SPRING 2004
ear Friends,
We have great treasure! We Friends may be small in number, but we carry a great treasure for the benefit of our larger American society, and for people of faith everywhere. We know we are not the sole bearers of Truth, nor are we the only faith community bearing unique treasure, but this does not lessen our responsibility to continue maintaining and shaping our tradition and, as well, sharing it with others. When we hide our light under the proverbial bushel, we may not only stumble, but we may contribute to others’ stumbling. And when we fail to be open to the treasures which others carry, do we not risk becoming arrogant, complacent, or rigid? The Spirit gives each community gifts for the whole. I am preaching to myself here when I say this. I need to hear it. There is a chance others may need to hear this reminder, too.
What do we carry that others need? After all, there are a number of Christian traditions which put significant emphasis on recognizing and ministering to Christ in one’s neighbor. “What you have done to the least of these my brothers and sisters, you have done to me,” Jesus said, and there are many Christians who take this seriously. Various Christian groups in the Delaware Valley work proactively for peace, justice, and a more humane society, contributing more in dollars and human resources than we Friends. Buddhists have a practice of being aware and respectful of the Buddha nature in the world outside the self. When I was in Japan I practiced zazen at a Buddhist temple, and we had a practice of bowing to each other as a way of saying, “The Buddha nature in me greets the Buddha nature in you.” This awareness, along with other factors, contributed to Buddhist work for peace and justice.
Friends’ peace and justice work alone do not make us unique. In fact, one does not need to have a developed faith stance to be committed to peace and justice work. But no group has our particular constellation of faith and practice. Our unprecedented emphasis on the experience of the Spirit at work within us as individuals and, especially, as a faith community, has led to practices which can be powerful gifts to the larger community. To name just a few, there are our listening spirituality, our corporate discernment, and our powerful testimonies to the work of the Spirit in opening to us the way of integrity, equality, peace, stewardship, simplicity, and community. Over the years, when we have been faithful we have had impacts on society way out of proportion to our numbers. We have made a difference, and we continue to let our lives speak.
Through my work for Friends General Conference I have learned that the World Council of Churches is moving toward a type of decision-making similar but not identical to Friends sense of the meeting. Friends’ participation in and lived examples on the council were instrumental in bringing about this shift from a secular voting model to a spiritual model. Friend Eden Grace, in witnessing to our shared experience, helped the World Council make this shift. This is one example of a Quaker treasure being shared for the benefit of all.
I encourage all of us to consider our Quaker treasures with full awareness and affection. What do we have which is not ours alone, but for the world? What do other groups have that we need or could learn from? How might we all learn from each other for the health and peace of the world? How might our differences become not challenges, but assets? How might our quarterly meetings for worship with attention to business be opportunities to honor our treasures, letting our light shine so that we might mutually strengthen each other in faith, hope, and love?
The weekend of the next quarterly meeting, I will be out of the area on FGC business, so Gloria Horvay will be clerking. Please welcome her back to the clerk’s table with your usual warm and generous spirit. Have a beautiful March quarterly meeting.
In service,
—Michael Gibson, clerkRETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
Last modified:
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM
