SpeakingTruth.org articles

The Quakers are Coming: FGC Gathering, 2011

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:07:08 -0700

Listen to the sounds and voices of this year's FGC Gathering on the Grinnell College campus in Grinnell, Iowa. I speak with dance photographer, Arthur Fink, about the spirituality of photography and Demi Miller about his infamous "Karma Shave" signs dotted around the gathering. Glen Retief, author and teacher, reads from the diary of one "Quaking" FGC-er, and I speak with two members of the FLGBTQ community about radical inclusivity. I also speak with a few spirited Quaker children and record a taste of the college dining experience.

Peter Alsop - Changing the World With a Guitar

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Peter Alsop is a singer/songwriter/worldchanger whose songs can be deep and moving, but frequently use humor to invite us to look at something new and life-altering. Violence, Food, Risk-taking, Societal Privilege and many more issues are in his non-violent sights!

All the songs in this program are performed by Peter Alsop

The Guitar - from Disciples of PerFection
I'm Lucky - from Disciples of PerFection
If Jesus Had a Gun - from Disciples of PerFection
Stick My Neck Out - from Grow It At Home
Pick One - from Disciples of PerFection

Alignment Yoga - Scott Anderson

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Scott Anderson is the founder of Alignment Yoga and Spectrum Yoga Therapy. His new book is Alignment Yoga - An Intelligent Approach to Ancient Wisdom. He's an insightful innovator and talented teacher, adapting traditional practices to the Western way of life.

Music Featured:

Om Mani Padme Hum - Deva Premal

Death & Taxes - Karen Brandow

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:00:00 -0800

Karen Brandow is a political activist whose association with Charlie King has led her to use music as one of her tools for change. 2 issues at the forefront for Karen are War Taxes & The Death Penalty. Karen spent 8 years in Central America, doing accompaniment & other work, was raised in a culturally Jewish household, is trained as a spiritual director. Her primary spiritual practice is Buddhism.

Throughout the program I mispronounced the last syllable of her last name to rhyme with "cow" whereas the correct pronunciation would rhyme with "Joe". Sorry, Karen!

Music included in this program:
Don't Pay Taxes - from Sparks and Tears, Charlie King & Karen Brandow
We are One - from Puppet Town, Charlie King & Karen Brandow
The Worst You've Ever Done - from Puppet Town, Charlie King & Karen Brandow
Ellis Unit One - by Steve Earle
Hey Little Ant - from Charlie King's The Senseless Laughter of Whales
Break em On Down - from On the Journey, Charlie King & Karen Brandow

Terry (Magpie) Leonino's Song of the Soul

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:00:00 -0800

Terry Leonino & Greg Artzner are Magpie with 37 years of singing songs of peace, civil rights & connection with the planet. Terry was a freshman at Kent State on May 4, 1970 when 4 of her fellow students were shot down, so she has a long history in the thick of powerful events.

All the songs in this program are performed by Magpie:
Amarok
The Eagle and The Hawk
Water, Fire & Smoke
Wash Our Spirits Clean
Kent
Saro-Wiwa

A Stained Glass Serpentine Cycle of Money - Danny Schmidt's Song of the Soul

Sun, 08 May 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Danny Schmidt is one of many talented artists with the Americana Agency. Danny is profound and downhome, and he has an amazing gift for stunning lyrics, with influences like Bob Dylan & Leonard Cohen - and many others. Raised Jewish, his current spiritual outlook is not bound to any church or organization.

All the songs in this program are performed by Danny Schmidt

Company of Friends - from Little Grey Sheep
This Too Shall Pass - from Parables & Primes
Stained Glass - from Parables & Primes
Know Thy Place - from Man of Many Moons
Serpentine Circle of Money - from Instead the Forest Rose to Sing
Better Off Broke - from Instead the Forest Rose to Sing

A Voice for Women - Cris Williamson's Song of the Soul

Sun, 15 May 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Cris Williamson has played an important role as one of the prominent voices of feminism and lesbians, including her part in founding the first women's record label. With more than 20 CDs, Cris has been prolific and fertile for many hearts. And, of course, her song has been our theme music since day 1.

