Ashley W shares the (sometimes messy) style of Freedom Friends. As a member of Freedom Friends, I feel honored when it is mentioned by someone from outside the church, but I know that the reality is a lot messier than our image sometimes is. When I have led worship at Freedom Friends, it has usually been a last-minute thing. Someone else was not available, and I am there and able to lead, so I do. It is a church that struggles. Many of our members and attenders are living with mental and physical disabilities. Quite a few are unemployed and no one makes much money. We consider it a good month when we can make rent. Sometimes we can't afford to pay the pastor the tiny amount we give her to release her for ministry.
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Kevin Camp: Shall We Resemble Our Founder Or Our Creator? I am reminded of this when I contemplate just how many schisms and divisions Quakerism has undergone over the years. Being that we carry within us the memory of George Fox, we often believe that our unique branch, yearly meeting, organization, tradition, or manner of worship is the correct one, and that someone else’s is in vain. One could even make a case, pointing directly back to the source, that we are actually not behaving in ways that are un-Quakerly. Though some may say we may have a jealous God and a jealous founder, my vision of real unity chooses to think in other terms.
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Brad Tricola: Postmodernism & Friends' Opportunities. On the last day part of the dialogue was, how are we as Friends especially equipped and prepared to minister within a post-modern culture. Leading Christian thinkers like Leonard Sweet, (and Todd Hunter) believe that Quakers, as antiquated as they may seem, are uniquely positioned to speak truth to this emerging culture. Our values of Peace, Justice, Simplicity, Hospitality, Kingdom of God Theology, and Spirit Theology, and our emphasis on the life and teachings of Jesus really connect and resonate.
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Micah Bales: Are We Ready for New Wineskins? I believe that if we focus most or all of our energy on resuscitating stagnant or dying institutions, we risk failing to re-contextualize the Gospel to emerging generations. Just as in Jesus' day, there are many of us who have the form of righteousness - who follow all the procedural rules to be "church people" - but who are not radically submitted to Christ. The truth is, if we are under Jesus' present leadership, we are in for some radical changes. He has new wine for us that will burst many of the old wineskins that sustained and strengthened prior generations.
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Will T: A People to be Gathered. When George Fox climbed Pendle Hill he had a vision of a great people to be gathered. Friends who seek renewal of the Society of Friends use this vision as a touchstone of what the Society of Friends can become again. I know that it speaks to me. I also think that Friends have lost sight of what it means to be a people.
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Michael Jay on the FUM Emerging Leaders conference. One might comment upon the quality of the ‘emerging leaders’. To be honest, several of the students seemed quite emerged to me, having been active in leadership and ministry for years... In the room, there were several new, experimental meetings represented. We enjoyed lively discussion about where faith meets practice… outside of the various parts of the program. If the passion and intelligence stays alive, Quakerism is looking to grow deeper in the 21st century.
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Eileen Flanagan's practical ideas for revitalizing Quaker message. My experience of speaking to non-Quakers is that ours is a welcome and needed message; it's just not known what we stand for. In anticipation of Brent's next post about practical ideas, here are a few of mine:"Say what we believe--in person and on the Internet." "Tell people what we do--in person and on the Internet," "Use plain speech," and "Don't let new mothers be the only ones to run First Day School"
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Brent Bill: What have we to declare?. I think Quakerism has one of the most winsome invitations ever to offer to people. The heart of Quaker worship is gathering to meet God. The distinctive of the Quaker message of worship is that we are not inviting you to come hear a specialist speak about God, another person read a book about God, others sing some songs about God, but rather to come and experience God. We come to meet God. To encounter the Divine. Not just to be told about the Divine through story, sermon, song, and silence, but to actually gaze into the face of our loving God and listen for God's words to our souls. Could there be a better invitation than that?
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