727 HARRISON AVENUE, CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA 91711
(909) 624-9114
http://members.uia.net/friends/
Meeting for Worship Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
THE NOTICES
MARCH 2008
Clerk: Patricia Smith
Alternate Clerk: Aimee Elsbree
Recording Clerk: Pat Smith
Corresponding Clerk: Charleen Krueger
Recorders: Aimee Elsbree, Dan Randal
Treasurer: Mary Cooper
Notices: Sherrill Walker
MARCH CALENDAR
Sun. Mar. 2 Meeting for Worship, 9:30 a.m., potluck to follow
Wed. Mar. 5 Peace & Social Justice Committee, 4:00 p.m., Fellowship Room; Mid-week potluck, 6:00 p.m., Fellowship Room
Sunday, Mar. 9 Meeting for Worship, 9:30 a.m.; short refreshment time followed by a Discussion Com. presentation: Dawn Finley on her continuing research of the history of the Claremont Friends Mtg.
Wednesday, Mar. 12 Mid-week potluck, 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 15 Memorial service for Freeman Bovard, 2:00 p.m. [please see Special Notices section]
Sunday, Mar. 16 Meeting for Worship, 9:30 a.m.; Peace & Social Justice Com. discussion following fellowship time
Wednesday, Mar. 19 Mid-week potluck, 6:00 p.m., Fellowship Room
Saturday, March 22 Memorial service for Martha Dart, 3:00 p.m. [please see Special Notices section]
Sunday, Mar. 23 Meeting for Worship, 9:30 a.m.; Food Collection Sunday
Wednesday, Mar. 26 Mid-week potluck, 6:00 p.m.
Sun. Mar. 30 Meeting for Worship, 9:30 a.m.; inter-generational birthday party immediately following.
Notices info to Sherrill Walker at: <mailto:sherrillw.sew@verizon.net>sherrillw.sew@verizon.net by Wed. Mar. 26, please
ADVICES AND QUERIES for March: Personal Relationships
read by Jeannette Casenave
In daily relationships with others, both inside and outside the home, our lives as Friends speak immediately and lastingly. In these relationships, our faith may also be severely tested. We are called to respond to that of God in everyone: we are all children of God.
Friends celebrate any union that is dedicated to mutual love and respect, regardless of the unique make-up of the family. We strive to create homes where the Spirit of the Divine resides at the center and where the individual genius of each member is respected and nurtured.
Human sexuality is a divine gift, forming part of the complex union of body, mind and spirit that is our humanity. In a loving adult relationship in a context of mutual responsibility, sexuality brings delight, fulfillment and celebration.
The presence of children carries a special blessing as well as responsibility. Children bring unique spiritual gifts wonder, resiliency, playfulness and more. Recognize and honor the Divine Light within children and treat them with dignity and respect that is due to all people. Listen to and learn from children; share with them those values and practices that are central to our own lives. Special care must be given to resolving problems between adults and children in a manner that gives equal weight to the feelings and needs of both children and adults. Tender parenting is one of the critically important peace vocations in our society. Make every effort to offer all parents the personal and institutional support that this challenging work requires.
Take a strong stand against any form of abuse, whether that abuse is minor or severe, and whether that abuse is minor or severe, and whether it is emotional, physical or sexual in naturel. The terrible impact of abuse on the most vulnerable members of our families create lifelong suffering for its victims and is a major source of violence in our society. Perpetrators are themselves usually victims of similar violence and should be approached with compassion as well as firmness.
Do I make my home a place of friendliness, joy, and peace, where residents and visitors feel God's presence?
Are my sexual practices consistent with my spiritual beliefs and free of manipulation and exploitation?
What barriers keep me from responding openly and lovingly to each person?
Do we open our thoughts, beliefs, and deep understandings to our children and others who share our lives and hospitality?
Do we provide our children and young adults with a framework for active, ongoing participation in the Meeting?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
March 1 Debbie Steiner
March 4 Michael Daugherty-Saunders
March 4 Bryan Gallo
March 9 Margo Pomeroy
March 13 Matt Farris
March 21 Michael Fay
March 21 Anne Seltzer
March 26 Anne Davenport
SPECIAL NOTICES
On Saturday, March 15, a Memorial Meeting for long-time member Freeman Bovard will be held in the Meetinghouse at 2:00 p.m. Please bring finger food for the reception that will follow.
A Memorial Meeting for member Martha Dart will take place in the Meetinghouse the following Saturday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. She passed away on July 29, 2007. Please bring finger food for the reception that will follow.
COMMITTEE NOTICES
From Children's Committee: March 31st we will be having family worship during meeting with the children briefly joining adult meeting for meditation and song. Following Meeting for Worship the children will be hosting an inter-generational birthday party. Please join us!
From the Discussion Committee: Dawn Finley will continue with her history of Claremont Friends Meeting on Sunday, March 9th. Dawn will make her presentation based on her ongoing research.
From the Library Committee: The Library Committee has recently purchased the following books and pamphlets (and one audio CD), which should be appearing on the New Books shelf (on the west wall of the Library) shortly. We have selected them from the FGC QuakerBooks catalog and tried to be mindful of topics that have come up for discussion or in which interest has been expressed during the past year.
Because some are quite new and may elicit more interest, we would ask that you return those we have marked with a red dot on the outer spine by one week for the booklets and two weeks for the books for the next few months.
A Living Silence, an introduction to Quakerism
[audio CD, 60 mins. 1981]
Quaker Quest Pamphlets
new, from Britain Yearly Meeting, 32 pp. booklets on seven different
topics. 2004-2007
[three have been purchased: Twelve Quakers and Jesus, Twelve Quakers and God, and Twelve Quakers and Simplicity; the others will be ordered shortly]
Practicing Peace, A Devotional Walk Through the Quaker Tradition
Catherine Whitmire, c. 2007
Friends for 350 Years
Howard Brinton, updated by Margaret Hope Bacon to include
last 50 years. C.2002
The Heart of Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism and White Privilege.
Robert Jensen, c. 2005 124 pp.
Sarah Mapps Douglass, Faithful Attender of Quaker Meeting: View from the Back Bench by Margaret Hope Bacon, c. 2003 34 pp.
Opening the Scriptures: Bible Lessons from the Annual Gathering [FGC] of Friends by Thomas Gates 64 pp.
The Quaker Bible Reader
2006 Earlham School of Religion
Seeking After Christ: 2006 Walton Lecture
Frank Massey - Southeastern Yearly Meeting 2006 20 pp.
From the Peace & Social Justice Committee: Louis Cox and Ruah Swennerfelt are a Quaker couple from Vermont who are taking seriously the testimony of living in right relationship with all of Creation. They work for Quaker Earthcare Witness, (formerly Friends Committee on Unity with Nature), an organization that is seeking to "develop a testimony for an earth restored as clear as that held by Friends for peace and justice." A major inspiration for their work is John Woolman, an 18th century Quaker who traveled within the Religious Society of Friends to witness against slavery. He also warned that the seeds of war, injustice, and environmental deterioration can be fed when people strive after greater ease and luxury than is consistent with "Divine Wisdom" and their own spiritual well-being. Following the pattern of John Woolman, from November 2007 through April 2008, Ruah and Louis are undertaking a 1,400-mile "Peace for Earth Walk" from Vancouver, B.C. to San Diego, Calif., to explore with Friends and others how John Woolman's message is relevant in the 21st century.
