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The Meeting assembled at the appointed hour and gathered with centering song before settling into open worship. Leading us in the singing were Joan Broadfield and Mary Anne Crowley, Yearly Meeting staff. The presiding clerk was Arlene Kelly. Christopher Nicholson, Alternate Clerk of Interim Meeting, joined others at the Clerks bench in lieu of our usual Alternate Clerk, Dudley (Sandy) Heath. Kimberly Haas Diliberto recorded comments for the Epistle Committee and John McKinstry was the recording clerk..
- Minute 23: Outgoing Epistle - First Reading
The Clerk called upon Thomas Swain, a member of the Epistle Committee, to give a first reading of the outgoing epistle drafted by the group. The clerk invited comments on the draft epistle.
With several comments, including a hope that we mention the healing and joyful power of our vigil on Fourth Street, and the intergenerational gathering with our young people, we affirmed the draft epistle’s overall capturing of the spirit of our Sessions. Recognizing that additional paragraphs will be added to reflect our continued work during these sessions, the draft will be brought back for final approval tomorrow morning.- Minute 24: Keynote Address By Jim Wallis
Susan Corson-Finnerty of Germantown Meeting, Publisher and Executive Editor of Friends Journal, introduced our keynote speaker, Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners Magazine. Jim spoke on the topic: Finding the Power to Make Peace in Every Aspect of Our Lives.
His remarks centered on the triumph of hope over fear. He began noting that Jesus most often said to his disciples “Be not afraid”. It is fear that is the root of war, and we live in this particular point in time with two competing fears: fear of war, and fear of inaction against Saddam Hussein. But scripture tells us to deal with poverty, despair and hopelessness.
Peace can be found at two levels. At the first, the political/strategic level, we need to find a credible alternative, a third way to the two fears. Nonviolence, to be credible, must respond in a better way to the question violence purports to answer. A positive alternative, such as the 6-point plan presented on the eve of war, generates great enthusiasm and energy.
On the second, personal level, we each need to embrace hope over cynicism. While cynicism is a retreat from engagement and action, hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change. Our faith tradition is on the side of history, for our faith prompts hope, which creates action and makes change, such as the transforming social and peace movement we see emerging now.
Jim Wallis’ reflections were followed by many thoughtful questions and remarks relating to such topics as humanitarian aid, the portrayal of Hussein, the level of popular opposition to the war, and the reconstruction of Iraq.- Minute 25: Tableau Of The Peaceable Kingdom By The Children’s Program
- The children were invited into the West Room from the Monthly Meeting Room and took their places on the facing benches. They formed a living tableau of the Peaceable Kingdom painting as they sang songs with which the adults joined. It was a beautiful presentation that was a joyful conclusion to a very uplifting and hopeful evening. We were grateful to Linda Cooper and Andre Salz for bringing the Peaceable Kingdom presentation to us from Richland Monthly Meeting.
The minutes were read and approved. Announcements were read and after a brief period of open worship the Meeting adjourned with an intention to reconvene First-day morning at 9:00 AM
John R. McKinstry, recording clerk
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM