Quakers Engaging Ministry, Culture & Community

Changes and The End... For Now

2008-05-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

This blog, as you know, has been pretty inactive over the past several months. My wife and I have been in a period of quite a bit of change and discernment. And I've found that when I must cut back, this is one of the first places I cut (telling, no?).

The fruit of our discernment are some pretty hefty changes: I have resigned as pastor of Olympic View Friends Church, effective June 30. In September I will begin a Ph. D. in Theology from the University of Birmingham Woodbrooke Quaker Studies Center (UK). My studies will be part-time, what the UB calls "split-location," meaning most of my research will be done from good 'ol Washington State while spending 6mos - 12mos in residency at the University over the course of the 6 years my research will likely take.

I am really excited about my upcoming studies, not just for the sake of doing more schooling alone - but because of the importance of my research matter. For several years I have felt that John Woolman has so much to offer the Church today. In seminary I wrote several papers on Woolman, I explored his impact and became impacted myself. I was within a hairs breath of applying to UB when I decided God was leading me in the direction of pastoral ministry. Over my past three years in pastoral ministry at Olympic View FC my interest in Woolman has solidified and matured in a way that it became clear now is the time to do this research. And that is what I am doing!

Specifically, my research will look at Woolman's theology. What spiritual resources were a part of Woolman's ethical decision making? How did Woolman come to the stance against slavery that he did, even when it meant going against the popular opinion of his own day? How did his Quaker heritage provide a foundation for his abolitionist theology? These questions and others are important to the way the Church today integrates social justice and theology, and the way the Church resists cultural assimilation.

Now, about this blog... Originally I created this blog to be a non-threatening discussion board for people in the Tacoma community. It turned into a forum for unprogrammed and semi-programmed and programmed Friends to interact, share perspectives, and learn from one another. I am keenly interested in facilitating this kind of discussion because, for one, it speaks to the integrity with which Friends can be called peacemakers. I hope that my studies at UB will keep this bridge-building work squarely in front of me as I interact with Friends from all over the globe. However, for me, this blog's importance has come to an end. I won't delete it as so many people have made valuable contributions that are worth re-reading. However, I will not be posting any longer and in the meantime will be contemplating if blogging is a valuable thing for me to do, and if so, what form it should take.

So, this is The End... For Now.

2008-02-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

2008-02-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

Joy to the (green) World

2007-12-20T12:51:00.000-08:00

As I sit at my desk, with Christmas music streaming from pandora.com, I can't help but think of the mystery of the incarnation. The incarnation is a wonderous statement of the mystery of Christ - that the Son of God took on human form and while being the fullness of God became also the fullness of humanity.

The incarnation comes to me with special meaning in the weeks leading up to Christmas - the incarnation is hope and life. As God became human and dwelt in human circumstance so the life and destiny of humanity is redemption and a shared life with God.

There is no more profound statement of God's determination to be our God then the birth of Christ, and no where do humans feel the calling of the Sacred then in the responsibility and challenge of God taking on human form.

Much of my life is spent trying to act like a god - exploiting my brothers and sisters, discarding what I do not want, consuming what I do not need. What a far cry this is from God who became human.

The message of Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox and the ministry of care for the earth is poignant at this time in history. As Friends our testimony of simplicity is crucial in ways that the first generation of Quakers could never have seen. Particularly, the 18th Century Quaker John Woolman saw that the desire for material excess was a root in the evil done to others, but also did spiritual harm to the one living in excess. Today, we know that the exploitation of others and the harm done to God's creation is systemic and multi-generational. We know that the net harm done through pollution and selfish, unsustainable living is greater then other generations knew because science today has put a thermometer in the earth's mouth and we know it is sick.

This Christmas let's honor and steward all of God's creation with the same dignity that God showed it in the incarnation we celebrate.

Earthcare Witness

2007-12-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

The public is invited to meet Quaker “EarthPeace” activists Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox on Sunday, December 16th at the Olympic View Friends Church. Ruah and Louis will teach Sunday School at 9:45am and give the sermon during meeting for worship which begins at 10:45am. The purpose of their visit is to show how the prophetic witness of John Woolman (an 18^th century Quaker who spoke out against slavery) is relevant to the work that Friends are being called to today.

This husband-and-wife team from Vermont is on a 1,400-mile journey by foot from Vancouver, British Columbia, to San Diego, California, visiting Quaker meetings and churches. They will discuss how caring for the earth is integral to Friends' long-standing testimonies for simplicity, integrity, peace, and equality. They will engage participants in exploring next steps that they can take personally and corporately to help transform attitudes toward the earth and all living things.

Woolman foresaw that strivings after ease, luxury, and outward greatness would bring about “great injury to succeeding ages,” not only in the form of physical suffering but in terms of spiritual impoverishment for the affluent. Woolman’s prophesy is clearly evident today in wars based on the unjust and unsustainable use of nonrenewable resources, as well as manifold social and ecological disruptions due to the combined effects of overconsumption and population pressures.

As part of their talk about John Woolman, Ruah and Louis will show how they try to practice what they preach: They live in a hand-built house that is heated and powered by the sun. They grow much of their own food and are part of an eat-local program to encourage people to give more support to local food growers and producers. They are active in their town’s sustainable living network to promote healthy community life as a key to lowering ecological impacts.

Ruah and Louis have participated in two extended walks in Vermont and Massachusetts to call attention to the growing crisis of harmful climate change. They are the staff of Quaker Earthcare Witness www.quakerearthcare.org, which is an organization devoted to demonstrating the many ways peace, justice, and ecological integrity are interrelated spiritually.

Follow their journey on their web site: www.peaceforearth.org

Global People

2007-11-20T11:19:00.000-08:00

Turning on the news can be a heart wrenching experience.

Recently a deadly cyclone slammed into Bangladesh. Political and social upheaval consumes Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Genocide continues in Darfur.

All of this news and the seeming inability of world leaders to do anything about it has a deadening, numbing effect on our hearts. We become used to global tragedies, and worse, some begin to think it is the way the world should be. While I long for the new Heaven and Earth promised in Revelation 21:1, I know that true faith means acknowledging that disaster and crisis are not God’s MO – and live accordingly today.

Christians all across the world, of every race, language, and people group, are linked by the one Spirit that dwells within us. All humanity bears the Seed of God waiting to sprout - and so we are global people. People of all nations stand shoulder to shoulder with each other in the midst of tragedy.

Fortunately, we in the Pacific Northwest live in a mild climate. However, this does not mean we can stand with scoffing indifference before those who live in hurricane threatened coast line, or among trees that the summer sun lights like a tinder box. No, the heart of God breaks for people of every nation and geography and so should ours. We have responsibility for, and stand in solidarity with, our brothers and sisters.

Holding places of crisis prayerfully as the community of faith is an appropriate response. As a wealthy nation, contributing financially to organizations like World Vision and Mennonite Disaster Services is another responsibility, with great biblical precedent. Paul traveled among the churches of Asia Minor collecting financial relief for the people of Jerusalem during a drought (see 1 Cor. 16).

Too often when the news of tragedy comes across my path I find myself saying, “whew, I’m glad I’m not them.” The truth is I hope that my heart breaks for all the things that break God’s heart. God does not discriminate between people and culture. So my prayer is that Friends will develop a global perspective, as people who stand in solidarity with pain and tragedy whether it is down the street or across the ocean.

Tidbit to Ponder: Dependence on the Holy Spirit

2007-10-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts for this weeks message:

"We have done a good job dealing with various tangible aspects of church life such as facilities and funding, but we are uncomfortable and inexperienced in dealing with the tough issue of being led by the Spirit in present times" (Treasure in Clay Jars, p. 122). How is our mission and faithfulness dependent on the Holy Spirit? Can "dependence" on the Holy Spirit become avoidance? Has God ever been so present with you, that you felt your life and existence to be an act of worship to God?

Tidbit to Ponder: Community

2007-10-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a thought to ponder in advance for this weeks message from Romans 15:1-7:

In Romans 15, Paul frames the hospitality and encouragement exhibited among the church in Rome as springing from the willingness of Christ to welcome humanity. How does the model of Christ energize the way we treat each other in Christian community? What are the "little" ways in which we maintain patterns of coercion, prejudice, and domination?

Tidbits to Ponder

2007-10-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

The following is a thought to consider for this Sunday's message:

In the parables of the hidden treasure, and Pearl of great value in Matthew 13:44-46, the protagonist goes to any measure to attain the treasure. What would it look like to "sell" everything to find the Kingdom of Heaven? What risks would you take?

Building Community across the 'divides'

2007-09-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Below are two documents from a Young Adult Friend (referred to as YAF). Both documents have been edited to remove personal information. The first is a letter of appreciation regarding a visit to the Northwest Yearly Meeting sessions on the campus of George Fox University this past July. The second is an epistle from a reunion of the Young Friends of North America. I will post these documents and then add some commentary.

Dear Friends,

It was a pleasure to share time with you on the west coast at George Fox University this summer. Thank you so much for welcoming us into your home and your community, for me it really did feel like coming home in a way that I never would have imagined from a evangelical Quaker community, thank you for showing me that possibility. Erin and I now find ourselves in Richmond Indiana at Earlham school of religion and Earlham college respectively.

As promised, though now quite late, I have attached a epistle from a gathering of young adult Friends over the summer in Barnesville Ohio, as well as a flier for an upcoming event that will take place in Indiana in May 2008.

I hope that this note finds you each beginning a blessed autumn and enjoying the gifts that you have received. I look forward to our continuing communication and building community across the "divides" of Quakerism.

Faithfully,

Andrew

Epistle from YAF at Olney, 2007

Sixth month, 2007.

To Friends everywhere,

Greetings from the young adult Friends who gathered at Olney Friends School in Barnesville, Ohio, where 80 Friends from across the US and Canada came together for a reunion of the Young Friends of North America (YFNA) and an intergenerational Quaker Camp. Seventeen young adult Friends participated in this week of deep worship, fellowship, and play. Older Friends shared deeply about how their personal and spiritual experiences were influenced by the community of YFNA. As younger Friends, we listened and shared about our experiences living our faith.

Through the whole week, many Friends felt the power of the Spirit in the very land that held us. Young adult Friends joined both with our hosts and our fellow guests in spiritual vulnerability to teach by learning, and to learn by teaching. From the YFNA reunion, we got a great sense of the power and joy that comes from speaking truthfully about our experience of Quakerism with as many Friends as possible and the many dangers and mistakes that are possible while doing so without great care. By engaging with Friends from Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative), we gained a greater sense of the depth of our tradition, not only of our ancestors but also of the power of the Christian roots from which we come.

Over the course of the week, the young adult Friends present felt a clear leading to create an organization in which young adult Friends from across North America can build spiritual community together. We spent a lot of time discerning how to move forward with this leading, with the care that is necessary to bring Friends together across theological divides into a diverse community of Quaker youth.

We struggled through in deep discernment, praying for way to open for us to begin this work. We each wrestled with individual discernment of our own leadings and also felt the pressure of our own deep want for this dream to become a reality. We have felt keenly the absence of a true diversity of Friends with us here, and feel much caution at the idea of moving forward without all branches of Quakerism involved.

At the recommendation of the Visioning Committee (which met in Fourth Month, 2007), we are forming a Naming Committee (to be in consultation with the Visioning Committee), which would then form a Steering Committee. The Naming Committee, while not formed in its entirety yet, will meet in the fall of 2007 to name the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will be active by First Month, 2008. This Steering Committee will include representation from the various branches of the Religious Society of Friends. We are asking young adult Friends from all branches throughout North America to discern deeply and come forward if they are being led to do this work or have names they would like to offer the Naming Committee for discernment.

During the discernment, Friends present felt a strong leading to a coordinated intervisitation among yearly meetings, by young adult Friends in the summer of 2008, from which they could spread the word of the new young adult Friends’ organization. This event sprang from many individual Friends’ leadings to engage in intervisitation among Friends. Many of those Friends present in Barnesville expressed that they will begin to engage in the work of intervisitation personally once home. Friends also discerned that the next major North American gathering of this generation of young adult Friends would take place during the summer of 2009. Until the Steering Committee is active, a working group will begin arranging some of the logistics for the coming events. Those who feel led to join the working group are encouraged to us.

Simultaneously, we experienced a process of discovering ourselves and each other. When we needed clarity, we found it in the vocal ministry of older adult Friends in worship. When we felt frustration with the pace of our progress, we recognized in this a need for deeper worship and found courage in taking small steps.

And so, we wait upon God. We trust that those who are led to do this exciting work will come forward, and that God will provide all that we need to engage fully with this work. We give deep thanks for the depth and breadth of the Spirit, which was powerfully felt during our week in Barnesville.

Faith-fully,

Seventeen Young Friends

Also attending Yearly Meeting sessions in Newberg was Emily from Young Friends General Meeting, Britain Yearly Meeting. My connection with Emily stems back to a visit I made to young Friends in England over a year ago. The group of Friends that are NWYM were blessed to have this rich diversity of Friends among us, enriching us and conversing with us.

Several things struck me during these conversations over the week of Yearly Meeting sessions.

First, Friends struggle to find a language to articulate concerns in a way that does not become polarizing. Phrases like Christ-centered, non-Christ-centered, non-theist, Theist, liberal, conservative, evangelical, can become shortcuts to pigeon-hole each other. Language is often used in a way that highlights differences and creates positions to be defended. Is it best just to avoid such terminology? Should we consider uses of language that transcend the divisiveness of labels?

In an increasingly pluralized society such as ours, the use of language can be a roadblock to getting to the heart of the matter and the communication among Friends bears this out. On the other hand, language is all we have and so a spirit of humility must infuse what we say.

Second, the differences are real. Even the Northwest Yearly Meeting itself is a mixed bag - political conservatives,moderates and liberals worshipping together. All sorts of labels and tags apply even within the Northwest Yearly Meeting itself. When considering other groups of Friends from other traditions, is it a wonder that some differences exist?

Third, the differences are not insurmountable. I think we all seek to understand and to be understood, and so it is essential for me to talk about the way Christ has changed my life and continues to shape me in particular ways - socially, politically, and otherwise. Yet, I hope that if I listen well I can hear others talk about their stories, and as George Fox encouraged, "answer that of God" within them. This will mean tearing down some stereotypes so that I can listen well to others, and not read into their words my own insecurities.

I am very pleased about the continued dialog among Friends of different "flavors." It was a great thing to have so many visiting Friends at our Yearly Meeting sessions this past summer.

In August, I attended a reading group that was looking at John Woolman's Journal at a local unprogrammed meeting. What a treat! The conversation goes on and as we speak to each other with humility, allowing for differences, but knowing that these differences are not the last word on the matter I think Friends will continue to embody within our fellowship the peacemaking we witness to publicly.

