Danny Coleman: The [jailhouse] pod. 'When I had prayed in the car before coming into the jail, I had prayed for peace. Now, here in this glass room with these men, I feel it. Some of the men had been initially agitated but gradually have calmed.... The little glass room has become a momentary oasis of tranquility-—as peaceful as a cathedral.'…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 31, 2010 at 6:08pm —
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Gem: Differences in income between Friends. Understanding how to share our resources (fiscal and otherwise) is incredibly important as we attempt to live into our testimonies. It is also important because until we can actually begin to face and work on our own problems we have little moral authority to speak with others about theirs.…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 31, 2010 at 6:00pm —
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I was walking the dog today and processed a lot of this Plain thing that has been going on. I realize by just saying, “I think I’ve figured it out” that I have not indeed figured anything out for any length of time. So here’s what I have so far.…
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Added by Paula Roberts on 7th mo. 30, 2010 at 3:30pm —
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Johan Maurer: Quaker Baptism and Social Safety. To risk oversimplifying, it's as if 375 years ago in Great Britain, Friends bore social risks by not being outwardly baptized upon making a Christian commitment; now these new believers are running a social risk by being baptized upon making that same kind of commitment. I haven't asked whether water baptism is being presented to these new Friends as a…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 29, 2010 at 8:50pm —
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While a member of another faith group, an old joke was invoked every time turnout on any given Sunday was less than expected:
Q: Why don't ______________ go to church during the summertime?
A: They don't have to.
This same conundrum, modified slightly, could easily apply to many liberal Unprogrammed Friends, regardless of the season or the time of year. I make light of this not to raise the specter of collective guilt, but…
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Added by Kevin Camp on 7th mo. 28, 2010 at 2:30pm —
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Journey to Peace Gem reflects on life so far. My personal goal, above all else is to seek unity with God. Striving for that goal often takes great courage. It means saying "yes" to the leadings of the Spirit even when I think that the work is too difficult or when I am afraid. It means speaking out when I see injustice and opening my arms in love to embrace the wounded.…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 28, 2010 at 4:30am —
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Angelina Conti on the Quaker youth book and cross-branch work. From my work on the youth book I’ve developed a rough toolkit for cross-branch and cross-cultural work which I think is applicable outside the Quaker world. It’s a work in progress, but here are the tools more or less in order: Prepare and educate yourself in order to cultivate cultural sensitivity; cultivate your own…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 28, 2010 at 4:14am —
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Liz Opp: Reading Fit for freedom, not for friendship. This book is not just about debunking "the myth of racial justice." It's also about allowing God to transform the book's readers by way of seeing how Friends from earlier times either turned from the Light or heeded it.
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 28, 2010 at 1:57am —
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Below is a letter I wrote this month to Durham Friends Meeting (DFM) requesting that my membership be transferred to Beacon Hill Friends Meeting (BHFM). It was read at DFM's July 2010 Meeting for Worship with
Attention to Business, and Friends approved my transfer request; the clerk will be sending a letter to BHFM soon. I would like to share this letter widely not just with members of Durham Friends Meeting and Beacon Hill Friends Meeting, but with all my fellow Friends and friends who…
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Added by Claire R on 7th mo. 26, 2010 at 8:09pm —
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There’s been a lot of discussion recently and not so recently within Quaker circles, both online and off, about whether Quakerism is a Christian faith or not, who should or shouldn’t be allowed to be a Quaker, and as many variations of these two as one can think of.
What it boils down to, Friends, is a discussion about notions. And I feel that we are missing the point.
Read the rest here...
Added by funnel101 on 7th mo. 26, 2010 at 4:30pm —
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Peggy Parsons: Miracles. I know something new about miracles today. A miracle is 50% capacity and 50% courage. You say you believe and then God calls your bluff. Jesus walks among us and we call his name or reach for the hem of his garment or he sees us in our helpless need and is moved by compassion.
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 26, 2010 at 4:00pm —
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In this country, a long tradition exists of individuals who have refused to perform a particular duty or task, citing their religious beliefs as justification. The very definition of Civil Disobedience, of course, depends on the person, the situation, and how it is applied. The latest incident has opened up a discussion which has never really subsided, only dipped underneath the radar from time to time. In this circumstance, a Texas bus driver, who is also an ordained conservative…
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Added by Kevin Camp on 7th mo. 26, 2010 at 2:26pm —
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Mezclados.wordpress.com
Added by Javaughn Fernanders on 7th mo. 26, 2010 at 12:30pm —
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Added by Ron Irvine on 7th mo. 25, 2010 at 9:46pm —
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This morning at meeting for worship a toddler reminded me of an experience that I knew as a child and was reintroduced to by my daughter. It seems I need a remedial lesson.
Beatrix, our newest attender, has just learned to pull herself to a standing position. She approaches the world with awe and wonder. Her aim to touch, taste and explore. She does so with absolute trust. She celebrates with squeals and hands beating a rhythm on a nearby chair. Fearless, she crawls forward unaware of…
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Added by Stephanie Stuckwisch on 7th mo. 25, 2010 at 7:30pm —
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John Edminster: Who Are We? and Tension in Minutes. Clarity as to what was wrong with the minute dawned on me slowly, and I think it comes down to this: the committee that proposed it had started with a question, “who are we?” that could be taken as either a deep, “philosophical” one about our essential nature, or a sociological one about inclusivity and our decision-making processes – or both... Are we Quakers a…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 25, 2010 at 7:08pm —
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Gordon Ferguson: Who We Are and What We Do. Buried in the linear propositional logic of the 'management speak' of this document is, I believe, an attempt to evolve the relationship between 'Who We Are' and 'What We Do'. It is at the heart of our identity as Quakers. For we are not just a religious group, silently contemplating the nature of reality, nor are we just a society campaigning…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 23, 2010 at 11:19pm —
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Daniel Wilcox: The Paradox of Truth. As appealing as the universalism of the Good News is—For God so loved the world; God sent not his son into condemn the world John 3:16-17—of what use is it to tell everyone that all people are saved, if we don’t help each individual change? For in fact, at this very moment millions of particular individuals are living in minor or major hells on earth…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 23, 2010 at 11:00pm —
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Ganeida describes unprogrammed Friends worship. How, I can hear you all asking, can you worship together when there is no set program that everyone is following? No songs to sing? No prayers all will pray together?..Silent worship is a discipline. Well, it should be. There is a rythmn to it just as there is a rythmn to the Catholic liturgy or a Baptist gathering or Charismatic worship. Times aren't set…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 23, 2010 at 9:30am —
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Marriage Advice from Barrow Cadbury 1933 via Wess Daniels. The wider your interests outside your regular occupation, the more companionship you will enjoy together, and the happier and more fruitful life will be. After all, if two people are going to live together for thirty, forty, or sixty years they must have interesting things to talk about, or they will get cruelly on one…
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Added by QuakerQuaker on 7th mo. 23, 2010 at 9:00am —
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