You Want Me to Do What, God?

Workshop Number

Leader(s)

Liz

Yeats

Audience

Who may register:

Open to All (adult & high school)

Time breakdown

Experiential Activities:

30%

Lecture:

10%

Discussion:

20%

Description

Short Description:

When Friend Bill Kreidler spoke these words, he opened way for Friends to re-examine our practices for discerning and nurturing leadings. This workshop will be deeply personal, yet practical, as we explore Friends past and present practice, and our own experience, seeking to make the Spirit’s presence visible on earth.

Long Description:

When Bill Kreidler, 1994 Gathering speaker, shared from his experience using the words “You want me to do what, God?” he opened way for many Friends to examine more closely what the Spirit was calling them to do in their lives, and to renew and further develop Friends’ practices for corporate discernment and nurture of leadings.
Leadings come in a variety of ways: sometimes a little nudge while we’re doing the dishes; sometimes a revelation in silent worship; sometimes the answer to ongoing prayer; sometimes inconveniently when we have other plans. They can involve major changes in our lives or just a little tweak that allows Light and Love to shine through.
In this workshop we will examine recognizing, discerning and supporting spiritual leadings in the lives of Friends historically, in our meetings and in ourselves. We will learn and share about our spiritual journeys, how our gifts and talents help us sort and carry out leadings, what kind of support we need to move ahead, and what practices we can put in place to remain faithful.
Each workshop session will include worship, discussion and experiential, interactive exercises to move us deeper. We will work in the whole group and in smaller units. We will use spiritual practices to go deeper, including journaling, worship sharing, and deep listening. Our goal is to learn from each other as well as the workshop facilitator. Please bring a journal and any materials relating to discerning and nurturing leadings you would like to share. Also, please bring a heritage item, a big or small pysical object, that speaks about your spiritual heritage.
The Spirit willing, Friends will come away with a deepened knowledge of their own spiritual path, practices they can continue in their lives and ideas they can bring back to their meetings.

Leader Discernment Process:

Last year I presented a similar workshop for the first time. I found it an experience that deepened my spiritual journey as well as that of the participants.

I was surprised to learn how willing Friends were to share their own experience and to use the workshop as a time for significant personal discernment and growth. I found the experience transforming and think some participants had the same experience.

I talked to members of my meeting spiritual support committee about revising and presenting the workshop in 2010 and how this fits with my other ministry. Together, we have discerned I have the time and they suggested I might offer the workshop regionally in the future.

I already was revising the workshop to go deeper and be more experiential when the FGC Religious Education Committee requested that I again facilitate a Gathering workshop about discerning leadings. Their request affirmed my leading.

George Hebben, who ably eldered me in 2009, has agreed to do so again. He was very supportive but also critical when he saw a problem, which was a great help.

It’s clear I still have a lot to learn about discerning leadings and about giving workshops. I learn from doing and feel privileged to work with Friends at the Gathering to discover new Truth and Light.

Leader Experience:

I facilitated my first Gathering workshop in 2009 but my expereince giving workshops with Friends and others goes back to the early 1970s when I led workshops at various yearly and monthly meetings, working in NYYM as a released Friend. I began facilitating Children's Response to Conflict workshops later in the 1970s, including training facilitators as part of my AFSC field work in Vermont. In the 1980s, I taught at Friends schools and other schools and was involved with teacher’s workshops and workshops specifically for First Day School teachers in New England Yearly Meeting. When I served as Religious Education coordinator for FGC in the 1990s I gave workshops at monthly and yearly meetings on a variety of topics.
Presently, I facilitate AVP and Creating a Culture of Peace workshops in Texas, both of which are heavily experiential and interactive. In past years I have led workshops on FCNL and other topics at my yearly and monthly meeting.