Quaker Explorers

"A Year of Peace" by Tony Lowe

2010-08-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

I was very glad to hear that NCYM-FUM decided to make peace our theme for 2010. For a religious group that is supposed to be about peace and reconciliation, we Quakers have a very clouded history, marked with bitter divisions and splits. And each time this has happened, we have lost something of who we are. We have become evangelical/social justice or programmed/unprogrammed Friends, and then had the audacity to act like our particular group is the only one upon whom the mantle of early Quakerism fell, that we are the only “real Quakers” and all other groups who claim the same name have no right to use it.. The truth is all of us together are the bearers of that mantle, but none of us have an exclusive right to its use. Since our beginning, all our various branches have incorporated ideas and practices into our own faith tradition that we have borrowed from others. And we have all found the place under the mantle that is most comfortable for us, whether it is working for peace and social justice or feeding the hungry or preaching the gospel message. All of these are part of the message and ministry that came out of the Friends movement. We often fail to see or even choose not to see the good Friends groups other than our own are doing. And that’s because we tend to focus on one part of the Quaker message, sometimes to the point of ignoring other parts.. But that does not makes us more right, or better Quakers than another group who has a different emphasis. As Paul told the church at Corinth, the body has many parts, the foot and the hand both belong to that body but they function in different ways. So it is with the Society of Friends.

Our own attitudes may be our worst enemy since they negatively impact both our integrity and our credibility. It is very difficult for people outside the Society of Friends to accept all our talk about the possibilities for peace and reconciliation throughout the world when we are not able to practice it effectively among ourselves. No matter how “right” someone believes they are theologically or in terms of their understanding of who Friends are, when it leads to drawing lines in the sand and further division, the entire Society of Friends suffers as does our witness to the world as reconcilers and peace makers.

There is also the very practical consideration of finances. Due to the current economic crisis, Quaker organizations everywhere are cutting staff and diminishing both the number and scope of the programs they offer. This is exacerbated by Friends’ refusal to support the efforts of other Quaker groups with whom they have differences over social or theological issues. How many once strong Quaker organizations will become victims of our inability to work together?

In the last two or three years, there have been folks from all across Quakerism who have been very actively involved with convergent/emergent Friends. During the FUM triennial sessions in High Point, almost 50 Quakers from seven or eight Yearly Meetings gathered for an afternoon discussion about convergent Friends. These Friends were from a variety of Yearly Meetings -Baltimore, North Carolina, Iowa, New England, Wilmington, and Great Britain to name some of them. There was even a couple who were affiliated with Evangelical Friends. All these folks gathered for one reason. They were tired of hearing about our differences and all the things that separate us and wanted instead to explore how our common heritage as Quakers might provide opportunities for us to learn from one another, to celebrate those beliefs and practices around which we can unite, and develop mutual respect and appreciation for one another’s differences. This was of course the same triennial session in which one of our speakers, a highly respected and weighty Friend with many years of knowledge and experience with Quakers, said point blank that if Friends were going to have a future, Friends United Meeting and Friends General Conference should plan some joint sessions.

Maybe the time has come for us all to follow the example of convergent Friends and focus on those things around which we can find unity rather than those which divide us. One thing that unites us is that we all still believe there is a great work in the world to be done by Friends. But can we not accomplish more working together than any one group of us can on our own? So, if we are going to make this a year of peace, we must commit ourselves to the hard work of making peace, not just in the world, but among ourselves. As the song says, “let peace begin with me.” In this year of peace, let us all work together for peace and reconciliation, for unity and tolerance, and for mutual respect and understanding among Friends everywhere

"Where I'm Coming From" by Tony

2010-08-11T06:09:00.000-07:00

I was holding the door open at Jam’s Deli in Greensboro waiting for my daughter Ruth who had gotten us refills to go on our drinks when I became aware of Judy Collins’ sweet, clear voice singing one of my all time favorite songs

But now my friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
But something’s lost and something’s gained
In living every day

I chuckled to myself as I was driving away at the irony of hearing that old song when earlier that day I had received an e-mail from a good friend (Friend) who said he no longer felt like he understood where I was coming from. Funny how some songs can just seem to come to life in your own experience. Suddenly I had this flash back to our Wednesday night fellowship group where we are reading and discussing Brent Bill’s book The Sacred Compass, and I heard myself saying that one of the ways that God speaks to us might be a song we hear on the radio. That’s what the man said. That’s what I said. Be open to the possibility that God may be speaking to you anytime, anywhere, even through a song on the radio. Having been ever so gently smacked up side the head, I began to ponder this (actually I was just sort of thinking about it, but ponder sounds a lot deeper and heavier).

Yes, I have changed, or to phrase it more accurately I am being changed, and as result I am coming from a different place these days. I’m a little scared to name it because it sounds way too weighty and spiritual for somebody like me. So what I need to say is that it’s a place I’m hopefully moving toward, or on a journey to, and not some place I’ve taken up residence yet. The particular address is the center, that place where God’s love flows freely in all directions and to all. I heard a story a couple of years ago about some college kids in a city up North where a debate about gay rights was raging in the state legislature in the dead of winter. The snowy streets were filled with demonstrators both for and against the issue. Braving the icy cold, these college folks set up booth in the middle of the crowd and served hot coffee and donuts to all. Continuously asked why they were there and who they were supporting, they replied, “we’re here representing Jesus. He loves people regardless of which side they are on.” To me, that’s what coming from the center means.

It’s not an easy place to be. People on both sides are often disappointed or angry or no longer even consider you a friend because they perceive you are not in total agreement with them, or don’t understand why you have to look at issues from more than one side. It’s not an easy place to be because it demands that you act and speak from a place of love. This is how I know that I am being changed rather than changing myself, because I couldn’t do this in a million years. Some folks who know me well still raise their eyebrows or look at me a little funny when I talk about coming from a place of love because they know I am often insensitive, irritable, arrogant and stubborn (as one TV character used to say to another, “and those are your good points.”) This week I’m sure I raised some people’s hackles because I didn’t think everyone’s voice was being given equal weight in a committee decision.

But the good news is that God can and does break through all that from time to time, hopefully more often these days, and helps me see how much people need and want to be loved regardless of where they’re coming from or what their particular issues might be. And nobody does that like Jesus - Samaritan prostitutes, crooked tax collectors, convicted felons, and yes, even me. Early Quakers understood that principle which is how the phrase “let us see what love can do” became a part of our phraseology. If only it could be a part of our reality. For an organization that claims peace as one of its basic beliefs, we Quakers seem to have done an inordinate amount of fighting and splitting up among ourselves.

