This fall Zachary Moon and I put together a workshop proposal for the 2005 Gathering, which has been approved: “Strangers to the Covenant” is the title and here’s the short description:
This is for young Friends who want to break into the power of Quakerism: it’s the stuff you didn’t get in First Day School. We’ll connect with historical Quakers whose powerful ministry came in their teens and twenties and we’ll look at how Friends wove God, covenants and gospel order together to build a movement that rocked the world. We’ll mine Quaker history to reclaim the power of our tradition, to explore the living power of the testimonies and our witness in the world.
This was very much an “as way opens” process. At the 2004 Gathering I felt sad that there weren’t more workshops that I’d like to attend. And obviously I have a long-standing concern to support younger Friends. But I wasn’t sure if I had the skills to handle this. One piece of discernment was leading the Quakerism 101 class at Medford Meeting: I knew I would have most of the sessions under my belt by the time the workshop submission deadline came around and I hoped I’d have a feel whether I actually like leading workshops!
The Medford experience was surprisingly good, even on weeks where I could have been better prepared. I learned a lot and gained confidence in “teaching” Quakerism to Medford’s class of very weighty, experienced Friends.
Still, the Gathering workshop submission deadline was looming and I had no specific topic in mind. Julie, my wife, was getting a little suspicious whether the workshop would happen or not. I knew that the most important thing was attracting the right mix of eager, curious participants and that for me the topic was almost secondary. Still: a focus and topic is important, yes.
The week before the deadline, I attended the FGC Central Committee meeting in New Windsor, Maryland, as a staffperson. In a lunchtime discussion I learned that my friend Zachary Moon was also considering leading his first workshop. As soon as we sat down and started talking it seemed like the obvious thing to do. The discernment to co-lead this took two a half seconds or so, but of course this quick process was built on the thought, prayer and discernment both of us had already been giving the matter. I’ve found that when I’ve laid the groundwork for a decision, things can often move suprisingly quickly.
The workshop has developed differently than I suspected. The most signicant piece is its age limitation: it’s for high school and adult young Friends only, meaning it’s participation is limited to 15 to 35 years olds. I’ve always been a little worried about constructing youth ghettos but I think it will work in this case. I apologize in advance to those Quaker Ranter readers who might like to take it but can’t because of age (I’m too old myself, after all!). There will be many other chances to spend time at Gathering and Zachary and I are only a part of a shift that’s been happening at the FGC Gathering over the last few years.
Woo-hoo! I’ve been waiting to read/hear about your workshop. This is just terrific, and I resonate and affirm the truth of your process: “I’ve found that when I’ve laid the groundwork for a decision, things can often move suprisingly quickly.” Friend Arthur Larrabee often says, “The Spirit favors the well-prepared,” and I think the experience you and Zachary had in meeting one another at the Lord’s table, so to speak, affirms this. I feel caught up in the wind of the Spirit, and I believe there will be a new sort of buzz around campus during the week of the Gathering.
Blessings, Liz
I haven’t even really thought about the FGC gathering, but now I think I should. The prospect of this workshop makes my soul tingle.
Awesome! If the Way opens for me to be at this year’s Gathering, I look forward to taking part in the workshop. It’s a bit unclear if I’ll be going to the World Gathering of Young Friends, but if I do, that and NEYM Sessions will be stretching my vacation hours rather thin.
I’ve also been considering whether an interest group on plain dress could contribute something meaningful to the Gathering — whether it would draw enough people, etc.
Martin — please hassle me to send you an e‑mail about the NEYM YAF mid-winter retreat. It was a rather intense, prophetic and rockin’ experience for us. Plus, more than 50 people attended!
…and Zachary and I are only a part of a shift that’s been happening at the FGC Gathering over the last few years.
Hey, Martin!
Congrats on the upcoming workshop. No problem with the age “boundaries”: this makes sense given its topic and purpose.
I probably won’t be going to Gathering due to other commitments. However, the statement that you wrote above caught my eye. What kind of changes with the FGC Gathering are your referring to? Curious minds want to know… 🙂
I just have to report: I took a peek at the workshops being offered at this year’s Gathering and there are at least four which I would _really really_ like to take. With 70-plus workshops, this shouldn’t be a surprise but there have been years I’ve struggled to find anything that really grabbed me. Maybe we’ll have to start a thread for the Quaker Ranter top-ten workshops once the Advance Program ships…
This is really interesting. Early Friends (and certain recent ones like Howard Brinton) talked repeatedly about the differences between the substance and the shadow; and the power and the form.
It seems that many FGC meetings have lapsed into shadowy ponds with dry forms but not the kind of fire possessed by their Quaker forebears. Which reminds me of a meeting I used to attend: people there place greater value on various committee meetings than on religious education…
Please do post updates on this workshop. I am interested in knowing how it will turn out (mind you, FGC workshops usually reflect narrowly defined partisan endeavors, so yours could be an unpleasant surprise to some…)
Glad to see the enthusiasm – it’s so encouraging! And no fair teasing those of us who won’t see the Gathering Advance Program until mid- or late-March! smile
Anyway, more than once, it has occurred to me that since I am planning a workshop for adults at the Gathering about deepening and sharing our Quakerism with others, and you and Zachary are planning a workshop for young adult Friends who are eager for experiencing a rich Quakerism, maybe there can be a way for our workshop groups to come together somehow – for worship sharing; worship; a mutual session; I’m not sure what. …If nothing else, maybe us workshop leaders can meet and share ideas, check-in, etc.
Though don’t get me wrong: I know how hard it is to put aside time for a get-together like what I’m proposing. And I don’t even have kids or a job to fill while at the Gathering!
Blessings,
Liz