Northwest Yearly Meeting Epistle

2007-08-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

Friends,

I will put more about our annual Yearly Meeting Sessions up later, but for now here is our Epistle:

115th Annual Sessions of
Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church
July 21-26, 2007
George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon

“I saw also that there was an ocean of darkness and death; but an infinite ocean of Light and love, which flowed over the ocean of darkness.” – George Fox

“For once you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” – Ephesians 5:8

To Friends everywhere:

Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church (NWYM) is composed of nine area (quarterly) meetings, representing more than 60 churches from Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. We gathered, as we do each year, to worship and to do business; to make new friends and deepen old friendships; to inspire each other and renew our commitment to be children of the Light, to act as daughters and sons of God through our faith in Christ Jesus.
Our theme this year was “Go Light Your World!” and we heard evening keynote addresses from our YM superintendent, Colin Saxton; Jules Glanzer, Dean of George Fox Evangelical Seminary; and special guest David Niyonzima, Coordinator of Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services (THARS) in Burundi, Africa. They exhorted us to face the darkness fearlessly.
David Niyonzima told his story of surviving the genocide in Burundi in October, 1993, of the transforming grace of God that resulted in his ability to face the man that had murdered eight of David’s students with the words, “I forgive you.” He assured us there is a cure for that despair that hides in the darkness, and that a transformed self is required before we can go out and light our world. “The work of Light is not finished.”
Colin’s talk was based on Ephesians 5:8-10, and he reminded us that the most common exhortation of scripture is not to love others or to have faith, but have no fear. He challenged us to stop relying on our past Quaker history, and to start making our own stories. Colin stopped frequently during his message to give Friend Ken Comfort time to interpret the message into Spanish. Our Latino Friends are growing in number, and dozens were present on that Sunday evening. It is our deep hope and desire that we can bridge the language barrier and be fully inclusive and welcoming.
There is a verb in Spanish that will help this epistle segue to the report of what happened, of what work was accomplished during these annual sessions: brotar. It describes the action of a newly sprouted plant that is breaking out and up from the rich darkness of the earth into the sunlight above. The same verb is used when water actively bubbles up from an artesian spring, or when tears suddenly appear in our eyes. If our new YM logo shows a well-grown tree, then it is a logo of hope and faith that our brand new structure for boards, committees, and budgetary process will indeed germinate and grow into a healthy, fruit-bearing tree in the kingdom of God. With that metaphor, let us tell you what kind of tilling, planting, and watering went on during the past twelve months and into this week.
To the casual observer, one who just looks at the program outline, not much changed from last year to this year. We still started our annual sessions with the men’s and women’s banquets, where we heard from our overseas workers about their efforts, joys, and concerns. Each day we still had our business sessions and board meetings, plenary worship times and keynote speakers. The afternoon workshops continued to demonstrate both the practical and theological aspects of our Christian mission. Our evening worship services this year specifically have encouraged us to shine God’s light fearlessly throughout our world. Later, our musicians entertained and inspired us as we chatted and played games at The Hoot late into the night.
So yes, many things were the same, but this year marked some huge changes. The first change most of us noted on arrival was the weather; we asked if it could possibly be Yearly Meeting time if the temperature is below 90º F (low 30’s for you Celsius scale users) and there is actually some rain? But the weather was just a tiny portent of the changes wrought in our YM structure. Last year, after a careful and prayerful two-year process of study, work, and discernment, we decided to overhaul our committee and administrative structure, and some of our budgeting process.
The changes went much deeper than renaming committees or moving columns in a balance sheet. Many of us sensed a very different atmosphere around the sessions that had nothing to do with the cooler temperatures we enjoyed. If you have read our minutes and epistles from the past few years, you know we were deeply divided over some difficult issues. During the past twelve months, members and clerks of our new boards were “on sabbatical” from new ministries; dreaming and discerning how they could function to help both the YM and the local churches fulfill their callings. This week during the business sessions (and some of the workshops) we heard the results of their prayers and labor, and we witnessed the excitement they are feeling. The work of discernment this week for our representatives was in listening to the new mission statements and discerning if these are, indeed, speaking for us the direction and work we feel God is wanting for us. Periods of worship were interspersed throughout the business meetings in order to keep our hearts in tune with the Spirit. At the end of the week, we gratefully affirmed this season of preparation and the goals set for our future.
Early in the week, we were confronted with the persecution Christians throughout the world are enduring due to their faith in Christ. After hearing about the Evangelical Friends Mission work in Bangladesh and the persecution they are currently experiencing, we rose and prayed for them, and in response to the expressed concern of one Friend we were moved to write a minute of support to our brothers and sisters there. (See enclosed minute.)
Another item to note is the hoped-for revitalization of the area (quarterly) meetings. The nine areas that make up NWYM will meet two times during the year, in the fall and the spring. The representatives will gather to do YM business such as nomination work and seasoning concerns and minutes brought by individual churches; more general programs and workshops can be provided by the boards to encourage, instruct, and build up the local churches. Also we expect to introduce Yearly Meeting Sundays in conjunction with those area gatherings, where information about YM business will be made available to local churches at their meetings for worship.
A new addition to this year’s annual sessions was the Closing Celebration Banquet. In past years, Friends left at different times as their responsibilities or the general program ended, with the representatives often staying an extra day to finish business. It has been unsatisfying. This final meal together was a fitting last hurrah: two choirs, children and OAFs (older adult Friends), serenaded us; the week was recapped in pictures, including photos of the Youth Car Wash in action; we commissioned and blessed Johan and Judy Maurer who will soon move to work in Russia; we were introduced to our Latino pastors, two of whom work with more than one congregation; we welcomed the newest mission point to join NWYM – RiversWay in Beaverton; and were sent forth with closing words from our beloved superintendent, who was asked to and agreed to serve for another three years.
We cannot end this epistle without a mention of our wonderful young people, who had their own parallel annual sessions and who, as usual, led our Wednesday evening worship with joyful music and maturity of Spirit. They also clerk the unprogrammed meetings for worship that follow the dinner hour. Our children give us hope for the future of our meeting; please do read and enjoy their epistles.
If you have read this far, we thank you for your forbearance. Last year in our epistle we asked you to pray for us, that God would comfort our hearts. This year we invite you to rejoice with us, as the tender new plant begins to grow, as we continue our work of faith and labor of love, being salt and light in the world.

In Christian love,

Lon Fendall, presiding clerk

John Wesley and programmed Friends

2007-05-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

Like any other group, Quakers have been influenced by the ideas, contexts, and movements that have shaped our world. Since the emergence of Quakers in the 17th Century, Quakers have both enriched society, and been enriched. One of the cultural conversations that has had a marked influence on programmed Quakers is Wesleyanism. In fact, it might be safe to say that it is Wesleyan evangelical Christianity in conversation with unprogrammed Quakers that led to the development of programmed Quakers in the United States.

But to what extent has a Wesleyan heritage diminished the vibrancy of our Quaker testimonies? What in Wesleyanism is a corruption of the actual teachings of John Wesley himself? How can the Wesleyan and Quaker threads within programmed Friends engage in productive dialogue?

George Fox University Professor of Religion Irv Brendlinger has agreed to field some of my questions on this topic. Irv is an expert on both Quakers and John Wesley. He recently published two books, one on the writings of 18th Century Quaker Anthony Benezet, To Be Silent Would be Criminal..., and one on John Wesley, Social Justice Through the Eyes of Wesley. Over the course of this entry I link to Wikipedia for those who would like a little more background on terms and people mentioned. Please keep in mind that Wikipedia is only a starting point to give a basic frame of reference and cannot be as thorough (or accurate) as a more detailed source. If you really want to learn more about John Wesley and Anthony Benezet I suggest getting copies of Irv's recent books.

Irv, you have a strong background in Wesleyan studies, You were a pastor in the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), you attended Asbury Theological Seminary, and your Ph. D. from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) focused on Wesley. Since then, you have become a convinced Friend and a Recorded Minister at Reedwood Friends Church. How has your Wesleyan background complimented your experience as a Quaker? Have you come across any points of deviation and, if so, how have you reconciled them?

I was initially intrigued to see much continuity between Wesleyan theology and Quaker theology there is. As you indicated, I first became familiar with Wesley, and after that, Quakerism. Points of continuity would include the strong view of the restoration of the Imago Dei [Image of God] in humankind. While many Wesleyans don't seem to recognize this, or emphasize it, it is clear in Wesley himself. It is also a strong position among Friends. Rejecting "preaching up sin to the grave" would be dogmatically held by Wesley and early Quaker leader George Fox ... and me :-). Another point of continuity would include the concept of "light" for Fox, and "conscience" for Wesley. Wesley believed that God worked through prevenient grace to re-establish a reliable conscience in persons who were really depraved. Quakers hold that the Light of Christ is available to all. That brings up universal atonement and the possibility of universal salvation (not universalism), and both Wesley and Quakers hold to that.

A place of difference would be the concept of total depravity. Wesley held to it, even claiming that on that doctrine he was "within a hair's breadth" of Calvin. He was only able to reconcile human responsibility with depravity by means of his view of prevenient grace. On the other hand, it seems to me that Quakers do not hold as "total" a view of depravity as did Wesley. Modern Wesleyans may actually be closer to Quakers than Wesley would have been.

The views of the sacraments would obviously be quite different. Individual members could probably be "reconciled" to understand the other view, but would lean toward a different view.

Back to the earlier part of the question, I believe that my understanding of Wesley's view of Christian Perfection (you might want to see my article on "Transformative Dimensions within Wesley's Understanding of Christian Perfection") was a terrific set up for coming to terms with the Quaker view of God effecting authentic change in persons, and facilitating their living into their full potential. Likewise, Wesley's refusal to "condemn to hell" those who had never heard the gospel was good preparation for grasping the Quaker view of every individual being judged by the light he/she has, rather than quoting some religious formula. Wesley's valuing the human person, as seen in his response to the poor and the oppressed, is very consonant (and preparatory for me) with Quaker values of individuals, especially as seen in how we do business and make corporate decisions. While Wesley may not have been as patient with Quaker process, he held the values that are expressed through it.

A major point of deviation seems to be related to NWYM's broad acceptance of the "holiness tradition," and by that I mean Wesleyan theology as interpreted by the late 19th and 20th century holiness movement. That involves those who preached "sinless perfection." I've "resolved" that very easily, by seeing the holiness tradition departing from Wesley's actual theology. He never saw "Christian Perfection" or "holiness" as a "doctrine." It was the "second major branch of Christianity," alongside justification. It was the natural application of justification. True justification results in life transformation (not just “forgiveness") or sanctification. So, both Wesley and I would take issue with both the holiness tradition's and the Quaker's co-opting of that tradition, which makes sanctification a doctrine. For Wesley (and me) it is a distinction, not a doctrine. It is the wholesome working out of and response to the reality of being in authentic relationship with God as a result of God's unconditional forgiveness. (You get me to preaching!)

What aspects of Wesleyan theology give you life? Has this led to any particularity in the way you celebrate life among Friends?

Wesley's understanding of Christian Perfection as God's means, by faith, of fully restoring God's Image in us. This is lived out by demonstrating love for neighbor in visible and practical ways (not in holding certain beliefs). This is something which can easily be preached and received by Friends, because it is completely reflective of the lives of Quaker leaders. Wesley's understanding simply fuels and broadens the Friends' perspective. The danger is when Friends try to specify theological vocabulary, and become trapped in holiness doctrine and miss the essence (which was Wesley's essence) of love of God and neighbor, which is the essence of Christian perfection.

Another aspect of Wesley is his incredible organizational ability. If that is coupled with the Quaker valuing of individuals, it is a winning combination.

Within the broader category of Quakers, there are several different groups. You and I are evangelical Friends who worship in a programmed setting. How have Wesleyan influences impacted evangelical Friends? Is this influence felt in other branches of Friends?

Second part of question: I do not think Wesley has been nearly as much an influence on non-evangelical Friends. He has been a strong influence on evangelical Friends, or perhaps even moreso, the holiness movement has been. For me, the positive Wesley influence relates to the need for strong preaching and teaching. That is what Wesley brings to Quakers. What true Quaker theology brings is the value of silence and the actual opportunity to respond to the truth of preaching in waiting to hear the Present Christ in our midst. It seems to me that the blend is where the dynamic is completed: I believe that Christ speaks through a programmed worship experience, including the message, but I then believe that the Spirit takes the truth further and plants it deeply in our hearts and leads us to specific application as we listen sensitively in silence. Unfortunately, we programmed Friends too seldom invest the time and teaching required to listen to the Present Christ. I would love to have John Wesley in a vibrant Quaker community ... listening to a Spirit inspired message, and then listening to the Spirit to draw the application in the heart. Winning combo? Yes.

So, Evangelical Friends have often taken the strength of Wesley, and forgotten to blend that with the strength of Quakerism.

Among evangelical Friends, there are many that equate Wesley and his influence with conservative 19th and 20th Century theology. Is this equation justified?

I think I've answered that above. Wesley cannot be equated with what his followers did. They missed some of his dynamic, by allowing his truth to be formulated. So, as Calvin would not be at home with many Calvinists, so Wesley would not be at home with many Wesleyans. If we add the Quaker holiness tradition to that, neither Fox nor Wesley would be at home. That means it is time to re-examine both Fox (& Barclay) and Wesley. The delightful thing about Fox and Barclay and Woolman and Benezet is that (I believe) they would not be a good fit for 20^th Century conservative theology.

Has Wesleyan evangelicalism strayed from the theology and spirituality of John Wesley himself? Where?

Yes, again, as in above. They have turned sanctification into a doctrine, and an issue that separates them from other groups. This happened as well in Wesley's lifetime, and he was not successful in preventing it, even though he said things that indicate he tried. For example, he indicated that he had no particular fondness for and seldom used the term "perfection." That may have been his wish, because it was typically interpreted as "sinless perfection," or a kind of absolute perfection, which he rejected. But the truth is that he did like the term and used it. He could use it without meaning "sinless," but others heard it and assumed their own interpretation.

The other area of straying is in spirituality. I believe that Wesley was deeply sensitive spiritually. His followers sometime are more in tune with his practices than his sensitivity. Of course, to go beyond evangelicalism, the more liberal branches of Methodism have missed Wesley's heart, and his sensitivity to the relational aspect of the gospel. I find it interesting that
both sides have missed key elements of Wesley.

If John Wesley were alive, and happened to walk into a Northwest Yearly Meeting Church, what would he find familiar?

Very little. He was an ordained priest of the Church of England. He would miss the liturgy. One thing he would find familiar would be the sermon, but the style would be different.

What would he find exciting?

I expect he would love the warm heartedness of the people, willing to share their lives. However, he would see this as more related to his class meetings and bands, not with worship.

What would he find disconcerting?

Lack of formality, lack of clerical garb, lack of Eucharist, lack of respect. What would be interesting would be to dialogue with him about how his system of worship, cf. class meetings, bands, society, relate to our various gatherings. I would love to converse with him about the role and meaning of worship of the gathered church, and also about how we disciple, teach and train. This is a fun question and leads to more important issues than form: how did he, and how do we accomplish our goals in our various gatherings.

If you want a nice picture of the variety and forms of Wesley's meetings, see D. Michael Henderson's John Wesley's Class Meeting. (Francis Asbury Press)

The Northwest Yearly Meeting has been undergoing some changes in the last decade or so. In many ways these changes seem to be a move from what has been labeled "generic American evangelicalism" to an evangelicalism more informed by Quaker distinctives and spirituality. In his own time, Wesley was also a church reformer and revitalizer. What can the NWYM learn from Wesley's reform efforts?

Wesley related to his age by doing things that the culture was familiar with. Notably, Charles Wesley's music related to the culture. This, of course, raises a terrific hot button, but the problem lies in mixing "worship" with "evangelism." For Wesley, evangelism was done in the world, and worship and teaching were done in gathered meetings. We need to discern how to distinguish what we are doing and what audience we are dealing with. Wesley was clear, and had NO difficulty with that because he actually WENT OUT to the people who needed to hear him. Street meetings were effective then, and worship was NOT their purpose. What I think we can learn from Wesley is to stop using the gathered meeting as a place to evangelize those who are "sensitive." Quakers need to be educated to be sensitive to seekers in real life, not in a worship service. Not that we should be insensitive there, but sensitivity is most helpful and appropriate where people are. Wesley also moved significantly in attacking oppression. He created systems to address the health care needs of people, his people, and people in general. He created loan systems for those in financial need who could get re-started if they had help. He, obviously, supported governmental change on systemic oppression, with prison reform, education, slavery. Take a look at the little essay I have near the end of the Wesley book, appdendix 2, p. 193. It has some hard data on what Wesley actually did.

Recently two of your books were published. One book is on John Wesley: Social justice through the eyes of Wesley: John Wesley's theological challenge to slavery; and the other book is on the 18th century Quaker Anthony Benezet: To Be Silent... Would be Criminal: The Antislavery Influence and Writings of Anthony Benezet . These subsequent publishings seem to me to be suggestive of your intellectual and spiritual passions. In your own thoughts, are these two books complementary?

Yes, certainly. The role of Quakers, particularly Benezet, in Wesley's life is unmistakable. However, what Wesley did with that influence is significant in that the huge mass of his followers were able to effect change in Parliament and society in general. I think the Benezet factor makes the Wesley factor possible and ties it to the specific social justice issue of slavery. Without that, Wesley would have had influence on prison reform and other issues, but possibly not on the overwhelmingly important issue of slavery. It makes one wonder about the conversations these two guy had (are having?) in heaven!

When I think of groups that claim Wesleyan heritage, I do not automatically think of social reforms. Yet, the title of your recent book on Wesley suggests that he was very concerned about the way his inward faith turned outward. How did Wesley enflesh his social conscience? Is there any evidence to suggest that he was influenced by early Friends?

Wesley's social conscience was influenced by his understanding of scripture. The role (I see) that Quakers played for him was not to give him a social conscience, but to direct him to the area where that conscience could be applied and could make a difference. He himself said :"there is no holiness, but social holiness." (That is in his preface to the poetical works of John & Charles Wesley, I believe). I do not see much of an influence by early friends. The earlier Wesley distrusted Quakers, and thought of them as a sect. He saw them as Quietists, and sometimes as Enthusiasts, those who believed they heard the voice of God apart from, and in contradiction to scripture. The surprising thing is that with his biased attitude against Quakers, he would be willing to learn from Benezet. That is amazing, but it also leads me to think that what he learned from Quakers was the application of his already developed theology. Ah, yes, another wonderful quote from Wesley: he saw "holy solitaries" as liable as "holy adulterers." Those are his words. :-). The influences we do know that touched Wesley were A'Kempis, William Law, and Jeremy Taylor. Law influenced him much on Christian perfection.

The Friends, originating in 17th Century England, and Wesley ministering nearly the length of the 18th Century in England, were both products of their times. That is, both the Friends and Wesley himself were shaped during times of rising industrialism, urbanization, and the philosophies of the Enlightenment. Moreover, since their inception, both Friends and those who claim Wesleyan lineage have been continually shaped by their particular contexts. Of course, much of this is inevitable and even desirable and yet our challenge today is to be critical of anything in our heritage that would get in the way of faithfulness to participation in God's mission. Where do 21st Century Friends need to rebuke aspects cultural captivity so as to be open and obedient as a people, equipped and transformed by the Holy Spirit for mission?

Would a conversation with our Quaker heritage and our Wesleyan heritage be helpful in translating the Gospel within a postmodern context? Absolutely! Some of Wesley's theology tied to Quaker process would be productive. Also, Wesley's organization and strong teaching must be tied to Quaker sensitivity to silence and listening, and the value of the human being.

The problem that I see relates to watching a group make a difference in society, and then simply mimicking them and allowing their dynamic process to become formulaic. We try to do what they did, rather than examining why they did things and how they learned from their cultural context what needed to be done. It is as simple as responding to human need. Many of the social reforms were results of simply taking seriously the specific human (or world) needs. The love of Christ motivated such sensitivity. Then, typically, the next generation simply continued the actions of the group that responded to need. The key is to forget the past in terms of actions, and mimic them in terms of their willingness to respond to need. I believe that both Benezet and Wesley (as well as Woolman) allowed their sensitivity to God to sensitize them to those around them. When that occurs, new and relevant programs will occur, but the people who work those programs, if they remain sensitive to human need, will not become slaves to the programs, and bound to continue them regardless of outcome. They will, rather, be slaves to others. In Luther's words, interceding for, actually taking on the sins of others, as Christ interceded for and took on our sins. The Quaker distinctive is that in silence we begin to hear the Spirit's directing about how to respond to need.

We need to reject the "noise" of our culture (even our evangelical culture) and create space to listen. We need to be strong enough to reject the values of others, especially Christians, who interpret scripture in self serving ways. That is the problem with the "Evangelical culture." We need to awaken our society to the truth of history: war does NOT solve problems, so we must think creatively about how to present viable alternatives. That must include education. We must learn to worship. It is in worship that God brings the pieces together and creates wholeness out of our thoughts, our desires, our drives, our good wishes.

Thanks for your thoughts Irv!

Reflections on Ecclesiastes 11 and the Virginia Tech Massacre

2007-04-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

On April 16th we were all shocked and appalled to hear the news about the massacre on the campus of Virginia Tech University. A 23 year old man, filled with anger and hatred walked into a dormitory with two semi-automatic handguns, killing two students. Two hours later, he walked into another building, chained several of the doors and went on a rampage. Bullets were flying everywhere and the scene was described as that of complete and utter terror and pandemonium. All in all, 33 people were killed including the shooter. Lives filled with promise and opportunity were snuffed out mercilessly.

In one way or another, each of us experienced outrage and sorrow and anger as we heard this horrible news. Underneath the emotional reaction is a pit in our stomachs that grows and claws and fills us with a nagging feeling of despair and loneliness, a feeling that comes when we see places of hurt and devastation and violence – when we see pictures of young men and women crying on each other's shoulders, when we hear the names of the innocent dead – and we think of the police officer and chaplain who knocked on the door of anxious parents late that Monday night, and as soon as mom or dad opened the door they knew what this visit was about. They knew that their lives would never be the same.

This massacre, the deadliest in American history, came on me like a punch in the gut. It took my breath away and left my doubled over, helpless on my knees.

Maybe you also experienced something like this. I believe that when there is suffering, wherever it is around the world, those with spirits sensitive to the heart of God will feel something of that suffering. Perhaps it will come in the form of a catalyst to prayer, to compassion, to change or something else. Every human being springs from the creative heart of the same Creator and whenever the creation is hurt, God's heart hurts and if our hearts are open to God, then we will feel it too.

I don't know what it was about this evil act that hit me the hardest. There is so much here that breaks God's heart. In fact, many of my prayers were in the form of questions:

“God, why is our society so enthralled with violence? Why is it so easy for a deranged man to buy semi-automatic weapons?”

“God, how did this young man become so wounded that he felt killing as many people as he could was the only way out? How could that happen? That's not the way you want it!”

“God, how can those students and parents and faculty members ever find healing?”

“God, what is it in us that is capable of great compassion in the face of brutal murder in our own country, but then can so quickly look the other way when the murder is happening in Iraq or Darfur? Why can't we ever grasp the truth that we are all the same in your eyes?”

“God, what's wrong with us?”

I don't think I really expected God to give me answers to these questions as much as I wanted to give to God the angst that was on my heart. Giving our concerns and worries to God is one of the purposes of prayer. When we give to God what is on our hearts that's when we submit ourselves to God's transforming life, and that's an appropriate response when tragedy strikes.

But there are responses to tragedy that are inappropriate, that are sinful. Perhaps the root of all of these inappropriate responses is fear. Fear has many guises. In one person fear might mean withdrawing. In another person, fear might mean building up calluses so that the pain of others does not affect one's self. In a third person, fear might mean acting with hostility and anger, labeling, and judging people. These are all characteristics of fear.

Did you know that the most mentioned command in the Bible is the command: “Do not be afraid”? Did you know that?

Sometimes fear is healthy. It is fear that keeps us from wandering close to the ledge of a cliff. It is fear that keeps a young child from touching that burner or walking into the street. It is fear that keeps us safe many times – but many times fear is a barrier between God and us. Fear is like cataracts. It dims and blurs our vision of what God is doing in and around us. We all believe that God is alive and active and loving, but we can believe that all day long and still be blinded by fear.

When an event as bloody and disturbing as this massacre occurs one of the first thing that happens is we begin to fear. We fear that the world is out of control, that there is no end to the evil that people can do and there is no way to make a difference. We see all the evil in the world, and perhaps those of us in the church look around and also see a growing secularism. And this can lead the church into fear. Sometimes it seems as if when evil rears its ugly head the church cowers in a corner, impotent and useless.

In our passage in Ecclesiastes the Teacher gives some words of advice to his students that are helpful for us as well. If you have been following our series you know that the Teacher has spent a lot of time tearing down false hopes. He says, “You think you will find meaning in achievement? Nope, there's no meaning there, but you can enjoy your work.”

“You think you will find meaning in wealth? Nah, no matter how rich you are you will be buried in a grave just like the beggar on the corner, but you can be thankful what you have, thankful in a way that leads to generosity.”

Like many of us, the Teacher's students wonder what hope there is for life and joy. In a world of violence, and chaos, and murder, where evil seems to be so powerful and our actions for the good seem so frail, what is there to do?

So in Ecclesiastes chapter 11 the Teacher wants to be sure that none of his students, and none of us, are paralyzed in fear and inaction. In a passage that is difficult to understand because of its use of metaphor, the Teacher says, in short, “Take risks, take chances, do something bold, but for God's sake don't just sit on your hands moaning – you're better than that, because God is better than that!”

I mentioned that sometimes the church goes off to a corner, impotent and useless. And I want to mention that again, because the church as an institution is useless in the face of the tragedy that we saw on the campus of Virginia Tech. The church as a business, as an organization, as a club is useless in the face of tragedy. It is just as well that when the church thinks of itself as any of these things it is filled with fear, it's just as well. But that's not the church. That's not us. The church is not one activity among a myriad of activities to choose from, activities ranging from the Lions Club to a book club. The church is that community of people all over the world who claim Jesus Christ as their head, their Lord, their Savior, and who claim the gospel he embodied as their hope.

If the church claims anything less than Christ and Christ’s mission, then it is impotent. But with Christ as our head, the message God puts in our hearts is a message of life. When we begin to live into the Teacher's message, when things are dark and times are hard, when a young man walks onto a campus of 26,000 students with a Glock 19mm in one hand, and a Walther P22 in the other, that's when we begin to see just what the Teacher was telling his students to do.

Across the ages, and continents and right here into our midst the Teacher says: “I know things are tough and scary and you don't know what to do. So I'm gonna tell you what to do: Cast your bread onto the water, do something risky like love your enemies. Forgive someone, forgive someone who doesn't want to be forgiven. Take a chance in the name of Christ. Be more generous then you've been before, be more loving then you've been before. Get prayed up, studied up, and worked up for Jesus. Don't stand their waiting for God to write his orders on the wall, you'll never see that happen and you'll spend your days living in la-la land. Now is the time for action. You know the Gospel of Christ because it is in your heart and it is in your mouth. You know that inkling in your heart that you've been wondering about – just do it. Sew your seeds, if you keep watching for the perfect time, the perfect situation, and an engraved invitation you won't get it – but if Christ is your head, and your desire is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself then your actions will be the very actions of God. You will be led by God and you will be guided by God. So don't stand there anymore, there's a world in pain out there. There are people who need to feel that someone will accept them no matter how awkward they are. There are people who need to know that someone loves them no matter how many times they have failed. There are people who need to know that there is nothing so powerful that it can separate them from the love of God. People need to know that and if you don't tell them no one will.”

Then the Teacher makes a good point, he says, “None of you know the ins and outs of what it takes to form a baby in the womb, even though all of you were formed in that way. But the fact that you don't know everything there is to know about the miracle of birth doesn't stop you from giving birth. Neither should the vastness and mystery of God keep you from being obedient to the Truth that you do know.”

And we do know a lot about God. We know that all of God's actions, both God's judgment and grace are extensions of God's love. So we can speak the truth in any situation, we can say together that our society is infatuated with violence and because of this God is grieved. And we can be pictures of God's peace ourselves. We can talk peacefully, by refusing to demonize anyone with our words. We can walk peacefully, by looking at the world in which we live as God's creation and we are but humble stewards. We can smile at someone, we can reduce our gasoline consumption, we can become schooled in the ways of conflict management, we can learn the gospel by heart so that when we see a hurt we will know how the gospel speaks to it and know what we need to do.

We can do all of this because of the One who makes his home with us, who loves us, who calls us by name and says “child you are mine, do not be afraid.”

It's all because of God. Anything that we have to offer is not because of any cleverness on our part, but because of the Gospel that has changed our lives and can change the world, is changing the world, and in the end the world will be full of God's glory. In the end evil can't even hold a finger up to God, and that's where we come in. We are the people who know that when all is said and done, it is the love of God that has the last word on the matter. As the church we have one foot in our present world of brokenness and despair and one foot in the Kingdom of God. Our witness is that no matter how chaotic, angry, and violent things are God's life in us keeps us always pointing to a different Kingdom. And so, no matter how bad things get, we will not be afraid. We will not close ourselves off to others, even at the threat of persecution and we will not walk away from the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation.

Cast your bread upon the waters. Take a risk, do something that seems foolish. Do you know what the biggest risk of all is? It's to love, to really love, even to the point of death. Paul said that Christ showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. While we were still sinners. And yet, how often do we wait for someone to apologize to us before we will really love them? Before we will forgive them? Before we will take them into our hearts as God took us into His? That's the biggest risk we can take – show someone else the love that God has shown to us. But that is the only kind of love that can speak peace into a world of violence. Friends, the Teacher is challenging us to act.

One of the barriers that gets in the way of us going to action is we want to have everything figured out before we start, we want to turn it into a big thing with a committee and a budget, but maybe the first thing you should do is follow that little tug on your heart one step at a time. Just follow it. You know the Gospel and in little and big ways, in simple and complex ways but in profound ways none the less, with one foot in the world and one foot in the Kingdom of God we proclaim God's love to the sinner and the outcast, the sick and the hurting.

Cast your bread upon the waters, trusting that God's grace covers you and God's love empowers you.

Reflections on Peace Sabbath

2007-03-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry this has taken so long! I wanted to get the audio up before I made my post...

Our Valentine's Day Peace Sabbath was a wonderful time of prayer and witness (to read more about the motivation for the event, read the previous post). From 9am - 5pm the Meeting House was open for prayer. Several people from the Meeting began to come for prayer in the afternoon and it was a very worshipful time. Then, at 5pm, we had a seminar on Quaker Peace and Justice, which an unprogrammed Friend who splits her time between the programmed and unprogrammed meeting, and I led together. We covered the history of schisms within Quakerism, and practices for community reconciliation, such as the Victim Offender Reconciliation Project (VORP). During our seminar, we emphasized that part of what the Peace Sabbath was all about was that an unprogrammed Friend and a programmed Friend could take together about the history and testimonies that bring us together. After the seminar, at approximately 6pm, we had a half hour of worship with singing, a prayer for peace and a reflection on peace as a holistic reality. Following our time of worship, we shared a meal together and embodied true fellowship.

I sent letters of invitations to temples, mosques, Native American tribes, other churches, and unprogrammed meetings. No one outside of Olympic View Friends Church attended the Sabbath, but I know that the unprogrammed meeting published my letter of invitation in their newsletter and so I feel that the message of reconciliation and love was adequately extended to those around us.

For me, this was a simple but exciting way to participate in God's reconciliation. It was wonderful to have the freedom to say, "this day is a free gift of love, we expect nothing in return." I think that we were freed to be open to whatever the Spirit might bring our way!

Not Your Usual Valentine’s Day

2007-01-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

As nation after nation reels from the effects of war, and families and relationships splinter with interpersonal conflicts in every community all over the world, we at Olympic View Friends Church would like to invite you to a day of peace, worship, witness and prayer. As an act of reconciliation within our own community, and a testimony to the reconciling and peacemaking power of the Cross, please consider making Valentine’s Day a “Peace Sabbath.” If appropriate, take the day off work or school. Use this as a day of worship and witness.

The world around us is watching to see if Christians will embody the Truth and Love that characterizes a life in the Spirit. As followers of Christ, we are bound to God in such a way that the reasons for war and strife no longer exist. We live into this truth imperfectly, but are called more and more to be a community that lives according to the Power and Love of the Holy Spirit, relying on the armor of God rather than the weapons of this world. All of us have been touched in one way or another by torn relationships, war, or the violence of being prejudiced and demonized. Yet, the love of Christ calls us to offer love freely. So, as a rejection of the commercialized ‘love’ that typifies Valentine’s Day, and a witness to the life changing Love of God in Christ, Olympic View Friends Church will be opened to our community – especially the disenfranchised and those who would consider us their enemies. We expect nothing in return – our joy is to live faithfully as “Christ’s Ambassadors” by administering the “ministry of reconciliation” for which we have been commissioned (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

Please share God’s love and peace with us on February 14th (Valentine's Day) as we celebrate this Peace Sabbath as an act of witness. Olympic View Friends Church will be open for prayer beginning at 9am and we will conclude our day with a free community meal at 6:30pm. The schedule will be as follows:

9am-5pm: Open Prayer Vigil
5-6pm: Seminar: “Quaker Peace and Justice”
6-6:30pm: Gathering for Worship
6:30pm: Shared Community Meal

By the way, I am sure that thought of losing a special date with your loved one is distressing. So, I encourage you to take your ‘honey’ out for a nice evening the day before or after Valentine’s Day (the restaurants are less crowded that way, anyway…)!

Peace Witness Poster

2007-01-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Help promote a "Peace Sabbath" - distribute this poster!

A Visit to Olympic View Friends Church: Observations from a British Unprogrammed Friend

2007-01-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

In November a young Friend I met while speaking to British unprogrammed Friends about Quaker spirituality and practice among evangelical, programmed Friends in the US spent a weekend with my wife and I in the Seattle area. While visiting, she attended meeting for worship and has offered these reflections at my request:

During her recent visit to the United States, Emily Maddison attended a service at Olympic View Friends Church, where Jon Kershner, who visited YFGM last year, is pastor. Here she tells us of her experience.

The visit of two young Quaker pastors from Northwest Yearly Meeting and their leading of a semi-programmed Meeting for Worship at YFGM Norwich in May left me intrigued, and I was recently able to visit the congregation at Olympic View Friends Church and to take part in their fully programmed Meeting for Worship. I was particularly inspired by the sermon given and how it helped give me focus during silent worship. I was also curious to see how much silent worship would be contained within a programmed Meeting, as well as to meet the members of the congregation and find out about how they express their faith.

One of my first impressions on arriving at Olympic View Friends Church was that the building looked very different to a British Meeting House. It is not merely a functional building constructed for purpose, which apart from the Quaker literature and the noticeboards at first glance does not necessarily look like a religious building. It is a building that looks very similar to the churches of other non-conformist denominations, such as Baptists and Methodists. This not only includes the layout, which contains a “church area” with pews and a stage (although significantly no altar), but also several large crosses both inside the building and on the church roof. It made me wonder how British Friends would react to having a cross put up inside their Meeting House.

Over a pre-service breakfast the congregation asked me questions about British Friends. I put my copy of “Quaker Faith and Practice” on the table for people to look at, as well as copies of “The Friend” and “Young Quaker”, which were received with interest (one Friend asked about subscribing to “YQ”). First of all (like any good British Quaker!) I said that UK Friends come in innumerable guises and that I could only tell them of my own beliefs and experiences. I explained to them how we hold our Meeting for Worship and we discussed the differing levels of the importance of Christ in our Meetings. This was perhaps one of the most striking contrasts between us, as the congregation here was most definitely Christian, whereas in the UK the Meeting can be made up of Quakers from many different faith backgrounds as well as those who follow the path of Quakerism but not that of any other religion. This was perhaps a bit easier for me as I am a Christian Quaker, but it made me wonder how comfortable British Friends on other spiritual paths might have felt, and how much being in Olympic View Friends Church might have spoken to their condition. Not for the first time that morning I felt that programmed and unprogrammed Friends are simultaneously in synergy with each other and yet poles apart. We agreed that one thing we have in common (at least with Olympic View) is that our numbers are declining and our members are getting older, at which point the discussion turned towards outreach. In British Quakerism this is very different, since we do not set up or support religious missions. Rather we want those in our local communities to realize that we exist and to join us if they feel moved to. I mentioned that British Friends are well known for their peace initiatives but that we may need to become more assertive in our outreach in order to survive, and that we need to recognize that we can spread our message without being overtly evangelical. Finally I was asked about the influence of George Fox and of early Friends on British Quakers, which I found quite difficult to answer well. I replied that there is a lot of research and teaching on George Fox and early Quaker history within Quaker Studies, and that anyone who has read Fox's journal gets a lot of respect for making it through such a tome (!). I said too that young Friends often learn about the life of George Fox and in the past have made pilgrimages to 1652 country. However, I was left feeling that maybe there is a need amongst British Friends to spend more time considering the importance of the teachings of George Fox and how it speaks to us today.

The Meeting took the initial form of a modern Christian service but was still very much recognizable as Quaker. It had a definite structure, including songs and a sermon. The most noticeable difference was that the service was naturally much more Christocentric than in the UK. The songs were modern hymns about our relationship with Jesus. However, unlike traditional Christian services, which are completely led by the pastor, different members of the congregation led the different parts of the service. One of the most memorable of these was “God thoughts”, where worshippers were led to contemplate on their relationship with God and to stand up and speak prayers that came from this. The sermon, too, made a particular impression on me. It was about the Apostle Paul, who persecuted the Christians and then was called to become a Christian himself. The message was that even in the darkest times the Good News is still there to be found - this must be the case if Paul, once a great persecutor of Christians, could feel called to serve Christ himself. There was a definite evangelical feel to the sermon but I thought this was much more in the literal sense of the word, of pertaining to the Gospel and spreading the Good News, rather than in the modern, Christian Fundamentalist sense. It was also remarkable that the pastor stood at a small lectern at the same level as the congregation, rather than using the pulpit on the stage. This felt to me very much in line with Quaker values - that the pastor is someone who has felt called by God and chosen by the congregation to guide them, but is no more and no less important than the other Friends. He simply has a different role.

Afterwards there was about half and hour of silent worship. When I had arrived at Olympic View I had been given a leaflet that was a guide to Spoken Ministry. It contained a diagram that asked several questions, such as, “Is the message truly from God?” If your answer was “no”, the diagram led you to “return to centre” (silent worship); if your answer was “yes” then you went onto the next question. If you said “yes” to the answer “must you speak?” then the diagram led you to “Minister”. I found the leaflet extremely helpful and often take it with me to use as a kind of “check-list” when I feel called to speak in Meetings. While such a leaflet should not detract from the spontaneity of spoken ministry, I think a similar one could be very useful to have in British Meetings as a guide for newcomers. It was clear from the ministry that the congregation spanned the range of Evangelical Friends from the more moderate to the more conservative. One Friend spoke of how we often make sins relative - “that sin is worse, but that sin is not so bad” - but really all sin is still sin and should be seen as such. This ministry struck me in particular because British Friends rarely talk about sin, and never in my experience in terms of evangelical Christianity (though it can be found in some of the writings of early Friends). At the end of the worship the pastor asked, “Are all hearts cleansed?” and shortly after the service drew to a close.

I was fortunate enough to be there the Sunday of the “pot luck” Thanksgiving meal, which was amazing: the congregation cooked a huge turkey (also something of a rarity in British Meeting Houses!) and everyone brought a dish, including potatoes, green bean casserole, salads and pies. The meal gave me the opportunity to talk to members of the congregation, including some younger Friends. I spoke to the Northwest Yearly Meeting representative for the World Gathering in Lancaster, who told me how much she had enjoyed her visit and to say “hallo” to everyone in the UK for her. I had conversations with several members of the congregation who had been in the US military, which I found remarkable and made me wonder whether British Friends would welcome ex-military personnel into Meeting so readily, particularly if they asked to become members (or even if we would want to). I also met one member who was working towards closer relations between Olympic View Friends Church and the unprogrammed Meeting in Tacoma. The congregation told me of how they had invited the unprogrammed Friends to a shared meal the following weekend, but had received a rather muted response. They felt that this was very sad (and not a little frustrating), but could also understand the unprogrammed Friends' reticence to join them, since most of their experience of Evangelical Christians was as very conservative and uncompromising. Visiting Olympic View has made me realize that there is a much wider spectrum of beliefs amongst Evangelical Churches than first appears, and that while the majority may be very conservative, a significant minority are more moderate. It has taught me to look beyond superficial labels and inspired me to continue to develop relations between unprogrammed and programmed Friends in my own small way. I left feeling that programmed and unprogrammed Friends have a lot to learn from each other - that while we can help prevent programmed Friends from going too far down the road of Evangelical Christianity, they can help prevent us from becoming too disparate and straying too far from our Quaker roots.

ADDENDUM:
Since Emily's visit, the sound system at OVFC went on the fritz. The cause was a blown "high-end compression driver" in our main speaker. The speaker technicians said that I should stand behind the speaker placement in order to minimize feedback and prevent future problems. Unfortunately, this means standing on the stage.

Christian Witness to Peace

2007-01-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

The following is an email from our Northwest Yearly Meeting Superintendent, Colin Saxton. I was struck by the Spirit behind his words. Many times those who say they follow the path of peace use the language and ideology of violence. Then, peace becomes one more position with which to denigrate others. Even Quakers do not escape this indictment. In the following email, though, is a testimony of peace grounded in the Love and Spirit of God.

I am gathering a group of people together at Olympic View Friends Church to spend some time listening as to what our response should be. To find out what is going on click here and here!

Truly,
Jon

Hello Friends!

I know full well that I do not speak for all NWYM Friends. Yet, I am concerned that we have an important witness to share with a watching world in these days. As a people committed to knowing, loving and obeying Jesus Christ, I think all of us are deeply grieved and concerned about the escalation of warfare and the mounting death toll, not only in Iraq, but all around the globe.

Last week, I had an interesting experience as I was thinking and praying about the witness of NWYM in our communities and around the world. I won't go into all the details, but I was reminded that we really do have an amazing opportunity (and maybe a divine responsibility)…if we will only seize it.

All across the nation, tonight and tomorrow, there is going to be a fierce outcry against the proposed military “surge” in Iraq. Over the last few days, I have received many invitations to join in gatherings that will held in order to say “NO” to this political strategy.

I am convinced that these types of gatherings and efforts have there place. I also know, having been a part of many of these over the years, that there is often something very important missing in them. Sometimes, the tenor of the events reflect more fear, anger and hatred than they do hope, healing & sacrificial love. At times, the activities seem more geared toward venting frustration and bashing political enemies than they are geared to imagining and implementing creative and effective alternatives to violence. And, I've even been part of a couple of these where the outcome seemed to lead to more division than genuine reconciliation. And above all...there have been times when Jesus was noticeably absent.

For many of us, our commitment to non-violence and active peacemaking is not simply a political strategy. It is a fruit borne out of commitment to Jesus Christ. It is an aspect of discipleship—a necessity rooted in our understanding of Scripture and an expression of our unity with the leading of the Holy Spirit. These testimonies, manifest in the practical, day-to-day choices we make, identify us with the people who confess to knowing, loving and obeying Jesus in all we do. And finally, the non-violent love and active ministry of peacemaking make visible one aspect of God's Kingdom--which we seek not only in our own lives but in all of creation.

What an amazing witness to the world! Not just "We don't want war." Instead, we can say:

"As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God and have been called into the ministry of reconcilation. We now live in the Life and Power that has freed us from guilt, sin and shame and taken away the occasion for all wars and all violence. As ones who have been overwhelmed by God's mercy and grace, we commit ourselves to loving others with sacrificial love of Christ. And so we invite others to commit their lives to Him and become members of His Beloved Community. In the church of Jesus, we will study war no more. More positively, we will commit ourselves to learn how to love and serve each other and to share with those who are in need. In this community, we will base our lives on the values taught and modeled by Jesus and on the clear teachings of the Bible. As His people, we will be model citizens in our homelands...but our true allegiance will only be to the Kingdom of God. Believing that Jesus, not rulers, dictators, presidents or kings, is truly Lord of all, we will speak His Truth and encourage the carrying out of His Kingdom ways in every sphere of life and in every tribe and nation. In the case of warfare and violence, we will work actively and creatively as peacemakers in areas of conflict and injustice. In doing so, we will rely on the armor of God rather than the weapons of this world. Instead of opting to fight or flee, we will seek to apply the practical and powerful love of God--the only power truly able to overcome evil. And as we seek to be faithful in our own lives, we will act in the hope that others will respond to the Truth. When they do not, we will not respond with anger or surprise...knowing that not everyone is ready or willing to follow the way of our Lord. And when we are ridiculed or abused for our witness, we will gladly receive it for His name's sake."

In order to help us take advantage of this opportunity for witness, I am working with a small group of people to pull together what we are tentatively calling a “peace Sabbath”…or maybe a “love your enemies Sabbath” that we would hold on Valentine’s Day all across NWYM. The intent, on a day that is generally given to romantic love and sometimes, sappy expressions of affection, is to remind ourselves and other followers of Jesus that we are called to a deeper, more genuine, redemptive love--one that is ready to embrace and suffer for the sake the world.

My initial suggestion to the group is that we declare this day a real Sabbath. As much as possible and is appropriate, we will encourage people to “take this as a day of rest.” Maybe that will mean taking a day off of work or school. It might mean canceling group or individual Valentine's Day plans. Instead, we Friends of NWYM would invest ourselves in a day of worship and witness--aimed at recommiting ourselves to follow Christ, to encourage our other brothers and sisters in Christ to consider the call to peacemaking, and to reach out to our non-Christian neighbors with the Good News and peace of Christ.

My hope is that this small group will be a catalyst for Sabbath Day events all around Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Through resources, practical aids and ideas to consider, we will hope to encourage you in your efforts at putting together something that is appropriate for your context. In Newberg, I am hoping that there might be an event that is coordinated with George Fox University. How and where you might flesh this out will depend on you. We will simply want to be a resource for those of you who are interested.

Here are some initial ideas...

*Open the church building to Friends and other Christians as a place to gather to pray for peace around the world and the spread of the gospel of peace.

*Hold a worship service focusing on Christ & his call to peacemaking.

*Put on a series of workshops, educational events for Friends & others in the community around non-violence, practical peacemaking, peacemaking in the family, conflict resolution, host a speaker on the war in Iraq (or Israel/Palestine, or any other option), make a presentation on pro-active, alternatives to violence or efforts aimed at justice, Christian social action & evangelism, conscientious objection, etc.

*Hold a public vigil/demonstration that is both Christ-centered & an invitation to learn more about Friends. (Consider inviting other peace groups to come...to let them see how you organize such an event).

*Host other Christian leaders/churches to discuss the topic or how you might better partner in your local community

*Put together teams of volunteers to help out in local ministrys/social agencies

*Host a meal in which you invite disenfranchised groups, low-income neighbors, etc

*Sponser a Christian/Muslim dialogue opportunity--simply to talk about how to be good neighbors despite religious differences

*Put together a some show of compassionate support for families in your community who have lost a soldier or who have family members overseas

*Host a letter writing opportunity...maybe with letters about the war...and maybe letters to those political leaders who identify themselves as Christians. With them, it would be appropriate to share your biblical convictions about peacemaking & as them to reflect on these. Commit to praying for these individuals as you send these letters.

*Encourage every person in your church that is willing to engage in some active witness for peace that day. (I was involved in something like this when I lived in Virginia. It was a powerful day for us and an amazing witness to the community. I remember several people being inspired to begin attending churches by the witness of this group).

*there are lots of others...but I'll stop here

I am taking the initiative with this because our new boards are not yet fully functional. It feels like now is the time for action...not when it would be more convenient. In addition, this has felt like a leading to me and I would like to be faithful to it.

Blessings, peace & joy in Jesus!

Colin

p.s...I know some will not like the idea of "replacing" Valentine's Day with something like this. Be encouraged to take your sweet-heart out the night before or after. It is alot easier to find a seat at a restaurant. :>)

Colin Saxton, General Superintendent

Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church

200 N. Meridian St.

Newberg, OR 97132

503-538-9419

csaxton@nwfriends.org

The Mystery of Christ: A New Year’s Blessing

2006-12-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

The meaning of Christmas is often obscured by the frenzy of this season. The wonder of Christmas is that 2000 years ago, in Bethlehem, God entered the human experience. This is called the Incarnation. All of our celebrating and gift giving points back to the gift of God to humanity in Jesus.

The Incarnation represents a great mystery. How can God be involved in the world and care for the creation without negating human action? Bishop NT Wright says that many people see only two possible answers to this question. Either God leaves the world to its own devices, or, on the other hand, God reaches into the world from time to time to intervene in the natural course of things. However, as NT Wright says, a better approach would be to reject this either/or model in favor a more biblically informed notion of the Incarnation.

Jesus was just as much fully human as fully divine. Jesus was a fragile baby, whose life was as delicate and precarious as every other baby, and yet in this baby God dwelled directly. God’s care for the created world went beyond reaching in from the outside every now and then, and it went beyond hoping that the world would sort itself out without God’s help. Instead, God acted from within the world in a way that will set the world right in the end. Thus, NT Wright says: “The God who comes to the middle of world history in Jesus does not come to wave a magic wand and automatically cure everything in sight. God comes to take its pain and shame, its guilt and rebellion, on to himself, to bear the weight of the world’s evil so that the world may be healed.”

This is a presence that is both more subtle and more powerful than the either/or understanding of God’s activity will allow. For here, we are part of a grand narrative, one in which God directs and has the lead role. What we do and say as humans makes a world of difference because of the importance of the narrative itself. In this narrative our lives are very much reflections of the life of the One who forever became a part of the world in the simplicity of a child. As 2006 calendars are being thrown away, and their 2007 replacements are being tacked onto the wall, pray that 2007 will be a year of obedience to God’s will and awe at the mystery of Christ.

I pray that you will have a blessed New Year – filled with the presence and guidance of our Lord.

A Simple Christmas

2006-12-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

It seems like every year the Christmas rush begins a little sooner. I am writing this post before Thanksgiving and already stores have Christmas trees up advertising the latest gizmos for Christmas.

A couple of weeks ago, the Playstation 3 video game console hit the stores in limited numbers. Since there were not even close to enough console’s to meet the demand, many would-be purchasers camped in front of Walmarts and BestBuys for 36 hours prior to purchase one of the coveted consoles. While in line, the media reported stories of fights, assaults, shootings, stabbings and near riot conditions.

So this nightmare of a scenario, based in consumerism and greed, is one model that currently characterizes the Christmas season. What does Christ say about this? What does Friends' testimony say about this? In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus warns his disciples against admiring things that are glittery and exciting at the moment, he said: “Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life” (21:34). Be careful – that is good advice! Our brothers and sisters in more liturgical traditions (Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran, etc.) set aside the time leading up to Christmas as a time to prepare hearts for the future advent of Christ, and the immediate presence of Christ every day. Unfortunately, much in our culture during the Christmas season is distracting and inhibits our spiritual preparation for the advent of Christ. In many cases, what we set aside for purposes of faith and repentance and healing have been accosted by greed and consumerism and materialism. In light of this, Jesus’ warning is even more potent – “be careful!”

This Christmas season I hope we will resist the urges and pressures of materialism and learn from our Quaker testimony of simplicity. I hope these suggestions will help us form a counter-culture that will testify to the true meaning and value of Christmas:

Resist urges to go to the mall just to see what is on sale, or to window shop – only go into a store when you have the intention of purchasing an item. Spend the time you save from browsing stores in prayer and meditation.
For those without means, Christmas time is a time when poverty is felt most acutely. Often, the holiday festivities serves to multiply the felt gap between the 'have’s' and the 'have not’s.' What does it mean for Christians to stand in solidarity with the poor? This is a big question, but I think part of the answer is a realization that all of humanity is essentially in the same condition before God. So, acts of kindness, service and dignity-affirmation are reflections of the same actions God has sprinkled in all of our lives. We will be able to act on this conviction throughout the Holiday Season, but on December 10^th, Olympic View Friends Church will go to the Tacoma Rescue Mission’s Hope Home and celebrate birthdays and sing Christmas carols with people who have no family with which to celebrate. This will be a wonderful statement of joy and solidarity this Christmas.
I’ve heard people thinking about buying Christmas presents say, “what do you get for the guy/gal who has everything?” In this case, why not support a good cause with your gift purchase? Some people have legitimate needs and Christmas presents can make all the difference in the world. Yet, many of us know people who don’t need anything.

Instead of adding another gizmo to the pile in our bulging storage boxes and garages why not get something unique. For example, Ten Thousand Villages sells fairly traded, handcrafted products from artisans around the world. This allows people in other countries to be paid a livable wage while making traditional items – so a gift from Ten Thousand Villages is a gift that gives twice! Once to the recipient, and once to the artisan.
Or, you could buy a share of a livestock animal in someone’s name. These gifts will provide needed animals for families in developing countries, and give both you and the recipient the joy of knowing you contributed to something worthwhile.
Another, way to reduce the consumerism prevalent during the holidays while building togetherness and relationships would be to give the gift of an experience: give someone tickets to a play for the two of you! Give a family a gift card to a local restaurant! Volunteer to take someone on a mountain picnic! These ideas for gifts build relationships and enhance a sense of community.

Jesus says to “be careful” – be careful that treasures are not piled up in the wrong place; be careful that you are not distracted; be careful to prepare your heart for Jesus’ presence.

That Square Little Box of a Vehicle

2006-11-30T14:38:00.000-08:00

A while ago I wrote about a conviction that junk mail is a nuisance and takes a devastating ecological toll. I said that I would write to the junk mail companies, the financial companies, and anyone I could and tell them to stop sending me junk mail.

I said I would let you know how things were going, so that is what I am doing. Unfortunately, I did not collect quantitative data before I went on my no-junk-mail letter writing spree, so I don't have any numbers besides the anecdotal. I would say that my junk mail has dropped by one-third, which is significant. That square little box of a vehicle still puts in the "to the residents of..." advertisements, but I definitely get less in the way of unwanted credit card applications.

If you get the chance, follow the links in my previous post and try it out! I would be interested to see some quantitative data on the issue!

The Present Christ in Quaker Practice

2006-10-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Colin Saxton, our Northwest Yearly Meeting Superintendent, recently posed a questions to Yearly Meeting pastors: “What does it mean that Christ is present to teach and lead us, before a watching world?”

In response, I couldn’t help but articulate some of what we have been doing at OVFC, and I think it is important for all of us to weave together the threads of practices that have been emerging among us, why they are important, and how they shape us as witnesses. Below is my response to Colin’s question:

What a powerful testimony we witness to. At Olympic View we are beginning to articulate an understanding of Christ as present teacher by developing practices of listening and discernment. We are aware that our practices of worship and decision making are witnesses, because the world is watching.

For example, we aren't bashful about respecting our time of Open Worship. Sometimes we offer guidance and teaching to surround Open Worship, and at other times we let this time of waiting on the present Christ to stand on its own feet with a sense of awe and respect. This means that we don't cut Open Worship out if our gathering runs long. We refrain from thinking of Open Worship as filler, and we refuse to consider it a cute tradition from the past. Just the other day someone said to me, "In worship last week God told me I'm ready - I don't know what for, but whatever it is, I'm ready." I prodded her by asking what part of our worship gathering had brought upon her this conviction (perhaps secretly hoping it would be the sermon?) and she said it was during Open Worship that God spoke to her. We respect Open Worship by giving it time. It takes a while to center down, and so we give ourselves the time we need to really be present with Christ.

We have also begun a practice of awareness to God's leadings in the "everyday-ness" of life. We have begun including a time in our worship gatherings called "God Thoughts" where we share with one another our leadings throughout the week. We started this time by teaching a simplified version of the Prayer of Examen, and this has blossomed into a rich time of testifying to God's voice together as a community. The Present Christ teaches and leads in the small stuff, and that's where we are encouraging each other to become aware of Christ and, as a result, thankful for God's faithfulness.

We have begun meeting once a month for a time of "Unprogrammed Worship and Listening." Here we come with no agenda other than to be converted by God's grace into witnesses, and to be integrated into God's mission for the world.

We begin committee meetings with a time of centering and prayerful expectation that what God is doing in our midst supersedes any "work" we want to get accomplished with trust that the Present Christ will lead us to what is most important.

We encourage people facing decisions to consider Meetings for Clearness. We are beginning to think of group discernment as a counter-cultural decision making process for our life as a church, trusting that the Holy Spirit knows what is best for us and can guide us into all truth. We are (slowly) learning to put our own agendas and preferences aside and have faith that there is one Spirit and that one Spirit will guide us to unity and faithfulness.

At the beginning or our worship gatherings, we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us how to worship and to be present in all of our singing, speaking, listening and praying because without the presence of Christ in our midst we cannot worship or do anything worthy at all.

We are trying to live into the truth of Christ's presence as best we can. In other words we are a bunch of cracked pots asking the Holy Spirit to continue to do a good work in us.

God's Ambassadors

2006-09-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

The following is an article from a recent edition of our church newsletter:

Technically January 1st is the start of the new year. Technically.

But for those with school age children, teachers, and students, there is also a newness that comes at the start of the school year. We make new friends, we see old friends again. Our report card is clean, our minds are open, and we are expectant and optimistic about the new possibilities and opportunities that will present themselves.

In 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Paul says that Christians should “regard no one from a worldly point of view.” In Christ, each person is filled with new possibilities. Christ takes what was beat up and makes it something beautiful. Christ takes what was considered to be worthless, and gives it incalculable value. Why? Because God has reconciled us to God’s Self through Christ and has made us a “new creation.”

A “new creation” will act in new ways. In verse 20, Paul says that one of the marks of this new creation God is bringing forth in us, is that we would be “ambassadors” of Christ’s reconciliation. Ambassador’s have very specific job descriptions: they advocate on behalf of one nation into the particular context of another nation. Thus, the US ambassador to Mexico advocates for the US in the particular context of Mexican politics and diplomacy. And according to Paul, we are God’s ambassadors. So not only are we reconciled to God, but we also represent that reconciliation to our world, we advocate for it, we act according to its rules, we reserve our allegiance for nothing but the Kingdom we represent – the Kingdom of God.

As Friends, our peace testimony is central to what it means to be an ambassador. When we refuse to kill people of other countries, when we refuse to use violence as a method for problem solving, we are being concrete witnesses to the reconciliation of Christ. If God does not consider us God’s enemies, how can we regard others as our enemies? In this sense, we are God’s ambassadors when we witness to God’s reconciliation of God and humanity by being reconciled one to another.

There is eternal newness in Christ. In Christ we are becoming new creations moment by moment. As this school year unfolds, seize the opportunity to recommit yourself as God’s ambassador wherever you are at. Seize the opportunity to be a new creation, to look at things from God’s perspective, and be reconciled one to another.

2006-09-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

2006-09-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

What are they thinking?????

Have you ever asked this question about an elected official?

Join us at Olympic View Friends Church as US Rep. Adam Smith reports about his experiences on the House Armed Services Committee and Int'l Relations Committee.

His talk will be titled:
"Foreign Policy and Peace"

Saturday, Sept. 23 @10AM
Free continental breakfast provided.

The Prayer of Examen

2006-09-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

It is a wonderful thing to sense the stirrings of the Spirit. Recently, the elder's at Olympic View Friends Church have been convicted that Christ is calling the body of OVFC to becomes a group of people that learns to recognize God's voice speaking in everyday life. When we become aware of God leading and teaching us in the ordinariness of life, we become more and more aware of the places in our life that God is calling to reform and the places in our lives that God is encouraging.

The Prayer of Examen is a strange sounding name for something quite simple: a way of letting God make an examination of our lives. This prayer is not a petition, or a prayer of intercession, but a prayer that gives God space to lead us and convict us.

The examen helps us:

Acknowledge sad or painful feelings and hear how God is speaking to us through them.

Overcome a pessimistic outlook by encouraging us to notice the good in each day.

Tell the truth about who we truly are and what we need, rather than who we think we should be.

Become aware of seemingly insignificant moments that ultimately can give direction for our lives.

In the wonderful little book, Sleeping with Bread by Dennis, Sheila, and Matthew Linn a process for daily praying the examen as a family or alone is described:

Preparation:

You may wish to light a candle. Do whatever helps you to experience God's loving presence with you. Take a few deep breaths. Breathe in God's love, and when you breathe out, fill the space around you with it.

Step 1:

Ask God to bring to your awareness the moment today when you were most able to give and receive God's love.

If you could relive one moment, which one would it be?

What moment filled you with the most gratefullness?

Ask yourself what was said and done in that moment that made it so good.

Breathe in the gratitude you felt and receive life again from that moment.

Step 2:

Ask God to bring to your awareness the moment today where you least able to give and receive God's love.

Ask yourself what was said and done in that moment that made it so difficult. Relive the feelings without trying to change or fix it in any way.

Take deep breaths and let God's love fill you just as you are.

Step 3:

Give thanks for whatever you have experienced. If possible, share as much as possible of these two moments with a friend.

My friends, we are set here for God's purposes, our life is not our own it is God's. Our existence as a church is defined by God's mission for the world. Let us be aware of the variety of ways God calls to us and let us obediently respond.

The Spirituality of Programmed Worship

2006-08-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

For this entry you have Liz to thank. In response to a previous post she wrote: “I would love to read more from you about "the spirituality that undergirds programmed worship, how it is similar to unprogrammed worship and how it might differ," as you put it. I see you mention "a direct expectation of the presence and teaching of Christ is the source," which I assume is a similarity among Christ-centered Friends, whether programmed or unprogrammed. But I get the sense that there are other similarities and differences, and I hope you'll consider lifting those up at some point.”

This blog entry is an attempt to answer Liz’ questions – though I am counting on my Friends, un/programmed, to contribute as well.

When I talk about the spirituality that undergirds evangelical programmed worship I have some specific things in mind, but I would be remiss to somehow convey the notion that all programmed worship is the same. Indeed, a person could go between Monthly Meetings in my own Northwest Yearly Meeting and walk away with a very different sense from different Meetings.

That being said, the NWYM Faith and Practice, and the very presence of Christ can create a sense of unity in spirit – if not form.

For me, the reason I am not Baptist (which is the church of my youth) or Presbyterian (where I was trained for pastoral ministry) is many, but one is that I am attracted to Quaker sacramental theology. Before you get too upset about my description of Friends spirituality in terms of “sacramental theology” here me out: Programmed Friends worship, whatever forms are used, is founded on the premise that the present Christ makes himself available to the gathered community in all of reality. This is a real presence of the living Christ, not a memorial or a remembrance. In fact, without the presence of the real Christ teaching us how to worship and commune with God, worship is impossible. It is the grace of Christ that makes it possible.

When I go to Meeting on Sunday mornings I expect to be gathered with other Friends and together meet Christ there. The promise of Matthew 18:20, then, becomes a living promise and an emerging reality during worship: “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

This sacramental understanding of programmed worship underlies the entire meeting for worship – from singing to open worship. Understood rightly, there is no point in the event of worship that wanders from a complete reliance on the immediate presence of Christ to extend grace and presence to the gathered community.

If we look at the four typical elements of a programmed meeting for worship we find (1) singing, (2) meditating on Scripture as a community, (3) meditating on scriptural reflections (the “sermon”) as a community, and (4) open worship. There are often many other things that happen, but for the sake of this discussion let’s focus on these four.

If we look beneath the soil of these elements, we find women and men who are exercising giftedness and leadings in various ways. Some are musicians (I am certainly not one of these), some speak truth to power, some teach spiritual truths. The shape of programmed worship rises out of the Meeting itself – giftedness and leading, discernment and obedience characterize faithful meetings for worship. So, the roots of programmed worship stretch deep into the soil of who God has created a people to be. Here, the sacramental becomes a part of everyday life as God leads people in particular ways at particular times throughout the week and then draws them together to be more than a group of individuals but a community of Christ sent to follow Christ in concrete expressions.

Moreover, underlying programmed worship is an interfluential sharing of Centering, Gathering, Ministry, and Exercise. By “centering” I mean that which draws us to God and helps us focus beyond ourselves and onto the Divine reality made personal in Christ. By the term “gathering” I am referring to the interconnection of a community that waits on the one will of Christ. When I talk about “ministry” I am referring to those times of planned and spontaneous expression that many times comes out of programmed worship. In “exercise” I refer to the power of the Spirit of Christ to use seemingly ordinary things such as songs and readings to do a great work in a person’s life. It is often the case that a person leading music will lead a song that surprisingly becomes God’s words to one person, if not the whole community. In planning a programmed meeting for worship, planners will often have an eye out for aspects of centering, gathering, ministry, and exercise as they come together and become distinct in the heart of those involved in planning (in all of the variety that is “planning”).

For me, there is also something spiritual about the connection of programmed Friends worship with generations of people who have faithfully sought out God’s presence. There is something special about singing that celtic song of devotion: “Be Thou My Vision.” There is something special about hearing a gospel proclaimed that has shaped thousands of years of people who also have listened to that same gospel. Likewise, there is something spiritual about communing with Christ (with or without forms) as the early Quakers and other followers of Christ have done well before I was ever around.

Finally, I don’t think I could end a conversation about the spirituality that undergirds programmed worship without saying something of the connection between God, the Scriptures, and God’s community. Evangelical Friends find the Scriptures to be a refreshing place to dwell, because so often, we can find God there. The Scriptures, when illumined by God’s Spirit, become sources of transformation, healing and hope. Programmed worship, then, expects God’s direct presence and expects God to use Scriptures directly. For me, as for many evangelicals, the Scriptures are not a source of dogma, but a great gift. As programmed meeting for worship unfolds, it becomes clear that the Scriptures are a great guide, a place where God’s grace is felt not only during meeting for worship but throughout the week – giving substance and continuity to the yearning of the Spirit that is expressed in worship as a gathered community on Sundays (of course, these expressions are limitless and happen all the time, not just Sundays, but there is something special about gathering with others for worship that opens a new expressiveness).

So, how does this differentiate from unprogrammed worship? Well, first off, Christ-centered unprogrammed Friends might find a lot of similarity with programmed Friends, especially the trust in the Spirit of Christ to teach, and the importance of the Spirit’s illumination of Scripture and it’s appropriateness in worship. However, there are differences too. Expressing differences is in no way an attempt to suggest that one is better than the other. That being said, here are some differences:

Programmed Friends seek to incorporate other element of Christian tradition into the Quaker heritage, trusting the Spirit to guide not only in Meeting but also in planning. Christ-centered unprogrammed Friends celebrate continuity in form (unprogrammed) and content with the earliest Quakers. Non-Christ-centered unprogrammed Friends celebrate continuity in form (unprogrammed) with the earliest Quakers but not in content.

Programmed worship allows space for giftedness and leadings to become a planned, ongoing part of worship. Unprogrammed worship allows for giftedness and leadings to be used as part of events outside of the meeting for worship.

These are a few of the similarities and differences, and perhaps someone who knows the unprogrammed tradition better than I can point out other differences based on the analysis of programmed worship I have provided.

Also, let me reiterate that programmed worship is not a monolithic thing. Many programmed evangelical Friends have a hard time understanding the direct presence of Christ, or active peacemaking, or proper ways to interact with government. There are Friends who are Friends in name only – who found their way to the Friends without ever respecting Friends distinctives. Yet, there are a growing number of Friends in the NWYM that, as our Superintendent said, would like to be both evangelical and Quaker and this, too, shape programmed worship.

Is there life after junk mail?

2006-07-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know.

As of right now I am still enjoying the daily ritual of watching the mail person drive up in that little square box of a vehicle, carry an armload of colorful paper to my mail box and shove it in. And then comes the best part. I walk down the steps to get to my mail box, pull out all of the colorful paper, and drop it in a recycling bin. Then, every two weeks the bin is emptied and the colorful paper is taken away and remade into more colorful paper and the cycle begins again.

And I enjoyed this routine thoroughly for a number of years, until I visited Young Friends in England. There I heard a presentation about the ecological toll of the use of fossil fuels in mass production processes. The Friends passed little postcards around and asked everyone at the conference to write down one thing that each of us could do to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels.

A couple weeks ago I got this card in the mail: "Stop junk mail."

In truth, I always felt that junk mail was a waste of time and resources, but now I had to do something about it. So I wrote letters to the main marketing companies, and financial institutions from which credit card offers come daily. I wrote letters to everyone who sends me a bill, and everyone who sends me a catalog. The affects won't take place for 6-8 weeks - so I don't know if it is all for naught, but at least it is something. To be continued...

Minute against torture

2006-07-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

We at Olympic View Friends Church unite with this minute from Eugene Friends Church.

The congregation of the Eugene Friends Church is deeply alarmed by reports of torture being practiced against God’s human creation by or on behalf of the United States of America.

We believe torture is evil and contrary to our Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings regarding human dignity, value, and spirit. Jesus taught us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us (Matt. 7:12), and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:39). Further, the clear teaching of the New Testament is against doing evil in order that good may result (Rom. 6:3). If we are willing to do evil in order to save ourselves, we have placed ourselves above God.

The use of torture is corrupting to the individual and to the society that practices it. If we begin to allow torture, even in the most restricted circumstances, and for the noblest purposes, we will have crossed a moral threshold to which it may be impossible to return. Moral values upon which our nation was established, ¬respect for human life and dignity, abhorrence of cruel and unusual punishment, and the limitation of the power of the state, ¬will have been compromised and exposed to further assault. Other nations who look to the United States for moral leadership will find it easier to excuse such practices themselves.

We call upon all leaders to abandon the use of torture immediately and to treat all persons in their custody with dignity and compassion. We must also abide by the norms of behavior in the matter of the treatment of prisoners that are prescribed by international treaties, such as the Geneva Conventions, which the United States has bound itself to honor. Further, because we recognize that torture is practiced by other groups and governments, we call upon Christians in all lands and places to speak the truth and to rebuke those engaged in torture.

We put our hope in the power of our Lord Jesus, to stay the hand of darkness, and to cause our leaders to hear the Holy Spirit, and end this ungodly practice of torture.

- - - - -

Approved by Eugene Friends Church at its meeting for business, May 21, 2006.

Tom Stave, Clerk

We join in their call to all Christians, in all lands to speak the truth and to rebuke those engaged in torture.

Approved in business session, June 11, 2006

Linda Hawthorne, Presiding Clerk
Olympic View Friends Church

Interview with Charlie: Surviving Katrina

2006-06-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

On August 23 of 2005, Tropical Depression Twelve formed off the coast of the Bahamas. Over the next several days, this storm would grow, change directions, and eventually become Hurricane Katrina. As Katrina assaulted the Gulf Coast, few were prepared for the loss of life and destruction that would result from this storm, the most devastating natural disaster in American history.

The people of Mississippi and Louisiana suddenly found themselves forced from their home with little to nothing to their name. They traveled to the four corners of the country seeking aid and respite from the storm.

In September, a number of these evacuees found their way up to Pierce County in Washington State. Under the leadership of Tacoma’s Associated Ministries, volunteers were solicited to provide hospitality for our new neighbors as they transitioned into life in the Northwest. Feeling that a tragedy of this scale demanded a response from us personally, my wife and I volunteered with Associated Ministries to provide hospitality to an evacuee, and were assigned to a man we have been pleased to know, Charlie.

Recently I interviewed Charlie about his experience.

Jon: “Tell me what happened, and what you were doing when Katrina headed for the Gulf Coast.”

Charlie: “At the time, I was living next to New Orleans, and so I was watching the news and I heard that [Katrina] was going to come up the mouth of the Mississippi and the Hurricane headed right at it and kept building up because of the hot water that sits at the mouth of the river. We were waiting to see if it would pass by, but it didn’t and we only got out 24 hour before [the Hurricane came in]. The water got up to 12 feet deep easy, deeper in some areas.

Traffic was so bad, only moving one block in an hour, but I used my shortcuts for fishing - swamp roads - and we got out of there just in time. I rode out the Hurricane in Kentwood, Louisiana 86 miles north of New Orleans. The electricity went out and the wind was blowing.

We had to stay there for several days until they got gas in the gas station. They only had one working gas station per every 25 miles, and people were in 2 mile lines. After sitting in line for three hours I finally got gas and then I was trying to get radio contact and a working phone so I could get in contact with people because we were out of money. But I kept getting north and eventually the phone system kicked in at the top of Louisiana, and we were trying to find Western Unions to get money, so we had to drive all over to find places that were open that we could use to communicate. We found a little bit of money and we made it up to Oklahoma, and then up into Utah, and then up around Mt. Rainier and into Tacoma.”

Jon: “What were you thinking all this time?”

Charlie: “All I was thinking was how I was going to make it. It was all about breathing again the next hour or two. It was like someone pushed the panic button. Everybody was like that. Everybody wanted to get out. All the Highways were closed coming in to New Orleans and the highways were all made to go out. There were 10 lanes of traffic going out of New Orleans.

I wasn’t thinking about possessions. I lost everything, the hurricane blew the roof off of the apartment where I was living, and the looters got everything. And then with the flood waters, the bacteria was so bad that there is nothing there to save.

I couldn’t find my relatives. I was about to have a nervous breakdown. I couldn’t find them for four months, my ex-wife, sister, nieces and nephews and a son.”

Jon: “How did you wind up in Tacoma?”

Charlie: “I lived here before. Lived here for ten years and was infatuated with the area. I have a son up here. So I came back.”

Jon: “How has it been since you got here?”

Charlie: “I love it here. The people are easier. This is a much better place. This is a place where I could die in peace, in harmony with my Lord.”

Jon: “Have you missed New Orleans?”

Charlie: “The fishing, nothing else. I like the food, my mother was Creole, so I love that Creole cuisine, but I can cook for myself.”

Jon: “Where is your family now?”

Charlie: “I’ve got family in north Louisiana, and my nieces and nephews are in Georgia living in a FEMA trailer. Some of them want to move to Texas, some want to move farther away. Maybe only two are going to move back to New Orleans.”

Jon: “Throughout this ordeal, have you had any insights into the human spirit?”

Charlie: “You have to learn to live with life. You’ve got to be prepared and faithful. We are not of this world, but we are on this world.

There’s really only one way to answer that: You have to be faithful and connected with your God. Without your faith in Him you would have a nervous breakdown, your head would be so messed up.

There is so much evil in the world. Losing everything you had in your life. Many people trying to go through this without Jesus Christ went out there and they robbed and killed and now they have sins that they have to live with. I feel sorry for them and say my prayers for them.”

Jon: “What are your plans now?”

Charlie: “I really want to stay here and get situated here. I also want to go see the devastation that was done to my home, but I’m not going to stay I just want to go for a couple months.”

Jessica and I have been truly blessed to gain Charlie as a friend the past several months. His resilience and never dying hope are a testimony to us all.

2006-05-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

Visiting Friends across the Pond

2006-05-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

Like most religious groups, Quakers share much in common with each other but also have many differences. In gross over simplification one could identify two key differences: First, there are programmed Friends and unprogrammed Friends. I am a programmed Friend. This means that in our meeting for worship we have found it valuable to have singing and a sermon and other forms of worship that point us and focus us for open worship - a time of unprogrammed space for the Spirit to move. Programmed Friends feel that God can speak to people throughout the week and guide them to prepare helpful and meaningful worship. On the other hand, unprogrammed Friends feel that the Spirit is best heard and felt when meetings for worship are completely open, and then, sometimes, out of that openness people will feel led to speak.

The second difference between Friends are those who are Christ-centered, and those who are not. As an Evangelical Friend, I have found in Jesus Christ the Way and Truth that makes new life possible. So, for Evangelical Friends the Inner Light is very clearly the Light of Christ that shines from Christ and into our hearts. Non-Christ centered Friends, however, are not so definite on the source of that Light. For some of these Friends, the light might be something of themselves, or it might be an abstract concept of love or peace, to name only a few possibilities.

A group of Young unprogrammed Friends in Britain, invited me, as a young programmed Friends pastor, to come and lead a programmed meeting for worship at their Young Friends General Meeting (April 28 - May 1). Many of the British Friends are Christ-centered, and many are not, so I think it showed a lot of bravery to invite me to come and speak to them - knowing that I am both programmed and evangelical. I jumped at this opportunity!

So, after much planning and praying my friend Josh Kaiser, Pastor to Youth at Reedwood Friends Church, and I headed to the Sea-Tac airport on April 26th to begin our journey across the Pond. Josh had agreed to help me by leading music during our meeting for worship as an important part of any programmed meeting is music, and I am no musician.

There is an 8-hour time difference between Washington State and Britain, so we left Washington at about noon and arrived at Gatwick airport in London at 9 a.m.! Which meant we lost a night's sleep - any time we sat down we struggled to stay awake. We stayed in Cambridge the first night, toured the University, and then headed to Norwich for the conference on the 28th.

We thought Norwich was a beautiful town, and were pleased to find out that the Norwich Meeting House had been Elizabeth Fry's meeting house. Before the conference started we visited the Norwich Cathedral, and Julian of Norwich's church. It was fun to be back in Europe and surrounded by history.

As the conference unfolded, I was able to feel a real sense of unity with these British Friends, especially after our session on Saturday morning (the 30th). I spent the first 10 or so minutes talking about the spirituality that undergirds programmed worship, how it is similar to unprogrammed worship and how it might differ. As I was thinking about this topic, I was able to see how a direct expectation of the presence and teaching of Christ is the source from which all of the speaking of programmed worship happens. The pinnacle, even of programmed worship, is Open Worship - an unprogrammed time of listening and obedience. After this short discussion of the underlying spirituality of programmed worship, Josh and I led a programmed meeting for worship including singing, a sermon, corporate prayer, and open worship. I felt this to be a really refreshing time of worship and I think the British Friends felt relieved and perhaps some sense of understanding grew between programmed and unprogrammed Friends.

From that point on, Josh and I were able to engage in constructive conversations with many Friends, some conversations focused on Quakers in the 21st Century, some on American and British politics, and others on faithful living in general. On Sunday the 31st, Josh and I led a special interest group on programmed Friends. This was a time where unprogrammed Friends were able to bring to us any questions they had, and we, likewise, were able to pose questions of them.

By the end of the conference, Josh and I were sad to go. We had engaged in wonderful conversations, we had seen walls come down and were challenged to think about the beautiful heritage of the Friends anew.

Eulogy for Tom Fox

2006-04-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

CPTnet
2 April 2006

TORONTO: Doug Pritchard's eulogy for Tom Fox

by Doug Pritchard

[Note: CPT Co-director Doug Pritchard delivered the following eulogy for CPTer Tom Fox at a 2 April memorial service in Toronto. It has been edited for length. People wishing to see the entire piece will find it at the CPT website.]

I first met Tom Fox at his Christian Peacemaker Teams training in Chicago in the summer of 2004. He was a quiet, self-effacing man, who took the steps along his life's journey carefully and prayerfully. At the training, he said that his spiritual turning point came during a Quaker meeting for worship twenty years earlier when an elderly Friend gave a one sentence message. She said, "I feel that in all things we need to keep to Jesus." This message went deep into Tom's heart and he said that he relived the moment of receiving that message every week. "I feel that in all things we need to keep to Jesus."

The genesis of Tom's interest in Christian Peacemaker Teams was Sept. 11, 2001. When he saw the devastation from that attack, he saw in his mind the vision that Quaker leader George Fox had of a sea of darkness and flowing over it a sea of light. Tom said, "While I knew very little about CPT, at the time I had a clear sense that I wanted very much to find some way to "pull us out of the darkness and move the world (even if it was the movement of one human being) towards the light." That one human being has moved towards the light, and the world has moved with him.

At the end of his training, Tom said he was ready to go full-time with CPT and he wanted to go to Iraq. He felt that his experience in the Marine Corps band could help us in our dealings with soldiers. -- Since the Multinational Forces began to bomb the Iraqi city of Fallujah, groups had been kidnapping foreign contractors. Some were brutally killed. Then, just after Tom\'s CPT training, two French journalists and two Italian aidworkers were kidnapped.

CPT reduced the size and profile of its team in Iraq, and was considering withdrawing completely. Yet Tom still felt led to go. And he did.

The last time I saw Tom was in Baghdad, in November 2005. He had been in Iraq for fourteen months and was showing signs of the strain -- During my visit, the whole team took a day to discuss again the question, "Why Are We Here?" -- In reflecting on that session two weeks later, the day before he was kidnapped, Tom wrote, "If I understand the message of God, his response to the question is that we are to take part in the creation of the Peaceable Realm of God"

Jesus said, "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24.) Tom has died. Yet his death has produced many seeds already. We have no idea how big this harvest is going to be.

As Tom's mentor said, "In all things we need to keep to Jesus." Rest in peace, Tom. The harvest is ripe.

Is Peace Evangelical?

2006-03-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

Recently Ron Sider sat down with Christianity Today to talk about the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), whose impetus came from Sider's vision for a direct intervention force committed to loving and praying for one's enemies, and standing up for the oppressed.

CPT, or other direct intervention forces, as Sider suggested in the article, will be most successful when centrist Christians live into their vocation of active peacemaking as a unified whole. CPT is a great start toward this end, but I think the call goes beyond CPT, which some consider a little bit on the fringe. Why does active peacemaking seem to be relegated to the realm of those seen as fringe? If Christ lived and died a non-violent life, a life of reconciliation with God and humanity, and if Christ continues to give power to his followers to share in that life, ought not active peacemaking be embraced by the left, right, and center of the theological spectrum?

Peace is an evangelical position because it is a way of living that is a witness to the unity between God and humanity in the person of Christ.

So the challenge then remains to evangelical Christians to find ways to demonstrate peace with God, through peace with one another - even our enemies.

However, I have been appalled at the recent reaction to the release of CPT members. Many have complained that they were not thankful enough to the British Soldiers, or that they put rescuers lives in jeopardy. If one reads their statements on the CPT website, it is clear they are thankful, and I really am not concerned with offering an apology for them. I am left to wonder why we cannot just celebrate the fact that they are alive? Indeed, I think these three CPTers should be thanked for living according to their convictions and being a challenging witness to those of us who sink into complacency, who are so busy talking about evangelical virtues that we fail to live evangelically.

An Undervalued Virtue

2006-03-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

God loves people. This seemingly obvious statement has really profound implications for how we carry ourselves moment by moment. In fact, the statement “God loves people” might be the key to a constructive life-style of evangelism.

Hold the statement “God loves people” up to your everyday encounters with others on the bus, at the supermarket, at Starbucks. How do your actions stand up?

Our most natural attitude toward strangers is hostility and ambivalence. In his book Reaching Out, Henri Nouwen says:

In our world the assumption is that strangers are a potential danger and that it is up to them to disprove it. When we travel we keep a careful eye on our luggage; when we walk the streets we are aware of where we keep our money; and when we walk at night in a dark park our whole body is tense with fear of an attack. Our heart might desire to help others: to feed the hungry, visit the prisoners and offer a shelter to travelers; but meanwhile we have surrounded ourselves with a wall of fear and hostile feelings, instinctively avoiding people and places where we might be reminded of our good intentions (69).

Have you ever walked up to an unfamiliar house and knocked on the door? Most likely, you were greeted with suspicion. It is too easy to look at the waiter, the bank teller, the janitor as cogs in a machine – as those who provide a service but who interest a person very little after the service is received. A few months ago I was switching my auto insurance provider and went down to the agency office to sign the paperwork. As I was completing my business I became increasingly aware that I had regarded the insurance agent in purely utilitarian terms – not as one who God loves, not as one with anything to offer besides paperwork.

Nouwen terms the way we encounter people moment by moment as hospitality: “The term hospitality, therefore, should not be limited to its literal sense of receiving a stranger in our house – although it is important never to forget or neglect that! – but as a fundamental attitude toward our fellow human being, which can be expressed in a great variety of ways” (67).

It just might be that hospitality is the most underrated of Christian virtues. Yet, the Bible tells stories of strangers who bear gifts, gifts that they are eager to reveal to a receptive host – gifts like grace, joy, and insight (Gen. 18:1-15, I Kings 17:9-24, Luke 24:13-35).

Part of the Christian witness is receptivity and openness to others – hospitality.

“Lord we pray that you give us eyes to see others as you see them. Forgive us for our fear of others. Make us hospitable to the people you put in our lives. Amen.”

What is with all of the natural disasters ?!?!

2006-03-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

In the summer of 2004, Florida was hammered with several strong hurricanes. Then, last winter, the Tsunami killed close to 250,000 people along the Indian Ocean. Most recently came along Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma, and an earthquake in Pakistan.

Why would God allow all this death and destruction?

Is God punishing evildoers?

These questions tend to view God similar to the Far Side comic that features God sitting at a monitor watching a man walk down the street, while God's finger is poised over a button labeled "smite." I don't think God has a smite button. I don't think God "caused" the natural disasters to happen. I think each disaster was a mixture of natural geological processes, and human choice. For example, Hurricane Katrina was a natural storm that happens whenever the proper combination of moisture, air movement and water temperature come together. However, the effects of Katrina were intensified by coastal development, inadequate levee funding, the below sea-level location of New Orleans, and warmer water temperatures in the Caribbean Sea due to global warming. These intensifying factors are all the results of human choices. The power of the earth's natural processes mixed with human choices can lead to disastrous results.

It is certainly true that God has the power to intervene and avert disaster: this would be called a miracle. But if God continually intervened to spare humanity from the effects of nature and poor human judgment we would have no freedom. Our choices and decisions would not count because we could always rely on God to step in and correct all of our mistakes. We would not have autonomy, we would not have any sort of real existence because we would not have to live with the consequences of our decisions and we would never have to face adversity. God trusts us, and God loves us; which means what we do environmentally matters. It also means that it matters if we are compassionate and generous toward others in times of tragedy.

God does not cause storms in order to punish. Instead, God enters into the suffering of victims, and enlarges the hearts of those who are able to help in times of disaster.

Another comic, Pontius Puddle, makes this point. Here, King Pontius says, "Sometimes I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine, and injustice when he could do something about it."

"What's stopping you?" his sidekick asks.

Pontius responds, "I'm afraid he might ask me the same question!"

Our questions of God can quickly become God's questions of us.

In the end, it is the presence of God that can come to us in times of tragedy and give us strength. God walks through tragedy with us, cries with us, and stands in solidarity with victims, and calls all of us to be God's hands and feet for those who are suffering.

God's choice to trust us brings profound responsibility, but it is also a picture of the respect and love God has for us.

CPTers Released!

2006-03-23T08:48:00.000-08:00

With great joy I would like to announce that the three remaining CPTers held captive in Iraq have been released! The following is a statement from their website:

23 March 2006

"Our hearts are filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad. Christian Peacemaker Teams rejoices with their families and friends at the expectation of their return to their loved ones and community. Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad.

We rejoice in the return of Harmeet Sooden. He has been willing to put his life on the line to promote justice in Iraq and Palestine as a young man newly committed to active peacemaking.

We rejoice in the return of Jim Loney. He has cared for the marginalized and oppressed since childhood, and his gentle, passionate spirit has been an inspiration to people near and far.

We rejoice in the return of Norman Kember. He is a faithful man, an elder and mentor to many in his 50 years of peacemaking, a man prepared to pay the cost.

We remember with tears Tom Fox, whose body was found in Baghdad on March 9, 2006, after three months of captivity with his fellow peacemakers. We had longed for the day when all four men would be released together. Our gladness today is made bittersweet by the fact that Tom is not alive to join in the celebration. However, we are confident that his spirit is very much present in each reunion.

Harmeet, Jim and Norman and Tom were in Iraq to learn of the struggles facing the people in that country. They went, motivated by a passion for justice and peace to live out a nonviolent alternative in a nation wracked by armed conflict. They knew that their only protection was in the power of the love of God and of their Iraqi and international co-workers. We believe that the illegal occupation of Iraq by Multinational Forces is the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping and so much pain and suffering in Iraq. The occupation must end.

Today, in the face of this joyful news, our faith compels us to love our enemies even when they have committed acts which caused great hardship to our friends and sorrow to their families. In the spirit of the prophetic nonviolence that motivated Jim, Norman, Harmeet and Tom to go to Iraq, we refuse to yield to a spirit of vengeance. We give thanks for the compassionate God who granted our friends courage and who sustained their spirits over the past months. We pray for strength and courage for ourselves so that, together, we can continue the nonviolent struggle for justice and peace.

Throughout these difficult months, we have been heartened by messages of concern for our four colleagues from all over the world. We have been especially moved by the gracious outpouring of support from Muslim brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. That support continues to come to us day after day. We pray that Christians throughout the world will, in the same spirit, call for justice and for respect for the human rights of the thousands of Iraqis who are being detained illegally by the U.S. and British forces occupying Iraq.

During these past months, we have tasted of the pain that has been the daily bread of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. Why have our loved ones been taken? Where are they being held? Under what conditions? How are they? Will they be released? When?

With Tom’s death, we felt the grief of losing a beloved friend. Today, we rejoice in the release of our friends Harmeet, Jim and Norman. We continue to pray for a swift and joyful homecoming for the many Iraqis and internationals who long to be reunited with their families. We renew our commitment to work for an end to the war and the occupation of Iraq as a way to continue the witness of Tom Fox. We trust in God’s compassionate love to show us the way.

Living through the many emotions of this day, we remain committed to the words of Jim Loney, who wrote:

"With God’s abiding kindness, we will love even our enemies.
With the love of Christ, we will resist all evil.
With God’s unending faithfulness, we will work to build the beloved community."

CPT Release: We Mourn the Loss of Tom Fox

2006-03-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

Friends, it is with great sadness that I acknowledge the death of Christian Peacemaker Team member Tom Fox, who has been held captive in Iraq. I hope that we can recommit ourselves to praying for peace in Iraq, and especially, I pray that the grace of Christ will touch the hearts of those who committed this act of violence. I pray that their hearts would be healed and restored.

Let us recommit ourselves to living today, wherever we are, in a manner that testifies to the Light of Christ and the reconciliation of God with humanity. And may we pray for all of those who are held captive unjustly: the remaining three CPT members, US Soldiers, journalists, and innocent Iraqis.

The following is a statement from the www.cpt.org.

"In grief we tremble before God who wraps us with compassion. The death of our beloved colleague and friend pierces us with pain. Tom FoxÂs body was found in Baghdad yesterday.

Christian Peacemaker Teams extends our deep and heartfelt condolences to the family and community of Tom Fox, with whom we have traveled so closely in these days of crisis.

We mourn the loss of Tom Fox who combined a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression, and the recognition of God in everyone.

We renew our plea for the safe release of Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember. Each of our teammates has responded to JesusÂ prophetic call to live out a nonviolent alternative to the cycle of violence and revenge.

In response to TomÂs passing, we ask that everyone set aside inclinations to vilify or demonize others, no matter what they have done. In TomÂs own words: "We reject violence to punish anyone. We ask that there be no retaliation on relatives or property. We forgive those who consider us their enemies. We hope that in loving both friends and enemies and by intervening nonviolently to aid those who are systematically oppressed, we can contribute in some small way to transforming this volatile situation.Â

Even as we grieve the loss of our beloved colleague, we stand in the light of his strong witness to the power of love and the courage of nonviolence. That light reveals the way out of fear and grief and war.

