State of Society 2002
At the core of all we do and are is the Meeting for Worship, where the
energy of the Spirit flows naturally from the hour of silence to the moments
after when we hold in the Light those Friends with specific needs. From
this flow our announcements, Business Meeting, and social gatherings. There
is a rich sense of integrating these activities, and it seems that there is
more spiritual energy for our committee work as well as for other aspects of
our community life.
The Meeting has been tested this past year by both external events and those
intensely personal. Out of our experiences we see opportunities for growth.
The threat of war on Iraq tried us all and we responded collectively and as
individuals. Some members signed and helped pay for the “No More Victims”
advertisement sponsored by the local AFSC, which has been a good resource
for us. Two signs were posted on our grounds, one saying simply “Pray for
Peace” and the other “No More Victims Anywhere”. We approved and
distributed a minute against war. We hosted a well-attended gathering of the
local Interchurch Council that allowed those of diverse faiths to address
their concerns about war in worship sharing. A few of our members began a
one-hour weekly vigil across the street from a busy market. This gradually
increased to 12-20 people, including several from the community. It
inspired a similar vigil in a neighboring town. Some Friends participated in
online and other protests. All this has drawn support from our Young
Friends and our most senior members.
Besides our peace efforts, there were activities that made the Meeting feel
part of a changing and challenging world. These ranged from supporting a
homeless family at Christmas to learning about needs in parts of Africa from
a Ugandan Friend. Some of our members participated actively in far-reaching
Quaker groups and projects; their experiences enriched us all.
The sudden death of Hayden Tatman struck to the core of the Meeting’s
spiritual roots. Through two memorial meetings- one especially for young
people- through sharing love, through holding one another in the Light and
in our arms, we endured and felt stronger for it.
There are those among us who have had to give up driving and those who are
unable to be with us on a regular basis; Friends helped by driving and
aiding them in their homes. There has been sickness; Friends responded with
visits, food and prayers. A great deal of emotional and physical energy and
nurture has gone into holding each other up.
One of our new attendees gave us a special view of our Meeting. She said she
saw “lovely models of behavior” as Friends handled “serious, troubled, sad
issues”. She also saw “sheer merriment” even in serious situations. We are
humbled by such perspectives, for we know in how many ways we fall short of
our own ideals. Yet, there is a sense that this has been a special year in
which the community has pulled together in that wonderful way that makes us
aware that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Through it all, there is a light-hearted presence in the Meeting that is
best captured in the Christmas Play. It continues to be a gift of joy from
the playwright and Young Friends to the entire Meeting.
We have concerns: finding an appropriate avenue to foster continuing
spiritual growth; integrating our young people into the Meeting for
Business; making the experience of silence more meaningful to all; enabling
everyone to hear the vocal messages that arise during Worship.
Finally, while the looming war brings us to renew our peace testimony, it
also presents us with more subtle challenges. How do we witness for peace
without fostering adversarial relationships? And how do we capture the
energy brought to the surface by crisis and apply it over the longer haul to
deeply meaningful activities that engender peace- that in the well-known
words of George Fox- allow us to “live in the virtue of that life and power
that takes away the occasion of all wars?”