February 18, 2021 Conversation Circle

Beyond Quakerism 101: How can Friends prepare to be a light in the world?

The crises of the past year have shaken humanity to the core. As we turn the corner, the Light is streaming in through the cracks. Wisdom, courage and compassion are needed if global society is to emerge from this time healed and moving toward a just and caring future. Early Friends, ignited by the Spirit during tumultuous times, ushered lasting change into the culture despite their small numbers.

Queries:

• What is the relationship between inward Quaker practice and outward social action?
• What can we learn from the patterns and examples of early Friends?
• How can we, as Friends, test leadings and follow through with courage and faithfulness?
• How can we, as Quaker religious educators, prepare Friends to accompany the world into a new way of being?

Registration is required:

Conversation Starters

Friends invited to seed the conversation with their experience and insight.

8pm (EST – USA) Thursday, February 18:

Marcelle Martin (Swarthmore PA, PhYM) is the author of numerous publications including, Our Life is Love: The Quaker Spiritual Journey. She was the resident Quaker Studies teacher at Pendle Hill for four years and was a core teacher in the School of the Spirit’s The Way of Ministry program. On her blog, “A Whole Heart,” she writes about spirituality today.

Steve Chase (Washington DC, BYM) has traveled in the ministry and served on the US Quaker Quest Training Team. He is the author of the book Letters to a Fellow Seeker: A Short Introduction to the Quaker Way and the Pendle Hill pamphlet Revelation and Revolution: Answering the Call to Radical Faithfulness.

Lina Blount (Pendle Hill) currently serves as Education Coordinator for Pendle Hill. She is an organizer, trainer, and nonviolent action strategist who has been working on environmental justice campaigns in the Philadelphia area and is the co-clerk of the Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) board.

1pm (EST – USA) Tuesday, February 16:

Diego Navarro (Santa Cruz, PacYM) has traveled in the Ministry, speaking on developing sensitivity to the promptings of the Spirit; and Presence of Truth in individual and Meeting life. He explores deep experiences of community, what enables true community to develop, and practices that enable Friends to discern the guidance of the Spirit together. He served as Presiding Clerk of Pacific Yearly Meeting from 2015-2018 and currently participates in the Racial Justice Subcommittee.

LJ Boswell (NEYM) is an educator, interfaith chaplain, social justice activist and artist focused on living and serving at the intersection of spirituality and social justice. Currently living in western Massachusetts, LJ is an anti-racism educator and works as a spiritual director and social justice coach.

Resources:

• Early Quaker Writings: 1650 – 1700, Hugh Barber & Arthur Roberts
• A Near Sympathy: The Timeless Quaker Wisdom of John Woolman, by Michael Birkel.
• Silence and Witness: The Quaker Tradition, by Michael Birkel.
• Pendle Hill Pamphlet: Revelation and Revolution: Answering the Call to Radical Faithfulness, by Steve Chase, #431.
• Resisting Empire: The Book of Revelation, by Wess Daniels.
• The Power of the Lamb: Revelation’s Theology of Liberation for You, by Ward Ewing.
• A Testament of Devotion, by Thomas Kelly
• Seeds That Change the World: Essays on Quakerism, Spirituality, Faith, and Culture, by Debbie Humphries.
• When the Spirit Calls: Engaging the Challenges of Ministry, by Jay Marshall.
• Our Life is Love: The Quaker Spiritual Journey, by Marcelle Martin
• A Guide to Faithfulness Groups, by Marcelle Martin
• Video: Nurturing Community: An interview with Diego Navarro, by Marcelle Martin.
• The Active Life: A Spirituality of Work, Creativity, and Caring, by Parker Palmer.
• Pendle Hill Pamphlet: Quaker Witness as Sacrament, by Daniel Snyder, #397.
• Early Prophetic Openings of George Fox by the Tract Association of Friends

Learn more: Visit the QREC Resource Library and subscribe to our announcements.