tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post8261289358526938205..comments2024-03-24T11:30:08.199-07:00Comments on Can you believe?: Redefining Friends United MeetingJohan Maurerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13771067774042071617noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-64299756038086859842008-07-28T14:02:00.000-07:002008-07-28T14:02:00.000-07:00Thanks for the link to the Punshon address, Johan....Thanks for the link to the Punshon address, Johan. As usual, I think he hits the nail on the head, over and over again.<BR/><BR/>I have nothing to add to your discussion of FUM, but I think this sentence from John's lecture is pertinent: "Nowadays, I have no hesitation in saying that the<BR/>strongest single bond that unites me with the Society of Friends is our ecclesiology — our conception of the nature of the Church of Christ." I would hope this is true of many others, too.Paul Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03483071863453025925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-53280924285080376022008-07-28T06:09:00.000-07:002008-07-28T06:09:00.000-07:00The Kenyans have their hands full, Johan. Maybe in...The Kenyans have their hands full, Johan. <BR/><BR/>Maybe in a few years--if the truce between the returning people and the receiving communities holds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-68511835550438316212008-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:002008-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:00I would like to see that question put to the inter...I would like to see that question put to the international constituency of FUM.Johan Maurerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13771067774042071617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-89589106631211239212008-07-27T21:17:00.000-07:002008-07-27T21:17:00.000-07:00What would you like to see FUM doing to revitalize...What would you like to see FUM doing to revitalize North American Friends? What kind of programs?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-71474538418188832582008-07-27T11:30:00.000-07:002008-07-27T11:30:00.000-07:00Many thanks for these comments, which widen the pe...Many thanks for these comments, which widen the perspective, and remind me paradoxically that old trends continue even as nothing I thought I "knew" from 10-15 years ago is necessarily true now.<BR/><BR/>I love the motivational power of global perspective, but hope we can keep a dialogue going about getting addicted to exotic contacts and experiences to substitute for the hard work of confronting nearby differences (including the rural/urban divide that so often takes on theological coloring). And let's not slip into a funder/client model again, or a sort of benevolent USA-centric viewpoint that treats the world as a stage for our progressive goodness. (Still, a voice in my other ear says, "For God's sake, let's also not wait until we have all our theories about cross-cultural relationships worked out to perfection--take some risks sometimes!"Johan Maurerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13771067774042071617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-31205062706990843012008-07-26T18:34:00.000-07:002008-07-26T18:34:00.000-07:00Most North American yearly meetings in FUM are mar...Most North American yearly meetings in FUM are marked by one or more of the following characteristics: steady decline in numbers, serious internal difficulties, or general lack of commitment to FUM. There are some places in North American FUM which are vibrant, alive and with hope for the future, but I think that is a small proportion of the meetings/churches with commitment to FUM.<BR/><BR/>While that would seem to indicate a great need for FUM programs to help N. Am. Friends revitalize, the dynamics mean there aren't funds for it and such an effort would face a veritable mine field due to the internal tensions.<BR/><BR/>The energy in FUM is now mostly focused in Kenya. There was an earlier time when FUM made an effort to bring Kenyan Friends here to minister. That would be valuable again, although it would be hampered by U.S. reluctance to give visas to people from poorer countries who aren't themselves rich.Bill Samuelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00752443575410023776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-45802340105277696312008-07-26T13:59:00.000-07:002008-07-26T13:59:00.000-07:00Well, yes. There's always that to point to, Wi...Well, yes. There's always that to point to, Will, but the inability to get anything sparking in an enduring way in North American Ministries that I'm speaking of goes back to 1990. The theological diversity of the constituent yearly meetings is a factor, yes, but it seems to me to be something other than the personnel policy or diversity.<BR/><BR/>I say that having sat on the North American Ministries (NAM) committee when FUM still had a Director of North American Ministries in the person of Ben Richmond. I found the meetings to be congenial, a place where the yearly meeting superintendents and general secretaries spoke about joys and concerns and encouraged and supported one another. Of course, I was also brand new on the board and had a lot of learning to do. Friends on North American Ministries helped me gently and kindly with that. <BR/><BR/>Some good things got done. I think especially of the consultations the Ben was organizing for emerging leaders and of one that I benefited from--a consultation of both M&C and social justice representatives from the constituent North American yearly meetings in the wake of 9/11. Also Ben worked very hard and well, with the help of many on the committee, to write "The Christian Faith of Friends," which we were all able to unite around.<BR/><BR/>It was with the restructuring and Ben's retirement in 2005 that NAM's energy became diffuse--to the extent that it became impossible to find a clerk for the committee. It's not that things were rancorous. It seems to me to have more to do with the fact that the superintendents and general secretaries who sit on the committee ex officio are too busy with their own yearly meetings to take on another responsibility.