01/2025 - 22/01/2025 at Walsall Magistrates Court, Stafford St, WS2 8HA.
On 1st November 2023 six people disrupted the SDSC-UK Arms Fair by chaining themselves to the gates of the Telford International Centre. They include four Quakers from CEQ meetings and they are due to face trial at Walsall Magistrates Court on the rearranged date of 20th-22nd January 2025. Friends are invited to support them in-person at the Court (2 or 3 hours is appreciated) and demonstrate that people in the Midlands do not support the making or trading of arms that torture, maim or kill. At Area Business Meeting, we minuted: "We want our Friends (and other non-Quakers) who are acting under concern (consistent with our living Peace Testimony) to know that they are being prayerfully supported by the whole Area Meeting. We encourage Friends to provide emotional, spiritual and financial support to those facing trial, and to join others at Walsall Magistrates’ court in person on the days of the trial." There is a WhatsApp group for coordinating in-person court support - contact Jo Hindley for more information (contact details in the blue membership book), or Pete Doubtfire at Peace Hub: office@peacehub.org.uk
Pray24Brum 2025
9:00 am - 8:00 pm on 24/01/2025 - 25/01/2025 at Trinity Birmingham, 150 Coventry Road, B10 OSE.
Quakers are invited to join this hybrid ecumenical prayer event. CEQ will be offering an hour of prayer at 5pm on the Friday, and this is also an opportunity to experience prayer from other Christian traditions. Pray24Brum is an opportunity to begin the New Year praying together with other Christians for our city. Now in its 11th year, Pray24Brum creates a canopy of prayer. Each hour is led by a different group or church, allowing you to experience prayers from different traditions. Friends are welcome to attend for one hour, for several hours, or for the whole 24 hours. Join in person or online. More information from Birmingham Churches Together.
Line Management Workshop
10:00 am - 12:00 pm on 25/01/2025 at Bull Street Quaker Meeting, 40, Bull Street, B4 6AF.
CEQ Employment Committee is hosting a Line Management workshop. All Quaker line managers within Central England are invited, as are other members and attenders who are interested or have line management experience which they could share. The workshop will finish in time for the Area Meeting Activities Fayre starting at 12pm. Subjects which might be covered include: Line Managing people within your own faith community, CEQ policies and procedures and an update on Staffology (our HR software) We would also welcome any suggestions from Friends on topics which they would like to explore (please send ideas to Sarah Barker sarah.barker@ceaqm.org.uk).
Area Meeting January 2025
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm on 25/01/2025 at Bull Street Quaker Meeting House, 40 Bull Street, B4 6AF.
Our Area Meeting, with an Activities Fayre over lunch 12pm-2pm, and then Business Meeting 2pm-5pm, with a parallel Children's Party. In the morning employment committee are running a workshop on line management, which will finish in time for the Activities Fayre. Activities Fayre The Activities Fayre will include information and representatives from a range of Central England Quaker committees, groups and branches such as the Community Justice Group, Peacemakers and the Christmas Parcels Committee. This is an opportunity for Friends from across the Area Meeting to learn more about the wide range of activities undertaken in our name and the Area Meeting Clerks hope it will prove an inspiring and encouraging start to the new year. Download a flier for the Activities Fayre Area Business Meeting Our Area Business Meeting is a special type of Meeting for Worship used to make decisions: from how Quakers spend our money, to adopting a Concern. Agenda items deadline 8th January Anyone who is part of our Quaker community can attend these meetings and take part in decision making: if you would like to take part for the first time, please speak to an Elder or Pastoral Care Friend at your Local Meeting. The meeting will be chaired by a Clerk, who will introduce items of business to be discussed, and allow questions to be asked. Members of the meeting sit silently in worship, reflecting on the matter in hand and try to Discern the way forward. Read more about Quaker structures. Children's Party Running parallel to business meeting 2pm - 5pm, this will feature co-operative games, crafts and food! Please let us know if you are coming: admin@ceaqm.org.uk Children are also welcome to join attend the Activities Fayre to find out what all the Central England Quaker groups do. Download a flier for the Children's party Image: Friends Meeting at Cambridge, MA.
Midlands Green Quakers
11:00 am - 12:00 pm on 28/01/2025 at , , .
Midlands Green Quakers is a network of Friends from across the region who share a concern about the climate and ecological emergency. Our first network sessions of 2025 will focus on supporting our campaigning activities. Together we’ll support one another with our climate justice and sustainability actions, including everything from EcoChurch applications to organising vigils and demonstrations. Come along to ask questions, share experiences, and gain inspiration and ideas. Sessions will take place on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 11am-12pm. Register to receive the Zoom details. Midlands Green Quakers is a peer support group for any Friends concerned about Climate Justice. It is open to the whole of the Midlands region (including CEQ), and is convened by Sarah Shaw, the East Midlands Local Development Worker. For further information about joining these sessions, or to sign up for the monthly e-bulletin, please contact Sarah Shaw at sarahs@quaker.org.uk
An Evening with Al Carns, MP
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm on 31/01/2025 at Cotteridge Quaker Meeting House, 23A Watford Rd, B30 1JB.
An evening with Al Carns, MP for Selly Oak, on the topic of Environment and Energy. Hosted by St Francis Church, Bournville, and Cotteridge Quakers. Doors open 6.30 for a 7pm start. Programme Care for creation - Rev Revd Richard Wharton, Vicar of St Francis Church Insulation and retrofit - Chris Martin, Cotteridge Quakers Warm homes free of energy debt – Cllr Mary Locke Al Carns, MP - response to issues and concerns raised. Questions to Al Carns and the other speakers
Families Weekend
All Day on 14/02/2025 - 16/02/2025 at The Greenhouse at Barnes Close, adjoining Waseley Hills Country Park, B61 0RA.
Families in the West Midlands are invited to this weekend organised by Central England Quakers and Worcestershire and Shropshire Area Meeting. Featuring: Food, Friendship, Countryside, Firepit, Alpacas! Register your interest by 21st December by emailing admin@ceaqm.org.uk Let us know numbers, ages of children/young people and any special requirements. Children and young people must come with a responsible adult. Suggested donation £30 for adults, free for children (this is heavily subsidised, please feel able to make a larger donation if you are able to do so).
Peace Hub 10th Anniversary Relaunch
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm on 26/02/2025 at The Priory Rooms, 40 Bull Street, B4 6AF.
Our project Peace Hub opened its doors in November 2014, and held an ‘official launch’ event on 26th February 2015 (pictured above). So, to celebrate all that Peace Hub has done over the past 10 years, and ‘officially relaunch’ our new model of working, we’ll be holding a celebratory event. Save the date, more details coming soon. Photo: the original launch event in 2015.