yaf

Caroline Anderson(This entry was originally posted on the Friends Committee for National Legislation Intern Blog, Of Peace and Politics, and with Caroline's permission is also posted below.)

 

At our staff meeting last Monday folks were understandably upset about some of the shenanigans Congress has gotten into lately. Some of the elder staffers were waxing nostalgic for protest movements set to folk tunes, and I could see visions of Bob Dylan and marches on Washington dancing in their heads.

I didn't want to seem flip about the need to oppose current disastrous policies promoted by Congress and the President, but I also wanted to say (in the most respectful way possible) - snap out of it!

How can we get the message to Congress that what they're doing isn't right? By using the methods of the past? Perhaps. But it's going to be awfully hard to find people who are willing to do it.

Who has the time to protest? Not professionals who are the responsible heads of organizations and companies. They can't be spared for enough time to trek to Washington, or devote hours and hours to protesting outside the district offices of their members of Congress. They simply don't have the time. It is instead the youth that must protest, must take the time to park themselves in front of offices and government buildings, and then follow up that demonstration of opinions by actually voting.

But for the large part, my generation doesn't seem to have the will to take time out of their lives and protest. Why? The country is in an even worse mess than we were in 1968, mired in a war and a slumping economy at the same time. And yet we sit at our desks, or go to class, not taking advantage of our right to assemble and protest this awfulness.

Is it that we don't have opinions on these issues?

No, but we have been taught over the past eight years (when most of us were learning about government and first exercising our right to vote) that what we think doesn't matter. That when we want something to change, it won't. That even when we protest, nothing will change. I was on one of the 6 buses that traveled down to Washington from Bryn Mawr in the spring of 2004 to join the March for Women's Lives. That march seemed full of hope and promise, and I felt that we were going to be listened to, to make a difference. And yet, in the years that followed, almost everything we were protesting against that day happened. It gets a girl a bit discouraged.

I remember that after the 2004 election one of the college freshwomen I was advising reported to me that she reacted to the results of the elections in this manner:

"Caroline, first I cried, then I threw up, and then I cried some more."

This is not the reaction of someone who is apathetic toward the issues. What it is is the reaction of someone who feels helpless, who feels that all she can do is cry and get sick, because her vote and her actions won't make any difference.

As we moved out of college and into the real world, the economy tanked. I think this pushed us even more firmly into offices and safe jobs and away from mass marches. If we turned our backs on employment and steady income to protest or organize we would fall behind, not find another job, be consumed by the tidal waves of the failing economy. The closest I ever came to organizing was canvassing for New Jersey PIRG and the Sierra Club, a job which I took and threw all my energy into for the paycheck as much as for the satisfaction of protecting the environment. We also know that we're pretty much on our own for retirement. We can't count on Social Security or a pension to protect us there.

We also feel deeply angry that the generation who caused global warming is not doing anything to stop it (We mean you President Bush, the House of Representative, and the Senate), leaving us with a problem that threatens our and our children's future.

Ultimately, we're mad as hell, but afraid to do anything about it. When the environment is failing, the military gets more money than education or healthcare and is still over extended, and there's little hope for the economy, the first instinct is to protect ourselves. And that's what we're doing.

Clearly I'm not presenting any solutions here, and my parents' might think that I'm whining about my situation. But darn it. How do you expect young people to work up the will to protest when we are mired in a malaise that seemingly has no end? Also, we can't afford the gas to come to Washington and the national train system is too slow and expensive to do the job.

Query for Friends: How do you witness or protest in your life?

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to let Friends know about an awesome new pamphlet that the Youth Ministries Committee was involved in publishing. It’s called Coming into Friendship as a Gift: the Journey of a Young Adult Friend, and it’s written by a YAF from Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and Association. It’s a beautiful account of her journey to Quakerism, and everyone who helped her along the way. She also acknowledges that many YAFs have not had experiences like her own, and that we need to work together as a religious society to create a truly intergenerational, whole spiritual community. At the end of the pamphlet, she gives a number of different examples and suggestions of how monthly meetings can support younger Friends, and how we can all engage with one another. It also includes queries and a resource list. I highly recommend it!

From the back cover, “By naming the gifts she has received from her meetings, Christina Van Regenmorter offers a resource both for younger Friends and for meetings striving to welcome, support and nurture the young people in their midst. Christina notes:

It can be tempting to look at the absence of young faces in our meeting houses and blame it on the ‘digital age’ or on young people needing ‘something more lively.’ However, I would like to hold up the possibility that people coming into Quaker meetings are not looking for a certain prevailing skin phenotype or age presence, but for the Spirit to be evident in the lives of the Friends who are there. I believe that they, like me, ache to have a spiritual community where they feel truly seen, truly held, and deeply challenged.”

Deborah Shaw, the Assistant Director of Friends Center and Campus Ministry at Guilford College writes “If Friends desire their meeting to be a spiritual community where love is the first motion and a place where young Friends feel welcomed, nurtured and supported, prayerful engagement with this text would be a fruitful place to begin.”

Angelina Conti, a Philadelphia YAF says of this book, "As a relatively active young adult Friend I am often asked where all the other young adult Friends are -- what meetings can do to be open, welcoming faith communities where teenagers and young adults feel seen, nurtured, and needed. I am so thankful for this book, its author, and the Youth Ministries Committee for making this story and its accompanying queries and suggestions available. Christina Van Regenmorter's experience is as teachable as it is inspiring, and provides a powerful model for meetings under the weight of youth concerns (while also offering several good tools for young adults themselves). Our meetings are not whole when they lack the presence and ministry of young people, and this pamphlet offers a powerful place to begin to work towards wholeness."

Check it out at http://www.quakerbooks.org/coming_into_friendship_as_a_gift.php

Happy reading! In peace, Emily

YAF Conference 2008: Taken by Ruth Murray

 

For a bigger shot, go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/quakeryouth/pool/

 

Hey Friends, This is the awesome skit that Maya Wright wrote for the YAF Conference. Author’s Note: Anyone is welcome and encouraged to re-perform this skit, with or without alterations. Please tell me about it if you do! Directions for downloading the skit. Click on the highlighted blue word "attachment" below. It will take you to another page. On that page the attachment will be listed as Quakerism in 10 pts Skit.doc. Just click the document and it should open in Word. Let me know if you have any problems. emi...@fgcquaker.org Peace to all, Emily

Young Adult Friends’ Conference

Living as Friends, Listening Within

Richmond, Indiana

May 23-26, 2008

Dear Friends Everywhere,

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:2 NRSV

In worship, in small groups, in conversation, we have been transformed. Friends affirmed their love for one another again and again. The act of coming together physically was a first step to enacting loving unity. We are hungry for connection and growth in grace with one another, and the healing of our divisions. We heard sermons and joined voices in song. Friends had opportunities to experience and participate in unfamiliar forms of worship. We felt the support of seasoned Friends who provided pastoral care and the many Friends that held the gathering in prayer.

Formal small groups gathered every day for checking in and more personal discussion of the challenges and joys of the conference. Small informal groups treasured free time where we found the space to address other concerns. These informal discussions created a foundation for the depth at which we arrived in worship. Earlham School of Religion professors, students, and alumni led workshops, while conference participants held interest groups on various topics. On Sunday, participants could choose between programmed (First Friends), semi-programmed (West Richmond) or unprogrammed (Clear Creek) worship in the community.

In Spirit-led worship we found that Friends spoke to the necessity of continuing in conversations about our similarities and differences. Friends were asked before the conference to consider the cultural norms of others present, and whether certain choices may impact our ability to find common ground. We began exploring scripture together in workshops, Bible study and programmed worship. This invited new challenges and opportunities to engage with texts important to the experience of Friends. We were reminded by Mark Walker that living in unity as a Religious Society of Friends will make us more effective in our work in the world. The discernment of corporate and individual leadings is one of the obligations we have to one another as a Society. We hear the need to acknowledge diverse leadings, such as Gospel, traveling, vocal, and eldering ministries. Recording these gifts is one way of making individuals and meetings accountable to leadings.

Friends heard a call to find ways to share the good news that has been revealed to us at this gathering. We strive to carry this light with us when we return to our home meetings and churches. We have invited one another to our respective yearly gatherings and to explore ways of opening our spiritual homes. May we share with the world the light and love that was a presence at this gathering.

 

In peace,

The YAF Conference Participants

 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DOWNLOAD THE QUAKER HISTORY SKIT, CLICK HERE!

