march sessions 2010 - friday night program
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome toPhiladelphia Yearly Meeting’s
March Sessions:“We Make the Road by Walking”
What is “Prophetic Witness”?
Spirit-led action that is courageously loving, justice-seeking,
and creative
Step By StepStep by step the longest march
Can be won, can be won
Many stones can form an arch
Singly none, singly none
And in union what we will
Can be accomplished still
Drops of water turn the mill
Singly none, singly none
The longest continually published book in the United States of
America is the journal of John Woolman. Friend John lived from 1720-1772, and travelled near and far among Friends, carrying with him a concern for obedience to
the Holy Spirit and how such obedience transforms our lives.
“Our gracious Creator cares and provides for all his creatures. His tender mercies spread over all his works, and as far as his love influences our minds,
so far we become interested in his workmanship and feel a desire to take hold of every opportunity to lessen the distresses of the afflicted and increase
the happiness of God's creation.
Here we have the prospect of one
common interest to turn all that we possess into the channel of the
universal love that becomes the business
of our lives.”-John Woolman
Foremost among the businesses of love that Woolman committed to were poverty, abolition, right stewardship of God’s creation, and the equality of Native
Americans. He labored with many Friends over their holding of slaves, and during the French and Indian war, refused to pay taxes
as part of his witness. A highly skilled craftsman, Woolman intentionally worked
only as much as was needed in order to continue his ministry.
What is the business of my life? Am I mindful of how my lifestyle
and my investments can contribute to the improvement of the human condition, or to the exploitation of
others? How can I turn all that I possess
into a channel of Love?
SiyahambaSouth African/Zulu round
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos',Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos',Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos',Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos',
Siyahamba, hamba,Siyahamba, hamba,
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'.Siyahamba, hamba,Siyahamba, hamba,
Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos'.
We are marching in the light of God,We are marching in the light of God,We are marching in the light of God,We are marching in The light of God,
We are marching, marching, We are marching, marching,
We are marching in the light of God,We are marching, marching, We are marching, marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
“Let us put our souls in their souls’ stead, who are in slavery, and let us labor for their liberation as bound with them. Let us look at the souls who are led into hopeless captivity,
deprived of every right and sundered from every happy
association – the parents separated from their children, and all the
relations of life outraged
and then let us obey the dictates of sympathy. Let
us examine our own clothing – the furniture of
our houses – the conducting of trade – the affairs of commerce – and
then ask ourselves whether we have not each, as
individuals, a duty which we are bound to perform.”
-Lucretia Mott
What would my life look like if I consistently chose to “obey the
dictates of sympathy”? Do I see those whose freedom has
been taken away, who live in “hopeless captivity”?
What am I willing to change in myself in order to see them more
clearly?
Make Us One
Make us one, Lord, make us one
Holy Spirit, make us one
Let your love flow
So the world will know
We are one, in you.
(repeat 3X)
In May 1662 the Quaker act was passed in England, which banned meetings of
five or more individuals. Still, the members of Reading Meeting met for worship by the river Thames. It was a
late evening Meeting, to take advantage of the longer twilight hours that came with spring. And as the sun set, all the adults were arrested in violation of the Quaker act, and then kept imprisoned
for refusing to swear an oath.
The young Friends were alone, without the nurturing and caring
hands of their mothers and fathers. Banding together, they
fed the youngest and gave shelter to those without siblings.
Together, they persevered.
“For them to arrest the elders is the weakest thing they can do.
We are convicted by the Truth, to meet in worship, and hold witness to the presence of our Lord. While our elders are gone, we will keep this Reading Meeting, as we keep
our faith.”
After trying their normal meeting places and finding them locked, they held Meeting for Worship in a stone
granary by the river Thames. The local justice came with constables
and found the young Friends holding Meeting for Worship.
They beat the boys and ran the girls off, but the young Friends were steadfast. First day after
First Day they met in worship, in spite of the persecution they faced from the justices and
constables, and prayed for the release of their loved ones. Until
one day, their parents were liberated, and the Meeting was
whole once more.
How can the younger Friends of our Meetings keep our
community’s faith alive?
How can our Meeting communities nurture and encourage the witness
of younger Friends?
Walk in the Light(Sydney Carter)
There's a Light that was shining when the world began,And a Light that is shining in the heart of a man,
There's a Light that is shining in the Turk and the Jew,And a Light that is shining, Friend, in me and in you.
CHORUS: Walk in the Light, wherever you may be.Walk in the Light, wherever you may be.
In my old leather jacket and my shaggy, shaggy locks,I am walking in the glory of the Light, said Fox.
With a book and a steeple and a bell and a keyThey would bind it forever, but they can't, said he.Oh the book, it will perish and the steeple will fall,But the Light will be shining at the end of it all.
CHORUS
"Will you swear on the Bible?" "I will not," said he,
"For the Truth is as holy as the book to me."
"If we give you a pistol will you fight for the Lord?"“But, you can't kill the devil with a gun or a sword."
CHORUS
There's an ocean of darkness and I drowned in the night,
'Till I came through the darkness to the ocean of Light.And the Light is forever and the Light will be free,
And I'll walk in the glory of the Light" said he.
CHORUS
(end)
How do you let your life speak?
How are you a prophet of the Truth?
Welcome toPhiladelphia Yearly Meeting’s
March Sessions:“We Make the Road by Walking”