The meeting bulletin had a notice in it: ESR Traveling Ministries. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Arch St. Meetinghouse. Arch Street is most of four hours from home. On a busy Saturday. I attended. I came away feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, enlightened, informed, and ready to take on the world (so to speak). I also felt “gee, I’d like to learn more about that.” Over the next few years, I attended several other Traveling Ministries programs at Arch Street. I always felt energized and wanted to know more. Without structure, resources, and deadlines, follow-up was scant. Still, the desire to know more was there.

I helped the Baltimore Yearly Meeting Ministry & Pastoral Care Committee organize a Traveling Ministries program near DC. The desire had grown to a nudging. The voice told me “this is something you need to pursue.” My logical brain told me the idea of formal schooling in matters of the Spirit was nuts. I had an hourly job that paid poorly, gave one week of vacation a year, and left me exhausted at the end of the day. Unprogramed meetings don’t have pastors: all worshipers are ministers. I didn’t want to be a pastor.