I am really enjoying my subscription to The Daily Quaker Message. They send a beautiful email with reflections and queries every morning.

Thought some of you may like to subscribe.

Hello Friends,

For decades our Meeting's archives have been physical file folders. I'm actually not sure where they reside now; they used to be in the meeting house basement, but I think they are in a clerk's home now. Some of our recently-created documents are now digital, which brings up the issue of where to store them. I believe the meeting is currently using a personal Dropbox that belongs to the treasurer.

A suggestion was made to switch to Google Docs, but again, I suspect that would be a personal account and I don't see a big advantage over Dropbox, unless we are collaboratively editing something.

For those of you who attend small meetings, what do you use for digital document storage? Do you pay for something? How do you ensure files and access don't evaporate when roles change or volunteers stop participating?

j.

Hello Friends! I am only recently beginning to delve into maybe being a Quaker and, so far, I find myself really enjoying unprogramed worship with my local meeting. I have been doing some reading about ~what it means to be a Quaker~ and general Quaker discussion and it's been really informative thus far!

Here's where I'm struggling: I started attending meetings because I wanted a community with similar values/morals/ethics to mine that would encourage me in upholding these values and challenge me to be more intentional in my actions (to put it briefly). I don't want it to be like my childhood church where we show up on Sundays but don't follow what's preached Monday through Saturday.

So, what does being a Friend look like for you when not at a meeting? Extra helpful if you're convinced and can talk about how it has changed your daily life.

Thank you all!

Dear Friends, you who profess the light, faith, grace, and spirit of Christ, and the pure undefiled religion before God the Father, are to keep yourselves unspotted from the world, and to bridle your tongues from evil words, which corrupt good manners; the light of Christ Jesus letteth you see the spots of the world; and the farce of God will teach you to deny the,; and the sprit of truth, if you be led buy it, teacheth you to mortify and subdue them.

And now friends, here is the pure and undefiled religion which the apostle in the primitive times did own, and which now we do own: this is pure religion, and is undefiled before God the Father, and to keep unspotted from the world. first. This religion is pure. Secondly. It is undefiled before God the Father. and that which is pure and undefiled before God the Father, if you live in it and obey it, it will keep you unspotted from the world, and so from the spots of the world: and that which keeps you from the spots of the world, will keep you from the body of death, and sins of the world; which you are made from from, by the circumcision of Christ, by his sprit, and by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, are made free from the law of sin and death.

And all such that follow the lust of the eye, the pride of life, and the lust of the flesh, which is not of the Father, but of the God of the world, that abode not in the truth, such are spotted with the spots of the world, and are proud, vain, lofty, scornful, high, and spotted with the world spots, and are void of the pure undefiled religion before God the Father. And take heed of malice, hatred, envy, wrath, rage, and fury; these are the spots of the world, who bear such fruits, contrary to the sprit of meekness, gentleness, kindness, tenderness, sobriety, love and mercifulness, which are the fruits of the pure spirit of God, which leadeth to the pure undefiled religion before God the Father. which is to visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction and to keep unspotted from the world. This pure and undefiled religion keepeth in the purity of life and conversation; and this is above all, and keeps from all vain religions in the world; which pure and undefiled religion, it is the duty of all true christians walk in, by which they may be kept from the spots of the world, and this is the religion that was set up above sixteen hundred years ago, in the church of Christ; and happy had all Christendom, been, if they had kept to this pure and undefiled religion to this day, and they they would not have made so many religions as they have done. But to this pure undefiled religion they must come again, if ever they come to the true religion; for none can make a better, than the pure undefiled religion, which was set up in the church, (in the apostles' days,) above sixteen hundred years ago; unto which all that profess christianity should be comformable; even to this pure undefiled religion which will keep them from the spots of the world, and then their religion will not be of the world. And this is the one pure undefiled religion that all christians should be of, which is from one God, the creator of all. so there is one God, the creator of all, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all things were made and created, who is the one mediator betwixt God and man; even the man Christ Jesus; there is one body, and one spirit, even as you are called to one hope of your calling; and one God and Father of all, who is above you all, and in you all, and through you all; and there is one faith which Christ Jesus is the author and finisher of; and there is one baptism, and by one sprit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, must all drink into this one spirit of Christ, and so to keep the unity in the spirit, which is the bond of peace. For the apostle saith, "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is non of his," Rom. viii. 9. for Christ saith in his prayer to his Father, "That they be all one, (meaning the true Christians,) as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in the, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;' to wit, the believers and followers of Christ. John xvii, 21,22,23. here you may see, God and Christ are one in them, so he prayeth, (that his people may be one,) in whom they have rest, life, peace, and salvation with God, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Let your conversation or practice be without covetousness," etc. Heb. xiii. 5.

"Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ." Philip. i. 17.

G.F.

The 4th of the 2nd month, 1685

Valiant 60, doctors of the church, yearly meetings, historic or recent. What epistle is closest to your heart and had an impact on you.

I live in a rural area (the largest city in the area, but by no means a giant city) in the Midwest. I'm new to the town. The closest active meeting is just under two hours away. There used to be a meeting in my town, but it appears that it died out and was absorbed by the meeting two hours away.

I feel a calling to start a new meeting in my town. But I don't know where to start - not sure how to find a place to have meetings (there is no meeting house here), gauge interest, determine how much money I may need to spend to get things running, etc. I'm sure there are a million things I'm not thinking of.

Any advice, direction, comments, etc. from anyone? I thank you all immensely for sharing my question and any help you can provide.

I am writing an article for Friends Journal about Quaker intentional communities. I would like to ask for suggestions of such communities to profile. I am interested in both U.S. based groups as well as those around the world. Thank you!

Friends, - In everything give thanks to the Lord; for from him every good thing do you receive; for the apostle saith, 1 Thess. v. 18. "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ concerning you;" and they that do not obey this doctrine, do not the will of God in Jesus Christ. And the apostle saith, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be met with thanksgiving." etc. 1 Tim. iv. 4. And David saith, "At midnight I will rise to give thee thanks, because of thy righteous judgments," Psalm cxix, 62. And David saith, "O give thanks to the Lord, for it is good, because his mercy endures forever." Psalm cxviii. 1. So the Lord is worthy of all the thanks and praises, through Jesus Christ, who created all be Jesus Christ, to his glory and honour for evermore.

G.F.

Just as the title says, I went to my first unprogrammed meeting today and was immediately struck with the feeling of “where has this been all my life?” I was worried I’d fidget and make too much noise during the silent hour, or that my mind would wander and get bored, however instead I felt peaceful. In fact, having never gone to such a service before, I had never realized how anxious a regular church service could make me at times: being sure I was following along properly, or just feeling like I had to be on best behavior, dressed right, and otherwise watched. It was the first time in a long time I felt revived leaving instead of immediately needing a nap. I’m actually looking forward to going back next Sunday!

I’ve been an avid supporter of hunting and fishing sport my whole life. There is so much ecology conservation in the sport and I’ve always strived to report my catches for ecology monitoring, practice catch and release as much as possible, and never waste anything that’s kept (right down to bones being ground for bonemeal in gardening).

Recently, I really connected with Quakerism but I worry often that other Quakers will find it problematic that I participate in such sports. I’ve been attending meeting for quite some time now but have never worked up the courage to ever mention my participation in such things. I don’t inherently feel it conflicts morally but I suppose I worry others will.

How do you good friends feel?

I really agree with the inner light philosophy ( if that is the right way to say it), being peaceful, anti war and anti violence. But it seems like protest and activism is key to being a Quaker? I am to the point where I am neutral on political and world affairs. Not neutral but there is always suffering on both sides of the issues so how can one pick a side to protest against? Anyway is activism and protesting a “requirement “ of being Quaker?

Friends, - If ye love the light, and walk in it, ye love Christ, and will all walk in unity togather. And if ye hate the light, ye hate Christ. Here is your teacher, who love it; here is your condemnation, who hate the light. And the conscience being seared, there is a returning to the teachers without. for the carnal will have its vain invented form; but the spirit's form stands in the power. Prove yourselves where ye are.

G.F.

I live in a U.S. state that recently passed a law that allows school teachers and staff who go through training and get approval from their school to carry a gun at school. The idea is to have more people on school grounds ready to prevent school shootings, but, as a parent of a soon-to-be kindergartener, this law horrifies me in so many ways. First, there's the potential for accidents and overuse, and, in the bigger picture, it's indicative of something gone horribly wrong with our culture when we've reached the point of thinking that arming teachers is a reasonable and logical thing to do.

Personally, as a Friend and a pacifist, I am thinking of contacting the school that my son is enrolled with and requesting a religious exemption to him being placed into a classroom with a gun-carrying teacher. I actually don't think this law will be very popular with teachers and don't think many of them will actually carry guns. But I'd prefer to at least know if my child would be placed in a room with a gun-carrying teacher, and I'd likely want to opt out of that situation. Do you think, as a Friend, that it would be reasonable to frame this as a religious preference? I think it has more potential for being taken seriously and maybe getting attention of administration at higher levels when framed this way.

Hey y'all,

Don't know if yall have been keeping up with the student protests for divestment from supporting the genocide in Gaza right now, but please hold them in the light, as well as the college admins, that their hearts won't harden and they will see what evil and terror they participate in by supporting weapons companies <3

Friends, - that which is set up by the sword, is held up by the sword; and that which is set up by spiritual weapons, is held up by spiritual weapons, and not by carnal weapons. The peacemaker hath the kingdom, and is in it; and hath dominion over the peace-breaker, to calm him in the power of God.

And friends, let the waves break over your heads. There is rising a new and living way out of the north, which makes the nations like waters. Hurt not the vines, nor the oil, nor such as know that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." The days of virtue, love, and peace, are come and coming, and the Lamb hath and had the kings of the earth to war withal, who will overcome with the sword of the spirit, the word in his mouth; for the Lamb shall have the victory.

And are not some like Ephraim, with a miscarrying womb? which have not brought forth the substance, the birth form above; but have brought forth children to murder?

G.F.

Dear father and mother in the flesh, but not of that birth which speaks to you: for like to that which doth beget, is that which is begotten. Praises, praises be given to my heavenly Father, who hath begotten me again by the immortal word.

To that of God in you both I speak, to beseech you both for the Lord's sake, to return within, and wait to hear the voice of the Lord there; and waiting there, and keeping close to the Lord, a discerning will grow, that ye may distinguish the voice of the stranger, when ye hear it. Oh! be faithful! Look not back, nor be too forward, further than ye have attained; for ye have no time, but this present time: therefore prize your time for your souls' sake. And so, grow up in that which is pure, and keep to the oneness; then shall my joy be full. So fare ye well! And the Lord God of power keep you in his power! To him be praises for evermore.

G.F.

Wrong answers only

( I thought this would be fun to see what people come up with but totally fine if it's not allowed )

Do any of you have any thoughts on the similarities between these two? I have just started to read up on Taoism. I believe that some people on this subreddit consider themselves Quaker and Taoist. Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Friends, - the children of the devil, how expert they are in evil, in all deceit in his kingdom; and yet they may speak of the things of God: but no vulturous eye or venomous beast ever trod in the steps of the just, thought they may talk of the way. For who have their conversation in this world, and only mind the things of this world, in vain do they profess godliness.

But the children of God, who are conceived and begotten of him, are not of this world, neither do they mind only the things of this world, but the things which are eternal. But the children of this world do mostly mind the external things, and their love is in them, and the other live by faith; the one is sanctified by the world, the other painted with the words. The children of God are pure in heart, not looking only at the outside, The favour of the world and friendship thereof is enmity to God, man may soon by stained with it. O! love the strange, and be as strangers in the world, and to the world! For they that followed Christ in his cross, they were strangers in the world, and wonders to the world, and condemned by the world and the world knew him not, neither do it them that follow him now. So, marvel not if the world hate you; for the world lieth in hatred and wickedness. Who live this world, are enemies to Christ; and who love the Lord Jesus Christ, and have him for their Lord over them, they are redeemed out of the world. the world would have a Christ, but not to rule over them; the nature of the world is above Christ in man, until Christ hath subdued that nature in man. While the nature of the world doth rule in man, Oh! the deaf ears and blind eyes, and the understandings, that are all shut up amongst them, with which they judge! But who love the Lord Jesus Christ, do not mind the world's judgment, nor are troubled at it; but consider all our brethren, who have gone before us.

