by Marge Abbott

“Friends, whatever you are addicted to, the Tempter will come in that thing. When he can trouble you, then he gets advantage over you, and then you are gone. Stand still in that which is pure, after you see yourselves; and then mercy comes in. After you see your thoughts, and the temptations, do not think, but submit. Then the Power comes. Stand still in that which shows and discovers; and there does strength immediately come. Stand still in the light, and submit to it, and the other will be hushed and gone. Then contentment comes. When temptations and troubles appear, sink down in that which is pure, and all will be hushed and will fly away. Your strength is to stand still, after you see yourselves. Continue reading “Knowing Our Own Demons” »

Our First Experience in Traveling in Ministry

Al and Sheri Hendrix

Some time ago my wife and I were led to begin traveling among other congregations (Quakers use the term Meeting rather than congregation) within our denomination. This is certainly not a new idea among Quakers. Visiting ministers with a variety of messages have been traveling from Meeting to Meeting since the very beginning, delivering their intended messages, sharing news, doing church business, hosting training opportunities, and in general carrying on the business necessary to grow and maintain the health and connections that sustain the various parts of our faith.

Continue reading “To Travel in Ministry” »

by Jan Wood

God loves–and yearns for restoration–for our broken world.  But God is a realist.  God is not caught by surprise when people, relationships, cultures and nations turn their backs on their Divine Purpose and become misshapen.  They become a sad shadow of what they could be.  At best this estrangement from one’s purpose is a painful loss; at worst it becomes diabolically destructive.

Many of us are finding ourselves bewildered and disoriented in these present times. Things are becoming grotesquely misarranged.  Basic building blocks of commonality are being destroyed with intentionality.  Logic and facts are no longer the common currency of our working together.  Compassion and goodness are considered weak and unnecessary.  Truth is totally irrelevant.  Might makes right.  Creating fear is both a method and a joy.  Wealth is the new form of godliness. Continue reading “Overcome Evil Jesus’ Way” »

by Marge Abbott 

As I’ve been working on my latest book which considers the ways in which Friends experience and talk about prophetic ministry today, numerous Friends have shared their perspectives. Esther Mombo of Kenya and the late Moses Bigirimana of Burundi both attended the 2012 World Conference of Friends in Kenya where I had the opportunity to speak at length about the nature of prophetic ministry. Moses, unfortunately, died in a motorcycle crash a few months later. What follows is a taste of these two extended conversations.

To Be Humble Enough to Step Down

Esther Mombo, of Nairobi Yearly Meeting, has spoken often with a strong clear prophetic voice and was the main plenary speaker at the World Conference representing African Friends. When asked about the nature of prophetic ministry, she emphasized the importance of being willing to test a call to ministry or leadership on an ongoing basis. We each must be aware of when it is appropriate say, “no, it is not from God for me to do this.” She went on to expand on this: Continue reading “Thoughts on Humility from Africa” »

by Lon Fendall

The first time I heard this phrase was in a Good News Associates meeting recently.  The GNA director, Jan Wood, used the phrase in response to my report about being involved with some projects in rural Haiti.  Jan said something to the effect of, “Whatever you help with in Haiti, make sure it results in “assertive and visible goodness.”  I said I agreed with that goal, but then later wondered if I even understood what the phrase meant in that context.

The next day while the GNA Associates were talking about something entirely different, Jan said we needed to be sure we as followers of Christ set our eyes on assertive and visible goodness.  Again, that seemed like a good outcome, but I still wondered what Jan might have meant by it.  So I asked her later if she had gotten the phrase from someone else or if she coined it herself.  It was the latter, she said.  She is a person who prays a lot and in the process hears a lot back from God, so I set about to think about the phrase as an important outcome of a proposed project in Southern Haiti. Continue reading “Assertive and Visible Goodness–in Rural Haiti” »

A few weeks ago, my seminary classmate Kenya asked if I would lead a workshop on prayer practices for the Episcopal Road Fellows, a group of young adults working for social justice in Atlanta.  Kenya and I are excited about the workshop, which will involve prayers using the body and creativity, such as doodle prayer, coloring mandalas, walking a labyrinth, and a breathing prayer.  I will also introduce the Quaker practice of holding people in the Light.  My hope is that they will try out new practices they can incorporate into their daily life. Continue reading “Sharing Friends’ Faith & Practice” »

by Lon Fendall

A major part of my ministry is to support the Friends theological colleges in Kenya and Rwanda.  I just returned from another visit to Friends Theological College (FTC) in Kaimosi, Kenya where I have been an academic consultant for them in their accreditation process.     The process is not fun’ it is a lot of work, especially when it is the first time around.  My work is to clarify what needs to be done and when those tasks need to be completed.  Then I will help with the final editing.

During this last stay, I began thinking about the parallels between accreditation in colleges and universities and the accountability each of us needs to take seriously in our personal spiritual development.  Although there are 30 standards established by the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA), I was drawn to the five under “administration.”

Imagine that we were being evaluated by a group of visiting angels and their only question was, “Are you meeting each of these five standards?” Continue reading “Our Personal Accreditation Standards” »

by Christine Betz Hall and Becky Wood

Becky Wood & June Thomasson

W hat Else is God Doing Among Us? —Chris

Not the people whose words flow easily and often in worship. Not the teachers who open hearts to new ideas and ways of living faithfully. Not the prophets who beckon us forward into scary places, and offer hopeful promise of God’s inbreaking newness. There are invisible ministers among us.

Nurturing Spirit-led service over months and years in the Way of the Spirit program, I’ve noticed that folks with quieter and more hidden leadings in ministry are at a disadvantage. The wider Western culture values the folks up front, the bold leaders and cutting edge social critics. Our communities of faith could miss the chance to celebrate what else God is doing among us. And faithful people moved toward secret prayer for others or spontaneous spiritual accompaniment may discount or dismiss how the Life and Power of the Holy is working through them.

Doing Something — Becky
This kind of ministry is like the body’s capillaries. Nobody talks about capillaries. But as a RN, I’m pretty aware of them. No one talks about capillaries succeeding or failing. They are the generally unspoken, invisible place of exchange in the body. It is a permeable place, small enough for tiny cooperations and transfers to take place. This is my image for the everyday goodnesses–the hidden ministries– the decisions that create space for the Holy to maneuver. Continue reading “Invisible Ministry: Spiritual Accompaniment in Two Voices” »

A year ago I had the opportunity to see for myself the difference a Quaker witness can make in the West Bank of Palestine. My going itself was a surprise. Over the years as Di and I had opportunities to visit the “Holy Land,” I had been reluctant. Most official tours even when led by qualified guides did not seem designed to address the pain in the region. I feared being frustrated more than being inspired by visiting historical Biblical sites without serious reference to their contemporary relevance. I was, however, very interested in the Middle East and soon after we came to Newberg became a member of our Quaker Middle East Committee. Still I had little interest in visiting our ministry there. Besides I had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer with surgery scheduled in a few weeks. Continue reading “Holy Ground, Holy Relationships” »