 January/February 2001 (XXXIX 1) |
"This was exactly what I was looking for," responded one of 86 seekers attending Brandywine Region's third annual Seekers' Gathering at Wilmington Meeting (DE) in November. The Gathering was a collection of:
- first-time visitors who had read about it in one of several newspapers or were invited by a Friend;
- visitors or attenders of Monthly Meetings;
- Wilmington Friends School employees;
- 'seasoned' Friends, and their guests;
- and 18 wonderful workers: staff, leaders and hospitality, including four Young Friends.
Seekers, new and seasoned, will remember the day. Several were led to attend Meetings after the spiritual uplifting and the messages they received. Brenda Macaluso, the facilitator of the program, said it was "a program with much information that spoke to a broad spectrum of people."
Twelve children participated in an all-day program on peacemaking provided by Greta Rech of London Grove Meeting (PA). Several teen-age seekers learned about Quakerism and our Young Friends programs with Gail Newbold.
Marcia Boone of Wilmington Meeting, a member of the Brandywine Region Oversight Board, recalls how the gathering came to be. "We were asked at a Board Meeting last spring if there were a Meeting willing to host the Seekers Gathering, an outreach opportunity, and we suggested Wilmington. With the Coordinator we gathered a committee of six willing workers.
"We all reported in as we finished our jobs, and Helen kept checking on us. She arranged the speakers and brought the displays, which the committee assembled. Young Friends assembled information packets, and helped with parking and babysitting. We had Faith and Practice available for all."
Speaker Michele Tarter began the day speaking of the physical manifestations of the Spirit in the lives of early Friends. "Michele gave me such great insight on the trials and sufferings of early Quakers," claimed one seeker. "... Wonderfully revealing of the spirit, leadings, and the physical realities of early Friends, particularly the pre-censored history," added another.
Speaker Tom Macaluso rounded out the morning with "a very informative and interesting" explanation of Friends' theologies, including the direct spiritual leadings of George Fox.
He suggested that, "we are all ministers ... every moment is a state of grace if we are attentive ... [and] social action flows from spirituality, not the other way around."
Lunch included a choice of seven scrumptious, homemade soups, and then the program continued with Jonathan Snipes' dramatization of the life of Elias Hicks, describing how Hicks preached against the structures that "hold the life of the Spirit in." He gave us insight into Hicks' advocacy for a stronger role for Young Friends, a greater voice for women, and the abolition of enslavement.
Jonathan was joined by drummer Cedric Miller, who enlivened the gathering with everyone drumming out various rhythms, all of which incorporated the beat of the heart.
The final speaker, Deborah Saunders, sang and then led us through her spiritual journey: learning commitment from the Episcopalians; learning the power of prayer from Pentecostals; and discovering the opportunity, among Friends, to "get my spirit nurtured, then go out and serve."
On joining Friends, she admonished one to answer truthfully when a Meeting asks, "What makes you want to join?"
"Some say they had a problem with their past faith; they didn't this, or the Presbyterians that, or those Catholics ... If that's the reason why you're coming, maybe that's not the reason why you should be with us!"
When recalling her own leadings, she admitted she could not give the message of hope to people in South Africa during apartheid. "It would get caught up in my throat. Spirit says, 'Speak what I have given you to speak!' and I felt ridiculous, seeing this situation that would never end." Four years later, it ended. "When we have a leading, it may not be that we will see the results, but it may be that we are the ones that plant the seeds," Deborah said.
In conclusion, Marcia Boone reported, "We all laughed and cried [when Deborah spoke]. Her closing words united us all. She asked us to join her in silent prayer and think of those we wanted to remember. As we called out a name, Deborah watered a living plant. The plant was in our Meeting the next day, and the Spirit of the Seekers Gathering stayed with us. As a seasoned Friend, I was moved, and experienced that continuing revelation that we so treasure."
Helen Fields
Youth and Outreach Coordinator
Brandywine Region of Friends
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM