Rural, small-town, Quaker church.

As a glimpse into life in mine,

here are a few excerpts from our statement explaining
"Some convictions about gathered worship"...

"...Silence is a practice and a value."

"...believing that God fills each moment, we don't rush from activity to activity..."

"...giving opportunity for all to express their giftedness."

"Know our goal is a non-hierarchical, egalitarian community."

"We want our community to teach one another, believing God can speak through anyone."

"Wrestle thoughtfully..."

"Remember that worship is richer when there are more people involved..."

"Encourage interaction..."

"...in each gathering [make] time set aside for silence..."

So here's what I learned last night

about attending the business meeting of such a church.

1) For the love of all that is good and holy: Bring knitting.

Wrestling thoughtfully,
not rushing from moment to moment,

creating space for participation from babies in arms to octogenarians in wheelchairs and everyone in between,

believing long periods of silent listening are an essential part of prayer,

and being willing to put a major decision off til next year if "all hearts are not clear"...

does not a brief meeting make.

2) Be ready to leave so very, very grateful

to be learning from and loving in

this thoughtful, honest, praying,

caring, trusting, faithful

community in which I somehow landed.