|
Friends United
Meeting |
 |
 |
Quaker Life
On the cover: The Song, a watercolor painting and poem by Diane-Ellen McCarron. See page 15 for the poem.
|
| Valiant for Truth | Contents |
|
By Patricia Edwards-Konic I like the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. The focus on each is to bring one closer to God and to strengthen one’s faith. Ordinary time fills much of the rest of the year. Friends have taken Ordinary time and transformed it into sacramental living—a life that is lived in awareness that every day, every action, every thought is part of resting in the fullness of God’s grace and love. Thomas Kelly calls this the “flaming center” of faith. He wrote queries to help us live in the fullness of this center: “Am I down in the flaming center of God? “Have I come into the deeps, where the soul meets with God and knows His Love and Power? “Have I discovered God as a living Immediacy, a sweet Presence and a stirring, life-renovating Power within me? “Do I walk by His guidance, feeding every day, like knights of the Grail, on the body and blood of Christ, knowing every day and every act to be a sacrament?” (The Eternal Promise, pp. 26-27, 2006 edition) Living a sacramental life is always a challenge. Distractions and temptations abound. It’s difficult enough in daily living, but soon I’ll be attempting to answer Kelly’s questions in a whole new environment—where the Moslem call to prayer will be broadcast five times daily over loudspeakers, where English is not the first language of most people, where my Christian faith will be in the minority. As you read these words, I will have begun my three-month residence at the Ramallah Friends Schools (RFS) as “Friend-in-Residence.” I have two projects while there—helping with a Quaker History class for the new Ethics track and writing a book. For the class I am bringing PowerPoints and other resources to use for teaching. Students will undertake a project to raise awareness and money for Turkana Friends students. During the RFS history section, the students will prepare a PowerPoint program that can be used by Friends worldwide. My main assignment is to write a book about the impact of the Ramallah Friends Schools on the students, on the community and in the region. Enduring Hope is the title to be published by Friends United Press in late fall. I will be interviewing current and former students, faculty and community leaders to be able to tell the story of Enduring Hope in this region of conflict and suffering. I have established a travelogue that includes photos and journal entries (or go to www. travelpod.com and search for “quakertrish”) where you can sign up to be notified when I make entries. To hear more about this project after I return in mid-June, email me to set a date. Peace to you! Shalom! Salam! |
6 Living
the Highest Sacrament 8 Radical Faithfulness
Equals Sacramental Living 10 Do This in Remembrance of Me! 12 Holy Ordinary 14 Liberation
from the Bondage of Busyness _______________________________ 4 News from Friends United Meeting 7 FUM Staff/Contact
Information 16 Soul Food 17 Salt and Light 18 News 20 Peace Notes 22 Reviews 25 Passages 28 Classifieds 33 Friends
United Meeting 35 Centering
|