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Friends United Meeting |
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September 2003
Friends United Meeting News
Edith Ratcliff Dies in Kenya
Edith Elaine Ratcliff, 85, died in Kenya on July 28, 2003. She was born August 30, 1917 on a farm near Tryon, Oklahoma, the daughter of John Anderson and Bernice Benson Ratcliff. Edith was a Recorded Friends Minister and spent from 1946 to her death in Kenya, Africa.
Edith set sail for Kenya on April 23, 1946 and arrived at Kaimosi on June 11, 1946. She began working in the hospital the next morning and continued there until June 1948 when she moved to Lugulu in July 1948. For the next 36 years she worked in the two hospitals at Lugulu and Kaimosi. In July 1984 Edith retired and moved to live in the Masiyenze village where she was permitted to build her own house in the home compound of Meshack Mudamba and family. Her presence will be missed by Friends worldwide.
A full account of her life and ministry will be featured in a special edition of Quaker Life scheduled for publication in February, 2004. Both written and financial contributions for this special edition are being sought. Contact Editor Trish Edwards-Konic at Quaker Life before December 1, 2003.
New John Woolman Book Released 
A Near Sympathy: The Timeless Quaker Wisdom of John Woolman by Michael L. Birkel is an invitation to a friendship with Woolman, as well as an invitation to consider what John Woolman has to say to us today. In this latest release by Friends United Press, Michael Birkel acquaints readers with the spiritual disciplines and resources that nurtured John Woolman's empathy with the stranger. Woolman's deep spiritual life empowered him to engage the world as a witness on behalf of the disenfranchised, and for the earth and all its creatures.
In A Near Sympathy, teacher and writer Michael Birkel draws on his own "friendship" with Woolman. He excerpts from Woolman's Journal to guide readers through Woolman's experience and witness to integrity and love, worship, scripture, suffering and redemption, nurturing empathy, and engaging the world.
Michael L. Birkel is Professor of Religion at Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. With graduate degrees from Earlham School of Religion and Harvard University, he has written widely about John Woolman in religious periodicals and contributed to collections of essays on Woolman. He is a frequent speaker and workshop leader on John Woolman and on Quaker approaches to the Bible.
A Near Sympathy ($15.00) includes a group discussion guide and is available from Quaker Hill Bookstore, 800-537-8838 or visit online at www.quakerhillbooks.org.
Growing Christian Leadership
By Colin South
One of the best ways to develop Christian leadership among our young men and women is to provide them with challenges that stretch their present capabilities but do it in an environment which offers support. Friends United Meeting is re-structuring its overseas service opportunities for field appointees to ensure that Christian leadership training is high on the agenda.
Jacob Kuntz, a young man currently attending North Valley Friends Meeting (Northwest Yearly Meeting) and a recent history graduate from George Fox University, is one such example. Jacob spent a summer vacation helping with a children's camp for North American Indians and then six months in Cairo helping with a Christian Non-governmental organization (NGO). He discovered Friends while a student at Fox. These two experiences combined to increase his concern for peace and reconciliation.
The Israel/Palestine situation grew in his heart until it became clear to him he wished to serve at Ramallah Friends School for a two-year term. Jacob wants to better understand the situation and offer his time to peacemaking with Palestinian students. He has much to offer. He is a songwriter and guitarist, loves drama and is a Christian who feels called to serve. The Friends School is delighted to have Jacob with them teaching History and Christianity on both school campuses, both elementary and high school.
Colin and Kathy South had the opportunity to work with Jacob at Friends Central Offices. Objectives will be implemented for Jacob to target his leadership training with opportunities for experience, reflection and planning.
Please pray for him as he faces the potential difficulty of entering Israel as his first hurdle will be entering Israel honestly and openly. His next hurdle will be acclimatizing himself to a new school and a new job. Pray for him and help him financially if you can.
Jacob needs approximately $15,000 for his two-year appointment. Hopefully he will be in Ramallah when you read this, but remember him with financial help and prayerful support.
FUM World Ministries News
- Jamaica — Lisa and Andy Stout
Lisa and Andy Stout spent the summer speaking and raising support at various meetings in Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina and Wilmington Yearly Meetings. They also led a work team to Jamaica in June and returned eager and excited about their new home. Now in Jamaica, they are beginning their first year as Chaplain of Happy Grove High School. - Kenya — Patrick Nugent, Mary Kay Rehard and family
Patrick, Mary Kay, Emma and Eliza spent a very full summer in the United States visiting local and Yearly Meetings. They return to Kenya in September to continue their ministry as principals of Friends Theological College. - Kenya — Pat Shrock
Pat Shrock returned to Kenya to volunteer for a third term at Friends Theological College where she will be team teaching, working in the library and doing weekend visitation in the village churches. Her summer was filled with volunteer work, grandchildren, Bible Studies and a work team trip to a small college in Appalachian Kentucky. - Ramallah — Colin and Kathy South
Colin and Kathy South spent their summer in the United States and England visiting friends and family and speaking to various groups and events about Friends work in Palestine. Colin also spent time acclimating himself to his new role as Director of World Ministries for Friends United Meeting. The U.S. Aid ASHA building, which houses an indoor basketball court, two large computer-resourced teaching areas, a new library and volunteer accommodations for three, is up and running. This will add greatly to the resources of the Friends Boys School in Ramallah/El-Bireh this year. Also new is the Organic Vegetable Garden funded by AFSC that promotes composting, mulching and intercropping. - Belize — Mike and Kay Cain
Mike and Kay Cain spent their summer speaking at various meetings in Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina and Wilmington Yearly Meetings. They returned to Belize in August eager to begin working on plans for future development in Belize, including a possible Girls School, High School and Chaplaincy in Belize. They are seeking funding from the Belizian government to pay the teachers' salaries.
Ramallah Friends School Graduation
Seventy-one students graduated on May 25, 2003. Proud parents, grandparents, siblings and friends came to the Boys School campus to celebrate this step taken by the students. Approximately 50% of the students had completed the International Baccalaureate program. Most of the students are heading to college in Europe, United Kingdom, the United States and in the Middle East. This was truly a day of celebration of accomplishment after 12 years of schooling, most of those years spent at Ramallah Friends School.
Missions Consultations Focus on Partnership
How will Friends United Meeting shape its mission work in light of FUM's purpose of energizing and equipping Friends "to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved and obeyed as Teacher and Lord"? FUM hosted a consultation in June to engage Friends from the United States, Kenya, Jamaica and Ramallah in considering this question.
Key findings of the consultation included: the need for organizational preparation to receive and evaluate fresh openings; a paradigm shift from seeing missions in terms of sending and receiving to one in which FUM facilitates multiple relationships globally; and an emphasis on leadership training at all levels.
Oliver Kisaka Simuyu, a Friend from Nairobi, Kenya, was one of the consultation participants. For him, the consultation was "a significant event in the history of the FUM" because "FUM took the all important decision to evaluate the work by listening to her constituency and thereby refocus the World Missions program."
For Oliver, the most important aspect of the discussion was the focus on partnership relationships: "The desire to move forward on the basis of partnership in recognition of the potential in all Quaker fellowships and of the need for capacity building towards effective joint efforts is well conceived. It is my hope that Quakers everywhere who know Jesus Christ in truth, will be willing to pay the price of what it takes for us to minimize our differences and bear to the world a Christian witness accompanied by Christ-centered peacemaking, integrity, equality and simplicity. May God our Father grant us grace in these efforts. May this meeting be found useful for the work of FUM and all Quaker Churches in the world."
In July, a follow-up meeting, led by Colin South, the new Director of World Missions, and Jens Braun, Clerk of the World Ministries committee of the General Board, reviewed the outcome of the consultation in terms of structural and program implications. The outcome of these meetings and the consultations on outreach and evangelism in North America will be presented to the General Board in October.
Copyright (c) 2003 Friends United Meeting
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