STATE OF THE SOCIETY REPORT 2004

Summary of Monthly Meeting Reports

This report covers each of the queries and then has a section covering "Additional joys and concerns." As in the past, quotations are included without attribution to specific monthly meetings.

Overview Reports from across the Yearly Meeting reflect complex tensions as meetings examine their commitments and priorities. The meetings are beacons of Light and most see the Light as shining brightly within their faith community. Meetings experience change and challenge as a joy as well as a painful struggle. In many ways, these reports are like letters from a large and loving family. Faith and works are mutually dependent, and we seek our common ground in the exercise of our gifts in worship and witness.

One of the larger, very active meetings writes: "There is an emerging sense that our busy-ness—whatever the cause—is keeping us from our callings. In the words of one Friend, we should turn our attention to 'thinking about what we are all about,' rather than just 'be busily doing.'" At the same time one relatively small meeting can say: "The world challenges us to speak inward Truths outwardly, and openly to advocate the Gospel of Peace, so that the Kingdom of God be lifted up, and dwell within the hearts and mind of humanity. . . . we must be centered in the labor of love no less than Mary Dyer."

The State of the Society in New York Yearly Meeting is marked by joy in the presence of the Light and by heartfelt concerns both for its spiritual life and for the anguish of the world.

How has the anguish of the world challenged your meeting?

There is a considerable body of Friends acting on the Peace Testimony as individuals and with the support of others in their meeting. Several meetings are inspired by members' work with those in prison through visits, letters, meetings for worship, and the Alternatives to Violence Project. Meetings support local witness in vigils, in interfaith work, and in work with the homeless. Support is also given to members' traveling to places of conflict throughout the world and to the work of the American Friends Service Committee and to Friends Committee on National Legislation. All of this witness is supported in the life of the meeting through worship, discussion groups, and writing letters to politicians and the press.

The anguish of the world challenges most meetings to reexamine their witness activities and the Peace Testimony itself. Marked differences of opinion over administration policy and our appropriate response are present in many meetings. One meeting writes: "These differences cause strong divisions in our meeting. We have felt great pain over this division. We all want peace yet believe in different ways of getting there."

A strong center enables many meetings to accept their differences and support one another. "Some of our members do not see it as a weakness if we are not engaged, as a meeting, in addressing many of the problems of the world. The quiet of our worship gives us the strength, as individuals, to engage with others to do the work we feel led to do in the world."

From a prison worship group we hear: "Some have argued that being in prison we have no voice, and that our hands are tied, but that is not the belief of the members of this meeting. We will do what we can, when we can, however we can as long as it is in the Spirit, and the Light is guiding our works."

Several meetings mentioned the significant impact of "small," often individual, actions. One writes: "We know that our thoughts can be powerful and healing. We remind ourselves, when we are tempted to despair, that a small persistent drip of water can erode a stone. We must persist in seeking and speaking Truth."

The challenge of the last two years has been something of a "wakeup call" to some meetings: Perhaps we have "not been good enough listeners . . . the sad facts of today's world make [us] more strongly aware of . . . belonging to the human family." One meeting felt it "had been living in a false bubble of personal safety and security." On the other hand a meeting notes: "The anguish of the world is a part of the fabric of creation."

Several meetings spoke of the importance of personal discernment in their response to the anguish of the world. ". . . We wait. We know that God may require more of us, and we pray that the nature and timing of our response will be of his choosing." "We have been increasingly aware of the presence of God in our lives." One prison worship group takes to heart the idea that peace begins within each of us: ". . . the difficulties have challenged us to come together even more, and to continue to be more spiritual and positive, maintaining harmony in this age of despair. We continue to hold each other up in the light, being sensitive to each other, and good to each other. When we part, we go away feeling spiritually nourished; and if we can spread this beyond our meeting, it could affect the outside community and be a template for nonviolence."

Facing this challenge, one meeting responds for all: ". . . our diversity gives us strength and our heritage endows us with endurance."

Where do you see the Light breaking forth?

The Light breaks forth in meetings for worship and vocal ministry, in striking occasions of faithfulness, in First Day schools, in support at times of crisis, and in the everyday favors we do for each other in our families, at work, and out in the community

One meeting speaks for many as it focuses on worship and vocal ministry: "there is Light in the silence of our worship and in our sharing of our thoughts and feelings before God and each other." And from a prison worship group ". . . the meeting for worship [is] the heart of our spiritual life and our Friends community. Spoken messages grow out of the living silence, and enrich the silence in return. . . . The afterthoughts continue to bring messages well worth hearing." Striking occasions of faithfulness are regularly noted in the reports. From one meeting: "The hardened soil of our hearts referred to in last year's State of the Meeting report has been loosened and pushed aside, a little here, a little there, and we sense the emergence of something wonderful." And from another: "Our most profound experience of the breaking Light this past year was the organizing of a group of Friends and Unitarians who marched in [the] large Fourth of July parade. . . . It rained so hard that all at the parade were soaked, but elated. . . . We wish to model tenacious optimism even at this seemingly bleak moment."

For the most part, Light breaks forth in the familiar. "Our First Day school program, though smaller than in recent years, continues to infuse the meeting with a special kind of energy." But this requires the support of many. "At the start of the past year, our First Day school had been languishing. Then in June, our regional meeting held a threshing session on First Day school issues. Under this concern and buoyed by the regional meeting input, one of our members was led to prepare fertile ground on which to grow a First Day school. . . ."

Each Meeting is a community, functioning at its best under God's guidance when members know and support each other. "The Light breaking forth, as we understand it, is the expression of love through acts of kindness. Caring for a dear Friend on her passage from life to death gave many Friends opportunities to express their love. . . ."

What different kinds of spiritual gifts and ministries are recognized and appreciated in your meeting?

The underlying theme of responses across the Yearly Meeting is a quiet recognition of service freely given. After recording many specific areas of service, a meeting writes: "We appreciate the spiritual gifts and ministries that we see in the base of people radiating love and faith and hope and caring in our Meeting." And another: "Spiritual gifts are given to us by God, and God has also given us to each other as a gathered community. . . . Spiritual gifts and ministries are recognized implicitly when the meeting calls on Friends to exercise those gifts in committee service or in more informal and personal ways."

Several meetings expressed a reaction against any form of differentiation. One meeting questions the use of the term "spiritual gifts." Another speaks for many: "There is an outpouring of gratitude for the gifts and ministries we share with each other. We continue to be moved [in meeting for worship] by voices among us trembling with the Spirit or with such profound life experience that it cannot help but change us. . . . Outside of meeting for worship, a simple gift shared can become a ministry in the minds of Friends. No gift is too small or inconsequential. We are grateful for our tender ministries to each other when we are sick, shut in, without transportation, or have trouble hearing."

Meetings also speak of their need to pay attention to this area of their lives. "As a meeting, the recognizing and appreciating of spiritual gifts is an evolving process. . . ." The report cites a number of activities that are recognized and appreciated but notes: "To speak of gifts among Friends at times is complicated because it suggests that we might not be equally gifted, and that the Inner Light is varied in its access to each participant."

There is a poignant reminder of the very basic gift of "love for our [fellowship]." (Romans 12:10) "Our gifts are those of trying to work together as a small monthly meeting. That and keeping the meeting open on every Sunday in spite of the small size."

One Meeting sees this query in a larger context. "Behind this year's query on spiritual gifts seems to be a larger question for us: What are we as a meeting called to do? . . . The queries appear to have rekindled a discussion that will continue beyond this annual exercise of taking the spiritual temperature of the meeting."

Additional joys and concerns

Organization. The commitment to Quaker process and to a committee structure with clear responsibilities is important to many. "Organizational renewal continues to be centered on supporting the efficient working of the committee system and it has had a positive result. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities and the focused efforts of those in them have lead to a tremendously productive year." Many see the work of a Nominating Committee as a form of recognition of gifts.

Meetinghouses. There is considerable tension around the maintenance or expansion of meetinghouses and related facilities. Clearly some meetings have handled this well and others less satisfactorily. One meeting presents a comprehensive review of the issues it faces and ends with "We question whether keeping our meetinghouse in its 19th century condition is the way forward into ministry to the 21st century world."

In resolving these issues, Quaker process is important. "The Meeting has a commitment to listen to the needs of the membership." Called meetings, worship sharing, and discussion groups are important components of the process, but overall there must be a balance and a willingness to be guided. "We are concerned about maintaining our spiritual balance while considering these major changes affecting the life of [the meeting]." Following Quaker process through several defined phases seems as important in successfully handling property issues as it was for several meetings in developing study programs.

Other meetings express their joy and gratitude for their facilities . . . and those who care for them. "We are especially thankful for our historic meetinghouse with its wood stoves," writes one. Another notes: "With our new kitchen, hospitality has been lively and engaging." Other joys and concerns. Several meetings spoke of the rich sharings in "after thoughts" following meeting for worship. It provided a comfortable occasion for speaking, one that seemed less demanding. Others spoke of the joy of music in their meeting life.

Many meetings face (or have faced) the same concerns—such as facilities, Quaker process, First Day school enrollment, "difficult" vocal ministry, personal conflict. None are neatly packaged. There are, however, very strong concerns about two matters: "spiritual growth" and conflict within meetings. These are reflected in a variety of ways —not always explicitly. The first is expressed by one meeting's query: "Can we find and focus on those things that build the spiritual energy of the Meeting? The second can be expressed in a composite query: How can we deal with conflict in the Meeting in a loving and effective manner?

There is an opportunity for meetings to listen and learn from one another and we may need to strengthen our processes for enabling this. From the reports of monthly meetings we can conclude that the State of the Society is marked especially by joy in the presence of the Light as well as our heartfelt concerns.