Annapolis

• Interchange, Summer 2007
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2006
• Interchange, Spring 2007
   
• Interchange, Fall 2006
• Interchange, Summer 2006
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2005
• Minute for Tom Fox
• Interchange, Fall 2005
   
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2004
• Interchange, May 2004
• Spiritual State of Our Meeting - 2003

Our community gathered on the third First day of the Second month to consider the spiritual state of the meeting. From the silence, we moved into Worship Sharing, guided in our speaking by the following queries:

• Are we careful not to close the doors to newcomers and to each other?
• Are our minds and hearts open to all in love and understanding so we build trust and honesty with each other?
• Do we, individually and collectively, strive to make a difference - to make our world a better place?

In addition to the Worship Sharing, committees of Annapolis Friends Meeting (AFM) provided their assessments on the spiritual state of the meeting. Two individual members of the meeting sent personal comments. This report reflects and summarizes the Worship Sharing, committee reports, and individual comments, while distinguishing among the three types of sources.

Fourteen Friends spoke during Worship Sharing. Each contributed to this summary, as did the two Friends who sent personal comments afterwards.

Are We Careful Not to Close the Doors?

A Friend who was attending AFM for the first time said in Worship Sharing that while Quakers can be welcoming and do not "close the doors" to newcomers, "they don't always make people know the doors exist." Above and beyond not closing doors, he suggested, Quakers "should reach out to draw others in."

Are Our Minds and Hearts Open?

Some Friends expressed the belief in Worship Sharing that AFM is neglecting its roots as a Christian body. One stated that, "in trying to deal with complex issues of acceptance and inclusion, and with that of God in everyone" Quakers in AFM and elsewhere tend to "soften or blur how we meet the world." Another Friend concurred by asking, rhetorically, "Where is God in the three queries for Worship Sharing?" and pointing to "Light, the Holy Spirit, and Christ" as the "motivation and force" that makes us welcoming and caring. Another perspective was voiced by a Friend who said, "We are challenged to distinguish between working toward 'true unity' and the human tendency to strive for 'like-mindedness.'" While saying she valued "the Christian heritage of Quakerism," she observed we are on a journey of faith toward the "common pool of Love." A Friend who is a newcomer to Meeting stated his comfort with the "diversity in common" at Meeting, as our community works for peace with other groups. A young Friend noted that while Meeting is imperfect, people are earnestly "trying to be better. We can't really ask for anything more," he concluded.

Do We Strive to Make a Difference?

During Worship Sharing a Friend commented that "striving to make a difference" rightfully stems from "keeping our minds and hearts open in love and understanding." A second Friend phrased the relationship between being open and striving as "walking in someone else's shoes" to deepen our common understanding and trust. We should continue, added a third Friend, to "let our lives speak."

Some Friends voiced concerns during Worship Sharing in response to this query. One suggested that while individuals in our community do "remarkable and wonderful things," we may be reluctant to "collectively reach out." Another observed a gap between "our religious beliefs and our day-to-day behavior" in dealing with "conflict in our daily lives." She concluded by saying, "There are, in traditional Quaker practice, processes to work out the differences."

A Friend expressed her burden with the "politics of being Quaker;" she noted her preference for more silent worship at Meeting and stated she was attracted by the "freedom of worship" in being Quaker. Both of the personal messages from individual Friends related to politics also. One Friend described challenges to "move toward healthy and meaningful action" in AFM since 9/11/01 and encouraged Meeting to "avoid the trap" of "speaking and acting out of emotion instead of spiritual leadings." In a post Worship Sharing reflection on the messages he heard, the second Friend wrote he "would not want to confuse AFM with a political party, nor wish Meeting to adopt political positions," but "if people are being held back from testifying about concerns" about "how society is evolving and how Friends should bear witness," he believes that would be a great loss.

Committees are active at AFM and the annual Spiritual State of the Meeting Report provides them with an opportunity to document their work. High-light summaries of committee reports reveal the following:

Children's Religious Education actively involves all youth members in providing time, talents, and treasures to service projects. The committee feels the support of Meeting, as evidenced by volunteers who constructed a new playground and who teach on first days. The committee expects challenges for the future to include developing a youth safety policy for AFM and attracting more children in the youngest age range.

Meeting House and Lands, which "strive(s) to do business in the manner of Friends, keeping an open mind to new ideas," held threshing sessions, special meetings, and productive dialogues with Friends concerned that the committee "not be too hasty to convert green space to parking area." The committee makes efforts to consider impacts of the uses of the Meetinghouse and surrounding land on AFM's neighbors, the community, and the environment.

Ministry and Worship developed meetings for learning about Quakerism 101, John Woolman, worship sharing, vocal ministry, silent worship, spiritual journaling, and Bible-referenced sharing at Christmas and Easter. It helped the librarian add materials, a "newcomers' shelf," and a section for youth. The committee also assisted a threshing session on parking and children's play, a meeting for learning and a Worship Sharing about FUM policies concerning homosexuality, and worshipful events for Christmas and Easter.

Outreach, in its first year as a committee, publicized AFM events, greeted Friends before Meeting for Worship, held a "Visitor Sunday," convened a panel of retired African-American teachers to share memories and insights with Meeting and a large group of visitors in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, is planning a monthly Saturday evening potluck with speakers, is experimenting with ways for new attenders to get to know people in Meeting, and has ministered to its own committee members who have been in need of support.

Pastoral Care, which conducts a "community building exercise" prior to each of its meetings, senses strong spiritual connections and encouragement among its members. The committee has provided to attendees and members of Meeting: spiritual and material support, including personal communications, flowers and memorial contributions; "friendly greetings" to people who have been attending Meeting less frequently; "welcomes" to people before Meeting for Worship; assistance with Memorial Garden; and education for youth about alternatives to the draft. The committee will also be offering information about illness and end-of-life issues and has sponsored several clearness committees and Friendly 8s gatherings. Members are involved in many peace actions, supporting community activities in Annapolis and elsewhere, including the new Friends Community School in Greenbelt, and development in Haiti and Afghanistan.

Peace and Social Concerns reported concerns that mirrored some expressions in the Worship Sharing over the secularization of Quaker Testimonies and the lack of Biblical knowledge in Meeting. Committee members: expressed the need for a better understanding of Testimonies as our "grounding" for action; observed a tension among Quakers who accept many people of diverse faiths, but may be less than welcoming of Christian evangelicals; and stated there is a "blessed tension" between "doing your own thing" and the need to struggle to do "God's thing." Some members found the most difficult testimony in assessing the Spiritual State of the Meeting to be the Truth Testimony. They asked: "Have we accurately discerned when we are professing to speak for the Creator?" They went on to say: "If we're not careful we can become conceited. If 'our' truth is powerful enough to gain unity and it can be tested against Scriptures, it is probably from God. Individually we might not get it right, but collectively we will."

Stewardship and Finance noted AFM is moving into a period when Meeting will be relatively free of debt. The committee suggests, therefore, making Meeting's vision for the future - including concerns for one, five, and ten years - a living document, to be understood, reviewed, and revised on a regular basis and used by all in our spiritual community to guide Meeting's development. There is a concern in the committee, also, that "Meeting's actions are not reflective of the current state of the world community." The committee urges that if as Friends our "Light-is-to-Shine" for all to see, we should create a strong, local Quaker Witness to the rest of the world. The committee concludes with the need for "awareness of the ever-changing issues that demand our attention as Friends, and of Meeting's limited ability to mobilizing resources in addressing them."

AFM is a growing community. As we increase the number of Friends on our collective journey of faith, we are attempting: to hear that of the Divine who speaks in and through us all; to become more aware and respectful of our Quaker heritage, connections, and traditions; and to prayerfully and lovingly enjoy each other and work through the "blessed tensions" of living in a faith community. We are imperfect. We are working, however, to open doors to newcomers and each other, to open our minds and hearts to all in love, trust, and honesty; and to make our world a better place.

Our spiritual community continues to grow as a worshiping body of the Religious Society of Friends. On the fourth First day of the Second Month, we gathered to reflect on our lives and our community. From silence, we moved into Worship Sharing, guided in our speaking by the following queries:

1. Are we personally seeking the Spirit and working to deepen our faith, hope and love?
2. Are our hearts and minds open to newcomers, seekers, and seasoned Friends in love and understanding, by which we can build trust and honesty with each other?
3. Do we, individually and collectively, strive to make a difference, to make our world a better place?

In our Second Month Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business, we stood in support of a minute on slot machines brought forth by our Peace and Social Concerns committee:

In the Spirit of the Quaker Testimonies in support of education and social welfare, our traditional opposition to gambling and with particular concern for the effects of gambling on some of Maryland’s most vulnerable populations, Annapolis Friends Meeting proposes that education and other forms of government services should be adequately supported by means other than slot-machines or other forms of gambling.

As we grow larger, we note with joy our new F(f)riends and celebrate the gifts that we have been given by sharing them with others. A significant amount of the proceeds from our Holiday Market and restricted gifts will be donated to the Friends Peace Teams’ African Great Lakes Initiative.

Consistent with our focus this year on exploring our Quaker heritage and tradition, Meetings for Learning were held to hear about early Christianity and “corporate mysticism.” Additionally, a seasoned Friend facilitated three discussions on John Woolman’s Journal, which documents his rich, spiritual life.

Deaths: Scott Weiss and Elizabeth Jennes

SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE MEETING REPORT - 2003

In silence we gathered, on the fourth First day of the Second month to reflect on our lives and our community. Who are we? How are we growing as a worshiping body of the Religious Society of Friends? Are we keeping faith with our Quaker foremothers and forefathers in this time of uncertainty? As we grow larger, we note with joy our new F(f)riends and celebrate that we are almost mortgage free. Careful stewardship has given us a surplus, but now we struggle with discerning the Divine Spirit's guidance in our plans and dreams for the future.

From the silence, we moved into Worship Sharing, guided in our speaking by the following queries:

• Are we personally seeking the Spirit and working to deepen our faith, hope and love?
• Are our hearts and minds open to newcomers, seekers, and seasoned Friends in love and understanding, by which we can build trust and honesty with each other?
• Do we individually and collectively strive to make a difference, to make our world a better place?

In speaking from the silence, there was agreement that seeking the Spirit empowers us to be willing to "take risks"--to act and live in a manner true to the second and third queries. "Our primary purpose in gathering for silent worship is worship; next it is to reflect God's love, and, finally, it is to help each other be true to God's standards." A Friend noted that honest answers to the queries build on each other; if we are personally seeking the Spirit and working to deepen our faith, hope and love, we will have open hearts and minds and we will strive to make a difference in our world. Yet another Friend said that the Meeting has become "my spiritual home since 9/11" allowing the transformation from being a "mere observer of the spiritual life" to an "active participant in it."

Opening ourselves, with love and understanding was recognized as a vital component of our community and tradition but not easy. One Friend noted the American cultural context - a very individualistic society - and said that AFM provided the "messy, organic process of building family" in that context. Another Friend spoke a related message, saying that neither the process nor the community can be perfect - that perfection is, rather, an illusion; that in relationships people sometimes hurt one other; that forgiveness is necessary and required. "The Spirit is alive and well in AFM and is awaiting our personal responses." A Friend said that there are always opportunities for practicing forgiveness in relationships, but that we should "give the Spirit credit for being here and available to help us."

A seasoned Friend spoke of his personal journey, which involved early childhood exposure to the Quaker faith, then a long absence from Meeting, and finally a return to AFM where he has found love, realized that the process of loving is a "two-way street," and knows for certain that "one is not alone." A new attender found our Meeting a good place to grow in faith, hope, and love. One Friend reflected that years of being involved at AFM can make one feel part of an "inner circle," but that thought causes concern. Although the hearts of seasoned Friends at AFM may be in the right place, all must strive constantly and mightily against the "appearance, as well as any reality" of clannishness.

A Friend noted that, in welcoming newcomers to Meeting, we are taking a step toward extending ourselves to the world. Yet another Friend described interactions among members and attenders at AFM as the process of building "trust and honesty," as in a family, noting "peace must begin at home," One newcomer was attracted to AFM because its participants seem to live their beliefs. A new member spoke about how Quakers at AFM seem to "live-out forgiveness," which has taught, provided a foundation for, and strengthened their personal growth, helping this Friend to move beyond anger to forgiveness in the world. Friends noted that Meeting is proactive in welcoming newcomers and seekers, once they have taken the step of attending Meeting.

Two Friends raised queries of their own: One noted the low numbers of young adults aged 21-35 at AFM; why is that the situation? Are we not doing the right things to attract and hold people from that age group? Another Friend asked those present in the Worship Sharing to consider the evolution of our "prayer circle" at rise of Meeting when those present are encouraged to offer the names of people to hold in the Light. Is that the best way to ask for prayers for healing, or would it be better to know the practical needs of those whose names are being offered? A Friend offered a personal experience of being held in the Light, describing a sense of being embraced, experiencing goodness, and being transformed into a better person.

We look forward with enthusiasm to the challenges of the coming year and we mourn the loss of two dear Friends, Guinevere Scott and Elizabeth Jennes. Through the continuing revelation of the Spirit and our attempts, although imperfect, to respond to that of the Divine within us and in other people, we journey forward as individuals, as a Meeting, and with our brothers and sisters throughout the world. For the first time, Young Friends have joined the Meeting's committees, bringing their own unique viewpoints to our deliberations. They are increasingly active in caring for our property and buildings, during work days and as a special project in creating and maintaining a meditation path that winds through our property.

