Do you seek to follow Jesus, who shows us the way? (New England Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, Queries) I identify as a Christian. There is a picture that is well known in the Friends community entitled “The Spirit in the Midst.” In this picture is the communion of the community with Christ, which is central to many Friends and speaks to my experience of worship.
Read moreSunday Prayer: February 16th
My dearest beloved how beautiful is your face in all the earth! You have set your glory within and beyond creation; Infinite in every way. From the youngest of sprouts you, my beloved, have designed praise and protection from your enemies Your lovers’ hard shells stand, And warning shrills pierce.
Read moreOff at a Young Friends Retreat
Good morning lovely readers. Please keep in your prayers the New England Yearly Meeting Young Friends program this weekend as it meets over this weekend at Wellesley Friends Meeting. Ben and I are serving as Resource Persons (RPs) for the weekend along with many other lovely folks. For your amusement, here are some Quaker related photos from the photo shoot for Ben's short parody "What does George Fox say?"
Convergent Friends: At the Convergence of What?
Back in 2007, I wrote an introduction to Convergent Friends as a paper for a class at Earlham College. In the past seven years, the conversation has continued; I have at times been part of it and at other times not. Recently, I was contacted by a Friend who serves with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) for which I also volunteer (although on the board, representing Friends United Meeting, rather than on team).
Read moreRole Models: Personal Hero #2 Lisa Gustaveson
Each month, on Tuesdays, I hope to write about someone in my life, in history, or otherwise who has influenced me, inspired me, or challenged me in some way (maybe all three!). Since I was on retreat on Tuesday and most of today (Wednesday) of this week, I'm moving my post-topics around a bit.
This week, I've been thinking a lot about Lisa Gustaveson who I mention in my post on Monday. I worked with Lisa in 2011-2012 at Seattle University's School of Theology and Ministry. She and I shared an office for that time; I was the program manager for Inter-religious dialogue and she was/still is the program manager for the Faith and Family Homelessness Project. I am deeply thankful for the time I spent working with Lisa. Her witness and her ministry continue to inspire me.
Read moreOn Retreat
Hey folks, I'm on retreat today at the monastery of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge. I was looking forward to finishing today's post about another personal hero of mine, but ran out of time and the monastery has limited Internet. Till tomorrow! Blessings.
Queries: Spiritual Life #2
www.nightskyhunter.com
Are you sensitive and obedient to leadings of the Holy Spirit? (New England Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, Queries)The season of Lent is fast approaching. While Quakers do not traditionally observe this liturgical practice, many of us have spent time reflecting on and considering Lent I grew up in Maryland, a historically Catholic state, where many of my classmates were/are Catholic. On Ash Wednesday each year, these students would come to class with ashes on their forehead in the shape of crude crosses. Some years I was able to catch my curiosity before asking someone why they had dirt on their face, other years I blundered.
Read moreSunday Prayer: February 9th
If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
(Isaiah 58:6-10)
Read moreNonviolence: Reflection #1
I finish up my first week of blogging with a reflection on nonviolence; current nonviolence that is happening in the world. I represent Friends United Meeting on the Steering Committee of Christian Peacemaker Teams, an ecumenical organization that strives to build partnerships to transform violence and oppression. Regularly I get news briefs from the teams on the ground in Palestine, Kurdistan-Iraq, Canada, and Colombia. Last week, this news blurb showed up in my email inbox:
Read moreQuakers Around the World: Friends Peace Teams
Ever since I returned from a Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) delegation to Iraq in 2011, I've been asking the question "Where are all the Quakers in peace-building?" With some digging, I'm slowly starting to find the Quakers who are part of CPT but I continue to be amazed at how much more present and active our Historical Peace Church neighbors (Mennonites, Brethren) are in international peace-building.
Read moreArticle Review: Johansson and Soda Stream
There has been a great deal written now about Scarlet Johansson and Soda Stream. Very simply, Scarlet Johansson decided to be an ambassador for Soda Stream, a company that according to the BBC "makes products that allow people to produce carbonated soft drinks at home [and] operates one of the hundreds of factories constructed in some 20 Israeli-run industrial zones in the West Bank." Israeli occupation of Palestine is seen by many, including Oxfam as a human rights violation.
Read moreConcepts of God: Part #1
How do you conceive of the center of your Quakerism? Whether you identify as a believer, agnostic or nontheist, whether you use the “G” word or not, we hope you’ll share what is at the center of your Quaker practice. We welcome all to the table so that we can better understand the diversity and richness of Quaker belief.
Read moreRoles Models: Personal Hero #1 My Brother
Each month, on Tuesdays, I hope to write about someone in my life, in history, or otherwise who has influenced me, inspired me, or challenged me in some way (maybe all three!). To start off this blog's first round of monthly entries, I've chosen my brother, Joshua Stacy!
Read moreQueries: Spiritual Life #1
Do you live in thankful awareness of God's constant presence in your life? New England Yearly Meeting, Faith and Practice Query: Spiritual Life
Read moreSunday Prayer, February 2nd
Dearly Beloved, It is this day, in the Christian tradition, when Jesus, as a child, was presented before you in the Temple. It was there, when Jesus was presented to you among his community, that your faithful servants Simeon and Anna recognized the gift that you had brought into the world.
Read moreTime to Start Again
In addition to noticing how infrequently I write, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about my life, self care, the future, what I love, etc. I think that part of why I haven't given space to writing is that it often consumes me. When I was traveling through Jordan, writing for Friends Journal back in 2011, I would often find inspiration to write around 11 or 12 at night and stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning like a mad woman frantically typing as fast as I could. Yet it was those moments of manic inspiration that really made me feel alive--like God was flowing through me.
Read more2013 Recap and Holiday Greetings!
Early this December, we got engaged! (Yeah!!) Next year will be full of wedding planning, more committee meetings, and a few new adventures. Ben will start a certificate program in finance in January while continuing to teach at CDIA and also looking for part-time development work. Rachel will work at the Church of the Redeemer while discerning her next steps professionally.
Read morePresence in the Midst
A week later, I sit in an airport after a long day of committee meetings, thinking about all this again. Watching the people around me and imaging Jesus walking with each one. Jesus talking on his cell phone. Jesus watching the football game. Jesus drinking a beer. Jesus dancing with the toddler. Jesus running to catch the plane.
Read moreAvena en Nicaragua (Oats in Nicaragua)
On Tuesday, I was trying to talk with my Spanish teacher about something or other and my reply to one of her questions identified that I went to church. She asked me if I was Christian and I replied yes, but not Catholic. To that answer, she inquired to what group I belonged. “Quakerismo” I replied. “Cuaquerismo?” she asked inquisitively.
Read moreImperfect Integrity
Over the past few weeks, away from our students and program, the school where I work has been obsessed with the annual Secret Freak phenomenon. Its like Secret Santa where we drew names and each person has one other person on staff to gift with little presents throughout the week. Only, instead of innocent little presents appearing here and there, Secret Freak includes complicated alliances, epic missions, and elaborate schemes.
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