I posted this in the "Christian Quakers" Facebook group, but wonder what the broader perspective of Friends is on this question. It’s a question about what our Witness should be in the 21^st century. This is not an infrequent question, I realize, which is a good thing; to badly paraphrase the philosopher, the unexamined religious life is hardly worth the effort. And I also realize that the RsoF often loves to talk about the Quaker message that Christ has come to teach His people…

Jesus is a noun, Christ is a being verb.

Not me, but Christ in me

Not me, but I am in me.

Not anger, but I am.

Not joy, but I am.

Not peace, but I am.

Not ideals, but I am.

Not morals, but I am.

Not occupation, but I am.

Not community, but I am.

Not institution, but I am.

Not individual, but I am.

Not politics, but I am.

Not theology, but I am.

Not ideology, but I am.

Not agenda, but I…

Immediate: True to the Court of Quaker Opinion, we claim an immediate connection with the divine.

Mediated: As in Psalm 82:6?

Immediate: That of God in us gives us the ability, if not the right, to claim such an association.

Mediated: Actually, you claim the privilege, not the responsibility, of your immediate connection/association with the divine.

Immediate: That of God in us is both Teacher and Guide.

Mediated: And what is not of God in you creates the…

One of the blessings of living on Long Island are our mild winters.  At least most years.  This winter, as you know, is not a mild winter anywhere and certainly not here on LI.  So to escape the frustration of not being a skier I have taken to sowing seeds.  This year I am going to try hydroponics.  I have already planted 13 varieties of peppers.  A few sweet but most hot.  Unlike the sower in Matthew 13 I spent a lot of time putting each seed in what I think is a good growing medium.  The…

I acknowledge those who have no or fragmented faith and trust in the immediacy or direct experience of the Presence anchoring consciousness and informing conscience. 

While I acknowledge there are those who hold to outward form to anchor or help anchor consciousness and inform conscience, the Presence within me has, from the age of 16, …

Have you ever felt a call to explore your gift of writing as a ministry but were not interested in a degree? Have you ever wanted to dive into the rich history of Quaker faith and practice but couldn’t make a move to Richmond, Indiana? Now both opportunities are available.



Beginning in the fall of 2014, you can take…

New Testament Inspired: Beautiful Quaker Words: James Nayler’s Deathbed Testimony

There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations. As it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in…

Bonnet: Imploring the Court of Quaker Opinion, we adorn ourselves in a mode of plain simplicity.

Veil: You hide behind your testimony rather than testify to your hidden life in God.

Bonnet: We subject ourselves to our husbandry.

Veil: But bristle at the Scripture that commends wives to be submissive to their husbands.

Bonnet: We who share in the farm work also share in an equality of persons.

Veil: But are ye to be found in the big cities of ridicule and…

Let me begin by saying; I am neither Atheist or Religious, Follower or Leader.I am a human; Friend to all and enemy to none.

God is a chunk of stone, a stick of wood, or a piece of metal fashioned by man into an image representative from an image in their imagination of…

I thought to share a journey of "being led" -- after recently reading from a most excellent book Nudged by the Spirit by Charlotte Lyman Fardelmann about other people's bumpy road to being led.

Boy O boy, my leading has been a long time coming. I have tried to take what came up in the silence when listening to God starting in 1999...and turn it into what I *thought* it was trying to be. This was expressed by my copious interest in healing bodywork and energy medicine and the…

New Testament Inspired: Beautiful Quaker Words: James Nayler’s Deathbed Testimony

There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations. As it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in…

Note: Conscienceness is a term I’ve coined blending conscious, self-conscious, or consciousness with conscience. …

The Church-State and way of worship not the knowledge or the faith in the Life ...

I have smarted deeply for these things, and have been taught by the briars and thorns of the wilderness, whereby my ears came to be opened, to hear the sound of the everlasting gospel, to which they were before through ignorance stopped.…

New Testament Inspired:

Beautiful Quaker Words: James Nayler’s Deathbed Testimony

There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations. As it bears no evil in itself,…

This will be a controversial post, which is why I've introduced it as such. My reason for writing is not to be right, only to express my own views. I have respect for the varied beliefs of Friends, especially those who will no doubt take liberty with what is to follow. I have no patience with…

I try to be a tolerant person, within reason.

My Meeting's Ministry and Worship committee has proposed a new initiative. Christian Friends and Non-Theist Friends both are minorities views. Most members and attenders, at minimum, believe in God. As is true with many FGC Meetings, especially those based in large cities, religious identification breaks down this way.

It is a worthwhile proposal, one we've needed for a while. At the risk of sounding controversial, I would like to…

I try to be a tolerant person, within reason.

My Meeting's Ministry and Worship committee has proposed a new initiative. Christian Friends and Non-Theist Friends both are minorities views. Most members and attenders, at minimum, believe in God. As is true with many FGC Meetings, especially those based in large cities, religious identification breaks down this way.

It is a worthwhile proposal, one we've needed for a while. At the risk of sounding controversial, I would like to…

I try to be a tolerant person, within reason.

My Meeting's Ministry and Worship committee has proposed a new initiative. Christian Friends and Non-Theist Friends both are minorities views. Most members and attenders, at minimum, believe in God. As is true with many FGC Meetings, especially those based in large cities, religious identification breaks down this way.

It is a worthwhile proposal, one we've needed for a while. At the risk of sounding controversial, I would like to…

I try to be a tolerant person, within reason.

My Meeting's Ministry and Worship committee has proposed a new initiative. Christian Friends and Non-Theist Friends both are minorities views. Most members and attenders, at minimum, believe in God. As is true with many FGC Meetings, especially those based in large cities, religious identification breaks down this way.

It is a worthwhile proposal, one we've needed for a while. At the risk of sounding controversial, I would like to…