Vitality Among Friends: A Resource for Philadelphia Friends
2008 Vitality of Meetings
Theme: Vitality of the Local Meeting, Feb. 16th, 2008 (snow date Feb. 23)
Location: Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA
Registration: To register and make payment at the door on the day of the event, you can give us your information by phone (Donna Trankley at (800) 432-1377), by email trankdo@earlham.edu) or through this online form.
8:00-9:00 am |
Registration & Coffee Fellowship |
9:00-10:00 am |
Welcome & Keynote Address |
10:00-10:15 am |
Break |
10:15-12:00 pm |
Workshop I |
12:00-1:15 pm |
Lunch |
1:15-3:00 pm |
Workshop II |
Keynote and Workshop 1 - Jay Marshall
Jay Marshall is a native of North Carolina and has served as Dean of Earlham School of Religion since 1998. Jay grew up among FUM Friends in North Carolina Yearly Meeting, where he was recorded as a minister in 1985. He is a graduate of Guilford College and of Duke University. His primary area of study was Old Testament, but his role as dean presents opportunities to indulge in other projects. He conducted a study of vitality among Friends, resulting in the book, "Where the Wind Blows." He often facilitates retreats with Friends focused on issues related to the vitality of the monthly meeting. Jay's latest book, "Thanking & Blessing — the Sacred Art: Spiritual Vitality Through Gratefulness," was just released by SkyLight Paths.
Keynote Address: Vitality Among Friends
We each have reasons for participating in the life of a monthly meeting. When we attend or join a meeting, we bring with us certain assumptions and expectations about worship and community life. We join those to the assumptions and expectations of others. How we value and tend to those expectations contributes to the life and rhythm of a meeting's community life. Ultimately, these expectations contribute to a meeting's identity and its embodiment of ministry. Identity and ministry are two recurring themes in Earlham School of Religion's vitality study among Friends. In the opening session Jay Marshall will describe characteristics of healthy, vital meetings that were discerned from the vitality project.
Workshop: If These Walls Could Talk . . .
Friends have many wonderful stories to share, and they are not all 300 years old! Our monthly meetings can be rich settings for worship, fellowship, and ministry. The stories in our collective memory shape a meeting's corporate identity. This workshop will share a few stories that demonstrate the importance and power of story and identity. Participants will be asked to share meaningful stories from their monthly meeting experience and reflect upon how those stories describe the meeting's identity and purpose. These stories will be launching points for group reflection about Friends' identity and commitments.
Workshop 2: Jennie Isbell
Jennie is a 2007 graduate of Earlham School of Religion and currently works as Coordinator of Leadership Development for ESR. As a student, her interests focused on adult religious education themes related to spirituality and the individual body and spirituality and the corporate body, which come together under the umbrella of applied ethics. Prior to seminary, she worked in higher education fundraising, and as a massage therapist and yoga instructor.
Workshop: Spiritual Community vs. Social Community
Which world do you and your meeting live in — is yours more a spiritual community or a social community?
Participants in this workshop will consider how these two ways of being together overlap and yet are distinct. We will engage in exercises designed to explore commonalities of belief, corporate gifts, and shared testimonies apparent in one's local meeting. These exercises can be carried back by participants to explore further in their home meeting.
Workshop 3: Joanna Schofield
Joanna Schofield is the Director of Academic Services for Earlham School of Religion and Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Indiana. She is a graduate of Indiana University East and Earlham School of Religion, and served for 11 years as Pastor of the West Elkton Friends Meeting, West Elkton, Ohio. She has co-authored the book "Building Consensus: Conflict and Unity," which is currently being applied to courses at Earlham College, and by various groups to facilitate decision making. Joanna enjoys jewelry making, needlecrafts, photography, gardening, numerous outdoor activities, and pets in her personal life.
Workshop: Living and Growing Communities of Faith: Building Infrastructure
The workshop will focus on the ways in which deepening trust and strengthening community can build vitality in our meetings. We will address topics such as:
- How do we get below the surface with each other in our faith communities?
- What is the role of elders and ministers?
- Building relationships of trust—being authentic.
- Dealing with past problems, hurts, fears and splits can help with the future.
- Adding new people into the circle and other changes.
For more information contact Donna Trankley 800-432-1377, trankdo@earlham.edu