This morning I was reading the story of a paralyzed man Jesus healed and then told to take up his bed and walk. It happened to be on the Sabbath so the religious authorities rather than rejoicing because the man had been healed, were angry because one of their rules had been broken. They might not have ever even known about it had not Jesus told the man to carry his bedroll, so we might wonder why Jesus seemed to purposely attract their attention to what he had done, knowing it was going to create controversy. Maybe it was to remind them it was he who created the Sabbath in the first place, or maybe it was to show them that love and love alone was at the very center of God’s nature and that He always acts in love whether or not it was within the framework of their ideas of religion.

And there it is, the place I’m talking about, the place I want to take up residency, a place where everything is seen through the incredible lens of the love of God rather than the human constructs of religion. It’s a strange journey this one, to a place that I’m both coming from and moving toward all at the same time, which is impossible to do anywhere but in the all encompassing love of God.

"Orthodoxy - The Spirit of Elias is Upon Me" by Tony

2010-07-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

When I look at the history of the Society of Friends, I am always bothered by the great What If. What if Friends in 1827 had said ok, we have two somewhat different understandings of the basis of Quaker spirituality, so let’s find a way to continue to work together so that our witness to the Kingdom of God among us won’t be divided or compromised by our differences? What if the Wilburites and Gurneyites had been able to say, different strokes for different folks. You do worship in the way that seems most meaningful to you and we’ll do the same and we’ll respect and honor one another’s choices. Or what if (should I tremble to say this) the planners of the Richmond Conference had invited all Yearly Meetings and Friends groups to send delegates and not just those whom they considered to be “orthodox”? Who actually gave them the right to decide who was orthodox and who was not? It might even be said that the Richmond Conference and its aftermath was the real beginning of organized exclusion among Friends.

Historical accounts that I have read of the first separation suggest that the number of Friends who aligned themselves with Elias Hicks was not as much a statement of agreement with his doctrine as a protest against the efforts of those Friends who attempted to deny him the right to speak. While the motivation of those in power was no do a desire to protect Friends from what they regarded as false doctrine, the clear message that came out of the incident was that the larger body of Friends preferred weighing the speaker’s words and discerning truth for themselves rather than allowing others no matter how well intentioned to make that decision for them.

A couple of years ago I was working on co-ordinating a yearly meeting wide study of the NCYM-FUM Faith and Practice, which involved basically putting together a road show to go into each quarter and do a series of sessions on topics like Quaker history, theology, structure and organization, testimonies, etc. This also meant finding knowledgeable individuals in each of these areas to lead the discussions. I was amazed at how quickly I received lists from several quarters of who was and was not acceptable to them as session leaders. Most of the negatives were directed towards Guilford College, that bastion (or bastardization as a number of Friends seem to see it) of Quaker education and values.

I had some problems with this because one of the individuals on the don’t send list who shall remain nameless was a long-bearded, straw hat wearing, bicycle pumping fellow who along with the other classes he teaches at the aforementioned institution, offers one on the Biblical basis of the Quaker testimonies and over the years has introduced countless students from other Friends’ traditions who have never used one before to the Bible. And I am personally acquainted with some totally awesome YAFs who came to faith in Christ during their time at Guilford and are doing some amazing things now. Isn’t this what “orthodox”Friends are supposed to want to happen?

I also found it pretty strange that perceived problems with someone’s theology rendered years of training and education in the ways of Friends of no value, that an individual’s knowledge of Quaker history or organization and structure was only acceptable if their theology was “correct.” With the advice and consent of two weighty Friends in one of the anti-Guilford quarters, I did not make a substitution as requested by the “leadership” of the quarterly meeting but had the individual in question lead the session on testimonies. We had the folks who attended each session fill out an evaluation after it was over. This session received the highest rating of all those done in that quarter.

This year our Yearly Meeting at the urging of some brave souls has adopted Peace as its theme. I say brave souls because in a number of our meetings those American flags are prominently displayed at the front of the meeting house and I have seen a numbers of signs outside meetings saying “support out troops.” Peace of course is not just about the cessation of war, and some of the folks on our planning committee suggested some workshops at our annual sessions on things like Alternatives to Violence and Conflict Resolution in Meetings (what a thought -that we might have to learn to live peaceably with one another before the world will take seriously our peace testimony). Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly in all this talk of peace, a conflict arose because the leadership insisted that expertise and experience in peace work was not the criteria for determining who should be asked to facilitate the workshops, but whether or not individuals were “orthodox” in their theology.

However, don’t give us all the credit for this step back into our less than glorious past. Throughout Quakerdom there are those on the right who are afraid of what might happen if what might happen if their members are exposed to those on the left, and those on the left who are afraid to be exposed to those on the right, and programed Friends who don’t want their members exposed to unprogramed Friends, and vice versa, and Christ centered Friends who want nothing to do with other traditions, and non-Christ centered Friends with the same attitude. What if, instead of continuing the tradition of trying to shut out different voices begun by the clamor over Friend Elias back in 1827, we tried welcoming those with a different point of view and trusted the Spirit within instead of our own selves to guide us into Truth?
What if, as my friend Betsy Blake suggested in her video, we could all be Friends?

"Exploring the Meaning and Purpose of Quaker Structure" by Scott

2010-06-29T05:35:00.001-07:00

I have been exploring and mulling over in my mind the purpose and intent of Quaker structure. Years ago when I worked in a Yearly Meeting office the Superintendent I served with had a great way of looking at it. He would say, "The Yearly Meeting serves the local meeting, the local meeting does not serve the Yearly Meeting." I often think about that because my experience is that Yearly Meeting structures and often international Quaker organizations often seem set up for the local meeting to serve them.

This is not to say that Yearly Meeting offices and international offices don't have a purpose or place. But could it be said that a huge paradigm shift needs to take place and we might need to reimagine the whole set up? What would it look like if rather then the Yearly Meeting structures being set up that all the local meeting energy was flowing towards the Yearly Meeting programming the energy and resources flowed from the Yearly Meeting to the local meeting? (I would like to add to that the idea that rather then sending the Yearly Meeting's "Askings" or "Assessments" the Yearly Meetings sent money to the local meetings - but that's another post).

I recognize that at some point early Friends established structure and organization. My sense, though, is that their vision was that the structure would serve the vision and mission and not that the mission was to serve the structure. Quakers often seem in survival mode these days and in that mode there is a scrambling for resources and a piece of the pie. In that mode, immense pressure is put on local meetings to make sure that the Yearly Meetings survive.

What if the structure of Yearly Meetings in their present form are not meant to stay that way? In other words, can local meetings survive if there were Yearly Meeting offices? Could local meetings still minister and function if there were no Yearly Meeting committees? Could local meetings continue to thrive if there were no Yearly Meeting programs? My sense is they could. To be sure, there would still be some things that Yearly Meetings structures would and should need to provide but have the layers of what Yearly Meeting structures off have become so heavy and thick that it's weighing down the mission of what Friends need to be about?

I'm exploring this...and certainly don't have all the answers. All I know is that the life blood of Friends is the local meeting if there are no local meetings there are no Yearly Meetings and international organizations. It would seem that the thriving and flourishing of the local meeting would be of prime importance.

"Blue Bird Houses and the Beauty of Diversity" by Tony

2010-06-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

One of the most important things I do every year is put up houses in which beautiful mountain bluebirds nest. These are amazing creatures, no artist could ever come close to the incredible shade of blue of their wings. And when I see that a pair has nested in one of our houses, I am excited because I know that those eggs will hatch eventually and more of those glorious creatures will fly out into the world. And I know that we have been a part of making that happen and the world is a better place and a more beautiful place because they are there.
As I thought about this, it struck me that our meeting is a bluebird house of sorts as well, that people come in looking for a safe space to nest, to grow spiritually and move toward becoming who God wants them to be. Some remain with us for a long time, some sojourn for a spell and move on, but hopefully the results are the same -the world is a better and more beautiful place because the light of God’s love is shining out through them.

As I was sitting on my deck feeling very poetic and sort of other wordly about this, a bird flew overhead and plop -right on the deck rail a big old mess of bird droppings - yep, that happens too. It’s one of the prices you pay for having birds around, along with all the sunflower hulls and thistle and chaff that gets left all around the feeders. Birds make a mess and sometimes the beauty can lost as least for a while in the clean up process. But that’s not unique to birds either. We don’t get perfect people in our fellowship. We get the bruised, the broken, the walking wounded who more than anything else need to know that they are loved unconditionally by the One who made them. They come with a lot of baggage to unload, past hurts and problems that have to be opened gently to let the healing in. It’s a messy process and sometimes there’s a lot of chaff and droppings to be cleaned up with people as well and we can lose sight of the new creature that’s emerging. It’s a dirty job sometimes, but isn’t that what ministry really is?

When I shared these thoughts with our fellowship, one individual quickly said, “what if you get goldfinches in your bluebird house or cardinals? Do you chase them out to make room for the bluebirds, or do you let them stay?” The answer is we let them stay. As beautiful as the bluebirds are, their color is made more vivid by seeing birds of red and yellow and brown and black and white in the yard with them. I am blessed to live in a place that attracts such a variety of birds and celebrate whatever inhabitants God provides for our bird houses, both the physical and spiritual ones.

"The Ministry Among Us" (Tony's response regarding Scott's Open Worship post)

2010-06-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many pastoral ministers would make the same confession I did on Scott’s recent post about open worship – there have been times in my ministry when I have given a message when I have not received one because it was expected of me ( part of what I’m supposed to do as a released Friend for pastoral ministry). The sad part is after awhile you can do it without anybody even noticing. In fact, in my own experience, most of the same folks will say “good message today” on their way out the door. If I said I don’t have a message today, people would wonder what I’d been doing all week that I didn’t get around to what they see as my major responsibility, and maybe even start to question whether they should be looking for another minister.

But I look back at dear old George who on more than one occasion when invited to speak at a particular time and place showed up but never opened his mouth because God did not give him anything to speak for that place and time. And if it happened to someone as deeply spiritual and as in tune with God as George Fox, it’s bound to happen to someone like me. So it troubles me that we’ve somehow gotten the ministry into a place where it’s not ok to say that. What does it say about our belief that all are ministers and have an equal responsibility to listen for God’s message? And even if no one offers vocal ministry in the meeting, does that diminish our worship experience?

Maybe what I should say is sometimes I have a message, or a part of a message, but I don’t have THE message this week. I remember the days in my home meeting before I was a recorded minister when messages came to me during open worship, those times when your heart starts pounding and you get all shaky and your knees feel weak, but no matter how hard you fight it you have no choice but to stand and deliver that which you have received.
That still happens to me, sometimes during sermon preparation and sometimes even during delivery, but I get excited seeing it happen to someone else during our open worship time because it’s a visual reminder that the risen Christ is among us. It’s also to me much more of an affirmation of a real worship service than the comments made on the way out the door. More and more I’m coming to see my role as a worship facilitator, creating an environment and space where the Spirit of Christ and the gathered body can interact. I guess the reason I’m actually in the ministry is because I love the idea that God can use my feeble attempts to be faithful to Him as a springboard to propel others into His presence.

"Unapologetically Christian vs Christ-Centered" by Tony

2010-06-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

One of the concerns I came away from the YAF gathering in Wichita with is the use of the phrases Christ-centered and unapologetically Christian. While some folks seem comfortable using these terms interchangeably, to me there is a significant difference. Christ-centered is a statement of where I am but it does not require or even suggest that anyone else needs to be at the same place, so it feels more open to the kind of theological hospitality that is characteristic of convergent Friends. For me, it is a place of openness that invites people into conversation about what that means. To be unapologetically anything is the language of presupposed confrontation, i.e. I have drawn a line in the sand and I will not back down even if you demand it of me. It feels like the language of walls rather than bridges and seems to invite others to build their own walls as well (what if the next group to host a YAF event decides they need to be unapologetically non-Christian ?). And there it seems you have the history of Friends to date. So why would we need or want gatherings or events that only add another row of stones to the wall rather than seeking to remove one?

I am not unapologetically Christian. When you look at Christianity’s track record, it’s hard for me to imagine how anyone would not feel the need to be extremely apologetic for the persecutions and gross injustices that have been inflicted on the world by those who have called themselves Christians. Not only does the word Christian carry all this baggage from the past, but in the present it has come to be associated with a set of theological, political, and social stances that I do not always find to be reflective of my own understanding and experience of what it means to follow Jesus. This is why I am more comfortable describing myself as being Christ-centered or as being a follower of Jesus, or a disciple, not in the exclusive sense of being some spiritual guru, but in the true meaning of the word which is simply a learner.

If there is hope for a future for Friends marked by anything other than the same divisions and resentments we have nurtured in the past, we have to find a non-confrontational way of being with one another and listening to one another. And the key word here is find. In order to find something, we have to actively engage ourselves in the act of looking for it, as the Scripture says, “seek and you will find.” It will not just happen but requires an intentional atmosphere of openness and hospitality to and for one another. Not just YAFs, but all of us need to work to create that kind of space in all our gatherings.

"A Case for Unprogrammed Worship...By a Programmed Pastoral Friend" ~ Scott Wagoner

2010-05-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is fifth Sunday. Every fifth Sunday we (Deep River Friends Meeting) have a semi-programmed worship. We are a pastoral programmed meeting in North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Friends United Meeting) so our worship each Sunday follows a fairly programmed order. But, on the fifth Sunday, we break out of that routine and extend our Open Worship time to include at least thirty minutes of our worship. As a pastor and programmed Friend I love this unprogrammed worship on the fifth Sunday. Some may say I love it because it gets me off the hook of having to prepare a sermon and I get "the day off." As attractive at that might be, that's not the real reason I love it. Here are a few reasons:

1) Having extened Open Worship or semi-programmed worship - or unprogrammed worship - in our meeting serves as an important reminder to me that I am not the only one that has a message. I don't know how other pastors might respond but I know how easy it is to think at times that I am the only one that has a message to give on Sunday morning. Our unprogrammed time of worship reminds me that this is not the case.

2) Our unprogrammed worship time reminds me that other folks do have a message and are very capable of bringing powerful vocal ministry to our meeting for worship. Sometimes this might be the sharing of an extended thought, a prophetic word, maybe a testimonial of how God has been at work in their life, or even a song or poem. Whatever it is, it often comes from a very deep and authentic place which has a power of its own. .

3) During the unprogrammed worship time the silence itself can be healing. Like many others I live in a very noisy world. I also live in a world where many voices clamor for my attention. In this world I often don't take the time to be silent, to listen, to clear the clutter in my soul. In the silence I am given the opportunity to rest and to hear the One Voice that truly loves me and cares for me in a way that no one else can. The silence is healing in that I am allowed a space to hear God and hear my life.

4) In unprogrammed worship I am given a gift and opportunity I very rarely get - a time to listen to God and God's calling upon my True Self. Certainly, there are other times I could do this if I made the time...but I don't make the time. Unprogrammed worship invites me back to this experience of truly sitting before the Creator and hearing the Voice of Love speak to me in the the most tender and direct manner. In those moments of silence, I have often heard God speak in ways I have never heard before. Not because God wasnt speaking but because I was not listening.

For folks that are often used to a programmed worship, a time of unprogrammed worship doesnt come easy. Some choose not to come. Some look at their watches and wonder why the time is going so slow. But some, if they are willing to explore the gift that is offered them, discover (or rediscover) the power of God's voice in the Holy quietness. And just maybe they will never be the same.

"Kids Are The Best Teacher" by Ruth Lowe

2010-05-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

(Our guest blogger is Ruth Lowe. Ruth is Tony's daughter and a recent graduate of Guilford College)

On a sunny May afternoon, 6 year-old Emma Pierce-Coleman and I went for a walk down to the field behind her house, and like always, Emma ended up wading in the creek. I’m sure it didn’t occur to her that with both of our big moves coming up that this was our last chance to spend time together in The Field, like we had so many times before, but I was painfully aware of it. During one of the darkest and most depressing times in my life thus far, spending time with kids and dogs in a sunny field beside a creek really kept me going.

On this particular afternoon, Emma was in the creek “helping” a stick float down the slow moving creek. She walked down the length of the creek, water up to her knees, navigating the stick through the water. As is our custom, I walked along the bank of the creek. Every few feet Emma would call out to me. “Are you still there?” Sometimes it was hard to see me through the thick foliage on the bank. “Yes, I’m right here!” Occasionally I would lose sight of her too. “Emma, are you there? Is everything ok?” Yelling through the bushes she would report to me the progress of her stick and her journey. “There’s some big rocks coming up ahead.” She’s come a long way since last summer, a mere 5 year-old, hadn’t even been to kindergarten, she followed her older sister down the creek and got stuck on a rock. I’d gone sloshing into the creek after her and scooped the crying Emma off of the rock and carried her to shore. Not now though. She’s navigating it by herself pretty well. My role is pretty much just to walk beside her and reassure her. “I just fell in but I can
change clothes when I get home,” her little voice reports after the sound of a big splash. I just laugh. This isn’t anything new. “Yup, that’s right.”

From outside of the creek, I have a better perspective. I can tell where Emma is in relation to the land and how close she is to the edge of the field where the creek bends, and she always gets out. “Am I at the end yet?” She calls. “No, about half way there, keep going!” I encourage her. “Ok, keep walking with me!” her little voice comes bursting through the mulberry bushes.

What Emma wanted from me is what we all want from our spiritual communities and from the Divine. I don’t always understand Emma’s task (why can’t she just let the stick float by itself?) but I support her because it’s important to her. She tells me of the challenges that are facing her (There’s a lot of rocks up ahead, it’s really deep right here!) and I encourage her and reassure her until she makes it through the rough patches. From outside of the creek I give her a bigger perspective on where she is on her journey. And when she’s completed her task and the stick has made it to the bend in the creek, we hold hands and run home together through the field.

"Spare Not Tongue, Nor Pen Nor Blog" by Tony Lowe

2010-05-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have resisted the whole blog for a good while. About a week ago it seemed to me someone was being overly critical of blogs and bloggers and I found myself defending it as really being no more than electronic interactive journal keeping, a time honored tradition among Friends. So would George Fox blog? You bet your leather britches and your shaggy, shaggy locks he would, especially while in prison if they didn’t confiscate his laptop.

And thats why I felt some compulsion to do it as well (along with a little pressure, I mean friendly persuasion from some folks who will remain nameless (are you blogging YET?) Because unlike some Friends in a conversation I stumbled into this week, there is a part of me that does want to be a 1600's Friend. Or maybe not so much to be one as to feel connected to those first Quakers in a very real and meaningful way - to be able to see myself and my life as one small story woven into the fabric of the narrative they began, in some way being a part of helping it to continue to unfold. Maybe that=s why I love Quaker history; the stories of those early Friends make it come alive and excite my own desires to be faithful to those traditions.

But, being faithful to those traditional values does not mean being bound to the same forms and expressions. For most of us plain speech and plain dress no longer seem to be an effective witness to our testimony for equality. So we open ourselves to new revelation about how we can incarnate this truth in a relevant and meaningful way in our world, or we are led to a new awareness of places and situations where the light of our testimony for equality needs to shine into the darkness of prejudice or discrimination. But being faithful does mean we=re not going to recognize as new revelation a message that says just forget the whole equality thing, it=s not that important anymore.

It occurs to me that what I am talking about here really is convergence, taking those ideals and values and ethics that have defined our faith and made us a peculiar people throughout our history and searching for new, fresh life giving, hope-filled ways of bringing their witness to bear on the world in which we now live.

And blogs seem like a good way to explore together what that looks like. So blog on Friends, dear old George is with you in spirit.

"Reflections on the Pendle Hill Convergent Gathering" by Tony Lowe

2010-05-23T18:36:00.000-07:00

(The following is a post from Tony Lowe. Tony is a member of North Carolina Yearly Meeting and particpated in the recent Convergent gathering at Pendle Hill. Tony serves Fancy Gap Friends in North Carolina. Tony will be joining me as together we will be posting regularly our thoughts, hopes, and dreams for a new kind of Quakerism)

Most of the convergent gatherings I have attended have left me feeling hopeful and excited about re-imagining our future as a people of faith, so I was a little surprised that I left the recent gathering at Pendle Hill with a sense of something close to sadness. I first attributed it to my own frame of mind coming into the weekend. Like many other folks, I have been both disturbed and disappointed by the controversies regarding the upcoming YA conference in Wichita being fueled by a few who seem to have no purpose but to try and throw a damper on the gBut as I reflected on the weekend, there was one moment that seemed to be at the heart of what I was feeling.
During one of the worship times , Wess encouraged those present to think of themselves as midwives who would help to “birth” this new understanding of how we relate to the world around us and to one another. As he was sharing this, what came to my mind was how often the metaphor of childbirth is used in the Biblical narrative to represent new life, change in the status quo, and real hope for the future. The images are not all joyful, however. The writers say quite plainly that in the birth process there will be pain and difficulty and suffering which will be surpassed only by the joy that comes from bringing forth new life.
The same is true of the process that we must go through as well. New life means change which will be exciting to some, but threatening to others. I am convinced that some of the negative responses/attitudes even actions to the idea of convergence are coming from a place of feeling threatened or fearful of where it might lead. And the threat is not just a perceived one. There is by necessity an element of death in new life. Jesus told his disciples that a kernel of wheat had to fall to the ground and die in order to produce new life. And the same is true of Friends. As hard as it may be for some of us to accept, there will be death as a part of this new life, death of some institutions, places, and things we have cherished. There will be Friends’ Meetings and Friends’ churches that will be unwilling or unable to make the transition.
Then I began to think about the role of the midwife, not just as it relates to birth and new life, but also as comforter, caregiver, even as a companion at death. Like them, we are called to rejoice with the those who are bringing forth new life, but to offer comfort and care to those in the process , and to weep with those who life is ebbing away.
So, while for me this gathering was not as joyous and exciting as some I have attended, I am grateful to Wess and Martin for a wider vision and a better understanding of the work to which convergent Friends are called. Thanks guys.

Quakers As The Great "Middlers"

2008-12-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving I had the chance to peruse some books that I still need to get to. One of them is the new book The Great Emergence by Phyllis Tickle. This book has getting a wide read and is also sparking some conversations. Like other authors prior to Tickle, she sees new movements emerging approximately every 500 years and seems to indicate that we are right within the 400 to 500 year period now. That is to say, one of the reasons denominations, churches, church leaders, and denominational execs feel so much upheaval and even stress is that we are quite possibly living in a huge era of transition. Consequently, the "old maps" don't work anymore and are pretty useless in providing us guidance and direction. We are like explorers who need to write new maps and chart new territory. Unfortunately, if a person leans toward a leadership of high control and regulation, this will be a very frustating time. The leadership needed for times such as this is a leadership that is adaptable and flexible.

While perusing Tickles book I came across this quote near the end of her book. In it, she has some things to say about Quakers:

"Both by heritage and by virture of having always been middlers belonging in nobody's camp, the Quakers have from the beginning had a distinctly 'other' easiness with the paradoxical interplay of revelation, discernment, and Scripture in the life and governance of the body of Christ on earth. Not exactly a refusal to engage questions of authority, Quaker thought chooses rather to assume that quiet engagement with God and the faithful reveals authority from the center out to other centers of engagement. Network theory, in other words, or at the very least, proto-network theory."

Rather then having a center of authority, Tickle seems to indicate that Quakers have, as part of their heritage, the ability to "network" spiritually and to keep following the sense of Truth through their leadings and engagement with the Spirit at a very deep level. This gives Quakers the ability to connect with folks from various backgrounds as they seek to "network" with the leadings of others.

Part of this new emergence also is that we are more connected with narrative then proposition. Tickle goes on to add:

"Narrative...is the song of the vibrating network. It is the spider's web in its trembling, a single touch on one strand setting all the others to resonating. Narrative circumvents logic, speaking the truth of the people who have been and fo whom we are. Narrative speaks to the heart in order that the heart, so tutored, may direct and inform the mind."

The beauty in all of this is that Quakers have a real role they can play in the emergent movement. Rather then fearing it, we can joyfully engage it and add our own nuances to it as we seek to follow God's leadings through this time of transition.

How Fear Distorts our Perceptions

2008-11-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

After the New Kind of Quaker conference, I mentioned two kinds of spiritual journeys - a spirituality based on fear or a spirituality based on love. One of my favorite writers and bloggers, Jim Palmer, writes about how fear distorts our perceptions of reality. I have included a quote from one of his posts. You can read more of what he has to say at www.divinenobodies.com.

"Our perception of reality is grossly distorted by fear. On an individual, family, community, city, country, hemispheric, global level we function with a fear-based mentality. We make fear-based decisions, we create and perpetuate fear-based institutions, we invest endless resources of every kind to fend off or neutralize things we fear. It’s always in the back of our mind…what if. It is so ingrained that we never question the notion that life is an endless number of people, outcomes, conditions, and circumstances to fear. We live in fear. It is the air that we breathe, and the undercurrent to everything that transpires. We fear lack, death, separation, condemnation, aloneness, loss, disease, and calamity. We feel it - nothing is safe, life is not safe. Every imagined fear is held to be an unquestioned certainty, it’s just the way it is. Only a blind idiot cannot see that fear is real and logical and a force that we must contend with in every moment and decision of our lives.
But what if there really isn’t anything to fear? You know, “there is nothing to fear but fear itself.” What if the entire system of fear is a house of cards, and the only thing propping it up is your, my, our belief in it. What if there is no fear apart from the fear we have created and empowered as a result of imagining and believing there is something to fear. What if there is really no lack, or no separation, or no condemnation, or no death, or no calamity?What would happen if each of us, one by one, began divesting ourselves from all fear? What if each of us began to call fear’s bluff? What if we took every fear-thought captive, and refused to live in fear. What if we totally ceased from giving our energies to fear? What if lived in this world and related to one another without fear? I don’t mean positive thinking or hoping there really isn’t anything to fear, but knowing confidently without any flinch that fear isn’t real. In other words, fear is always dialing up for us a response on what to think, what to do, what to choose, how to act, what to feel, etc. But what if we didn’t follow the response that fear dialed up? We ignored it, didn’t listen, and instead followed through with knowing there is nothing to fear?
What might this involve or look like if you, me, we…tomorrow morning…began collapsing the illusion of fear in our own lives? What would that look like for you?"

What Does A "New Kind of Quaker" Look Like?

2008-11-21T11:50:00.001-08:00

Since the weekend "New Kind of Quaker" conference in North Carolina (November 14-15), I have been giving some thought to the question, "Exactly what does a 'new kind of Quaker' look like?" Do they look like they always did but just behave differently? Do they wear different clothes? Worship differently? If they are 'new', what does 'old'? mean? I don't know if I can answer all of these - or even if they are the right questions. But, as I have tried to picture a "new kind of Quaker", this is what he/she might look like to me.

1) The old kind of Quaker relies on geographical locations and Yearly Meeting designations to inform their perception and understanding of another Quaker. (ie, "You're from Indiana, you must be an evanglical" or "You're from Baltimore, you must be liberal" or "You're a programmed Friend, you must be evangelical" or "You're an unprogrammed Friend, you must be liberal" )

The new kind of Quaker looks past the geographical locations and Yearly Meeting designations and seeks to truly understand and hear the story, spiritual journey, and heart of the other person. They don't put them in any kind of theological container or file. Rather, they seek to see and hear that of God in the other.

2) The old kind of Quaker is pretty sure that pastoral programmed evangelical Friends meetings focus on evangelism and non-pastoral unprogrammed liberal Friends meetings focus on issues of peace and social justice.

The new kind of Quaker doesnt see this as either/or but both/and. They see the need for a proclamation of the good news (evangelism) as well as a demonstration of the good news (issuesof peace and social justice). One is not more important the the other but both are necessary expressions of God active work.

3) The old kind of Quaker works very hard at making sure the institutional form of Quakerism keeps going and stays propped up because if the "central agencies" and "committee structures" and "central offices" cease to exist then Quakerism as we know it would cease to exist.

The new kind of Quaker is not as focused on the "institution of Quakerism" as they are the "spirit of Quakerism" and they realize that the Quaker vision and calling can be lived out whether or not you have buildings, committees, a central office, or even a menu or programs.

4) The old kind of Quaker tends to focus on the past and seeks to replicate the past as a way to bring life to the present and the future.

The new kind of Quaker appreciates the past but seeks to live in the present because the Living Christ is in the present and is providing leadings, direction, and guidance as to who we are to become in the future.

5) The old kind of Quaker feels that the future of Quakerism will look an awfully lot like the past of Quakerism. The only difference is that we will have somehow convinced more people to get involved and help in making sure this version of Quakerism survives.

The new kind of Quaker feels pretty sure that the future of Quakerism will not look anything like the past of Quakerism and is both scared but excited as to how the future will unfold for Quakers and what Quakers in the future will look like.

6) The old kind of Quaker wants to make sure we pass on buildings, property, and programs to the next generation.

The new kind of Quaker wants to make sure we pass on a living faith, a demonstration of faithfulness, and a heart of integrity to the next generation.

7) The old kind of Quaker secretly believes that their version of Quakerism is the true version and that all the others are not yet enlightened.

The new kind of Quaker believes that Quakerism cannot be contained within a methodology and that their is no one true version but that all "versions" have something to offer and gifts to share.

8) The old kind of Quaker believes that Quakerism can best be defined propositionally and relies on "belief statements" and "declarations of faith" to fully describe the living experience of Quakers.

The new kind of Quaker believes that a propositional faith is not adequate to sustain the Quaker experience and believes wholeheartedly that the world "relationship" best describes what it means to live as a Quaker - to be in relationship with God, Jesus, and one another.

9) The old kind of Quaker sees business meetings as a "necessary evil" and something that must be put up with until we get to the good stuff.

The new kind of Quaker seeks to see the Living Christ moving and leading amidst the business and truly sees it as a meeting for worship with the purpose of conducting business.

10) The old kind of Quaker gets ticked off when they see a list like this because they feel threatnend and live out of a spirituality of fear.

The new kind of Quaker chooses to not fear but chooses to love and live out a spirituality of love and is willing to hear what truth, if any, might reside in a list like this.

Blessings!

"New Kind of Quaker" Gathering - Greensboro / High Point,North Carolina

2008-11-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I had the privilege and opportunity of being part of a very special gathering of Friends. It was the "New Kind of Quaker" sponsored by the Friends Center of Guilford College and hosted by Deep River Friends Meeting in High Point, NC. As the pastoral minister at Deep River Friends, I had the opportunity to be there for the whole experience as a workshop leader, participant, and even dishwasher! I was blessed in all my roles.

I want to say how struck I was by the sincere spiritual depth of those attending. I have to say that I was probably one of the older ones at 46 years old. At the risk of sounding patronizing (which I hope I don't!) these were very spiritual sensitive young adults who seemed to have a much deeper awareness and grasp of a spiritually powerful Quakerism then I did. The first night, I walked a few minutes late into the meeting room and already there was a deep silence covering the room. They had already gathered and were sitting in silence to prepare for the evening session. No musical Prelude was necessary. No tacky religious emcee. Just sitting in deep centering prayer and making room for the Divine Presence. It had been a long time since I had been part of something like that and these young adults were leading the way.

All the workshops and main sessions were filled with a deep sense of F/friends seeking greater understanding of truth as well as a greater understanding of one another. There were hard questions as well as hard answers. There was also deep sharing in the Worship Sharing groups and a desire to get to know one another in deeper ways. Personally, I was excited to witness a group of Quakers gathering to see how they could come to a deeper understanding of the Living Christ and how to live in the way of Jesus rather then trying to figure out who was the real Quaker and whether or not my God can beat up your God.

The conference was designed to connect up with the ongoing emergent movement and come to a greater understanding of the movement called Convergent (Quakers exploring the emergent movement and made up of Conservative Quaker leanings and Emergent leanings). I'm not that sure we adequately covered that and addressed that but I felt that what we experienced on Friday and Saturday was itself a living example of what it would mean to live out a Convergent experience.

What I also witnessed were young adults with a deep desire to follow the leadings and callings of the Living Christ but to live them out in ways that addressed social issues and justice issues. This was not a group looking for just a "personal salvation" experience or how they could add more information to their spiritual seeking. This was a group that was desiring to be faithful to the calling of Christ to open up their hearts to the many offices of Christ (Prophet, Priest, King, and Savior) as well and bring justice and righteousness to this earth. As one who was certainly older then most of the participants, I felt challenged and convicted by their passion and desire to live out an authentic spiritual journey.

Most of all, I was touched by the graciousness of everyone I met. I am sure there were those in attendance that believed differently then I did or saw life differently then I did. But, there was a deep graciousness that covered the whole experience. This was so refreshing and different from other gatherings - even within my own Yearly Meeting - where folks gather and seem tense because of fear of the other.

Ultimately, I discovered this past weekend that our spirituality can either be based on love or fear. If its based on fear, you will always be suspect of the other and even manifest anger, cynicism, and sarcasm. If its based on love, there will be graciousness, kindness, hospitality, and even patience. I, for one, long to live out a spirituality of love rather then a spirituality of fear. Fear always loses and is a loss for the world. Love always wins and is a victory for the world. And what our world needs is a love based spirituality and not a fear based one.

I certainly do not see this conference as the end but a beginning. The beginning of a conversation that will invite us to consider more of what the Convergent Movement can bring to Friends. Those who are leading the Convergent Movement I encourge them to keep on going and listening to the Living Christ. It is a much needed experience and is finding openings in many hearts.

"A New Kind of Quakerism" Conference - November 14-15, 2008

2008-10-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

Some have inquired through email and other sources regarding the status of the conference entitled "A New Kind of Quakerism". Apparently, there is a buzz out there and some excitement about this event. That's great! Here is some pertinent information that might be helpful in your planning.