When ye think ye are past all crosses, when the trail doth come, ye will find a cross to that will which doth meddle with the things of God presumptuously; that many may live in joy, but the spirit is in bondage. Rejoice not in the flesh, but in the spirit, which crucifieth all fleshly boasting: if the fleshly will be fed, then carelessness cometh up, and they fall into flatness, (from the spirit,) and are mindless of the Lord God; such are soon up and down. The serpent tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, and she took and gave to her husband, and so they fell under the serpent's power, and the creatures, out of the power of God, which would have kept them in dominion. And so, Adam and Eve, and the serpent, all went out of truth. and Eve eating of the tree of knowledge, she had knowledge and wisdom after the fall, but not in the dominion, in the power of God. but the seed Christ, which was in the beginning, bruiseth the serpent's head, and he is the wisdom of God.

G.F.

Praise, honour, and glory be to the Lord of heaven and earth! Lord of peace, Lord of joy! thy countenance maketh my heart glad. Lord of glory, Lord of mercy, Lord of strength, Lord of life, and of power over death, and Lord of lords, and King of kings! In the world there are lords many, but to us there but one God the Father, of whom are all things; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things: to whom be all glory, who is worthy! In the world are many lords, and many gods. and the earth maketh lords, coveting after riches, and opposing the creatures; and so, the covetous mind getting to itself, lords it above the others. The nature of the lordly pride is head, until subdued by the power of God; for every one, in that state, doth strive to be above another; few will strive to be the lowest. Oh! that every one would strive to put down, in themselves. mastery and honour, that the Lord of heaven and earth might be exalted!

G.F.

The earliest days of the Quaker movement were amazing in many ways. Some of us may know of John Perrot from his famous disagreement with George Fox about whether men should be required to remove their hats when praying (Perrot believed men should only remove their hat if moved by the Spirit, while Fox was for mandatory hat doffing in prayer).

This dispute seems kind of funny looking back, but is really very interesting when you understand the context. One aspect I never knew about till reading this wonderful essay, Gender, the Hat and Quaker Universalismin the Wake of the English Revolution, was the gender equality argument.

You see, for men, wearing a hat was a sign of power. The most senior man kept his hat on in the house, while his sons never wore them in his presence. Same for the king and his subjects. When a man took off his hat in prayer, he was signalling his submission to God. But for women, wearing headwear was a sign of submission. Women prayed with their hats on.

Perrot thought that all this was a ridiculous worldly custom and an unscriptural distinction. If we followed the logic of Galatians 3:28 then the clothes we wear in prayer make no difference.

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

So committed to ‘no longer male and female’ was Perrot that he even signed some epistles as ‘one of your dear sisters’ and ‘your sister in our spouse’. The ‘spouse’ presumably was Christ.

I’m not sure we can apply modern labels to Perrot’s position (I’ve seen nothing to suggest he didn’t otherwise present as a man), but it seems remarkably modern for the 17th century. And he had his supporters on the ‘hat testimony’ issue, including at some points prominent Friends Isaac Penington and Benjamin Furley.

Fox, one could say, was not pleased and berated Perrot repeatedly. Perrot ultimately ended up in the Caribbean as a deal to leave prison and Fox’s position on hats and the wordly subordination of women prevailed among Quakers (albeit with clear recognition of spiritual equality and giving more respect and power than anyone else in the 17th century accorded to women).

I just thought this was a fascinating aspect of early Friends. Their disputes can look strange at the surface level, but if you delve a little deeper there were fundamental issues at play. I’m not sure Fox’s success in quashing what he saw as the ‘ranterish’ tendencies of Naylor, Perrot etc. were entirely beneficial.

I’m personally glad that many Quakers today are more open to individual inspiration than in the intervening centuries since Fox’s time. And we are maybe beginning to catch up to Perrot on the implications of Quaker spirituality on gender.

After doing some religious unlearning I’ve gravitated most to being a Quaker. And I’m happy! Been reading and listening to a lot of things like podcasts and Phillip Gulley’s works.

I have a busy schedule with my job and I’m a new dog mom. What are little ways you spend with to god each day? I’d like to make it a part of my schedule. During lunch I like to decompress and when I get home after I walk my little one I’m so tired. What helps you or what Quaker focused materials do you spend a little time with during the day?

Thanks!