Hello all,

FUM's "Forty Days of Prayer for the Future of Friends" starts tomorrow, 10/10. This strikes me as a lovely, grace-filled opportunity for us to come together in prayer. FUM has created a booklet filled with passages from scripture and daily "devotionals" for us to reflect on together. We are encouraged to do so in groups. Knowing there are many isolated Friends, or perhaps Friends from Meetings that did not set up any structure to do this, I thought we should start a forum thread here!

To quote the pamphlet:

"All around the world, members of the Religious Society of Friends are feeling the stirrings of renewal at work in us and seeking to be expressed through us. The Inner Voice of the Holy Spirit is calling us to a deeper place and a more complete and transforming immersion into the Life and Power of God. Despite differences in experience, perspective, and culture, many of us long for a greater sense of connection and a more stable spirit of community to unite and sustain us as Friends. In our world full of conflict and need, we feel moved to share something of the life and message we have received from Christ, believing it is the source of hope for real change and meant for all people....

"At this point in our history, there exists this unique opportunity for us to better connect with the people around us. As we do, Friends are realizing it is now time for us to move together into the future in fresh and bold ways that better reflect God’s leading among us and which speak more clearly to the needs of our time. 

"But as we discern this clearer sense of leading, many recognize the equal need to be refreshed, reanimated, and empowered by God’s Spirit among us. In the process of re-examining our work and witness in the world, we need to become a more fully gathered people.

"Our hope for this 40 Days of Prayer for the Future of Friends is that God will, indeed, use this time to gather us and reshape us. As our current FUM Triennial theme declares, we are: A Great People to Be Gathered—in Christ, in Community, for Mission. May we go even deeper in and further on in this season of intentional prayer and listening to Christ together."

I'm no good as a moderator so I won't offer to do that. But here is the link to the pamphlet, (opens a PDF), and here is the link to the FUM page.

I hope some will be led to join me!

Lovingly,

-S. Rosemary