All the songs in this program are performed by Cris Williamson:

Waterfall - from The Changer and the Changed
Song of the Soul - from The Changer and the Changed
One of the Light - from The Changer and the Changed
Strange Paradise - from Strange ParadiseMidnight Oil - from <b>Lumiere
If I Live (I'll Be Great) - from Postcards From Paradise

Reluctant Daughter - Sally Barris' Song of the Soul

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Sally Barris is pure Minnesota-raised, but she found her musical home in Nashville, first as a music writer, and now as a singer/songwriter. With a beautiful voice and a loving spirit, her music is both moving and meaningful.

All the songs in this program are written & performed by Sally Barris

Standing Still - Reluctant Daughter
Reluctant Daughter - Reluctant Daughter
Sweet Companion - Restless Soul
The Path - Restless Soul
Restless Soul - Restless Soul
Butterfly - Little Voice
Little Voice - Little Voice

A Face of Hope - Don Pardee's Song of the Soul

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Don Pardee has a life-long love affair with music, from the symphony trumpet of his earlier years, to the finger-picking guitar of the past decades. Though music is not his day job, much of his life is sung through his songs.

All the songs in this program are performed by Don Pardee. All are written by Don, unless otherwise indicated:

See Before - Don Pardee
Naked As We Came - Written by Iron and Wine
Portrait Of A Lady - Don Pardee
Fire & Rain - Written by James Taylor
Lion Song - Written by Harrod & Funck
Faces of Hope - Don Pardee

Swimming to the Other Side - Pat Humphries

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Pat Humphries is half of Emma's Revolution, a powerful, moving and fun collaboration aimed at making our world better. Inspired by all sorts of music, including hymns, gospel, folk and more, Pat has produced musical gems featured on "All Things Considered" and "Democracy Now". Here she shares the music that led her where she is, including a song by one of her mentors and inspirations, Pete Seeger.

Songs in this program

Solo le Pido a Dios - Mercedes Sosa & Leon Gieco
Pretty Bird - Hazel Dickens
Up Above My Head I Hear Music In the Air - Sister Rosetta Tharp
Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - Pete Seeger
Ohio - Neil Young
Swimming To The Other Side - Emma's Revolution

Enough is a Feast - Bill Harley's Song of the Soul

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Bill Harley is a singer/songwriter with something more - powerful/funny/insightful storytelling capturing glimpses of the human condition. Whether singing of our greed and hunger, of tossing a TV out the window, or of the compounding complexity of juggling reality and virtual reality, Bill's music and stories open up the listener.

All the songs in this program are performed by Bill Harley

Half a Loaf - from First Bird Call
Enough is a Feast - from First Bird Call
Dad Threw The TV Out the Window - from Play it Again
All I Want - from Mistakes Were Made
Its a Long Way - from Down in the Backpack
Where Am I From - from First Bird Call
Everything is Music - from Down in the Backpack

Singing the Goddess: Stasa Morgan-Appel

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Stasa Morgan-Appel is a Pagan Quaker with the gift of leading & sharing music and her feminist-pagan identity puts her at a particular spot on the wide Pagan spectrum. She co-authored A Winter Solstice Singing Ritual book & CD. She led a workshop on "Singing the Goddess" at the 2011 FGC gathering and is accompanied by 3 members of the workshop - Sandy Moon, Peggy Bright and Denise Madland - for this program.

You can find more info on Stasa on her blog or her web site, and about Pagas & Witches at PaganPride.org, WitchVox.org and Cherry Hill Seminary.

All the songs in this program are performed by Stasa Morgan-Appel & Friends. Authors of the songs are also indicated:

We Are A Circle - Rick Hamouris
Tallis Canon on La/Full Moon Canon - Thomas Tallis/Stasa Morgan-Appel)
The River is Flowing - Diana Hildebrand-Hull
We Are Sending You Light - Melanie De More
Imani - Rachael A. K. Hazen
Meditation on Breathing - Sarah Dan Jones

SPROUTS: A Voice for Women - Cris Williamson's Song of the Soul

Wed, 11 May 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Cris Williamson</a> has played an important role as one of the prominent voices of feminism and lesbians, including her part in founding the first women's record label. With more than 20 CDs, Cris has been prolific and fertile for many hearts. And, of course, her song has been our theme music since day 1.