 

FOR PHOTOS FROM THE CONFERENCE, CLICK THE FLICKR PHOTO ICON ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN 

Bikes Rule!What is the EarthQuaker bike trip?
It's a just under 300-mile bicycle trip from Pendle Hill to Johnstown, PA in time for Friends General Conference Gathering-- although folks don't have to go to the gathering if they go on the bike trip.

What's the vision behind it, why do it?
Well, the primary reason is that, as far as I can tell, Quakers have had a hugely disproportionate effect on the course of history, and while we haven't been shy about being involved in the political system, or using money if we acquire it, the primary reason I think we've been effective is that we have been patterns and examples. So if we travel sustainably to Gathering by pedal power, a rolling faith community witnessing to others that we meet along the way-- that seems to me like a very important exercise for modern Friends. That's the primary vision. It also happens to, incidentally, involve having a lot of fun. I don't think that all faithfulness is about the cross. I think that some faithfulness is about the state fair.

When you meet with people along the way, what's the message that you'll be carrying?
We're going to visit three monthly meetings in the Caln Quarter, and we're going to sit down and talk with them about earthcare. Part of what I'm hoping to do is draw them out and find out how lively those concerns are in the meeting. So it's not just a question of us going there and telling people how it is, but a question of having a dialogue. Then we're going to do service projects with the meetings, and also service projects in the communities. Those might be working at organic farms or working in soup kitchens. That's one of the reasons it's an eight-day trip, when it's only 280 miles. We have two days when we won't pedal at all, and some half days of service as well.

How are you going to build faith community together?
Part of it is the work, part of it is the hardship of traveling together and having tolerance with one another, sleeping on the floor of the meetinghouse together. But also waking up in the morning and having meeting for worship, having yoga together, and just being in community. I'm confident that the community part will be what's richest about it, and I think we're going to bring leaven to the loaf of FGC gathering, because the forty of us-- forty, that's what we're aiming for-- we're going to come already knit together. It's an intergenerational trip, and I'm really expecting to have everybody there.

Is there a concern for earthcare in Quakerism historically?
Oh yeah. That was one of the interesting things to me when I first took it up. Woolman is the consummate earth Quaker. He goes to England and he's concerned about the abuse of the horses and the abuse of the post-boys. There's no distinction-- it's just cruelty. In a statement of faith pretty early on in the journal, he says he realized that to profess to love and God and to act with cruelty to the least of His creatures was a violation of faithfulness. He just gets it. William Penn, too. If you read Fruits of Solitude, he says some amazing stuff. He has that great quote,

It would go a great way to caution and direct People in their Use of the World, that they were better studied and known in the Creation of it. For how could Man find the Confidence to abuse it, while they should see the Great Creator stare them in the Face, in all and every part thereof?

If you look, the core is there all the way back. Fox walked up Pendle Hill. He didn't go into Canterbury Cathedral! For me it's there all the way through, everywhere.

In a world that is trying to figure out how to deal with issues of earthcare and sustainability, what is the specifically Quaker voice, if there is one?
Part of my sadness is that I don't know that we are running out front on earthcare. For instance, when I started talking to Quakers about earthcare in 1998, most Quakers still had a strong division between social justice issues and earthcare. The attitude seemed to be, "Yeah, that's fine kid, we'll pick up litter after we've abolished war." Now I think we are starting to get it.

We have stood for the notion that the abolition of war is possible. That's a completely crazy idea. There's never not been war. Most people consider war inevitable. With the environment, people are saying, "Well, how can we damage the environment less?" I think when Quakers get it together, what we may stand for is, it should be possible to have a mutually beneficial human-earth relationship. Not just, we're not doing as much damage, but straight up, people are good for the planet. That's a quantum leap from where anybody is. We're all at damage control. And damage control just means we're slowing down how long it will take us to kill it.

Anything else about the bike trip or Quaker earthcare concerns?
Please come out. It's going to be a good time. It's going to be physically intense, but not impossible by any means. We'll be an intergenerational bunch of folks. We're going to camp out, sleep on floors, cook food together, and clean up together. My plan is to swim in a river-- every day, if possible. It's going to be live. And there will be a lot of room for people to make it what they want it to be, because that's community.

For more information, please visit http://www.fgcquaker.org/gathering/2008/eqbt