February 2008
Livejournal seeker has questions about the seeming... →
So many of us have different beliefs. I believe in one truine God. You may believe in no God. If we are all being led by the same inner Light, that of God in each of us, then how do we reach such radically different conclusions?
FUM Quaker staff evacuate western Kenya as... →
Yesterday, our family left Kisumu on a chartered flight sent by the US Embassy to bring out families with children. The situation in…western Kenya has taken a turn for the worse since the horrible events in Nakuru and Naivasha over the weekend.
Susanne K on building faith bridges across... →
Right now you may be asking, “Why is Susanne writing about overcoming privilege?” To me, this is very much a matter of faith, because I believe that one of the ways we show our love of God is by treating each person as a beloved child of God.
Johan M on class and the heresy of elitism →
I also share a concern that elitism in any form is a dangerous heresy. It is a betrayal of Friends theology, which is radically hospitable because it respects no categories that are not directly tied to God.
FWCC director provides "snapshot" of Friends in... →
The situation [in the US and Canada] is not very encouraging. New faces are welcome, but the statistics do not point to noticeable growth. Perhaps those who leave are noticed less…Friends in the Caribbean and Latin America have increased eightfold.
Youtube: Quake that Rocked the Midwest 2008 (via... →
Video photo montage of a recent Quaker youth gathering in the Evanston IL US.
January 2008
Quaker elitism, Quaker decline, Quaker fun and... →
Youtube: Quake that Rocked the Midwest 2008 (via QuakerQuaker.org) Video photo montage of a recent Quaker youth gathering in the Evanston IL US. (tags: quaker.youth quaker quaker.video) FWCC director provides “snapshot” of Friends in the Americas The situation [in the US and Canada] is not very encouraging. New faces are welcome, but the statistics do not point to noticeable...
Looking at North American Friends and theological... →
Over on Friends Journal site, some recent stats on Friends mostly in the US and Canada. Written by Margaret Fraser, the head of FWCC, a group that tries to unite the different bodies of Friends, it’s a bit of cold water for most of us. Official numbers are down in most places despite whatever official optimism might exist. Favorite line: “Perhaps those who leave are noticed...
Juggling the life of Quaker service (Links) →
Robin’s economics, mixing ministry with jobs Right now, I’m pretty happy with the mix of homemaking and ministry in my life. Unfortunately, this happy balance is not to last. (tags: comment)
links for 2008-01-31 →
Robin’s economics, mixing ministry with jobs Right now, I’m pretty happy with the mix of homemaking and ministry in my life. Unfortunately, this happy balance is not to last. (tags: comment)
links for 2008-01-29 →
Micah starts to doubt on a religious trip to Mexico (via QuakerQuaker.org) I got to think a great deal about the interaction between “essential Quakerism” and the culture in which that Quakerism is expressed. I wondered very much, “is Quakerism a cultural phenomenon without any ultimate, universal value for all of humanity?” (tags: quaker quaker.alientation quaker.universalism...
Doubts, torture and forgotten rituals (Links) →
Micah starts to doubt on a religious trip to Mexico (via QuakerQuaker.org) I got to think a great deal about the interaction between “essential Quakerism” and the culture in which that Quakerism is expressed. I wondered very much, “is Quakerism a cultural phenomenon without any ultimate, universal value for all of humanity?” (tags: quaker quaker.alientation...
Aj Schwanz on communion and rituals whose meanings... →
I understand how the lack of physical symbols is a symbol in itself. While it was seemingly so meaningful to first gen Qs, I wonder if the power dissipates with each generation: as we follow them, we see more of their shoes than where they were headed.
Pax et lux on talking about torture with Friends →
I was feeling very discouraged at how few of us there are who care or who haven’t been bewitched by the messages of fear or vengeance. As I closed my eyes and centered down during meeting for worship, I heard the words of Jesus
Micah starts to doubt on a religious trip to... →
I got to think a great deal about the interaction between “essential Quakerism” and the culture in which that Quakerism is expressed. I wondered very much, âis Quakerism a cultural phenomenon without any ultimate, universal value for all of humanity?â
Francis update →
The Francis saga continues. Readers might remember when I mentioned he’s been behind on speaking. He’s almost 2-1/2 years old now and still only has half-a-dozen words—grunts mostly—that he uses inconsistently. He rarely asks for specific things (like milk, crackers) and more often just screams; when he’s done eating, he flings his yogurt-filled bib to the floor...