All the songs in this program are performed by Cris Williamson:</i></u></b>

Waterfall - from The Changer and the Changed
Song of the Soul - from The Changer and the Changed
If I Live (I'll Be Great) - from Postcards From Paradise

Man from Cackalack - Jonathan Byrd's Song of the Soul

Sun, 29 May 2011 11:00:00 -0700

Jonathan Byrd hails from North Carolina, AKA North Cackalacki, and his music has home and depth and hurt and celebration. He doesn't shy from the facts but he's skillful with an image or metaphor as well, bringing listeners the best of both sides of experience.
All the songs in this program are performed by Jonathan Byrd and are from his newest CD, Cackalack:

Wild Ponies
I Was An Oak Tree
New Moon Rise
Fathers Day
White Oak Wood
Scuppernong

William Penn Lecture, 2011

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:45:41 -0700

A bit of a different structure for this episode of Friend Speaks My Mind; twenty five minutes dedicated to investigating the issues of Quakers and social class raised in George Lakey's 2011 Penn Lecture in Philadelphia. Includes some clips from the lecture, an interview with Jeanne Burns, founder of the blog "Social Class and Quakers" and a chat with George Lakey and Richard George about how to increase the visibility of this important subject in our wider community.

Our History, Ourselves

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:44:33 -0700

On this episode of Friend Speaks My Mind, a look back to the history of Friends through the exploration of some untapped Quaker History resources. First, Don Davis gives me a tour of the archives at the American Friends Service committee; then an interview with Christopher Densmore, an archivist and librarian at the Friends Historical Library at Sworthmore college; and finally an interview with William Penn! Well, at least with his current manifestation as Tom Roy Smith, a local William Penn re-enactor.

Spirit in the Digital Age

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:43:17 -0700

On this episode of Friend Speaks My Mind, I explore Quaker's relationship with technology, from cell phones to Facebook. I start off with an interview with Martin Kelley, the new Editor at Friends Journal and founder of the blog consortium, QuakerQuaker.org; next an interview with Young Adult Friend Stephen Dotson on what it means to be a "Friend" on Facebook; and finally a documentary about my week long, "technology fast."

Fruits of Aging

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:41:58 -0700

On this episode of Friend Speaks My Mind, Quakers and Aging, I explore the question, what is the experience of being an older friend, both physically and spiritually? I begin by heading to Kendal for a tour of the retirement community, led by Peggy Brick; then an interview with Friend Ruth Peterson about her engagement with Quakerism and how aging has effected her spirituality; and finally an interview with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Care and Aging coordinator, George Schaefer about the "final third of life" and what it means to be an elder.

Growing Up Quaker

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:40:33 -0700

On this episode of Friend Speaks My Mind, a peek into the experience of growing up Quaker. I start by sharing a short documentary about returning to my childhood meeting, Radnor Monthly Meeting; then an interview with Middle School Friend Emi Inskeep on her relationship with God and how Quakerism has shaped her; and finally a short piece about "Faith and Play," a Quaker story-telling curriculum

SuZ Ogden's Song of the Soul

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:00:00 -0700

SuZ Ogden is an angeltonk Baptist Buddhist living in Oklahoma, with visits to California, Russia and Israel. In other words, she's all over the map, from nightclub singer to minister in the United Centers for Spiritual Living.

All the songs in this program are performed by SuZ Ogden>

Music Is My Basic Religion - The Promise Land Earth Islanders - Come Celebrate
Only Have a Moment - The Promise Land
Take a Little Love - Come Celebrate
Baptist Buddhist - The Promise Land
Am I Living In Faith or Doubt - The Promise Land
I'm The Richest Woman - Walking In The Light