Thursday, August 11, 2011

IYM Quakers Session Two

     Last nights discussion was even more interesting than session One. I am always interested to learn more about George Fox and the history of Quakerism but last nights discussion was so much more personal and emotional. We talked about the Quaker approach to Baptism and Communion. Doug encouraged us all to be careful never to say that as Quakers "we don't believe in those things." Because as he so passionately remarked. "We do!"
As Doug wrote in his handout~

"Quakers point to the spiritual reality behind religious rituals. We have discarded the rituals but embraced the spiritual realities to which they point." 

     Doug's efforts to help us all think through these ideas together and help us sort out our feelings is such a blessing! By the end of these sessions it is my hope that I will be able to more effectively speak to anyone about my faith, my religion and my personal relationship with Jesus. These kinds of deep, spiritual experiences are often hard to articulate. But the more we work on these areas of our faith the easier it will be. I love being at church on Tuesday nights talking about all of these things. We learn more about each other and ourselves in the process as well.

     Next week the discussion will center on The Friends Peace Testimony. Please won't you consider coming and seeing for yourself what a blessing it is to stop mid-week and spend some time together thinking and speaking about these things on which we base our lives upon?


No comments: