I've not been to a GBM day for a while and have got out of touch rather. I especially have not been to the delegates meeting. However, little has changed in that period in some ways. As ever, there were encouraging and discouraging things. Discouragingly, the financial problems that have always been there are now critical and serious thought is being given to where cuts can be made. Other problems also exist on the field in some few cases.
More encouragingly, there were four new couples on display, set to begin work in Africa (south and east) and Europe (west and north). The couples are being set aside for a variety of work. It was also good to hear encouraging news of work through radio broadcasts in Africa, more generally in Poland , in Germany and also in this country among Muslims. Nearly two hundred gathered for the delegate meeting and more than twice that for other meetings.
A Reformation theme was followed through part of the day and it was encouraging to see the eagerness with which Reformation truths were emphasised.
Our venue was The Friends House on Euston Road once again. Outside the building it says about Quakers that they are a people who "share a way of life, not a set of beliefs". I found that a helpful distinction to bear in mind as I guess that as Reformed Baptists we are a people who share a set of beliefs but not necessarily a way of life, which is where some of the tensions come for me.
I was sorry not to get to speak to more people. I kept seeing people I knew but I know I missed talking to many I would like to have met with.
2 comments:
Sorry to leave this comment late, but I was away when the post was made.
As an ex-Quaker I was interested in the comment about a shared way of life vs a shared set of beliefs.
I'm not sure how deep the shared way of life goes. When I'm feeling cynical I tend to think that it is no more than refusing to join the armed forces or to take oaths in a court of law. I hope that it is really at least a bit more than that but the notice outside Friends' House and other Quaker meeting houses, has, I fear, become little more than a slogan.
On the other hand, Our shared set of beliefs (be it 1689, Savoy, or Westminster) surely does lead to I hope in at least many cases a deeper shared way of life.
My sister, who remains a Quaker, is often rather frustrated by how little many Quakers believe that is distinctively Christian at all!
Thanks for that omment. I know little about Quakers or Quakerism (ceetainly modern Quakerism). The slogan just set me thinking about our own circles and how even when we agree pretty much on the doctrine we seem to be quite diverse otherwise. From what you say and what little I know Quakerism has bigger problems still.
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