Heart to Heart: Friends worship in silence to inspire service to the world.Byline: HEART TO HEART By Helen Park For The Register-Guard In an old Quaker joke, a stranger walks into a Friends meeting and finds himself surrounded by silence. After several minutes, he whispers to the fellow beside him, "When does the service begin?" The amused a·muse tr.v. a·mused, a·mus·ing, a·mus·es 1. To occupy in an agreeable, pleasing, or entertaining fashion. 2. Friend whispers, "The service begins when the meeting is over!" This story brings up two aspects of Quaker practice: silent worship and service. The Friends Meeting, with our meeting house on Onyx onyx (ŏn`ĭks), variety of cryptocrystalline quartz, differing from agate only in that the bands of which it is composed are parallel and regular. Street, is distinct from the Friends Church on 18th Avenue. We have no pastor or prescribed order of service. We worship in silence, with occasional ministry that can come from anyone present. We believe that everyone has direct access to Divine inspiration and communion. By stilling the clamor of the outside world and of our own minds, we listen to "the still, small voice within." Out of this deep listening, many feel inspired to service in the world. For 350 years Friends have held to "testimonies" to order our lives. These statements of faith are about peace, equality, simplicity and community. The peace testimony The Peace Testimony, also known as the Testimony Against War, is a shorthand description of the stand generally taken by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) against participation in war, and against military service as combatants. is the best known. Quakers are famous for refusing to fight or participate in war. Due to the work of Quakers and others, laws were passed after World War I authorizing alternative service for conscientious objectors conscientious objector, person who, on the grounds of conscience, resists the authority of the state to compel military service. Such resistance, emerging in time of war, may be based on membership in a pacifistic religious sect, such as the Society of Friends . Today in Eugene, Friends are involved in peace activism promoting an end to war in Iraq, war tax resistance, gun control, nonviolence training in prisons, peace education in schools, Middle East reconciliation and support of national and international peace organizations and efforts. Our belief in equality has put Quakers historically and currently in the forefront of work on behalf of civil rights, women's rights The effort to secure equal rights for women and to remove gender discrimination from laws, institutions, and behavioral patterns. The women's rights movement began in the nineteenth century with the demand by some women reformers for the right to vote, known as suffrage, and , basic needs and dignity for the homeless and hungry, rights of same-sex couples, farm workers and prison reform. You may know that Friends were active in abolishing slavery in the 1850s; did you know that Friends advocated for fair housing for African Americans African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. right here in Eugene in the 1950s? Quaker simplicity is exemplified by lives of temperance Temperance Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) organization founded to help alcoholics (1934). [Am. Culture: EB, I: 448] amethyst provides protection against drunkenness; February birthstone. , honesty and modest consumption, with regard for environmental stewardship The integration and application of environmental values into the military mission in order to sustain readiness, improve quality of life, strengthen civil relations, and preserve valuable natural resources. and economic sustainability. Community-building is a basic part of our lives. We care for those needing special support: elders, single parents, the sick, the grieving and those experiencing mental and emotional challenges. Quakers tend to be busy, friendly folks driving older cars and wearing sensible shoes! The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has no official creed, and everyone is welcome to worship with us Buddhists, Sufis, Jews, Pagans and all varieties of Christians join us in the depths of the Silence. One belief that is common to most Friends is that there is an Inner Light present in every human heart. Life is holy, and that precious quality of Divine Love is recognizable in everyone. It whispers to us in the silence, and in our service, and we find our task and our joy to be, in the words of our founder, George Fox, to "walk cheerfully over the Earth, answering that of God in every one." Helen Park worships at Eugene Friends Meeting. "From Heart to Heart" is coordinated by the Two Rivers Two Rivers, city (1990 pop. 13,030), Manitowoc co., E Wis., on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Twin River; inc. 1878. Two Rivers is closely associated with its twin city, Manitowoc, both of which are highly industrialized. Interfaith Ministries of Eugene/Springfield. For information, call 344-5693. |
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