Fan Mail

QR reader's unsolicited emails about what the site means to them

The true gift, to me, of Martin's ministry through Quaker Ranter is the opening of a space for people to have these conversations about their experiences. What's wonderful is how the conversation frequently focuses on how people approach naming their self-understanding, and then their subsequent experience of how well -- or not -- that self-understanding relates back to the local and wider Quaker communities. Chris, 5/2/05.

I see the 20- and 30-somethings arriving because they have read Woolman or Fox or Kelly and thus already know more than many oldtimers. (I say "many." Not "all.") I see this community of bloggers, reaching out to each other and connecting, when meetings (and here I venture to say "all") are focused on keeping their pamphlet racks filled, rather than posting URLs on their bulletin boards or creating a newcomer's URL handout. QuaCarol, 3/11/05

I am a thirty-seven year old member of the Ministry and Oversight Committee of --- Monthly Meeting and I am nearly faint from finding your site. My husband sent me the link. I am probably too much of a neo-Luddite to have a blog but some Friends and I have been hashing out and working on many of the same issues you are addressing. The need for more discipline and oversight. A more personal, time consuming Quakerism. Evangelism in the early Quaker sense. Young Friends, mostly a little younger than me, some a little older, seeking and not finding enough spiritual community in the Religious Society of Friends. But some of us sticking it out and saying that Quakerism is the answer to many people's questions, including ours, and we have to make this work. Robin, 3/10/05

Oh, dear God, what a joy to find your writings. I stumbled across your site in looking up Quaker info. Immediately I began to nod my head in vigorous agreement about many of the things that you were saying about the current state of RSOF. You may find me a strange ally, since I am from "the other side" of the Quaker tracks. I am a Friend from Indiana. I am a solidly Orthodox Quaker with a GREAT appreciation for all Friends traditions -- as well as a deep, abiding sadness in our divisions. Della, 2/19/04

Thanks for you blog. As a newly-convinced Friend in Illinois, I've been looking for a Friend and "Gen-Xer" out there who can refer to a George Fox quote as "rocking". I also notice a tone of slight displeasure with the tame and "feel good" elements of modern Quakerism and appreciate it. I've found that my turning to the Inner Light has been not only inspiring, but also troubling. It has lighted corners that I could ignore when they were darkened. Jason, 3/9/04

I got lost on your site(s) last night! Awesome stuff!! I've been looking for something, in addition to Quaker Info, to have as a great postliberal, postconservative Friends resource. Though I am not part of the Society(ies) myself, I count several Friends as friends (groan). I have participated in unprogrammed worship times, and have had many a passionate discussion with Quakers. Mike, who runs a major Emergent Church directory. 10/26/04.

I am thankful that I found your site on the web. I don't know if I told you this but your website was instrumental in my finding the quaker path. In fact it was my first exposure to Quakerism outside of an academic environment. You and the folks at the Ranter are the best example of evangelism in the Quaker movement. I wish more Friends would lay aside their trepidation and reach out to their fellows. I cannot help but believe that the Quaker message would be compelling to many if they just had the opportunity to hear its voice. Bill, 3/10/05

Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I should tell you that I went to bed last night (this morning) at 3am. I think I read every article on your BLOG. All I can say is.....I am home... Before my ordination [in the Anglican church], part of my spiritual journey included attendance at a number of Friends meetings. I still consider myself a "Closet Friend" and have struggled with a formal return to Quakerism... After reading some of the articles on your BLOG, I now have hope. I am 36 and very interested in connecting with others my age interested in creating a real, genuine movement. Erik L, 11/22 and 11/30/04.

I love the spirit of what thee writes, Martin, and I believe that if thee remains faithful to the voice of thy Guide and keeps thy eyes open, thee will soon see American Quakerism's anointed elders (by which I mean Friends given an elder's gifts and commission by the Holy Spirit) rise out of the dark earth and shoot up through the dead vegetation of Winter like new Spring growth. And those of us that are looking for our elders will recognize them with very little effort, I think, the way we recognize wisdom and goodness in a good book. John, 12/14/04.

QuakerQuaker Carnival

In April 2007 Chris M of Tables, Chairs and Oaken Chests spontaneously organized a QuakerQuaker Carnival asking everyone to publicly share what QuakerQuaker means to them.

