Joining Journeys

Chocolate, faeries, Russia, criminal justice, homes, pilgrimage, Benjamin Lay, that incredible Mr Fox, animal rights. These are all ideas for ‘Our Quaker stories’– the title for the fourth series of the children’s edition of Journeys in the Spirit, due to begin in March 2009.

This follows the three earlier series on aspects of spiritual development, Quaker testimonies and, the current one, ‘Quakers: a people of God: being and doing’. Each series has, in a way, led to the next. ‘Our Quaker Stories’ emerged from a discussion at a gathering of Journeys in the Spirit writers in June this year.

Journeys in the Spirit has grown and improved because of the hard work and contributions of writers and the feedback and critique of people who use it. We want this to continue so that there is a real sense of Journeys belonging to Yearly Meeting. Do you have any thoughts, ideas or feelings about topics or people to include in ‘Our Quaker Stories’? Would you like to be considered as a writer? Do you know someone who you think would be really good as a writer but just doesn’t know it yet? Has your meeting, or an individual within it, got a story to tell? Details of how to get in touch are below.

If you, or people you recommend, have children’s work experience, that is helpful. If not, then, if you became a writer, there is support and assistance available from a member of the Children & Young People’s staff team and someone who has previously written an issue.

Journeys in the Spirit offers resources and ideas to Quakers engaging with children and young people in the UK and other countries. The children’s edition of Journeys in the Spirit offers a powerful but careful framework within which a theme or topic is explored. It is designed to meet the needs of a range of ages from 4–12 years.

Journeys in the Spirit makes bold assumptions about children and young people. It assumes that children and young people have or can discover a sense of the divine, God, love and the unity of creation; that they are able to link faith and practice; that they value the partnership and fellowship of older Friends; and that they have a full contribution to make to the life of their meeting.