Woodbrooke
Woodbrooke is an international Quaker learning and research organization based in Britain. They provide opportunities for learning, connection and worship which are rooted in the Quaker tradition and open to all. Its mission is to foster the ‘vital ministry’ of Quakers today and its learning program allows participants to: deepen their understanding of the Quaker way, explore spirituality, support their communities and be inspired to bring about wider change the in world. Website: woodbrooke.org.uk.
- Woodbrooke October 2022
Woodbrooke, based in Britain, has continued to welcome more Friends from around the world onto their courses and research programs, and into their online worship spaces.
In July, Martin Ford began as the new interim co-CEO. Woodbrooke has progressed through significant change in the last few years. The majority of learning is now delivered online for both individuals and Quaker communities. In-person day and residential learning opportunities are offered in locations around the UK alongside a small number of courses running from the Woodbrooke Centre in Birmingham.
Deeper connections have been made with Friends World Committee for Consultation, particularly the Europe and Middle East Section and the Asia–West Pacific Section, to better support Friends globally.
The Equipping for Ministry program is being reimagined for a global Quaker audience in a challenging world.
In May, the 2022 Swarthmore Lecture, “Perceiving the Temperature of the Water” by Helen Minnis, challenged and inspired Britain Yearly Meeting, contributing to their reparations pledge—work Woodbrooke is focused on supporting by partnering with many others, including Pendle Hill in Pennsylvania and those that came to the first of two “Discomforting Quaker History” research conferences.
Continue reading → - Woodbrooke October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Woodbrooke, an international Quaker learning and research organization based in Britain, to provide more online offerings. Having offered online worship for some years, Woodbrooke suddenly found it was essential to many Friends who joined from all over the world and have shared how valued the virtual worship is. Online worship is offered 12 times a week at a variety of times of day.
Online learning has increased from around 10 percent of the learning program to 100 percent, while keeping a similar number of courses available. Woodbrooke reports learning a lot in this process and staying open as it experimented with different formats to be as relevant and accessible as possible.
The annual Swarthmore Lecture, usually held during Britain Yearly Meeting, was live streamed. Tom Shakespeare’s lecture “Openings to the Infinite Ocean: A Friendly Offering of Hope” was watched by over 1,000 people live and by many more afterward on the Woodbrooke YouTube channel.
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