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Friends United
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November/December 2006
Sacred Moments by Sylvia Graves, FUM General Secretary
Report from October General Board Meetings
Chain of Prayer and FUM Sunday: Blessings
Sacred
Moments
By Sylvia Graves, Interim General Secretary
The challenge was to walk 60 miles in “The 3-Day Walk” to benefi t breast cancer research. We started training six months before the June 2005 event. My sister and niece along with two others made up the Linked by Pink Team. The fi rst day of the real walk we accomplished 23 miles. We were extremely weary but didn’t even have blisters by the time we stopped for dinner. As planned, we reached our goal and completed the walk two days later. Hmmm…not bad for an old lady like me. Actually, it was a tremendous accomplishment for thousands of others—especially for the cancer survivors who crossed the fi nish line. What a joyful celebration we had!
This fall the Superintendents and General Secretaries Retreat was held at Quaker Ridge Camp outside Woodland Park, Colorado. One afternoon, under cloudless skies and in sight of the aspens turning yellow, I decided to take on the challenge of climbing up Soldier’s Mountain. After all, the girls working at the camp just said is was a nice trail. But the gravel was loose, the path was very steep and rocky, and sometimes the stones beneath my feet gave way. In the thin mountain air, I had diffi culty breathing. “Are you being courageous or foolish?” I asked myself as I continued the climb, now on all fours. “What if I don’t have what it takes to get to the top? What if I fall and knock my head against one of these boulders?” Something compelled me to keep going and I was rewarded at the top with an awesome view of Pike’s Peak as well as the discovery of three rustic crosses, like the hill of Calvary. Reaching the top was truly a sacred moment for me.
Facing the challenges of Friends United Meeting may be comparable. We are working with people of varying worship styles and theological viewpoints. There are insufficient funds to support our staff. The needs of the people in countries where we work are tremendous, as are the needs of congregations in our own country. We need more leaders. We need more commitment from our members. What if we don’t have what it takes? Or, maybe a better question to ask is “What if we do?” After the tremendous progress made by the General Board at the October strategic planning meeting for FUM and in demonstrating love and care for each other, I believe we do. If we rely on God’s help and if we give each other a hand as we take on the climb, I know we’ll get to the top.
Report from October General Board Meetings
The FUM General Board meetings held in Richmond, Indiana, October 12-14 made good progress on the strategic plan. The board was divided into groups to address ideas for improvement in these four areas: Identity, Administration, Evangelism and Communication. It was a moving time when the Identity Group brought their recommendations forth. First, the gathered General Board members spoke the words of the FUM Mission Statement aloud and in unison; they then reaffirmed it as the FUM Mission Statement. It reads: “Friends United Meeting commits itself to energize and equip Friends through the power of the Holy Spirit to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved and obeyed as Teacher and Lord.”
Next, the General Board reaffirmed the Four Priorities adopted by the previous triennium’s General Board. They are: “Evangelism, Global Partnerships, Leadership Development and Communication.”
“The Christian Faith of Friends” pamphlet was read by all General Board members prior to the session and was affirmed as a statement of the Christian faith of FUM. Two members stood aside.
Fourth, a letter was drafted to be sent to all people who had sent communications regarding the sexual ethics position of the FUM personnel policy. It was approved as well as a version to be sent to all pastors and clerks. The letter acknowledged that FUM was hearing the pain from those who wrote and also to encourage members to remain committed to FUM so it can grow and flourish.
Other items of business were: Sylvia Graves was named General Secretary for the remainder of the Triennium in a part-time capacity, approval was given to join the new Friends Mutual Insurance Plan and trustees were given oversight responsibilities for all buildings and grounds owned worldwide by FUM.
A task group was named at the last General Board meeting to look at the viability of the Quaker Hill Bookstore, Quaker Life magazine and Friends United Press. It was with regret that the General Board approved the closing of the retail store in Richmond around March 1, 2007, while acknowledging the increased market competition. Books by Friends United Press, Quaker prints and other limited items will be available through catalog, phone and internet orders thereafter. The General Board asked the task group to continue working on suggestions related to Quaker Life magazine and Friends United Press.
Plans are moving ahead for the historic February 2007 General Board meetings in Kenya. It will be the first time that the full General Board will be in session between triennial meetings, and one day has been set aside to continue the work on the strategic plan. The new meetinghouse at Friends Theological College will be dedicated during this time also.
Mark your calendars now for July 9-13, 2008 for the 2008 Triennial in North Carolina. The Johnson Lecture speaker will be John Punshon on the theme of “The Hope and Vision for Friends” on Friday evening, July 11, 2008.
Chain
of Prayer and FUM Sunday: Blessings
Chain of Prayer
We invite your Meeting to participate in the annual Friends United Meeting Chain of Prayer. Our 2007 theme, “Giving Thanks for our Blessings” focuses on the many reasons to acknowledge God’s goodness and be thankful for abundant blessings poured out across the world.
The 2007 Chain of Prayer will be from January 1 through Pentecost Sunday, May 27, and will expand to incorporate FUM’s global community. Meetings in Africa, Cuba, and Jamaica, as well as Friends schools in Ramallah and Belize will be invited to join North American meetings in the Chain of Prayer. Again this year, we encourage meetings to hold a gathering of prayer on its day, and to consider praying for the next Meeting in the chain as well as FUM’s global ministries.
In some meetings, members sign up for half-hour blocks of prayer time instead of (or in addition to) holding a prayer gathering. We will send participating meetings a packet of materials to promote their day on the Chain of Prayer. We will also include a sheet for individual sign-ups.
In order for your meeting to participate, complete and submit the online registration form. You may also print this form and mail to Chain of Prayer, Friends United Meeting 101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond IN 47374. The registration form includes space for a short description of your meeting and a few prayer concerns. If possible, please respond in November. (Example: If you want a January date, we will need your form by December 1.) We will confirm your time soon after we receive your request.
A month or more before your day on the Chain of Prayer, we will send your meeting a packet of materials (the poster and bulletin insert can be personalized for your day), information on the meeting for which you will be praying, and some prayer concerns from FUM’s global ministries. We look forward to your participation in FUM’s annual Chain of Prayer.
FUM Sunday
Many Friends meetings and churches in North America are participating in FUM Sunday this November. The theme, “Give Thanks for Our Blessings,” is based on Psalm 105:1—“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” Through your partnership with Friends United Meeting, the Psalmist’s words are being known internationally— in Kenya and Uganda, in Ramallah and Belize, in Cuba and Jamaica.
Through your partnership with Friends United Meeting, your fi nancial contributions help Friends to grow in number and spirit.
It’s not too late to join with others. For an FUM Sunday packet or speaker, contact FUM, (765) 962-7573; email info@fum.org; or visit www.fum.org.
Only as we work together can we more effectively meet the needs of Friends around the world.