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.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
"Kids Are The Best Teacher" by Ruth Lowe
(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.
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
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.
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.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
"Reflections on the Pendle Hill Convergent Gathering" by Tony Lowe
(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.
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.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Quakers As The Great "Middlers"
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.
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.
Friday, November 21, 2008
How Fear Distorts our Perceptions
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?"
"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?
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!
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)