The fellowship of the cross of Christ…is not of man, nor by man; for it is in the everlasting power of God; therefore, no longer do you keep in fellowship, but as you keep in the cross of Christ (Works, 8:67).

“Restoring the Church of the Cross" is the title of the eighth lecture in the series Rediscovering the Teaching of George Fox given by Lewis…

Greetings Friends:

I am interested in knowing what specific works people think of that are expressive of the period of Quaker Quietism.  I am interested in works that were written during the period of Quietism (aka The Second Period of Quaker History).  Personally, I have found the following works of help in accessing the thought of this period:

A Guide to True Peace, Counsel for the Christian Traveler by William Shewen, The Grounds of a Holy Life by Hugh Turford, A Short…

Sometimes prayer is the first thing I resort to when I'm in need.  Other times it's the last.  Urgency has a lot to do with it.  When I think I have plenty of time or the pain isn't that great that it stops me from being able to get from point A to point B, I go it on my own - go to the Doctor, reason with others, do what seems to be necessary at the time.  When I have no time left I pray.  When the pain begins to be immobilizing, I pray.  I pray for others when they ask me or God puts them…

Today is the day of the solar eclipse, and verses from Mark come to mind:

But in those days, after that distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light; the stars will come falling from the sky, the celestial powers will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, and he will send out the angels…

Let's imagine you have a tree in your yard that bears rotten fruit.  Every year the fruit kills innocents.  Sometimes squirrels, a feral cat here and there, pets, and eventually a baby.   Are you going to be satisfied with trying to do a better job of disposing of the fruit each year or are you going to do your best to destroy the tree so it can never bear fruit again?

I’m going to start with some theological basics. Because what we’re seeing happen is a manifestation of Satan’s power. When I say that word, I’m talking about the mysterious something or somebody in the universe that creates enmity between people. So when I attribute agency to Satan, I’m not saying there’s a little red man with a pitchfork running around, but simply that some mysterious inevitability creates systemic hostility in human relations. For…

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Reflections on a sojourn in Switzerland: Time, Friendship, and Faith

It’s hard to conceive of Switzerland without thinking of chalets, cheese, chocolate, cleanliness, and clocks. There are indeed chalets with their wide roofs and elaborate exterior wood carvings. However, La Chaux-de-Fonds, the town in which I stayed, is famous for its Art Nouveau architecture and design. Cheese was plentiful, and is essential for traditional dishes including raclette and…

Every Meeting for Worship has its own character. Some are more silent than vocal, others more vocal than silent. I've been present for both iterations. Due to a divorce, I've been forced to relocate back home. I arrived around six months ago and believed I was assimilating well until today. I attend the Meeting where I first found the faith and was convinced,…

Greetings, Friends!

Minding the Light: Our Collective Journal is a publication of West Hills Friends, a Quaker meeting in Portland, Oregon. Using the guidelines of "worship sharing," we invite members and attenders to reflect on a specific query for each chapter.

Chapter 28 of Minding the Light is now available online and attached as a PDF file, below. For this chapter, we invited Friends to respond to the query, "When have you been led to a place of…

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get…

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get…