1) The conference is scheduled for November 14-15 (Friday / /Saturday) at Deep River Friends Meeting in High Point, North Carolina. We are located at 5300 West Wendover Avenue, High Point, NC 27265. Our phone number is 336-454-1928. Our email address is deepriver@northstate.net. I want to just make sure that everyone is aware that the Friends Center of Guilford College and the Quaker Renewal Program gets the credit for planning this conference. We are just the site it is being held...but we wholeheartedly support it and welcome the opportunity to provide hospitality.

2) Max Carter is Director of the Friends Center and can be contacted at 336-316-2445. You can also go to the Friends Center page at http://www.guilford.edu.

3) This November 14-15 retreat / conference is being described as a time of "...intergenerational workshops on the theme 'A New Kind of Quakerism' and drawing on the energy and vision of young adult Friends as well as the new 'convergent' Friends movement. The "convergent Friends" are described as Friends that are "...seeking a deeper understanding of our Quaker heritage and a more authentic life in the kingdom of God on earth, and are radially inclusive of everyone who shares this wish." This is a quote by Robin Mohr from the Friends Journal (October 2006)

4) Practically speaking there are plenty of hotels / motels around Deep River Friends if anyone wishes to stay there. Please contact us and we'll provide information on these places. Also, please be aware, Friends are welcome to stay at our meetinghouse overnight. We do have places that folks can thrown down a sleeping bag and pillow and be comfortable. We do not have shower facilities but have more than adequate bathroom and kitchen facilities.

I hope this is helpful to those that are thinking of attending. We're looking forwards to an exciting time!

Blessings,
Scott Wagoner
Pastoral Minister
Deep River Friends Meeting

"New Kind of Quaker" Conference Update

2008-07-25T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone ~
A few of you have expressed an interest in attending the conference scheduled for November 14-15 in North Carolina. This is being sponored by the Friends Center of Guilford College of which Max Carter directs. As more information comes my way (ie, cost, etc), I can get the word out. In the meantime, I will talk to Max about publishing possible housing options. Since we have been getting the word out on the internet, this is the first time we have received interest from folks outside the Yearly Meeting - and North Carolina- for that matter. But, that is good. It's an important topic and one that needs all who feel led to be present and in attendance. So, more info is to come. If you are interested, please just post your interest level on the blog. Thanks!

A Christianity...and Quakerism...Worth Believing and Embracing

2008-07-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Right now, I'm working my way through Doug Pagitt's recent book, A Christianity Worth Believing. In it, he has some great thoughts worth mulling over. Early on, he describes the kind of Christianity that is his desire and vision. Pagitt longs for a Christianity that:

"...makes sense in the world in which we live, a Christianity that is not afraid of questions and will not resist answers, regardless of where they lead. It is my attempt to embrace a faith that is expansive, growing, and beautiful on in which God is active and alive involved in all of life. Because I believe in a Christianity where nothing is left out and no one is left behind, where humanity participates with God in the redemption of the world; where sin is more than a legal problem to be judged but a relational problem that can be healed; where we pursue harmony, centered on Jesus the Messiah, the Jew, whose life, death, and resurrection allow us to live well with God; there the Bible draws us into a story of life and healing; where we find hope for this life and life ever after; where love is alive, where love drives out fear, where love propels us towards lives lived for the betterment of the world."

I guess when I read this, it is very easy for me to also plug in the identification of "Quakerism" when I see the name "Christianity." For not only do I long for this type of Chrisianity, I long for this kind of expression of Christianity..a Quakerism that is not afraid to ask questions or resist answers regardless of where they lead...a Quakerism that is expansive, growing, and beautiful and one where God is active and alive and involved in all of life...a Quakerism where nothing or no one is left behind and all of humanity participates with God in the redemption and mending of the world...a Quakerism where love is alive, love drives out fear, and love propels us towards lives lived for the betterment of our world...and our communities!

New Kind of Quaker Conference - November 2008

2008-07-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
Just letting you know that Max Carter is planning a Quaker Renewal conference in November to be held at Deep River Friends Meeting in High Point, NC. It's theme will be "A New Kind of Quaker" and is intended to bring together young adults, seasoned (old) adults, and others that have an interest in what a "new kind of Quaker" looks like for the 21st century. The following is a "teaser" of what to expect in terms of interest groups, speakers, etc:

"A New Kind of Quakerism?"
A Quaker Renewal Program Workshop

November 14-15, 2008
Deep River Friends Meeting

Sponsored by Friends Center at Guilford College (Preceded by a three-week book study of Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw's "Jesus for President")

Friday, November 14
6:45 pm Registration and refreshments
7:15 pm "A New Kind of Quakerism? Convergent Friends and Young Adult
Friends' Concerns" - Betsy Blake (tentative "yes," pending
discernment)
8:15 pm Worship-sharing groups, with word exercises and discussion
starters.
9:00 pm Closing worship

Saturday, November 15
9:00 am Pastries and drinks
9:15 am First workshop offerings

1. Building intergenerational community in the RSoF: initiatives of FGC's youth ministries committee - Maia Hallward
2. A new technology for a new Quakerism - Scott Wagoner?
3. The experience of YAF gatherings at Lancaster, Burlington, and Richmond - Rebecca Sullivan (yes); Megan Fair? Nathan Sebens? Betsy Blake?
10:30 am Break

11:00 am Second workshop offerings
1. So what are we afraid of? - Dave Mercadante?
2. Sharing the experience of QLSP alumni and current students - Evelyn Jadin, et. al.?
3. Panel of YAFs from different branches - Megan Fair, et. al.
12:15 pm Lunch break.
1:00 pm "A Spiritual Journey from Unprogrammed Friends through QLSP
into Programmed Friends" - Evelyn Jadin?
2:00 pm Worship-sharing groups.
3:00 pm Break

3:30 pm Third workshop offerings
1. What's our place as YAFs in the RSoF/ What are YAFs doing now? - Erin Wagoner and Stephen Dotson (yes)
2. "Emergent" and "Convergent": the broader Christian context for a new Quaker movement - Tony Lowe and April Baker
3. The making of "Can We All be Friends?" - Betsy Blake (yes,
pending discernment)
4:45 pm Closing semi-programmed worship.

2008-05-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Open Source Spirituality
In his most recent book, "Finding Our Way Again", Brian Mclaren writes about our spiritual lives as being "open sources." Here's what he has to say:

"The term 'open source' draws from the world of technology where in 1998, some software developers in Palo Alto, California, instead of keeping their codes secret as propietary information under their control, offered them to the general public and invited willing volunteers to participate in their ongoing development and adaptation. A similiar process (using the term 'request for comments' instead of 'open source' ) was used to develop the Internet in the late 1960's, and open-source methodology has played an expanding role in the development of the Internet in the years since, especially in projects like Wikipedia and YouTube."