They will be walking from Pasadena through Claremont and on to Riverside from April 11 - 15, and will be with us here at Claremont Meeting on Sunday, April 13. After Meeting for Worship, they will make a presentation and have a discussion with Friends and others about their spiritual and physical journeys. Friends are encouraged to invite friends to this presentation. We are still working out details, but there will most likely be some sort of meal for continued sharing after the presentation. If you are interested in helping plan or just in attending this event, please contact Beverly Speak at (909) 455-4832 or <mailto:bspeak@kidscomefirstclinic.org>bspeak@kidscomefirstclinic.org. For more information, you may wish to check their informative and comprehensive website: <http://www.peaceforearth.org>www.peaceforearth.org.
Louis and Ruah have prepared a booklet, Walking in the Light, a short study Guide for the 2007-2008 Peace for Earth Walk that relates John Woolman's life and writings to our environmental concerns today. We have a few copies of this booklet that we will have on the Library table to borrow for a week and then return for others to read.
In addition to their formal presentation, folks are invited/encouraged to join Ruah and Louis for some time on their walk through Southern California. Beverly and David Speak will be hosting them overnight on Sunday, and they will set off for a two-day walk to Riverside Monday morning. We are coordinating this phase of the journey with Friends from Inland Valley Meeting. If you know of someone who could host them overnight somewhere half-way (Ontario? Rancho Cucamonga (southern side?), please let Beverly know ASAP.
Beverly Speak and Myron Chapman
MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES
Claremont Friends Meeting
MEETING FOR BUSINESS MINUTES
24 February 2008
Present: Bob Brown, Marty Carson, Jim Cavener, Karen Chapman, Mary Cooper, Anne Davenport, Margaret Edwards-Brown, Aimee Elsbree, Langdon Elsbree, Fran Feeney, Rebecca Hamm, Helen Hines, Lin Humphrey, Ingrid Hvalso, Charleen Krueger, Diana Lockard-Lee, David Loeliger, Eleanor Loeliger, Ron McCorkindale, Helen-Jeanne Munter, Lois NeSmith, John Pixley, Margot Pomeroy, Dan Randal, Eunice Randal, Jan Reed, Viesca Riner, Warren Riner, Alicia Sheridan, Pat Smith (presiding clerk), Steve Smith, Earl Walker, Sherrill Walker, Davetta Williams, and Paul Wood.
08 02 01 Opening Silence and Reading by Clerk
In a true community we will not choose our companions, for our choices are so often limited by self-serving motives. Instead, our companions will be given to us by grace. Often they will be persons who will upset our settled view of self and world. In fact, we might define true community as the place where the person you least want to live with always lives. Parker J. Palmer, 1977
08 02 02 Treasurer's Report Mary Cooper
We are 80% into our fiscal year and have received 89% of our budgeted income.
We have spent just 48% of our basic budget, waiting for the balance of our income before making our scheduled donations.
08 02 03 Naming Committee Fran Feeney
The Naming Committee is bringing forth two names for the 2008-09 Nominating Committee Katie Selke and Gerald Haynes. These names will be held over for seasoning until the March Meeting for Business.
08 02 04 Ministry and Counsel Steve Smith
The 2007 State of the Meeting Report was read for the first time. The Meeting expressed their appreciation to Paul Wood for all his work on this. The report will be brought forth again in March for approval.
The Oak Park Policy was APPROVED as written. Copies will be made available. The Clerk asked that people submit their requests, in writing, to one of the Recorders Aimee Elsbree or Dan Randal.
Welcoming Person of Color and Others Steve mentioned the open house schedule for sometime in early Fall. He also commented on the fact that M&C is looking at the whole picture regarding welcoming visitors and part of that picture will be considering the time of worship.
M&C has a sub-committee that will be working on trying the Quaker Quest program in our Meeting. Sherrill Walker stated that FGC will have a website set up by March with downloadable materials for Quaker Quest.
Steve informed the Meeting that M&C will be setting up small, self-organizing discussion groups around Pendle Hill pamphlets. Sign up sheets will be posted on the bulletin board soon.
08 02 05 Memorial Minute Anne Davenport
Anne read the attached memorial minute for Martha Dart and it was accepted by the Meeting.
08 02 06 Transfer of Membership Pat Smith
The Meeting APPROVED the transfer of membership of David Bruner from Palo Alto Meeting.
08 02 07 Books for Kenya Helen Hines
The Meeting APPROVED sponsoring the shipping costs for the first 25 pounds of books being collected by Helen Hines for the Camel Bookmobile in Kenya. Helen explained that she is looking for 'how-to' books or grade school level books.
08 02 08 Meals Program Jan Reed
Jan reported that the last meal they served was attended by 71 people, a major increase in numbers, and they have increased these meals to twice per month. Claremont Meeting will be helping make food for March, April and May so Jan needs volunteers.
08 02 09 Green Building Outreach Pat Smith
Pat asked for a contact person from Claremont Meeting to receive e-mails and mail from Kristina Perry regarding "Green Building."
Dan Randal volunteered and Pat will also check with Pete Nelson as he is our PYM Unity with Nature liaison.
In addition, a suggestion was made that we establish an informal group to look into green building resources for our meeting house.
08 02 10 Fran Ross Pat Smith
Pat informed people about Fran's current status and what will be happening in the near future.
08 01 11 Closing Silence
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia Smith, Clerk and Recording Clerk
FEBRUARY 2008
ADVICES AND QUERIES f: Integrity and Personal Conduct
Integrity has always been a goal of Friends. It is essential to trust, to all communications between people and between people and God. Integrity grounds our beliefs, thoughts, and actions in our spiritual center and makes us whole.
Friends believe that we are called to speak the truth. A single standard of truth requires us to conduct ourselves in ways that are honest, direct, and plain, and to make our choices, both large and small, in accord with the urgings of the Spirit. It follows that we object to taking an oath, which presupposes a variable standard of truth. Be true to your word.
. . . let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay.
JAMES 5:12 KING JAMES VERSION
From early days Friends have opposed gambling and practices based on chance. These activities profit from the inevitable loss of others, promote greed, and conflict with good stewardship. Public lotteries have not furthered their purported benefit to the public good. All addictions are of concern. As the use of alcohol and tobacco all too often entail serious risks to self and others, Friends who serve alcohol at home should be diligent in offering alternatives. Alcohol should not be served at Meeting gatherings.
Find recreation that brings you joy and energy. Be aware of how your choices affect yourself and others.
How do I strive to maintain the integrity of my inner and outer lives?
Do I act on my principles even when this entails difficult consequences?
Am I honest and truthful in all that I say and do, even when a compromise might be easier or more popular?
Am I reflective about the ways I gain my wealth and income and sensitive to their impacts on others?
Is my life so filled with the Spirit that I am free from the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, and of excesses of any kind?
Do we, in our Meeting, hold ourselves accountable to one another as do members of a healthy family?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
JANUARY 2008
ADVICES AND QUERIES: Simplicity
Life is meant to be lived from a Center, a divine Center. . . a life of unhurried peace and power. It it simple. It is serene. It takes no time, but it occupies all our time.
Thomas R. Kelly, Testament of Devotion, 1941
A life centered in God will be directed toward keeping communication with God open and unencumbered. Simplicity is best achieved through a right ordering of priorities, maintaining humility of spirit, avoiding self-indulgence, resisting the accumulation of unnecessary possessions, and avoiding over-busy lives.
[Four of the queries are these]:
Do I center my life in an awareness of God's presence so that all things take their rightful place?
Do I keep my life uncluttered with things and activities, avoiding commitments beyond my strength and light?
Do I recognize when I have enough?
Is the life of our Meeting so ordered that it helps us to simplify our lives?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
DECEMBER 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES for December: Reaching Out
Friends fellowship begins and is nurtured within the home and Meeting. It reaches greater fulfillment as we carry our beliefs into the wider community.
