23 July 2015

Yearly meeting shorts

Two days ago, Judy was recorded as a Friends minister! And today at the closing banquet, she was formally given her recording certificate, and superintendent Becky Ankeny prayed a blessing for Judy on behalf of Northwest Yearly Meeting. To me, that was the highlight of our calm and wonderfully routine Yearly Meeting sessions.

After the closing banquet, there was a delightful reception for Judy. I realized during the reception that I had become utterly exhausted and had a fever. Judy noticed my fatigue and red face and arranged a ride home for me. So no more writing this week. There's always next week!



Here's Becky Ankeny's keynote message on the opening evening of Northwest Yearly Meeting's sessions, "Faithful and Wise Stewards." Excerpt:
Friends are not immune to the currents and prejudices of their social contexts, not above racism or sexism or other prejudices, nor are they immune to the temptation to prefer economic stability to standing against social ills and the temptation to substitute form for living reality. We must acknowledge the truth that each of us has potential for blindness as well as sight, for evil as well as good, for error as well as truth. We need humility and repentance, and sometimes we need to change our minds, not in pursuit of some superficial relevance, but because sometimes we are wrong. And persisting in blindness, evil, and error alienates people from the Jesus we embody. We need to be born again, to start new in every generation and in every day of our individual and communal lives. We need to be born again to care for each other and our neighbors, all of whom God is trusting to our care.
During Becky's message, Bob Henry was sketching key images and highlights, and his work was projected onto two large screens. Far from being distracted by this activity, I found it reinforced the message and made it more memorable.



Getry Agizah on five things Obama should do in Kenya.

James Fallows on why Obama gave a Christian speech without mentioning Jesus.

Will Europe always need America to clean up its mess?

Should you share your research on academia.edu? Personally, I believe it's much better than fake conferences and journals that prey on anxious academics.



Hans Theesink and Terry Evans. "Gotta find the demons, tell them to leave you alone."

(Yes, as Hans says, there really is a blues festival in Hell ... Norway.)


No comments: