Worship and Action Update
August 29, 2003
Dear Friends in New York Yearly Meeting:
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The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
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With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963
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In both our political and our spiritual society, how do we handle disagreements, differences, divisions, disunity as we all seek for the peaceable kingdom? How do we find and nourish the faith that will enable us "to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope"?
On June 15, Ruth Kinsey, pastor of Farmington Friends Meeting, spoke to the meeting about the challenge of the Peace Testimony and of embracing those who may not disavow all wars. Here is part of her message:
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We need one another. I sometimes hear people say, 'I can worship just fine by myself alone in the woods.' And it is absolutely true that one can have a deeply spiritual experience all alone.... But if all of our spiritual experiences occur by ourselves, it is easy to lose the true focus. We need the encouragement, the strength, the presence, the example of other Christians/Quakers to help support us, to teach us, to share with us.
If we don't have others around us who encourage us and support us and share our beliefs and give us examples of how to live our faith, it is so easy to fall away. We need one another. We need one another deeply. Hebrews 3:13 says encourage one another every day. Every day! So long as it is called 'today'.
In a lot of ways, Farmington Friends do pretty well at this 'community' business.... But there are other ways in which we don't do community so well. One of the ways has been making itself known lately in regards to the Peace Testimony. We have such a wide variety of views on the Peace Testimony - No, maybe it's not the Peace Testimony. I don't believe there is a single person who would say he or she is not for peace. We all believe in and want peace. It is how the Peace Testimony is lived out that causes disagreements.
There are some Friends who don't understand why we, as a Quaker Meeting, can't make a statement against war. Yet, there are others who feel that there is such a thing as a 'just war' and, therefore, cannot make a statement against war.
And do you know what? It is fine for us to disagree. It is fine for us to have different understandings. But we don't handle disagreement well. When we try to talk about this we end up with some people saying, 'I guess I'm not a Quaker. I guess I don't belong here.' And others saying, 'The Peace Testimony is key to Quakerism. How can we be Quaker if we can't get behind the Peace Testimony?'
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But Friends, one of the things Quakers are known for is our willingness to accept people where they are and not demand that someone must believe a certain thing in order to be Quaker. That is why we don't have a creed.
Friends may have a wide variety of theological views and still be Friends. You see we know that faith is not stagnant. Faith is something that grows and changes.
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In Friends community, we need to remember that we may disagree, that we may talk about those disagreements, and that in our disagreements we can still love one another, still feel connected to one another, still have an openness for people to be who they are, and allow room for people to change and grow.
Encourage one another! Encourage one another every day.
Are you able to disagree and still love the other? Are you able to disagree and still encourage the other? I know it's hard. We feel passionate about our beliefs. And I want us to be passionate about our beliefs. I also want us to feel compassion toward those with different beliefs.
Friends, may we encourage one another! And may we allow room for growth.
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Worship and Action Retreat: Where Does Peace Lead Us?
Plans are proceeding for a gathering of Friends at Powell House on the weekend of October 31 through November 2 for worship and reflection on the query Where does our Peace Testimony lead us now? Preparatory queries will be sent to monthly meetings in advance. Monthly meetings will be invited to share and reflect upon these queries, and participants encouraged to write out their individual responses in preparation for the weekend. Meetings are encouraged to send at least two people to the gathering and to ask them to share their experience when they return home. The Peace Initiatives Fund will help pay for the weekend. An announcement with registration forms and additional information will be sent to monthly meetings and posted on the NYYM Web site in mid-September.
Friends are also involved in many other activities for peace in the coming weeks. These include:
Remembering those lost on September 11, 2001:
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