Category Archives: NFN website

NFN website

Facebook Group?

9 Comments

At the AGM on Sunday one topic we discussed was whether we should set up a Facebook group for the Non-theist Friends Network (UK). There were pros and cons discussed.

The cons were that:

  1. Many of our members (and many people interested in the work and ideas of our network) do not use Facebook (for a variety of reasons)
  2. It would be yet another place to have to check for interesting posts or discussions, adding to the sense that we may miss things.

The pros were that:

  1. Many people are used to following groups or pages on Facebook and so regularly check to see if there is anything new, even on their phones through the day
  2. Lots of young people use Facebook. I’m 51 and it is a little alarming that I’m referred to as young at some NFN meetings so it would be good to encourage some actual young people to engage in (or with) the network

Rhiannon sent us a couple of vibrant Quaker Facebook places she is involved with that may illustrate what ours might be like:

  • Quaker Renewal UK group (here).  (You do NOT have to sign up to facebook to read this – just close their pop-up window with ‘Not now’ or cross in top right corner. You WILL have to be signed up to facebook if you wish to join the group and join in the discussion – Trevor)
  • Reading QF&P page (here) (much the same as comment above)

And the Quaker LGBT Fellowship UK also has a Facebook group (here). (N.B. That’s a closed group so you cannot see the activity there without joining first – and being signed up to facebook.)

It would be great to hear your thoughts – just add a comment below this post.  (‘Dumbledad’ who posted this is our Steering Group member Tim Regan)

Conferences, NFN website

News and newsletters

Leave a comment

By an oversight (or lack of it?) the newsletters for December, January and February have only been added to the website today.

The December newsletter is near the foot of the ‘Articles’ page (with earlier newsletters) but for 2017, the January and February newsletters have been added to a separate page in the ‘Articles’ sub-menu.

I have not (as yet) put them as a sub-page to ‘News’ which currently carries ‘posts’ to the website for technical reasons. I hope some posts by other members of our steering group may appear soon.

The next newsletter will probably be ‘April’ with further reports of our March conference. In the meantime see the text of Rhiannon’s talk in the previous post.

NFN website, Non-theism

Five years on.

2 Comments

In preparation for our annual conference this weekend I thought I would try to start a series of quick reviews of the articles we have accumulated on the website over the last five years.

I will try to add about one review every 6 days or so which would mean about 3 months to review all existing articles – we’ll have to see how that goes!  I hope this will encourage members of NFN and visitors to the website to themselves ‘review’ this old material and reflect on where we have been and where we have got to over 5-6 years.

Let’s start then with the ‘Minute and Epistle’ from the first annual conference in March 2012. (All the articles can also be found under the  ‘Articles’ link in the menu at top of page so you can also read ahead and anticipate!)

Our 3 speakers then were Philip Gross, Quaker poet from Wales; Don Cupitt from the ‘Sea of Faith’ and James Riemermann from Twin Cities Friends Meeting, St. Paul, Minnesota. I remember this conference very well and how James’ presentation of ‘coming out’ as a ‘non-theist’ in his meeting moved me to tears. A search for ‘Riemermann’ on the Twin Cities’ website reveals a multitude of papers including this interesting piece on Theological Diversity from 2009.

The minute was signed off by the then steering group of just 5:
Frank Bonner, David Boulton, Maureen Tinsley, Miriam Yagud and Michael Yates. Four of these have since left the steering group after giving ‘yeoman’ (and ‘yeowomen’) service to start the NFN ball rolling, leaving only David on the present steering group of 11.

Do have a look at the original articles referred to and add your comments below. If anyone would like to help out by writing some of these proposed reviews or indeed book reviews or anything else of interest then please let me know via the ‘leave a reply’ box below or in a comment on the ‘Contacts’ page.  I look forward to seeing you at conference and taking any questions you might have about the website.

Trevor Bending

NFN website

Illustrative Post

Leave a comment

It was intended that the introductory post be set to always appear at the top but this doesn’t appear to be working at present. This and subsequent posts will appear in reverse chronological order (latest first).

The Network’s Steering Group will meet at Woodbrooke this week on 26-28 September 2016.  If  members of the Network have any suggestions they wish to put to the Steering Group, please use the Contacts page to send your comments.
(Correction: – this meeting took place on Wed-Thur 28-29 September).

Steering Group members can help development of this new site by making/testing the ‘Leave a reply’/Comments feature below or on other pages.

Whether the Home page (first or default loading page) of this new website should be the occasional posts/latest news (as now) or some other page is yet to be decided.

NFN website

In the beginning

4 Comments

The website of the Non-theist Friends Network in the UK has been maintained at http://www.nontheist-quakers.org.uk for some years and will continue to be so whilst these new experimental pages in wordpress.com are being developed.

It is hoped that members of NFN, our Steering Group (committee if you like) and interested readers will contribute to these posts and web pages at least by way of moderated comments where these are invited. (‘Leave a reply’ or click on ‘Comments’ above and scroll down the new page. Your comment/reply will appear after moderation.).