• Cherice of Quaker Oats Live. "If it wasn't for QuakerQuaker I don't know if I ever would have found any other Quaker blogs. It's so cool to be able to go to one site and see a list of Quaker blogs, and not only that but to see which entries are most interesting that day!.. I'm so encouraged by the conversation and the true community that we've formed."

• Robin M of What Canst Thou Say?. In the last two years, the Quaker blogosphere has revolutionized my life. (Well, I still like hyperbole.) Quaker blogs opened my eyes to a much wider world of Friends. I had been to Quaker meeting in a few places before that, but Quaker blogs opened windows through walls I didn't even know I wanted to see through. Through Quaker blogs, I have found common ground, common ideas, common concerns with Friends across vast distances of geography and institutional theology.

• Mark W of Ear of the Soul. "For me, QuakerQuaker.org is the hub of the Quaker blogosphere. I especially appreciate it for learning about new blogs, and also as a snapshot of the conversations currently going on. Many thanks to Martin Kelley for his vision and hard work."

• Lynn G-Z of Noli Irritare Leones. "One thing that's cool about the blogs is the way it gives us a chance to interact with different sorts of Quakers, so someone like me from liberal Beanite PYM can talk with Conservative Friends (for non-Quakers, 'Conservative' has a very particular meaning in Quaker terminology, and doesn't refer to politics), pastoral Friends, etc. This has happened on the mailing lists, as well, but to me the conversation feels easier on the blogs... A second good thing is the ability to talk with Quakers from many meetings and churches about the practicalities of Quakerism: teaching First Day School, handling meeting business, etc.

• Nancy A. of Nancy's Apologies. I came upon the QuakerQuaker scene two years ago. I still feel like a relative newcomer, but folks have made me feel very welcome. Martin Kelley was especially helpful in getting me, an unknown, established in the community... It strikes me that we have this never-before capacity to communicate with each other because we have a never-before need to communicate at this level. There is so much that needs to be done. We need to be able to think collectively and communicate instantly. An idea starts as a nudge in someone's head, turns into a meme as it connects with other nudges in other heads, then becomes a worldwide movement that can't be stopped."

• Gregg K of Gregg's Gambles :"I started this blog as a personal outlet, writing about my own thoughts. It was to be a writing discipline alone. What I ended up discovering is that blogging is really about community. Well, communities, actually, and the biggest surprise to me has been the gift of being a part of a community of Quaker bloggers, a community that I know would not be as connected as we are without the work of Martin Kelley and the linking project he has created at QuakerQuaker."

• Richard M of A Place to Stand. "'I don't think I have time for that sort of thing [starting a blog]. Besides do people really read other people's blogs? I doubt it.' 'Look, just go on Quakerquaker and look around. See what other people are writing and the comments that people are posting. Just have a look.' So I spent a quiet August afternoon reading Quakerquaker instead. It turned out that there was a lot of interesting stuff there. I decided to try it... I was amazed by the number of people who were reading and commenting on my posts. When you publish a paper in a professional philosophy journal you are lucky to get three people who write to you. I got 23 comments on my first post. I was amazed."

• Johan Maurer of Can You Believe?. "The ripple effects of the world of Friendly weblogs goes out beyond the immediate reading/writing community of bloggers. One practical example: several blogging discussions have resulted in or have been reflected in Friends' periodicals. By ourselves, and within the limits of cyberspace, we will not reach everyone who deserves access to this kind of affectionate and unanxious cross-Quaker arena. Meetings, conferences, retreats, and ceaseless intervisitation are more important than ever, especially across lines that the powers that be tell us not to cross. But our online community can be an incubator--not just of fertile ideas (such as Robin's "convergence") and courteous challenges, but also of a spirit of reconciliation, of weeding out false dichotomies from conflicts actually worth having, of the mutual love and forbearance that the Children of the Light ought to enjoy even in the midst of controversy."

• Heather Madrone of A Friend in Need. "QuakerQuaker.org takes me out of my own comfortable world of Santa Cruz Friends and challenges me with Quaker viewpoints that I don't encounter in my own Meeting. I have a new appreciation for the variety of Quaker faith and practice in the world. These different viewpoints challenge me to examine and deepen my own ideas. You're helping me grow in many ways, Friends, and I thank you for that."