Through these days of crisis, Christian Peacemaker Teams has been surrounded and upheld by a great outpouring of compassion: messages of support, acts of mercy, prayers, and public actions offered by the most senior religious councils and by school children, by political leaders and by those organizing for justice and human rights, by friends in distant nations and by strangers near at hand. These words and actions sustain us. While one of our teammates is lost to us, the strength of this outpouring is not lost to GodÂs movement for just peace among all peoples.

At the forefront of that support are strong and courageous actions from Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world for which we are profoundly grateful. Their graciousness inspires us to continue working for the day when Christians speak up as boldly for the human rights of thousands Iraqis still detained illegally by the United States and United Kingdom.

Such an outpouring of action for justice and peace would be a fitting memorial for Tom. Let us all join our voices on behalf of those who continue to suffer under occupation, whose loved ones have been killed or are missing. In so doing, we may hasten the day when both those who are wrongly detained and those who bear arms will return safely to their homes. In such a peace we will find solace for our grief.

Despite the tragedy of this day, we remain committed to put into practice these words of Jim Loney: "With the waging of war, we will not comply. With the help of GodÂs grace, we will struggle for justice. With God's abiding kindness, we will love even our enemies." We continue in hope for Jim, Harmeet and Norman's safe return home safe."

Quaker Peace and Justice

2006-03-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday (March 8) I had the privelege of leading three session at Holy Names Academy about Quakers, for the HNA "Peace and Justice Day." As I was preparing my sessions I was once again impressed with how the Friend's testimony of Peace and Justice are not add-ons, but grow organically out of Quaker spirituality.

For example, Friends believe they can have an intimate and direct relationship with God. This begs the question, "If I can, why can't everyone else? And if everyone else has the potential to know God, how can I act unjustly or violently toward those God is actively pursuing?"

I showed a clip from an old John Wayne movie, "The Angel and the Badman," where John Wayne's character is a gunslinger who is injured and taken in by a Quaker family and nurtured back to health. In this clip, John Wayne was surprised to note that when the Quaker family's water had been turned off by a mean neighbor, the family did not pray for water, but rather for their neighbor. These Quakers identified that in committing this mean act their neighbor had damaged his own soul, and so they were drawn to pray that he would be restored back to wholeness in God's eyes.

This concern not only for the oppressed but for the oppressors, not only for the victims of the injustice but also for those that commit the injustice, is also played out in Quaker practice. That is, the goal of the Quaker fight for justice is not just to win the day, but also to help the person committing the injustice be healed and restored. This, then, has implications for how Quakers work for peace and justice - such as non-violence, treating others with dignity (even enemies), and trying to appeal to the best that is in people.

Preparing for HNA "Peace and Justice Day" was a wonderful way to reconnect with what has been so attractive to me about the Friends all along.

News on Christian Peacemaker Teams

2006-03-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

CPTnet
7 March 2006

CHICAGO/TORONTO: Christian Peacemaker Teams' response to latest video of CPTers missing in Baghdad

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is aware that a new videotape showing members of our organization abducted in Iraq on November 26, 2005 has aired today on Al-Jazeera television. We continue to pray for their safe and speedy release so that they may return to their families and carry on their peaceful work on behalf of all Iraqi detainees.

This past weekend marked the 100th day since our friends disappeared in Baghdad. In vigils around the world, people came together to honor our missing colleagues and to call for their safe release. We also hold in our hearts the families of 14,600 Iraqis currently detained illegally by the Multinational Forces in Iraq who likewise await the release of their loved ones. These detainees are being held without formal charges, without access to their families and legal advisors, and without recourse to a fair and open judicial process.

In the latest video we were so glad to see Jim Loney alive. We were so glad to see Harmeet Sooden alive. We were so glad to see Norman Kember alive. We do not know what to make of Tom Fox's absence from this video. However we do know what motivated Tom and his colleagues to go to Iraq. Tom wrote on the day before he was taken, "We are here to take part in the creation of the Peaceable Realm of God. ...How we take part in the creation of this realm is to love God with all our heart, our mind and our strength, and to love our neighbors and enemies as we love God and ourselves."

Many Iraqi friends and human rights workers welcome CPT as a nonviolent, independent presence. Iraqis have asked us to tell their stories in our home communities, to share with them our own experiences of peacemaking, to assist them in building nonviolent institutions in Iraq, and to accompany them as they seek justice for detainees and others suffering from the oppression of Iraq. We seek to promote what is human in all of us and so to offer a glimpse of hope in a dark time. This hope springs from our own faith tradition. We have witnessed a similar hope within the faith traditions of the people of Iraq.

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a violence-reduction program and has been present in Iraq since October 2002. Teams of trained peacemakers work in areas of lethal conflict around the world.

Thinking About God

2006-03-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

On January 1, 1937 Frank Laubach wrote: “God, I want to give you every minute of this year. I shall try to keep You in mind every moment of my waking hours…I shall try to let You be the speaker and direct every word. I shall try to let You direct my acts. I shall try to learn Your language.”

What a wonderful New Years resolution! But, is it possible?

Three months later, Laubach wrote: “Thank Thee…that the habit of constant conversation grows easier each day. I really do believe all thought can be conversations with Thee.”

It is interesting that after three months Laubach is still very much a beginner at his continual conversations with God, indeed it is only after three months that he thinks perpetual prayer a real possibility.

Thinking about God at all times is both natural and unnatural. It is natural in that God is always loving us and we are always God’s people – so there is a continual communion that expresses itself around us all the time. When we keep our mind on God, we are led to see the ways in which all life yearns for God.

And yet, thinking about God is unnatural, too. That is why it takes discipline. The practice of the presence of God, as Brother Lawrence called it, is not automatic – it takes… practice!

There are many ways to keep God on one’s mind. In the 14^th Century, Julian of Norwich found a little filbert and noted that God’s care rested even on it in all of its insignificance. From then on, she would carry a filbert with her everywhere as a reminder of God’s care for creation, which includes us. Brother Lawrence was a dish washer, but he found that as he was washing dishes he could pray, and after a while his conversation with God continued no matter what else he was doing! Others have found it helpful to repeat a short prayer over and over again, something like this line from a prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”

Maybe the thought of keeping God on your mind for a whole year is intimidating. Try for an hour and see what happens!

The Fruit of Discipleship

2006-02-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at Olympic View Friends Church on February 5 on John 12:12-28 :

The kind of discipleship Jesus offers means He places His seed, His life in us. That Jesus bears fruit in us.

There was a wonderful woman who had seen almost everything in her long, full life. She couldn’t carry her groceries anymore, and so a bagger from the local Safeway helped carry her bags out. It was a bright, sunny summer day and the bagger remarked, “it’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” This sweet woman, thinking back over decades upon decades worth of days smiled and said: “It is because God made it.”

And maybe that is something of what discipleship is. We have meaning because we are God’s. We are important to God, because in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, God lives in us. God does God’s work through us.

Maybe we can only know what it is to have meaning when God’s seed bears fruit in us – the fruit of service, and humility.

Futile Acts of Love

2006-02-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at Olympic View Friends Church on Dec. 29, 2006. The text was John 12:1-8:

The question Judas asked is the question many of us often find ourselves asking: How could such an extravagant gesture be justified? But here perhaps we should thank Judas for raising this question, because it is precisely the question we should be asking. If we ask how much Mary’s gift is justified, worth about $50,000 in today’s money, how much more should we ask it of Jesus’ journey to the cross, the very act Mary prepares for? How could the extravagance of Jesus’ death be justified? Jesus was just getting going, he had a long career in front of him. Jesus’ gesture was the most extravagant of all – giving his life for the likes of Judas and you and me. God places extravagant value on any and all human life. Mary realized that her gift was not too great but too small.
Jesus’ walking down that road from Bethany to Jerusalem, to the cross, to his death is such an extravagant act – so futile, so wasteful. “Don’t do it Jesus!” we shout again and again. “Your ministry is just getting started! We will kill you!” But from the moment of his birth he has made his way to Jerusalem, to Golgotha, to his death. But when we look up at Jesus on the cross we see what Mary saw already: Jesus giving to the world, emptying himself of pride and status, giving as a servant, giving out of love, getting nothing in return but the welfare of another.

And it is by the power of this futile act, this waste of life, this extravagant act of love that you and I have been plucked from death and restored to life. But for what purpose? For what purpose have we been plucked from death and restored to life? Our purpose is modeled in Mary’s extravagant act of discipleship. Our purpose is empowered by the extravagant act of love that we see in Jesus on the cross. Our purpose is also giving of ourselves, giving out of love, giving out of sacrifice, getting nothing in return but the welfare of another. As the Apostle Paul said, “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Cor. 2:15). Jesus, the Anointed One, has extravagantly anointed us with his most precious perfume. We are the aroma of Christ.
Sometimes so much of our efforts as a church seem futile. Why should we bother expending energy reaching out to our community? At movie night only four people came. We are becoming more and more passionate about our Daycare, but sometimes it seems like a futile gesture. Being transparent about our faith at work is rarely eloquent and often involves much stammering and awkward glances. And you talk of the self-giving of Christ and his love for all of us, even the Judas in us, the Mary in us. Is this, too, a futile gesture?

A single mother, down on her luck, struggles to find some semblance of self-esteem and sees the actions of one of us in outward focused love. And suddenly a sweet smell of perfume filled the room. A couple that once loved each other but now are torn apart by schedules and career opportunities hear a friend talk about balance and fullness of life in Christ. And suddenly a sweet smell of perfume filled the room.

One Sunday a man with terminal cancer walked into a little church on top of a hill in Northeast Tacoma and asked for help. He got more than he bargained for. As he walked toward death he walked in solidarity with a community of ministers who became pictures of Christ’s extravagant love and self-giving sacrifice.
And what about you? Here you are, giving of your time and life to be a disciple of Christ. Fighting your busy schedules, and your insecurities. If you’re like me sometimes you can really mess things up. Are your efforts of ministry futile? Is there no point in reaching out in mission to our community? Sometimes in the middle of your efforts it may seem like it. But yours is an extravagant act of love, offering your life in ministry and service to your neighbor. It has the aroma of Christ and the power of God.

Missing Peacemakers Alive in Iraq

2006-01-29T07:35:00.000-08:00

Good news! The Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) workers held captive in Iraq are alive! Many in the Iraqi community have worked hard with the insurgents to save these workers. I have heard many stories of Iraqis working on behalf of the CPTers because they are known as such vivid testimonies of compassion and justice. Let us continue to pray for their safety and release:

MEDIA ALERT - PRESS CONFERENCE

Chicago - Water Tower Park, 820 North Michigan Ave., 2:00 P.M. CST Toronto - 25 Cecil St., 1:00 P.M. EST

Missing Peacemakers Alive in Iraq

Photos of CPT Shine the Light actions calling for justice for Iraqi detainees and of photos of CPTers who are missing in Iraq available on website at www.cpt.org.

We are so grateful and heartened to see James, Harmeet, Norman and Tom alive on the video tape dated January 21. This news is an answer to our prayers. We continue to hope and pray for their release.

All of us in Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) remain very disturbed by the abduction of our teammates. We pray that those who hold them will host them with the grace that so many of us in CPT have received as guests in Iraq. James, Harmeet, Norman and Tom are peace workers who have not collaborated with the occupation of Iraq and who have worked for justice for all Iraqis, especially those detained.

CPT has organized public actions for peace and justice for Iraqi detainees. This weekend major events are scheduled for Washington DC, Toronto and Chicago. See www.cpt.org for details.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has long worked for the rights of Iraqi prisoners who have been illegally detained and abused. We were the first to publicly denounce the torture of Iraqi people at the hands of U.S. forces, long before the western media admitted what was happening at Abu Ghraib. We are among the few internationals left in Iraq working for human rights and peace. We hope that we can continue to do this work and we pray for the speedy release of our beloved teammates.

Christian Peacemaker Teams has been present in Iraq since October 2002, providing first-hand, independent reports from the region, working with detainees of both United States and Iraqi forces, and training others in non-violent intervention and human rights documentation.

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a violence reduction program. Teams of trained peacemakers work in areas of lethal conflict around the world.

Christian Peacemaker Teams workers still missing in Iraq

2006-01-25T14:51:00.000-08:00

The following was posted on the CPT website:

"CPT confirmed on 29 November that the four human rights workers missing in Baghdad on 26 November are associated with our organization. The Iraqi group holding the four missing CPTers extended their timeline for the release of all Iraqi prisoners until 10 December 2005. The date has passed and we have no update at this time."

We continue to hope and pray that they will be released, as we also continue to hope and pray for real peace in Iraq.

What defines our lives?

2006-01-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt from a message given on January 22 at Olympic View Friends Church in Tacoma, WA:

What kind of people will we be? Those whose lives are marked by mortality, or those whose lives are marked by a new kind of life – a life lived by faith, a life surrendered to the one who is “resurrection and life”?
I propose that every day we live the answer to that question, whether we know it or not. Our actions and our choices reflect whether our lives are defined by mortality or by faith. If you are like me, when you start to think about your life you see that there are areas of both. There are areas in our lives that are pictures of the freedom and grace of Christ, and there are places that we try to hide from God. It is to these hidden places that Jesus says “take away the stone!” It is the stench, and ugliness of the hidden places of our lives that Jesus invites us to expose so that in the place that is defined by death, Jesus might redefine it for life and faith.

A life that is defined by faith can ask God the tough questions. A life that is defined by faith is freed to follow Jesus wherever his Spirit leads, even to swim against the currents of prejudice and social apathy in our community. And we must never forget that the resurrected life Jesus' brings is not only for personal piety, but equips us for witness.

The Dilemma for Programmed Friends

2006-01-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

The line between which outward functions are ok and which are not is a tough one. We are programmed friends and so while we celebrate the spiritual sacraments of communion after the manner of friends and baptism by the Holy Spirit, we also sing songs outwardly, have a sermon, and a number of other outward functions that as a community we have decided have value because they point us to Christ. What the early Quakers were dissenting against was how the Anglican church had replaced Christ's presence with outward symbols that became ends in themselves and actually blocked the freedom of the Spirit of Christ from "teaching His people Himself" (as Fox says often in his Journal). Programmed Friends are in a tough spot. It would be easier to either throw everything away and be unprogrammed, or it would be easier to forget about the hard work of listening to the Spirit and become completely ritualistic and liturgical. Either of those two options would be much easier - but even silence for its own sake quickly becomes the dead liturgy Fox wanted to avoid.

So, as programmed Friends, we are left with the dilemma of discerning which of the outward forms have meaning and are Spirit driven and which are dead. I think that is a lot of what Growing Edges (our worship planning group) is trying to do.

2006-01-19T14:13:00.000-08:00

Jon, Jessica, and Patches

Prayer

2006-01-11T16:12:00.000-08:00

I was recently struck by the following statement:

"The movement from illusion to prayer is hard to make since it leads us from false certainties to true uncertainties, from an easy support system to a risky surrender, and from the many 'safe' gods to the God whose love has no limits." -From Reaching Out by Henri J. M. Nouwen

I found these words to be striking because the walk of faith is often a walk where one becomes more and more comfortable with paradox. Where reality is turned upside down and in the process is placed right side up. And this is where God takes us when we pray. In Shadowlands the C.S. Lewis character (Anthony Hopkins) says: "I pray because I can't help myself--the need flows out of me. It doesn't change God; it changes me."
I think this is the type of surrender Nouwen was talking about - a surrender that affects us at the deepest level and places us in God's hands and throws us upon God's love.