<BR/><BR/>As I said earlier, the FGC-FUM yearly meetings have the resources of FGC to work with. As for the FUM-only yearly meetings, several of them have had their hands full in the last few years. Western has been laboring with the Phil Gulley recording controversy, Indiana (plus ca change) has been laboring with outward sacraments and water baptism, and North Carolina (FUM) has its own tensions around diversity. <BR/><BR/>Upon looking back over what I've just written, maybe I'm agreeing with you, Will. I guess what I want to make clear is that, in my experience, energy in North American Ministries isn't being tied up in heavy theological discussions or pulling and tugging. It's more that everyone is too preoccupied. <BR/><BR/>Except where the overseas work is concerned. Then the eyes lift and people look outward--which also helps in the internal wranglings of the FUM-only yearly meetings. Members can drop their disagreements and focus on work in Ramallah, Belize, and Kenya. And as I also said earlier, I believe the work going on in Kenya is so powerful right now that it will renew and revitalize FUM in North America.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-8254414696748505142008-07-26T11:30:00.000-07:002008-07-26T11:30:00.000-07:00Johan,I suspect that the lack of energy for work i...Johan,<BR/>I suspect that the lack of energy for work in North America is related to the lack of unity among the North American Yearly Meetings that belong to FUM. There are very real differences but we seem often to dwell on what divides us and not what unites us. In addition, I think FUM has become a place for Yearly Meetings to project internal conflicts that they don't want to acknowledge. So the Orthodox Yearly Meetings can say that the issues around acceptance of homosexuality are the result of those liberal, dual-affiliated yearly meetings and not acknowledge that the same controversies are simmering below the surface in their own meetings. Likewise, the dual affiliated meetings can project their unresolved issues about the place of Christ onto FUM and blame the Orthodox meetings and not address the internal discomfort.<BR/><BR/>As these issues are acknowledged and addressed within the monthly and yearly meetings, the pressure on FUM will be reduced and perhaps some ground for united action in North America will emerge.<BR/><BR/>Will TWill Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903171659222213813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-23337874818097301402008-07-26T08:50:00.000-07:002008-07-26T08:50:00.000-07:00Complete, if sometimes somewhat garbled, transcrip...Complete, if sometimes somewhat garbled, transcripts of all FUM Triennial sessions are available at the <A HREF="http://triennials2008.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">FUM Triennials Blog</A>. I believe NCYM arranged for this.Bill Samuelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00752443575410023776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7217199.post-12437387908595669272008-07-26T08:48:00.000-07:002008-07-26T08:48:00.000-07:00how do we keep those programs from taking all the ...<B>how do we keep those programs from taking all the energy that might otherwise go into the urgent task of communicating Friends faith and practice where they're badly needed and hitherto unknown?</B><BR/><BR/>We don't.<BR/><BR/>We work where the energy is in the faith that it is what God is giving us to do.<BR/><BR/>I'm fascinated to read the description of what FUM once was. It bears very little resemblance to the organization I know. An old-timer coming back to Quaker Hill would barely recognize the place. The offices of Friends United Press, gone. Instead, a pastoral counselor in private practice rents the space from FUM. The bookstore, gone. Instead, there's a Hospitality Center that is offered for rent to outside groups in the Richmond area. <I>Quaker Life</I> being mailed out six times a year instead of twelve. The staff, dropped from 21 to 10 since 2002.<BR/><BR/>Among those remaining 10 staff members there is neither a Director of Global Ministries (although one is hoped for) nor a Director of North American Ministries nor a Director of Communications. You can't imagine the work that is being done by a very dedicated young staff!<BR/><BR/>As I said over on Micah's Valiant for the Truth, there is very little energy on the board for work in North America. I've seen two Directors of North American Minstries try to get things going, and some worthwhile things did happen that I benefited from (Women in Public Ministry, for example). But nothing took fire.<BR/><BR/>I have begun to wonder if the lack of energy for North American work on the FUM board might be because the work of reporting to one another and encouraging one another goes on in the annual Superintendents & Secretaries gathering (which, of course, I've never attended and am not likely to)--at least, informally if not formally.<BR/><BR/>I also suspect the lack of energy for overall North American work is related to the intensity of the work that clerks,superintendents, and general secretaries are being called to do within their own yearly meetings. (Then, too, the dual-affilate yearly meetings have all the resources of FGC at their disposal.)<BR/><BR/>I don't know how the North American work will get done, but I trust that the convergent Friends are up to something. FGC's Traveling Ministries program is sparking things. FGC's attempts to introduce Quaker Quest from England could prove to be very important for the future of Friends. And this Quaker Internet community that has become so dear to me will, I'm sure, have chapters on its development and significance in Quaker histories to come in the 22nd century (God willing).<BR/><BR/>For now, the energizing and equipping that FUM is doing is focused outside North America in the fields established by our elders. Amazing work is being done in Kenya in the wake of the post-election violence. Groups are reaching out and working together. The Peace Testimony is being lifted up in ways unheard of before. The spiritual power of this work will surely inform FUM in years to come.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com