At a recent called "Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Discerning God's Leading," we perceived our immediate goals as being led (i) to continue our tradition of unprogrammed meetings, (ii) to support the spiritual growth of those within our spiritual community by fostering an understanding and appreciation of one another and the Religious Society of Friends' history and testimonies, particularly the testimony for peace, and (iii) to progress in our service and socializing with the local non-Quaker community. Our longer range desire is to work within our spiritual community and the larger secular community toward a fuller understanding and acceptance of differences. We hope to foster stronger connections within Baltimore Yearly Meeting, Friends General Conference and Friends United Meeting.

Committee Work

Children's Religious Education offers a spiritual home for our young Friends, beginning in the nursery and progressing through elementary, middle, and high school. All children are welcomed and our diversity itself is reason to celebrate. The curriculum facilitates an experiential learning environment; young Friends are able to explore their own spiritual journey while letting their lives speak. We are active and enthusiastic yet balance our strengths with our limitations through gentle reminders to ensure no one becomes overwhelmed. Our program is fluid and adjustable to accommodate needs as way opens. This year the committee was led to focus on service projects, such as connecting with children in a Philadelphia school where there is great need. We seek adult Friends to journey with us, sharing their gifts with young Friends. Among many resources that guide us, one called "Opening Doors to Quaker Religious Education" by Mary Snyder has been a particular inspiration. She writes: "In our meetings and religious education programs, we communicate who we are as Friends in five ways: role modeling, storytelling, wondering, affirmation, and curriculum. These are the ways in which we invite others to walk through the door into that room where each person may meet the inward Teacher."

Joyfully supporting one Friend's leading, a new committee, primarily concerned with outreach, has been formed. The Outreach Committee held its first meeting in February of 2004. The clerk reported that at the initial meeting (which included a young Friend who will bring issues from a youth perspective and do outreach especially with the children of the Meeting) "Love for the Meeting and for Quakerism was evident, and members are very enthusiastic and eager to get started."

Meeting House and Lands is striving to balance Quaker process with a busy schedule of practical concerns. The committee has worked, within the constraints of limited resources, to salve the ongoing questions as to whether Meeting should seek a larger "ultimate Meeting Room" or whether other improvements and changes in Meeting practices, including greater activism in peace and social concerns requiring additional expenditures, should take higher priority. While we are a spiritual people, we must operate, when miracles do not intervene, in a world of scarce resources and equally compelling requirements.

Stewardship and Finance actively invites the Spirit's guidance in discerning use of our Meeting's finances, welcoming participation by members of our community and appreciating differing viewpoints. Seeking to balance between current giving to Quaker causes and the long term needs of the Meeting, Friends are mindful that stewardship is a means to further the Meeting's leadings, not an end in itself. Beyond our financial contributions to Quaker causes, local peace groups, the Lighthouse Shelter, and Conflict Resolution Center, we believe that investment in our active children's religious education and camping programs offer opportunities to make a substantial difference as more young adults with Quaker traditions take their place in the world.

Peace and Social Concerns is experiencing a new openness, equilibrium and awareness of Spirit. Friends are called to be visible in the world: to "walk the talk" and to share with the wider community. Quakers are called to seek that of God in every person and to respond in concrete, tangible ways. AFM recorded a minute in support of those who choose to withhold taxes in opposition to military spending and of Friends who work for the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund. We need a mechanism for Friends to regularly report to each other the actions we have taken for peace. We would like to do so in a more structured way because so many F(f)riends are doing wonderful things that could serve as a source of strength and inspiration for all.

Ministry and Worship is striving to develop and present Meetings for Learning which both educate and refresh. As a community, we are largely convinced Friends, and our focus this year has been on exploring Quaker traditions. We have spent the past year in discovering our history and meeting our Quaker ancestors through study of their journals and writings--exploring our personal growth and understanding in light of these truths. Friends continue to develop materials for use by newcomers and those seeking formal membership. Likewise, the committee is trying to re-energize the concept of clearness committees, as a living and vital resource to aid in the discernment of God's will.

Pastoral Care notes that the pace of the past two years has been challenging, but as a result of initiatives and outreach efforts, Friends are now more thoughtful and mindful of how disparate activities fit into the overall purpose of pastoral care. We seek to serve both the spiritual and practical needs of our community and have been greatly strengthened by the addition of several new members on the committee. Community-building exercises have helped us focus on our purpose. Friends hope the creation of emergency and personal forms, including the memorial preparations, will enable our Meeting to more quickly serve those in the midst of grief. As we look ahead, we are aware that the peace testimony is important to our Quaker way of life. Peace should be manifest not only in our political philosophy but also lived through our relationships in Meeting. Given the present world environment, we are especially aware of any discord that may arise in Meeting as a result of members and attenders being in various places in their discernment of the peace testimony and of the need to seek accord and understanding among ourselves, as well as among peoples and nations of the world.