Shuttering up Nonviolence.org →
In a move sure to be a surprise no one, I’m shuttering up my Nonviolence.org site. Sure it’s a great domain, sure it still gets more traffic than all of my other sites combined, but I just don’t have the time to keep it going in any kind of coherent way. It’s always surprised me that I could never get substantive financial support for a project that has reached millions. It...
Richard M on leadings to go ahead on faith alone →
When such a leading strikes you know that you are supposed to go to a certain place or to be with a certain person. One can feel a little foolish making what is sometimes a big effort to go somewhere with no clear idea as to what you are going to do.
links for 2008-01-26 →
Robin M reads thriving churches book, Christianity for the Rest of Us If the keys to a thriving congregation are shared tradition, practice, and wisdom — how are we sharing these with each other, especially newcomers? My meeting is in a growing phase right now. Can we step into the opportunities that God is showing us? (tags: quaker quaker.christianity quaker.outreach) Gregg K on the...
Robin recommends Drayton's "Getting Rooted"... →
One of the best points for me was about maintaining the balance between finding our roots but not idolizing the past. It’s good for anyone who has a tendency to think all the really good Quakers died before 1800.
Ben and Jody Richmond report from Friends... →
This is a testing time for the church in Kenya. Will we be able to be bearers of Good News that is deep enough to bring healing and hope to those who have been traumatized, and reconciliation to those who have experienced the reality of enmity?
Gregg K on the non-use of communion among Friends →
Only a few have anything to say in response to [question about use of communiion]. That troubles me; it tells me that we are not articulating well, we are not calling people toward, we are not setting before them the beautiful example of lives lit aflame.
Robin M reads thriving churches book, Christianity... →
If the keys to a thriving congregation are shared tradition, practice, and wisdom — how are we sharing these with each other, especially newcomers? My meeting is in a growing phase right now. Can we step into the opportunities that God is showing us?
Fresh talk and Jesus/Light/Christ talk (Links) →
Blog introduces Quaker silence and worship Early Quakers identified the experience of discomfort that we have in silence as the first step in spiritual awakening. The experience brings us fresh points of view and deeper perspectives - in Friends’ terms, closer to God. (tags: quaker quaker.outreach) Pagan Cat on Quakers’ Light and Christianity Is that Light “Jesus”?...
links for 2008-01-25 →
Blog introduces Quaker silence and worship Early Quakers identified the experience of discomfort that we have in silence as the first step in spiritual awakening. The experience brings us fresh points of view and deeper perspectives – in Friends’ terms, closer to God. (tags: quaker quaker.outreach) Pagan Cat on Quakers’ Light and Christianity Is that Light “Jesus”? Seems...
Pagan Cat on Quakers' Light and Christianity →
Is that Light “Jesus”? Seems like a small name to me…I love that Light. I rejoice in it. I am trying to listen to it, to be faithful to it, and perhaps to grow into it. Is that Christian?
Blog introduces Quaker silence and worship →
Early Quakers identified the experience of discomfort that we have in silence as the first step in spiritual awakening. The experience brings us fresh points of view and deeper perspectives â in Friendsâ terms, closer to God.
jimmy “margaritaville” buffett visited web client’s surf shop this week after finding her website! http://tinyurl.com/yrdld8
links for 2008-01-23 →
Joe Franko on talking about class with Friends I think the hardest thing about being a Quaker now is the class thing. I am certainly in sync with the spirituality, but Quakers still don’t understand me when I try to talk with them about their sense of entitlement. (tags: quaker quaker.witness quaker.class)
Quakers and Class →
Joe Franko on talking about class with Friends I think the hardest thing about being a Quaker now is the class thing. I am certainly in sync with the spirituality, but Quakers still don’t understand me when I try to talk with them about their sense of entitlement. (tags: quaker quaker.witness quaker.class)
Joe Franko on talking about class with Friends →
I think the hardest thing about being a Quaker now is the class thing. I am certainly in sync with the spirituality, but Quakers still don’t understand me when I try to talk with them about their sense of entitlement.
links for 2008-01-22 →
Billboard: Gandhi quote from Friends in Delaware USA An anonymous donor paid for this billboard in Laurel, Delaware, for a full year starting last July. It’s visible from southbound Route 13 on the left side of the highway. The Southern Quarter website has a supporting peace page. (tags: quaker.signs quaker) Johan M: what do church signboards tell the visitor? At some point, the...