Share your Quaker faith. Take time to learn about other people's experiences of the Light and, as you learn, give freely from what you have gained. Respect the experiences and opinions of others, but do not be afraid to say what you value. Welcome the diversity of culture, language and expressions of faith in our Monthly Meeting, Yearly Meeting and the world community of Friends. Encourage discourse with Friends of pastoral and programmed traditions, and with members of other faiths.
Friends have a long history of involvement in public and private education, sharing our values with the world and nurturing future generations. Be mindful of the needs of children in our community and of avenues for deepening understanding between peoples.
How does my life reflect Friends beliefs and thus encourage others to be interested in the Religious Society of Friends?
Do I respond openly to inquiries about Quaker experience and belief?
What does our Meeting do to make others aware of Friends principles and practices?
What are we doing to help people of various races, cultures and backgrounds feel at home among us and we among them?
How do we encourage newcomers to return and participate in activities of the Meeting?
In what ways do we participate in the life of the interfaith community and in the wider fellowship of Friends?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
Helen-Jeanne's prayer: Several people have asked Helen-Jeanne for copies of her prayer, based on The Lord's Prayer, which she shared in Meeting for Worship on November 18. Both are set forth below:
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, forever.
Helen-Jeanne Munter's version
Oh Light and Love that dwells within us all, help us to honor you and to follow the leadings that come from you.
In every part of our lives, fill us with your spirit to sustain us,
Help us to forgive ourselves when we turn from you, and help us to recognize you in everyone
Show us that light and love and spirit are always available to us as we make choices,
Help us turn away from envy, jealousy and selfishness to giving, loving and sharing.
We know you are everywhere and that you will give us the strength to live loving lives.
Some Useful Tips
The PYM Faith & Practice is easily available online:
The complete text of Faith & Practice is available on the PYM web site, with index and all. You can consult it on the web site, or copy and paste and print any part that you want to use.
Go to <http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org><http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org> and click on the link to Faith & Practice, or just go to: <http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/fp/index.html><http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/fp/index.html> and you will find the entire text there. It is easy to use.
If you forget the above address, just ask Google for "Pacific Yearly Meeting, Faith & Practice", and it will give you the link to the same page. [tip from Myron Chapman]
Save trees and oil! Remove yourself from catalog lists by using the website catalogchoice.org. You will receive a confirmation email to which you must reply.
The Meeting APPROVED the following minute on torture:
"The Claremont Friends Meeting declares its opposition to the use of torture any place, any time, by any person or agency. We view torture as a violation of our belief that there is that of God in every person. It is a crime against humanity and a violation of international agreements that we have made. It injures both the tortured and the torturer. We are also persuaded by experts that it is not only immoral but ineffectual as a means to elicit information.
We therefore declare our support for the Torture Prevention and Effective Interrogation Act, introduced by Senator Kennedy and currently before the Congress.
We urge the Peace and Social Justice Committee of our Meeting to communicate our sentiments to our legislators and to suggest additional actions we might take to make our views known
November 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES: Social and Civil Responsibility
In the words of William Penn, "True godliness don't draw men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it." Elsewhere he commented: "It is a reproach to religion and government to suffer so much poverty and excess."
Poverty within a wealthy society is unjust, cruel, and often linked to skin color, gender, and language. We must examine our own privilege and role in economic order that deepens this disparity. Friends should be alert to oppression and injustice, and persistent in working against them.
We value our part in shaping the laws of our country. Our task is to see that laws serve God's purposes and build a just social order. Our first allegiance should be to God, and if this conflicts with any compulsion of the state, we serve our country best by remaining true to our higher loyalty.
If, by divine leading, our attention is focused on a law that is contrary to God's law, we must proceed with care. Before acting Friends should pray for further guidance and speak with the Meting, family members, and all those who might be affected by the decision. If a decision involves disobedience to the law, we should make the grounds of our acting clear to all concerned and be prepared to suffer any penalties without evasion. As a community, we must care for those who suffer for conscience's sake.
What am I doing to carry my share of responsibility for the government of our community, nation, and world?
Am I persistent in my efforts to promote constructive change?
How to we attend to the suffering of others in our local community, in our state and nation, and in the world community?
Do we try to understand the causes of suffering, and do we address them as a Meeting?
How do we, individually and as a Meeting, support the organizations that work to bring the testimonies of Friends into reality in our society?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
OCTOBER 2007
Clerk: Patricia Smith
Alternate Clerk: Aimee Elsbree
Recording Clerk: Pat Smith
Corresponding Clerk: Charleen Krueger
Recorders: Aimee Elsbree, Dan Randal
Treasurer: Mary Cooper
Notices: Sherrill Walker
ADVICES AND QUERIES for October: The Meeting Community
Meetings for Worship and Business are the center of our spiritual community. There, as we come to know each other in the Spirit, we build the "beloved community."
Mutual respect and care in the Meeting for the foundation from which we can test, support, and exercise leadings of the Spirit. At its best, the Meeting community provides a framework for us to learn and practice mutual care, which strengthens us as we act in the world.
All members of the Meeting community should share in the care of one another. While respecting privacy, we must be aware of and sensitive to each other's needs. We must be willing to ask for assistance when we are in need.
Do I strive to be inclusive in my relationships within the Meeting?
Do I care for the reputation of others, refraining from gossip or disparaging remarks?
Am I committed to the difficult work of forgiveness, and affirming God's love for the whole community?
How are love and unity maintained among us?
Do we practice the art of listening, even beyond words?
How have we been sensitive to the personal needs and difficulties of members and attenders, young and old?
Do we visit one another in our homes and keep in touch with distance members?
- Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
ADVICES AND QUERIES for September
Harmony with Creation
It would go a long way to caution and direct people in their use of the world, that they were better studied and knowing in the Creation of it. For how could [they] find the confidence to abuse it, while they should see the Great Creator stare them in the face, in all and every part thereof?
William Penn, Some Fruits of Solitude, 1693
God is revealed in all Creation. We humans belong to the whole interdependent community of life on earth. Rejoice in the beauty, complexity, and mystery of creation, with gratitude to be part of its unfolding. Take time to learn how this community of life is organized and how it interacts. Live according to principles of right relationship and right action within this larger whole.
Be aware of the influence humans have on the health and viability of life on earth. Call attention to what fosters or harms earth's exquisite beauty, balances and interdependencies. Guided by Spirit, work to translate this understanding into ways of living that reflect our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations.
In what ways do I express gratitude for the wondrous expressions of life on Earth?
Do I consider the damage I might do to the Earth's vulnerable systems in choices I make of what I do, what I buy, and how I spend my time?
In our witness for the global environment, are we careful to consider justice and the well-being of the world's poorest people?
Does our way of life threaten the viability of life on Earth?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
JULY 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES for July: Spiritual Life
The life of the spirit gains depth and vigor through devotional practices, prayer, study and meditation. Take time regularly for individual and family worship, discussions, readings from sacred texts, and other spiritual refreshment in order to live a more centered life and to bring a deeper presence to the Meeting for Worship.
Friends believe that the spiritual path is best found in community. Create opportunities in your Meeting for people of all ages to explore and express their evolving relationship with the Divine, their spiritual highs and their doubts. If different metaphors and language interfere with communication, listen more deeply, honoring the Spirit in which the thought and words have their beginnings.
The queries:
Do I live in thankful awareness of God's constant presence in my life?
Am I sensitive and obedient to the leadings of the Holy Spirit?
When do I take time for contemplation and spiritual refreshment?
What steps am I taking to center my life and to stay open to continuing revelation?
Do we share our spiritual lives with others in the Meeting, seeking to know one another in that which is internal?
Does the Meeting provide religious education including study of the Bible and Friends' history and practices?
