Thursday 24th February 2010 , 7.30pm .meeting

Our discussion of Karen Armstrong's Charter for Compassion made a very good evening. Lots of insights, constructive criticism and very helpful and useful ideas. A difficult topic in our selfish society. A great idea,support it if you can. Richard quoted a Hymn by Faber "There is a wideness in God's Mercy Like the wideness of the sea..." It doesn't seem necessary to believe in God to see the relevance of that. The meeting on 24th February, will be at Charlotte Stewart's, get in touch if you need directions. Before then some of us will have attended the day conference at Essex University on "Does God Exist?" organised by the University Islamic Society, and that will surely be a good starting point for discussion. There is also a meeting of the Ipswich Forum of Faiths which David and Charlotte will attend, and that too is likely to produce some discussion possibilities. The following month, on Thursday 24th March when we meet- venue not yet decided- Richard will lead us using Wordsworths Elegiac Stanza, suggested by a painting of Peele Castle by George Beaumont. It contains the line he quoted in response to the Charter for Compassion discussion "A deep distress hath humanised my soul" Find the poem on the internet , It will be included in the next SoF letter to the group.