Billboards, committees and staid jargoneers... →
Billboard: Gandhi quote from Friends in Delaware USA An anonymous donor paid for this billboard in Laurel, Delaware, for a full year starting last July. It’s visible from southbound Route 13 on the left side of the highway. The Southern Quarter website has a supporting peace page. (tags: quaker.signs quaker) Johan M: what do church signboards tell the visitor? At some point, the...
Imperfect Eileen on hearing one another →
After eight years of threshing sessions, discussions, meetings for worship for business, personal conversations, and called meetings for worship, I have the sense that we still have not totally heard each other. We can’t just wait this out.
Thin Place Dan with personal theories about Quaker... →
Soon after I began attending Quaker meetings, I became aware that Quakers have their own meanings for some words and phrases that are different from the meanings used by non-Quakers. That kind of jargon frequently appears in cultural or vocational groups.
Ben L on Quaker Quest's arrival in staid... →
Quaker Quest, with its commitment to 21st century P.R., well designed glossy posters and brochures is a way to draw new and “frightening” people to us. QQ is a direct affront to the Quietest pall which has been hanging, smog-like, over my Yearly Meeting.
Friend Eden Grace interviewed by PRI radion on... →
The violence in Kenya today was especially fierce in the western town of Kisumu. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with long-time Kisumu resident Eden Grace.
Friendly Funnel: does Quakerism just have class... →
The question of why more people werenât Quakers was raised. One weighty Friend had a simple answer: “Because Quakerism is a religion of Seekers, and most people prefer having answers instead of more questions.”
Robin M on Quaker committees falling apart →
What if the previous clerk was rightly led to stop? Met with the new clerk, gave the new person all their materials, advice, and best wishes? In both cases, I thought the transition had gone pretty well. I was wrong.
Friendly Funnel on seeking as end in itself →
Sometimes I feel that we Seekers are afraid of finding the Truth, because we wouldnât know what to do with it then. If we are not Seeking, then what are we doing? And this is, I think, a flaw of ours: that we have become connected to the idea of Seeking
LizOpp on borrowing from other traditions what we... →
What does it say about the condition of our meetings and of our Religious Society when we ourselves don’t know enough about our own tradition that we go reaching into another faith tradition…? And religion, like nature, abhors a vacuum.
@ruby, doh! yes, see that now. thanks for today’s live blogging, enjoying taste of activist sociality as i work freelance from home
so the stockmarket has finally noticed we’re in a recession (well no duh!)
…ummm., so why is MLK Day today even though is bday fell on a monday?
potential client wants movable type community solution, almost nothing about it online, grr http://tinyurl.com/29zr9o
Ironic & iconic outreach posters from Olympic View... →
Pop culture mashups, many re-purposing images from the 1950s.
Billboard: Gandhi quote from Friends in Delaware... →
An anonymous donor paid for this billboard in Laurel, Delaware, for a full year starting last July. It’s visible from southbound Route 13 on the left side of the highway. The Southern Quarter website has a supporting peace page.
links for 2008-01-19 →
Johan M on the signs outside our churches and meetings Our signs often serve as filters rather than invitations. The worst kind of filters are those with unintended messages, or perhaps those signs whose messages are formed by our anxieties rather than our best hearts and hopes. (tags: quaker quaker.outreach) Links to Kenya Quaker and non-Quaker News Kenyan Friends, their reports and voices,...
Church signs and video intros (Links) →
Johan M on the signs outside our churches and meetings Our signs often serve as filters rather than invitations. The worst kind of filters are those with unintended messages, or perhaps those signs whose messages are formed by our anxieties rather than our best hearts and hopes. (tags: quaker quaker.outreach) Links to Kenya Quaker and non-Quaker News Kenyan Friends, their reports and voices,...