Then, Mclaren makes this connection with our spiritual journeys:

"As more and more of us open our lives to be sources of inspiration and examples for one another, we being to seize the unfulfilled promises of the Reformation with it's open-source concept of 'the priesthood of all believers'....It's true that not everyone can go to seminary. Not everyone can go live in a monastery. But all of us can wake up to the people around us, whose lives embody - not perfectly but authentically - practices of the spiritual life. And each of us can aspire to become an open source of embodied spiritual practices for the benefit of others."I like this idea - of being an "open source" of inspiration. It puts a nice, contemporary spin on the whole idea of the "priesthood of all believers." I think most people can connect with the terminology of being an "open source" rather then the "priesthood of all believers."

Going into my day with the vision of being an "open source" of inspiration invites me to think about how I have sometimes been a "closed source" - how I have cut off myself from being an open source of inspiration.For Quakers, it also becomes important that we see others as "open sources" of inspiration - ones that can embody to us the presence of God. We may not even agree completely with their theology but they can still be those "open sources" of light and love to us.

New Kind of Quakerism and Convergent Friends - Mutations of Hope

2008-04-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

The following quote is taken a Pendle Hill Pamphlet entitled Rethinking Quaker Principles. It's written by Rufus Jones. I share it because it offers an interesting look at what it means to be "new" and how this connects with the idea of "emergent".

"It is not often that something wholly new comes to our world. We can probably say that something absolutely new never happens. The newest form always bears some marks of the old out of which it sprung."

Quick thought: that's how I envision a "new kind of Quaker". We're not necessarily seeing something "brand new" that is so against what has come before. A new kind of Quaker more or less bears some marks of the old. We are not creating something completely different but springing out of what has come before. Okay, here is some more of Rufus Jones:

"The new, like the new moon, is born in the arms of the old. We have a new word for the breaking in of the new out of the existent old. We call it a mutation. A mutation is a unique and unpredictable variation in the process of life. It is the unexpected appearance of a new type in an old order. It is a leap and not a mere dull recurrence of the past. Something emerges that was not here before. something that is not just the sum of the preceding events."

This previous quote helps me to further understand a "new kind of Quaker" as well as Convergent Friends. I'm not so sure the word "mutation" works for me but the definition certainly does. In fact, if we were to use the term "Convergent Friends" or even "New kind of Quaker" in place of "mutation", we may have something. For example:

A "new kind of Quaker" is a unique and unpredictable variation in the process of life. It is the unexpected appearance of a new type in an old order. It is a leap and not a mere dull recurrence of the past.

Both the "new kind of Quaker" and "Convergent Friends" are "unique and unpredictable" variations in the process of life. We're not sure where they will end up, but they are "in process" and we trust God is leading that process. They are also unexpected appearances of a new type - in an old order! I am reminded of the words of God in the book if Isaiah, "Behold, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it?" We don't just want to remake the past. That's succumbing to romantic nostalgia and turning it into an idol. We want to take a "leap of faith" into the new that God has called us as Quakers - this new order growing out of the old.

If you want to find more on these wonderful pamphlets, just go to www.pendlehill.org

Connected Rather Then Separate - New Kinds of Quakers

2008-04-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

The following quote is from a post by Jim Palmer on his website / blog www.divinenobodies.com
Jim is an excellent writer ("Divine Nobodies" and "Wide Open Spaces" are his two books). He is a former pastor and also one who grew up in the evangelical world. Recently, his spiriual journey has taken him down a much wider road spiritually. As I read him, I can't help but think of we could be as "new kinds of Quakers" as we digest his thinking and understanding of the spiritual life. Read what he has to say about how we tend to view each other as separate from us rather then connected. What would it be like if we saw other Quakers as connected to us rather then separate.

"do we have to override the sensory data fed to us through our physical senses to process spiritual truth as we go about life? for example, sensory data is continuously telling me that all people are separate and independent beings. i am separate from you. Jesus used metaphors like a tree and a human body to emphasize our connectedness. the same divine life is the sap of the tree running through all the branches. there are many different body parts, but it’s all one body. you and i both share in the same divine image. you and i are drawing life from the same and one and only life support system. we derive true love and peace from the same source.
whether you think of this oneness as only existing among certain people, or you feel it applies to all people, i have a question.
what would be different if you stopped seeing others as separate from you, and began seeing others as part of you? again, maybe your field of application would be other Christians you go to church with, fine. maybe your field of application is everyone you come in contact with, fine. i’m not interested on this post of debating who we may or may not be one with. i am purely interested in the following:
if you saw yourself and others as one, rather than two totally separate beings what would be different. if this is where you are, describe what is the difference you experience. if you’re not quite there in practice, what do you imagine might be different. how would that awareness of your oneness with others manifest in your life?"

Welcome To A New Kind of Quaker

2008-04-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a "New Kind of Quaker". For those of you familar with Brian McLaren, you will notice the obvious "title stealing." With my apologies to Brian McLaren, I did this because I felt this notion of a "new kind" speaks to my condition and what I seek to live into. In reading McLaren's work, I appreciate his invitation to think about Christianity that is less "either / or" and more "both /and". In in his work, he seeks to bring hope and energy to folks that are weary and tired of the "left vs right" arguments or the "liberal vs conservative" attacks. To that end, he seeks to envision a "new kind of Christian" that is essentially an invitation to truly follow the way of Jesus. It's not "new" in the sense of improving on what Jesus has already given us. It's "new" in the sense of trying something we may have not actually have even attempted - to do exactly what Jesus invited us to do and be.

As I envision a "new kind of Quaker", I envision someone who not only seeks to follow authentically in the way of Jesus but one who also seeks to live into that original vision of the Society of Friends. Even more, I envision one who is no longer interested in investing time in "who is right and who is wrong" but is more interested in seeing how God is at work in the variety of folks we have among Friends. A "new kind of Quaker" is less concerned about "theological purity" and is more concerned about making sure we are "doing theology" by seeing our our faith is put into action. A "new kind of Quaker" isnt going to spend alot of time coming up with resolution after resolution in order to pull the drawstrings of exlcusivity tighter and tighter. Rather, a "new kind of Christian" will seek a more inclusive vision of God's presence and reign in this world so that all of God's gifts - and children - are celebrated. A "new kind of Quaker" doesnt separate the "spiritual from the secular" but seeks to bring together in a holistic way their faith with other aspects of creation. In other words, it matters to our faith how we treat the enviroment, how we consume, and how we treat the poor and the disadvantaged. A "new kind of Quaker" is going to look down on certain Quaker acronyms ("They are from EFI, or FUM, or FGC") but a "new kind of Quaker" seeks to enjoy all the Quaker alphabet has to offer. In other words, a "new kind of Quaker" sees the value in both the person from EFI and FCNL, from FUM and AFSC, from FUM and FGC.

What is your vision of a "new kind of Quaker?"