In my travels among Quakers, especially in North American unprogrammed meetings, I have often sensed and heard a deep yearning for more powerful and truly Spirit-filled vocal ministry. And who wouldn’t want to be part of a community where gifts are recognized, uplifted, and nourished? Friends who share a hunger for thriving Quaker communities would be well served to read the features in this issue and to find time to discuss them with others who care. Gathered here are resources that Friends should use! Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in this overstuffed issue, our annual combined June-July edition.
The earliest Quakers grew their flock in no small part due to vigorous, Spirit-led, and community-supported vocal and traveling ministry. The writings of these Friends contain valuable and inspiring wisdom about what Friends, even today, can do to enhance the quality of our meetings for worship, enrich our spiritual lives, and become communities that are magnetic to seekers.
Our Quaker commitment to equality—among ourselves and before God—need not preclude the recognition of our individual gifts and challenges. The clear recognition of roles among us, such as “minister,” “elder,” or “teacher,” can lead more individuals to visualize how they might fit into these templates that our communities need. Furthermore to the development and sustainability of structures that can make actually serving in these valuable roles more manageable, more rewarding, and maybe even more fun. Regular FJ contributor Pamela Haines shares about this process in her Quaker meeting in “Drawing Out Each Other’s Faithfulness,” while in “Eldership as Ministry,” Ann Jerome talks about Quaker elders as a “keystone species” in our ecosystem of faith.
Like wildflowers blooming in the summer heat, new initiatives are sprouting to support and encourage those called to ministry, such as Public Friends, the Friends Incubator for Public Ministry, and the Quaker Religious Education Collaborative, to name a few. If you’re feeling a call to serve, it’s worth exploring a connection with a group like this. The latter two groups are featured in this issue, with Melinda Wenner Bradley celebrating those who are led to provide spiritual accompaniment to our youngest Friends, and our staff writer, Sharlee DiMenichi, interviewing a few of the trustees behind the Friends Incubator.
As always, we want to hear from you, wherever you are in our wide Quaker world. We welcome you to comment on the online versions of these articles at Friendsjournal.org. And if you’re looking for something to tide you over while the magazine takes its seasonal break, worry not: Ron Hogan’s weekly scriptural reflections will continue at Quaker.org/look-to-the-light. Plus both our QuakerSpeak video series and Quakers Today podcast will continue with new episodes in their current seasons.
We want to hear from you, not an AI! Please be thoughtful and use your own words. Comments on Friendsjournal.org may be used in the Forum of the print magazine and may be edited for length and clarity.