June 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES : Meeting for Worship for Business
Come to Meeting with hearts and minds prepared to be open and faithful to the leadings of the Spirit. Then conduct of business will lead to truth, unity, and love.
When a matter is before the Meeting for Business, each person present contributes to the corporate search for a decision that accords with the will of God. Inaction is a form of action. Silent worship in the Meeting for Business contributes to the process of achieving unity.
Listen attentively to others' word and use silence between messages to reflect carefully on what you may contribute. When you are clear, speak simply what is in your heart, without repeating what has already been offered. While making your insights clear, lay aside personal opinions and attend to what God requires.
The queries:
Do I attend Meeting for Business regularly?
Do I speak in Meeting for Business only when I am led to speak?
Is the Meeting for Business held as a Meeting for Worship in which we seek divine guidance for our actions?
Do we give prayerful support for our clerks that they may be sensitive to the movement of the Spirit among us?
From the Peace and Social Justice Com.:
We were surprised last Sunday at the P & SJ discussion by the number of suggestions that those in attendance made in answer to the question asked, and we would like to share these suggestions with others who could not be there.
The question: "What can I do now to end the war?"
Here are some of the suggestions made by those attending P& SJ Com.'s discussion on May 20, 2007:
Letter writing or calling members of the Senate and House of Representatives
Call, email, or fax about bills in Congress: Bring the Troops Home; End Funding for the War; Withdraw Authorization for War
Be visible write letters to the editor
Support FCNL, Peace Action, MoveOn, and other groups working for peace Work for candidates and leaders who are for Peace
Support Presidential candidates who will work to end the war now and bring the troops home.
Support ads urging peaceful actions
Sign petitions
Circulate telephone numbers of government officials
Support impeachment of the President and Vice President
Publicize activities to support peaceful action
Demonstrate for Peace at Arrow and Indian Hill Friday afternoons
Have a Peace booth at Claremont city activities such as 4th of July celebration, Village Venture
Unite with women of the world to stand for Peace
Send letters of encouragement to Iraqi Parliament how we can work together
Redefine problem, as an occupation, a police action, terrorism as a method
Understand causes of conflict
Formulate specific proposal re problems of withdrawal from Iraq
Consider how we relate to persons with whem we disagree, Listen
Look for the common ground
Encourage serious study before signing up for the military
Encourage other kinds of work - other than the military
Be peaceful and thoughtful with young relatives and friends, try to understand them
Find common ground with returning veterans from the war
Examine my daily life - what am I doing that contributes to war?
Choose to work for love and life and not focus on tragedy and everyday news
Don't get caught up with terrorism, fear
Deepen my spiritual, peaceful life - that can radiate to others
I can't afford the luxury of hopelessness (Allan Hunter)
Learn about the history of religious conflicts
Discuss our American empire
Listen to Democracy Now on FM or TV
Stand by our principles
Engage in interfaith work with other churches
Encourage AVP programs - to create a peaceful climate
Push for legislation for AVP in schools
Keep up our own international contacts around the world
May, 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES : Meeting for Worship
The heart of the Religious Society of Friends is the Meeting for Worship. In direct communication with God, we offer ourselves for God's will. Our daily lives are linked with the Meeting for Worship, the Meeting for Worship with our daily lives.
Come regularly to Meeting for Worship, even when you are angry, tired, or spiritually cold. Bring your joys and your hurts, and the needs of other people. Accept and support each other in the community where God dwells among us. As you do so, you may find the grace of prayer.
At times the Spirit may prompt you to speak in Meeting. Wait patiently to know that the sense and the time are right. When you are sure, have confidence that the words will be given to you. Listen to the ministry of others with an open spirit. If it is not God's word for you, it may be for others. After a message has been given, allow time to ponder its meaning and to let the Meeting return to silent worship. In speech and in silence, each person contributes to the Meeting.
The queries:
Do I come to Meeting with heart and mind prepared for worship?
In both silent and vocal ministry, do I respond to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, without pre-arrangement and in simplicity and truth?
Am I careful not to speak at undue length or beyond personal spiritual experience?
Do we meet in expectant waiting for the promptings of the Divine Spirit?
Are we drawn together in a living silence by the power of God in our midst?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
APRIL 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES for April: The Meeting Community
Meetings for Worship and Business are the center of our spiritual community. There, as we come to know each other in the Spirit, we build the "beloved community".
Mutual respect and care in the Meeting form the foundation from which we can test, support, and exercise leadings of the Spirit. At its best, the Meeting community provides a framework for us to learn and practice mutual care, which strengthens us as we act in the world.
All members of the Meeting community should share in the care of one another. While respecting privacy, we must be aware of and sensitive to each other's needs. We must also be willing to ask for assistance when we are in need.
The queries:
Do I strive to be inclusive in my relationships within the Meeting?
Do I care for the reputation of others, refraining from gossip or disparaging remarks?
Am I committed to the difficult work of forgiveness, and affirming God's love for the whole community?
How are love and unity maintained among us?
How have we been sensitive to the personal needs and difficulties of members and attenders, young and old?
Do we visit one another in our homes and keep in touch with distant members?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
MARCH 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES for March: PEACE
Friends oppose all war as inconsistent with God's will. As every person is a child of God, we recognize God's Light also in our adversaries. Violence and injustice deny this reality and violate the teachings of Jesus and other prophets.
Friends challenge their governments and take personal risks in the cause of peace. We urge one another to refuse participation in war as soldiers, or as arms manufacturers. We seek ways to support those who refrain from paying taxes that support war. We work to end violence within our own borders, our homes, our streets, and our communities. We support international order, justice, and understanding.
Become an instrument of peace. At every opportunity, be peacemakers in your homes, workplaces and communities. Steep yourself in the power of the universal Spirit. Examine your actions for the seeds of violence, degradation and destructiveness. Overcome the emotions that lie at the root of violence and nurture instead a spirit of reconciliation and love. Come to know the oneness of all creation and oppose the destruction of the natural world.
Do I live in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars?
How do I nourish peace within myself as I work for peace in the world?
Do I confront violence wherever it occurs, even when my personal relationships are involved?
Where there is distrust, injustice, or hatred, how am I an instrument of reconciliation and love?
What are we doing to remove the causes of war and destruction of the planet, and to bring about lasting peace?
Do we reach out to all parties in a conflict with courage and love?
Tips for Speaking Into the Microphone
After several weeks of utilizing the microphone to better hear messages in Meeting for Worship, we now have a few pointers to make that we believe will enhance the experience for all.
1. In order for others to understand your message, you must speak directly into the microphone.
2. The microphone has to be held horizontally to the floor and within 1 to 2 inches directly in front of your mouth. (We know this feels uncomfortable, but we feel sure you'll become accustomed to it. This is where practice helps, and you are welcome to practice following close of Worship.)
3. You should speak naturally with no increase in volume, as if you were in conversation. With a microphone, it is not necessary to raise your voice.
4. Speak at an even paceno hurrying up or slowing down.
5. Speak slowly, don't rush your words and enunciate clearly. (This too may feel uncomfortable at first).
6. And don't drop your voice at the end of a sentence or your message. All the words of a message are important.
However, with all of the above being said, keep in mind that those who are given a message to express vocally are expected to deliver it so that it might be taken in by those present to hear it. Any discomfort the speaker feels speaking into a microphone is nothing compared with that of those who want or need to hear the message and are unable to.
February 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES for February: Personal Relationships
In daily relationships with others, both inside and outside the home, our lives as Friends speak immediately and lastingly. In these relationships, our faith may also be severely tested. We are called to respond to that of God in everyone: we are all children of God.
Friends celebrate any union that is dedicated to mutual love and respect, regardless of the unique make-up of the family. We strive to create homes where the Spirit of the Divine resides at the center and where the individual genius of each member is respected and nurtured.
Human sexuality is a divine gift, forming part of the complex union of body, mind and spirit that is our humanity. In a loving adult relationship in a context of mutual responsibility, sexuality brings delight, fulfillment and celebration.
The presence of children carries a special blessing as well as responsibility. Children bring unique spiritual gifts wonder, resiliency, playfulness and more. Recognize and honor the Divine Light within children and treat them with dignity and respect that is due to all people. Listen to and learn from children: share with them those values and practices that are central to our own lives.
Take a strong stand against any form of abuse, whether that abuse is minor or severe, and whether it is emotional, physical or sexual in nature.
The queries:
Do I make my home a place of friendliness, joy, and peace, where residents and visitors feel God's presence?
Are my sexual practices consistent with my spiritual beliefs and free of manipulation and exploitation?
What barriers keep me from responding openly and lovingly to each person?
Do we open our thoughts, beliefs, and deep understandings to our children and others, who share our lives and our hospitality?
Do we provide our children and young adults with a framework for active, ongoing participation in the Meeting?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
JANUARY 2007
ADVICES AND QUERIES: Integrity and Personal Conduct
Integrity has always been a goal of Friends. It is essential to trust, to all communications between people and between people and God. Integrity grounds our beliefs, thoughts, and actions in our spiritual center and makes us whole.
Friends believe that we are called to speak the truth. A single standard of truth requires us to conduct ourselves in ways that are honest, direct, and plain, and to make choices, both large and small, in accord with the urgings of the Spirit. It follows that we object to taking an oath, which presupposes a variable standard of truth. Be true to your word.
... let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay. James 5:12, King James Version
From early days Friends have opposed gambling and practices based on chance. These activities profit from the inevitable loss of others, promote greed, and conflict with good stewardship. Public lotteries have not furthered their purported benefit to the public good. All addictions are of concern. As the use of alcohol and tobacco all too often entails serious risk to self and others, Friends who serve alcohol at home should be diligent in offering alternatives. Alcohol should not be served at Meeting gatherings.
Find recreation that brings you joy and energy. Be aware of how your choices affect yourself and others.
The queries:
How do I strive to maintain the integrity of my inner and outer lives?
Do I act on my principles even when this entails difficult consequences?
Am I honest and truthful in all that I say and do, even when a compromise might be easier or more popular?
Am I reflective about the ways I gain my wealth and income and sensitive to their impact on others?
Is my life so filled with the Spirit that I am free from the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, and of excesses of any kind?
Do we, in our Meetings, hold ourselves accountable to one another as do members of a healthy family?
Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, 2001 ed.
November 2001
Advices
In the words of William Penn, "True godliness doesn't draw men out
of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors
to mend it."
Poverty within a wealthy society is unjust, cruel, and often linked to skin
color, gender, and language... Friends should be alert to oppression and
injustice, and persisitent in working against them.
We value our part in shaping the laws of our country. Our task is to see
that laws serve God's purposes and build a just social order. Our first
allegiance should be to God, and if this conflicts with any compulsion of
the state, we serve our country best by remaining true to our higher loyalty.
If, by divine leading, our attention is focused on a law that is contrary
to God's law, we must proceed with care.
Queries
What am I doing to carry my share of responsibility
for the government of our community, nation, and the world?
Am I persistent in my efforts to promote constructive change?
How do we attent to the suffering of others in our local community,
in our state and nation, and in the world community?
from Advices and Queries, page 52, Faith and Practice, 2001
For consideration by Peace & Social Order Committee:
What would YOU propose as a proper response to the terrorism of 9-11-01?
One proposal:
Respond vigorously to the events of 9-11-01 in the international equivalent
of a domestic police action. Capture, arrest, and bring to justice all criminal
terrorists.
Halt bombing in Afghanistan
Work with the UN in joint action
Feed starving Afghan people and Afghan refugees
End economic sanctions that limit food to Iraqi people
Freeze assets of terrorists and supporters
Economic sanctions, embargo, and/or blockade of countries supporting terrorists
Press and support Israel and Palestinians to reach a just peace settlement
Press and support India and Pakistan to reach a just peace settlement on
Kashmir
Look for root sources of terrorism (justice, economic, respect, etc.) and
try to change. Take long range view and choose actions that will leave
all grandchildren better off 50 years from now.
Consider a Marshall plan type of world support for needed development of
poor countries.
Consider seriously right sharing of resources with poor persons and countries.
Develop World Federal structure to provide and enforce international safety,
justice, and conflict resolution.
Markedly limit or eliminate all international trade in all weapons.
Reduce stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and materials and guard
against unauthorized use.
Abolish all nuclear weapons development and production.
Collect all nuclear weapons materials and safeguard or destroy.
Destroy most nuclear weapons. Put remaining ones under UN control.
Develop world and national population policies in all countries to end growth
of world population.
Support only programs for sustainable activities.
Support democracy worldwide.
End terrorist/undemocratic activity by our government.
Support human rights worldwide.
Campaign finance reform to make rational legislative action possible.
Reexamine world trade agreements to protect workers, environment, and safety.
Protect environment worldwide.
Shift basis of economy away from consumption.
Decrease consumption in the U.S. of energy, resources, electricity, oil.
Queries
1. Do I belong to and support organizations that work for peace or to relieve
hunger and poverty throughout the world?
2. Do I write to my political representatives to tell them to stop the bombing
& any further military actions, and to invest time and money in building
peaceful world-wide coalitions?
3. Do I work to stop the cycle of escalating violence?
4. Do I try to minimize my dependence on gas and oil?
5. Do I support Muslims in my community to help protect them from discrimination
and abuse?
6. Do I build relations with Muslims in my community?
7. Do I try to learn more about the Muslim world and the anger that provoked
the 9-11 attack?
8. Do I participate in community responses to the war?
9. Do I carefully consider the ramifications of military attacks and the
alternatives that might effectively prevent terrorism in the future?
10. Do I express my opinions openly and directly, but without hostility
toward those with differing viewpoints?
11. Do I speak the language of light to ward off the darkness of fear, anger,
hate and confusion?
12. Do I look for that of God in all people?
13. Do I pray for peace? --Peace and Social Order Committee
Harmony with Creation
Advices
God is revealed in all Creation. We humans belong to the whole interdependent
community of life on earth. Rejoice in the beauty, complexity, and mystery
of creation, with gratitude to be part of its unfolding.
Guided by Spiriit, work to translate this understanding into ways of living
that reflect our responsibility ot one another, to the great community of
life and to future generations.
Queries
In what ways do I express gratitude for the wondrous expressions of life
on Earth?
Do I consider the damage I might do to the Earth's vulnerable systems in
choices I make of what I do, what I buy and how I spend my time?
In our witness for the global environment, are we careful to consider justice
and the well-being of the world's poorest people?
From Advices and Queries, page 51, Faith and Practice, 2001
It would go a long way to caution and direct people in their use
of the world, that they were better studied and knowing in the
Creation of it. For how could {they} find the confidence to
abuse it, while they should see the Great Creator stare them
in the face, in all and every part thereof.
William Penn, Some Fruits of Solitude, 1693
Minute about the Death Penalty adopted by Pacific Yearly Meeting-,
August 2001
The Pacific Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Freinds reaffirms
its opposition to the death penalty. The deliberate taking of a human life
by the state under any circumstances is an absolute irrevocable denial that
there is that of God in everyone. Each live is uniquely valuable and
sacred and no one is totally beyond redemption. Capital punishment rejects
the message of forgiveness. It degrades the humanity of the executioner
and of the society that endorses the aact.
We will work with concerned members of all religious faiths and otheres
of
like conviction to abolish the death penalty.
Charleen Krueger's Statement on Unity Sunday
September 15, 2001
The core belief of members of the Religious Society of Friends, the
Quakers, is that there is that of God, of the divine, in each person,
and that we treat people - all people - accordingly. I stand before
you today, confessing that for many years I hated two people who did
terrible things to me, things of which I am reminded daily. I used to
wonder where they were, and what they were doing. I used to wish a
slow and painful death for them. One day I received a blessing - the
true realization that there was that of God in them, too. And that the
only person being hurt by my hatred was me. It was poisoning my heart
and eating my soul. In that moment, my hatred was gone. I remembered
Jesus on the cross. He said "Father, forgive them,"
not `I forgive you', but "Father, forgive them". I leave the
forgiveness to God, but I am the only one who can rid the hatred from
my heart.
If the more than 5000 deaths we have suffered this week happened to us
20 times a year for 10 years, they would not equal the deaths in the
Middle East, in Africa, in the Philippines, in Ireland, in Europe, in
South America. Deaths caused by war, oppression, famine, and
embargoes.
I want justice for the world, not revenge.
Peace begins with each of us as individuals, in our hearts and in our
souls. But peace begins in the world when we wage peace against the
causes of war - hunger, injustice, ignorance to name a few. Today is a
start. Where do we go from here? What do we do after today to remove
the causes of war?
No More Victims
The American Friends Service Committee urges President Bush to look for
diplomatic means to bring to justice the people who are responsible for
this crime against humanity. Now is the time to break the cycle of
violence and retaliation. Do not respond to these terrible acts by waging
war. War will lead to additional deaths and the suffering of many peope
in
the United States and abroad.
The AFSC has launched a No More Victims campaign to support those affected
by the World Trade Center, Pentagon and western Pennsylvania airplane
tragedies. Funds collected through this campaign will also be used to help
increase awareness about healing justice and the need for peaceful
solutions to this terrible situation.
One of the elements of this campaign is to connect with people around the
world who believe in pursuing peace rather than war as a solution and to
give visibility to them in national newpapers as full-page signature
advertisements. AFSC is asking all peaceloving people to participate and
to invite their friends to help.
Advices & Queries
STEWARDSHIP AND VOCATION read by Aimee Elsbree
(Taken from Faith and Practice, Pacific Yearly Meeting, 2001.
The full text is significantly different from the Preliminary Edition.)
John Woolman said, "As Christians all we possess are the gifts of God...To
turn all the treasures we possess into the channel of Universal Love becomes
the business of our lives." The principle of stewardship applies to
all we have and are. As individuals, we are called to use our time, our
various abilities, our strength, our money, and our material possessions
with care, managing them wisely and sharing them generously.
From the indwelling Seed of God, we discover our particular gifts and discern
the service to which we are called. In making choices about occupation or
education, consider the way that offers the fullest opportunity to develop
your individual abilities and contribute to the world community while providing
for yourself and your family. In daily work, manifest a spirit of justice
and understanding, and thus give a living witness to the truth.
...Meetings should be ready with material and spiritual support for those
suffering from unemployment or facing difficult vocational decisions.
How have I been faithful for the leadings of the Spirit
in choosing work or vocation?
What am I doing with my talents, time, money, and possessions?
Am I sharing them according to the Light I am given?
Is my conduct at the workplace consistent with my life as a Friend?
How does my daily work enhance my spiritual life?
How does the Meeting help & support members in job transitions?
The English translation of the Haiku poems that June Cullen shared on August
5th in honor of those who died at Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and
9, 1945:
Today is the day
for one last view
of Mount Fuji
Fields dying off:
the underside of grasses frozen
hour of my death
When I am gone
will someone care for
the chrysanthemum I leave?
Within your life and mine
there lives
a cherry blossom
Swear to me pine,
for many years
to keep on young and green
Ghandi's Roots of Violence
Wealth without work.
Pleasure without conscience.
Knowledge without character.
Commerce without morality.
Science without humanity.
Worship without sacrifice.
Politics without principle.
Meeting for Worship on the Occasion of Business
Advices
Come to Meeting with hearts and minds prepared to be open and faithful to
the leadings of the Spirit. Then the conduct of business will lead to truth,
unity. and love.
Listen attentively to others' words and use the silence between messages
to reflect carefully on what you might contribute. When you are clear, speak
simply what is in your heart, without repeating what has already been offered.
Inaction is a form of action.
Queries Do I attend Meeting for Business regularly?
Having made my insights clear, do I lay aside my personal
opinions as I attend to what God requires?
Is the Meeting for Business held as a Meeting for Worship
in which we seek divine guidance for our actions?
Are we tender and considerate of different views,
coming to a decision only when we have found unity?
Do we pray for our clerks that they may be sensitive
to the movement of the Spirit among us?
from the Preliminary Edition, Faith and Practice of Pacific Yearly Meeting
2000
On frequency of ministry: "It must never be presumed that because the
call has come once, it will come again. Equally, if it has never come, one
must never think it never will. Strictly speaking, all one is called upon
to do is to be ready if called, and in this, once more, the distinction
between the minister and the ordinary worshiper disappears, for in the silence,
God will choose whom he will... It has to be said, however, that there are
meetings in which there is little sense of divine leading in the spoken
ministry, but a lot of reliance of what Friends used to call 'the creature'.
These flights of imaginative fancy, intellectual preoccupations and emotional
difficulties provide a lot of information about the ministers but not a
great deal about God..."
from John Punshon's, Encounter With Silence, page 86.
Advices
Spiritual Life Selected and Read by Alane Daugherty
The life of the spirit gains depth and vigor through devotional practices,
prayer, study and meditation. Take time regularly for individual and family
worship, discussions, and readings from sacred texts and other spiritual
refreshment in order to live a more centered life and to bring a deeper
presence to the Meeting for Worship.
Queries
Do I live in thankful awareness of God's constant
presence in my life?
Am I sensitive and obedient to the leadings of the Holy Spirit?
When do I take time for contemplations
and spiritual refreshment?
Do we share our spiritual lives with others in the Meeting?
from the Preliminary Edition,
Faith & Practice of Pacific Yearly Meeting, 2000
>From the Clerk
On Worship Sharing:
We gather together in worshipful silence to share, not our ideas, but our
own experience, which is not open to discussion, and so we will not respond
directly to what another has said. However, we may perceive that a pattern
emerges in what is shared, and we will want to be mindful whether this reflects
a movement of the Spirit among us. Those who speak will speak only once,
out of the silence, and we will all take time in silence to absorb what
has been said. As we speak, we will be mindful of the available time, so
that all may be enriched by the unique gifts we each bring to share. (From
the Preliminary Edition of Faith and Practice, 2000.)
''Wait for a time in silence to see how the insight changes. Some Friends
wait for several meetings.
''Ask whether the insight will serve the whole meeting, or is meant for
you alone.
'Be certain the ministry is spiritual, and intended for worship; there are
other forums for personal or social concerns. Ask about these afterwards.''
''Speak briefly - and only once. A few heartfelt words are better than a
long explanation.''
----Cambridge Meeting suggestions for vocal ministry.
Advices Meeting for Worship read by Marty Carson
The heart of the Religious Society of Friends is the Meeting for Worship.
In direct communion with God, we offer ourselves for God's will. Our daily
lives are linked with the Meeting for Worship, the Meeting for Worship with
our daily lives.
Come regularly to Meeting for Worship, even when you are angry, tired, or
spiritually cold. Bring your joys and your hurts, and the needs of other
people. Accept and support each other in the community where God dwells
among us. As you do so, you may find the grace of prayer.
At times the Spirit may prompt you to speak in Meeting. Wait patiently to
know that the sense and the time are right. When you are sure, have confidence
that the words will be given to you. Listen to the ministry of others with
an open spirit. If it is not God's word for you, it may be for others. After
a message has been given, allow time to ponder its meaning and to let the
Meeting return to silent worship. In speech and in silence, each person
contributes to the Meeting.
Queries
Do I come to Meeting with heart and mind prepared for worship?
In both silent and vocal ministry, do I respond to the leadings of the
Holy Spirit, without pre-arrangement and in simplicity and truth?
Am I careful not to speak at undue length or
beyond personal spiritual experience?
Do we meet in expectant waiting for the promptings of the Divine Spirit?
Are we drawn together in a living silence by the power of God in our midst?
From the Clerk
On the source of the ministry: "There is no question of one's worthiness
to speak, or of the importance of the message. Rather, the matter at hand
is the source of the message. Is it coming from the Friend who would speak,
or through him or her? And if the message is coming through the Friend,
is the message properly situated in space and time? Is it for the meeting
as then and there gathered, or is the message not yet ripe, or meant to
be kept to oneself, or better shared after meeting with a more select audience?"
Lanny Jay, Friends Bulletin, January 2000.
THE OBSERVER
A way without words
By Sam Allis, Boston Globe 4/29/2001
The great thing about a Quaker meeting is there is no middle man. No one
orders you to stand, kneel, pray, recite, or sing. What you've got instead
is a little peace and quiet as well as the freedom to commune with your
maker or ponder the merits of a pinot noir for lunch. I suppose you can
do the same in other churches but the interruptions get tiresome.
So let's hear it for the thrill of being left alone and the gift of silence.
We all could do worse than keep our mouths shut for an hour a week. I attended
the Friends Meeting at Cambridge, deep in the heart of darkest Brattle Street,
out of curiosity a few weeks ago. As the progeny of some profoundly lapsed
Philadelphia Quakers, I have maintained, at best, a spotty relationship
with the tribe. But I'm always curious to see how they're doing.
Just fine. It is a treat to sit in a room full of people who, with rare
exceptions, maintain radio silence for an hour. There is a huge difference
between those who are forced into it - as I was throughout school - and
those who crave it for its virtues. And there are many. Silence runs rings
around mere solitude as a petri dish for all kinds of thinking.
The Religious Society of Friends in Cambridge puts out a marvelous pamphlet
on the ''spoken ministry,'' a guide for those at a meeting who feel
compelled to stand and speak. Its suggestions should be required reading
for anyone born with vocal chords. To wit:
Wait for a time in silence to see how the insight changes. Some Friends
wait for several meetings.
Ask whether the insight will serve the whole meeting, or is meant for you
alone.
Be certain the ministry is spiritual, and intended for worship; there are
other forums for personal or social concerns. Ask about these afterwards.
If you've just got to spill, it further recommends:
Speak briefly - and only once. A few heartfelt words are better than a long
explanation.
Yea, verily.
Despite these wise words, the decibel distractions at some meetings have
increased over the years. Old-timers lament that speakers have become more
numerous and verbose. Where a handful at most used to stand and speak with
concision, you're now apt to hear some stemwinders. I remember a well-meaning
young woman start off a few years ago with, ''I had a really bad week I'd
like to share...''
But enough carping. These sessions still have it all over your average Sunday
morning fare. I also attended the Quaker meeting to understand Boston better.
While their ranks are puny compared to the Quaker community in Philadelphia
- there are slightly under 1,000 members in the area - Quakers have been
a signature part of this city since Ann Austin and Mary Fisher arrived here
from England via Barbados in July of 1656.
If you want to understand the intolerance of Boston drivers today, consider
the behavior of the Puritans back then. For a gang that fled persecution
in England, they were astonishingly nasty to anyone who didn't conform to
their views.
The relationship between the Puritans and the Quakers was a disaster from
Day One. The Puritans referred to them as ''that cursed sect of heretics
lately risen up in the world,'' according to Carla Gardina Pestana in her
prize-winning article on the subject in the September 1983 edition of the
New England Quarterly.
Quaker beliefs and practices were verboten on & around the Shawmut Peninsula
because they challenged the very order and hierarchy the Puritans prized.
To be fair, the Quakers at that time were aggressive, itinerant proselytizers
bent on bringing down the status quo. The Puritans promptly threw Austin
and Fisher in jail and held them incommunicado until they were put on a
ship a month later and sent back to Barbados.
In an infamous case four years later, the Quaker Mary Dyer was hanged after
entering Massachusetts Bay Colony from what is now Rhode Island for the
third time against Puritan orders. She was spoiling for a fight because
she knew before her final trip here that she returned on pain of death.
Her insistence offers a whiff of the zealotry with which early Quakers pursued
their cause.
Today, the Puritan response looks paranoid. ''Their reaction to the Quakers
was a miniature version of the witchcraft hysteria,'' says Peter Drummey,
librarian for the Massachusetts Historical Society.
When you think about it, though, the Puritans and their descendants, the
Brahmins, have always been short on inclusion. They were intolerant toward
the Irish and Italians who poured into Boston in the 19th and early 20th
centuries - dreaded papists beyond the pale of civilized society.
This Catholic influx overwhelmed the Brahmins and particularly the Quakers,
whose numbers dwindled as they ''read out'' of their ranks anyone who married
a non-Quaker. (This no longer happens.) Today, their profile here approaches
museum status. Yet they are a hardy band and familiar figures promoting
their pacifism and environmental concerns amid the winos near Park Street.
Their greatest legacy, though, remains their silence.
Sam Allis's e-mail is allis@globe.com This story ran on page A02 of the
Boston Globe 4/29/2001
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.
Advices & Queries: The Meeting Community Read by Karen Chapman
The Meeting for Worship is the center of our spiritual community. There,
as we come to know each other in the Spirit, we build a "beloved community."
Mutual respect and care in the Meeting form the foundation from which we
can test, support, and exercise leadings of the Spirit. At its best,the
Meeting community provides a framework for us to learn and practice mutual
care, which strengths as we act in the world.
All people of the Meeting community should share in the care of one another.
While respecting privacy, we must be aware of and sensitive to each other's
needs. We must also be willing to ask for assistance when we are in need.
Do I strive to be inclusive in my relationships within the meeting?
Do I care for the reputation of others,
refraining from gossip, or disparaging remarks?
Am I committed to the difficult work of forgiveness,
and affirming God's love for the whole community"
How are love and unity maintained among us?
Do we practice the art of listening, even beyond words?
How have we been sensitive to the personal needs and
difficulties of members and attenders, young and old?
Do we visit one another in our homes and
keep in touch with distant members?
From the Clerk
On Worship Sharing: We gather together in worshipful silence to share, not
our ideas, but our own experience, which is not open to discussion, and
so we will not respond directly to what another has said. However, we may
perceive that a pattern emerges in what is shared, and we will want to be
mindful whether this reflects a movement of the Spirit among us. Those who
speak will speak only once, out of the silence, and we will all take time
in silence to absorb what has been said. As we speak, we will be mindful
of the available time, so that all may be enriched by the unique gifts we
each bring to share. (From the Preliminary Edition of Faith and Practice,
2000.)
Advices & Queries: Peace read by Jean Walton
Advices & Queries
Home & Personal Relationships
Every member of the Meeting is responsible in some measure for the care
of the children. When this spirit of common concern is present, our children
gain a sense of belonging and commitment to a larger community and to their
heritage.
Our first concern for our children and our households is to live in the
awareness that we are all children of God. Trust and love and a constant
search for truth strengthen the light that leads us to the love of God.
Parents should provide for the healthy development of their children's minds,
bodies, and spirits. the time and attentive energy needed for this central
task should be shielded from less important activities.
These queries have been directed to our Meetings:
Do we open our thoughts, beliefs, and deep understandings to our
children and others who share our lives and our hospitality?
Do we provide our children and young adults with a framework
for active, ongoing participation in the Meeting?
How are single people, members of non-traditional families, and sexual
minorities welcomed and valued in the life of the Meeting?
from the Preliminary Edition of Faith and Practice
From the Clerk
On Worship Sharing: We gather together in worshipful silence to share,
not our ideas, but our own experience, which is not open to discussion,
and so we will not respond directly to what another has said. However, we
may perceive that a pattern emerges in what is shared, and we will want
to be mindful whether this reflects a movement of the Spirit among us. Those
who speak will speak only once, out of the silence, and we will all take
time in silence to absorb what has been said. As we speak, we will be mindful
of the available time, so that all may be enriched by the unique gifts we
each bring to share. (From the Preliminary Edition of Faith and Practice,
2000.)
On the source of the ministry: "There is no question of one's
worthiness to speak, or of the importance of the message. Rather, the matter
at hand is the source of the message. Is it coming from the Friend who would
speak, or through him or her? And if the message is coming through the Friend,
is the message properly situated in space and time? Is it for the meeting
as then and there gathered, or is the message not yet ripe, or meant to
be kept to oneself, or better shared after meeting with a more select audience?"
Lanny Jay, Friends Bulletin, January 2000.
On frequency of ministry: "It must never be presumed that because
the call has come once, it will come again. Equally, if it has never come,
one must never think it never will. Strictly speaking, all one is called
upon to do is to be ready if called, and in this, once more, the distinction
between the minister and the ordinary worshiper disappears, for in the silence,
God will choose whom he will... It has to be said, however, that there are
meetings in which there is little sense of divine leading in the spoken
ministry, but a lot of reliance of what Friends used to call 'the creature'.
These flights of imaginative fancy, intellectual preoccupations and emotional
difficulties provide a lot of information about the ministers but not a
great deal about God..." John Punshon, Encounter With Silence,
page 86.
"...let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay." James 5:12
Integrity, essential to all communication between people, and between people
and God, has always been a goal of Friends.
Friends believe that we are called to speak the truth. A single standard
of truth requires us to conduct ourselves in ways that are honest, direct,
and plain. It follows that we object to taking an oath, which presupposes
a variable standard of truth. Be true to your word.
From early days Friends have opposed gambling and practices based on chance.
These activities profit from the inevitable loss of others, promote greed,
and conflict with good stewardship.
Examine the use of alcohol and tobacco, which all too often entails serious
risks to self and others. Friends who serve alcohol at home should be diligent
in offering alternatives. Alcohol should not be served at Meeting gatherings.
Find recreation that brings you joy and energy. Be aware of how your choices
affect yourself and others.
Queries
How do I strive to maintain the integrity of my inner and outer lives?
Am I honest and truthful in all that I say and do, even when
a compromise might be easier or more popular?
Am I reflective about the ways I gain my wealthy and income
and sensitive to their impacts on others?
Is my life so filled with the Spirit that I am free from the misuse of
alcohol and other drugs, and of excesses of any kind?
Do I choose recreations that strengthen me physically, mentally & spiritually,
& avoid those which may prove harmful to others and myself?
Do I consider the effects of my actions on those who are struggling
with addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs or gambling?
Do we, in our Meeting hold ourselves accountable to one another?
from the clerk... quotes gathered on worship sharing in Meeting for
Worship
Prepare the minister, not the ministry.
On faithfulness and obedience: In 1948, during the formative meeting of
the Assembly of the World Council of Churches, a "sample" Quaker
Meeting for Worship was held, with most attending for the first time. The
following card was in the pews, in German, French, and English: "Worship,
according to the ancient practice of the Religious Society of Friends, is
entirely without any human direction or supervision.... It is not wholly
accurate to say that such a Meeting is held on the basis of Silence; it
is more accurate to say that it is held on the basis of Holy Obedience.
Those who enter such a Meeting can harm it in two specific ways: first,
by an advance determination to speak; and second, by advance determination
to keep silent. The only way in which a worshiper can help is by
an advance determination to try to be responsive in listening to
the still small voice and doing whatever may be commanded. Such a Meeting
is a high venture of Faith and it is to this venture we invite you this
hour." D. Elton Trueblood, The People Called Quakers, page 86, 1986
One person shared: "I don't speak until I can't NOT speak."
--Charleen Krueger
"CALL TO MEETING?"
Like many of you, I came to Friends Meetings looking for a do-it-yourself
spirituality: nobody's gonna tell me what to think, what to do. A hundred
times since, it has occurred to me afresh: once the novelty of "all
this freedom" wears off, just how do we go about nurturing our own
spiritual growth? Have I wandered off the path again? Have I gotten stuck?
Has anyone noticed? Would
anyone ever notice?
I've come to see the earliest Quakers as people much like ourselves. Their
journals are too polished, too finished, but read their letters, read the
minutes of their meetings, and you'll find they didn't have all the answers,
either. They did, however, view themselves first as spiritual creatures,
on a spiritual journey, each created with different gifts and possibilities.
So I'd like to spark a hundred conversations among Friends about how I'm
doing, how you're doing, how we're doing as spiritual creatures. This is
a serious topic, so let's not get too preachy. Rather than obsessing over
our familiar failings, maybe we can laugh and learn from them. What's working?
What's not? What could help?
This year, as we consider the draft of a new PYM Faith and Practice, trying
very hard to get the words just right, we might also think about how we
try to live these words. What is my faith, my practice? Do I continue to
experiment, risking with Quaker truths, or am I just admiring them from
a safe distance?
Think back over the time since you first attended Friends meeting. In what
ways have you changed, over that time? What different person might you be
today in big ways or small had you not made that choice? What life lessons
have you learned by being among Friends?
Think back over the last year. What signs of fresh growth have you seen
in yourself? In others?
What do you encounter in your daily routines that speak to you as a Quaker,
that tap your Quaker skills?
What aspect of Meeting life do you currently find most challenging?
After joining Friends, some Quakers also find nurture in other spiritual
paths: tai chi, yoga, birdwatching. What spiritual experiences outside Quakerism
would you recommend to Friends?
Imagine your ideal Quaker likely modeled on combined strengths of two or
more Friends you know. What life experiences inside and outside Quakerism
-- would produce that kind of person?
As your own spiritual director, what would you recommend for the coming
year? Some Friends get stuck, benefit from a "Pendle Hill" sort
of time. What would serve that purpose in your life?
"Prepare the minister, not the ministry." Think about the Friends
in your local Meeting. Is there some Friend in whom you sense particular
promise? Have you told them so? What experiences might help them grow spiritually?
How could you help? -- Eric Moon
Life is meant to be lived from a Center, a divine Center--
a life of unhurried peace and power. It is simple. It is
serene. It takes no time, but it occupies all our time.
Thomas R. Kelly, Testament of Devotion, 1941 p 124.
A life centered in God will be directed toward keeping communication with
God open and unencumbered. Simplicity is best achieved through a tight resisting
the accumulation of unnecessary possessions, avoid over-busy lives.
Elise Boulding writes in My Part in the Quaker Adventure : "Simplicity,
beauty, and happiness go together if they are a by product of a concern
for something more important than ourselves."
Queries
Do I center my life in an awareness of God's Presence so that all things
take their
rightful place?
Do I keep my life uncluttered with things and activities, avoiding commitments
beyond my strength and light?
How do I maintain simplicity, moderation, and honesty in my speech, my manner
of living, and my daily work?
Do I recognize when I have enough?
Is the life of our meeting so ordered that it helps us simplify our lives?
Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful
stroke of luck.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct
it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
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