NFPB Culture of Peace Reflection Sheets

Northern Friends Peace Board

Culture of peace reflection sheets

The aim of these is to provide Friends and others with a stimulus for reflection - either individually or together - on themes relating to a culture of peace.

How you might use these will vary, but we envisage that they might be printed out for exploration and reflection by members of a meeting or group. A short period of worship-sharing (a ‘conversation’ amongst Friends framed in silent worship rather than discussion) might provide a suitable format.

Nurturing a culture of peace is a long-term commitment and we can always learn and benefit from the insights and experiences of others. We hope that these sheets might be as pebbles in a pond, causing ripples into the lives, worship and actions of Friends and others.

Reflection sheet no. 1 September 2002
Reflection sheet no. 2 March 2003
Reflection sheet no. 3 September 2003
Reflection sheet no. 4 November 2003

* Worship sharing

A relatively new form of meeting is worship sharing, sometimes referred to as creative listening. German Friends choose the term Gespräch aus der Stille (conversation out of the silence), which beautifully expresses how the worship sharing is 'framed' in silence. Worship sharing can be very useful for sharing personal experiences and thoughts on a specific theme. Normally the size of the group is about eight to twelve Friends. The facilitator of a worship sharing group usually asks the attenders to observe some general rules, such as: speak for a second time only after everyone has had a chance to speak once; speak from your own experience only; leave silence between speakers; everything said in the group is confidential to the group; do not comment directly on what others have said; listen with attention and do not lapse into discussion. (from Meeting the Spirit, An Introduction to Quakers

by Hans Weening)