To Friends throughout South Central Yearly Meeting,

Long-time members and attenders have weathered times like this before. Some compare it to a ‘fallow’ field – a field left to rest for a time before being called into action and service once again. Those with this experience express a profound trust and identity with our Meeting, knowing that this feeling only comes from regular attendance. Yet attendance was anything but regular in 2007. Many of us traveled, leaving small ‘cores’ of seasoned Friends at many meetings for worship. Without our regular (and routine) presence, we wonder how visitors and new attenders can learn and appreciate the importance that this Meeting is to so many of us -- are we taking it for granted? We continue to ponder how we might encourage others to make that commitment, as new attenders come and go, sometimes very quietly. Our attendance did not grow in 2007, and we may have even lost a few souls, causing us to think deeply about how important our own commitment and presence is to the vitality of our community and our faith.

In our search, Friends organized events to bring us together – tai chi evenings followed by Meeting for Worship, bible study, house meetings – but all seemed scripted. The very opportune reading of Creeds and Quakers: What’s Belief Got to Do With It? in our monthly book club reminded us to return to our original personal experience to find what we seek, rather than trying to identify things to fill it with from the outside world.

Surprisingly, those times when we truly feel we came together as a shared, corporate community, were not the times that we planned from the outside, but were those times when we did what we seem to do best: when we took care of one another and when we simply shared time together. On October 24, 2007 one of our oldest and dearest Friends, Charles Goebel, “went back to the Great Love”. 2007 was a difficult year for Charles, and Friends gathered around him to make his last days comfortable, and to hear his kind, gentle, resounding voice one more time. From the Christmas holidays through the spring and summer, Charles spent time with many of us. In the Fall, as his health slipped, Friends gathered with him daily, and were there when he passed. His memorial meeting held up Charles as the gentle soul we loved as the varied communities whom he touched worshiped together.

Our children continue to delight us. Several of our teenagers and young adults left us this year: one to college, one to AmeriCorps, and one to a new life in New Orleans. We miss the energy and sense of urgency they bring to life. Our school-age children continue to build a tight- knit community parallel to our own. Occasionally, the two connect, as children interview our seasoned Friends as part of their own journey. And our toddlers – born in 2006 – talk to one another across the Meeting room, reminding us of that relish for life that so many of us seem to forget occasionally.

Toward the end of 2007, the nominating process proved transformative to our Meeting, and we hope to continue learning from that process. 2007 was a particularly hard year to fill committee positions. In the face of this seemingly difficult circumstance our nominating committee took a fresh look and urged us to begin the process of re-envisioning the structure of our Meeting – a responsibility we take into 2008. They finally put into words what many of us had been struggling with, and with a great sense of relief we now look forward to the shared effort of redirecting our focus, from building and materials to community and spirit.

Our Meeting House continues to bring us great pleasure, but it is the landscaping around it that tells others who drive by (and reminds us as we gather) who we really are and how we envision our place in the world. Great care has been taken to develop a landscape and ecology around our building that reflects how we feel about ourselves, our place in our community, and our place in our ecology. Due to luscious summer rains, our trees are flourishing and we see spots of color all year long, as species were chosen that complement one another and perform at different times – taking turns to make their show, and then turning the spot light over to their neighbor. Other communities have begun to use our Meeting house regularly, and this, we feel, provides a great service to others in our city – a refuge where many are finding peace and tranquility.

Our community is small. Although we may gather in weekly Meetings, we are reminded that each of us returns to a daily life in which we bring a Quaker presence to the larger San Antonio community. In so doing, we share a great responsibility: our own lives are the Quaker presence in our community and we remind one another to act accordingly.

February Meeting for Business

“[Meeting] is, or ought to be, about transformation. The transformation of individuals who have experienced the divine spirit at work in their lives. The transformation of a community which has sensed, and tries to live out, its particular role in bringing about the transformation of the world which can be seen as God's purpose.” (Helen Rowlands)

Meeting was informed that there is no Adult Education Committee and that subjects of future forums should be suggested by Friends to the Clerk. It was suggested that committees should be active on considering subjects. Concern was expressed that interesting and attractive forum topics were important for the life of the Meeting.

The annual meeting of the Meeting Corporation was not held in January and will now be held after Meeting for Business in March. The Treasurer, Carol Balliet, apologized for the absence of a full Treasurer’s report, due to incomplete computer compatibility with the numbers. She was able to report that income and expenditures for January were in balance. The Clerk said that our insurance bill had not yet been received.

The M&O report consisted of a draft of the letter to SCYM on the State of the Meeting drafted by Christine Drennon. This is given in full above. Many expressions of appreciation were made for Christine’s effort.

Ken Southwood gave the report of the Outreach Committee, which is considering showing films. The cookout originally scheduled for January will be held in conjunction with a children’s party on Friday May 9th at the meetinghouse at 6 p.m. The Peach Pavilion at Brackenridge Park will be booked for a picnic on Saturday April 5 or as near a Saturday thereafter as possible, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Michelle DiGiacomo and Val Liveoak are reorganizing the library and cataloging on the computer with the intention of making the catalog available by internet.

Ken Southwood reported that The Meeting Clerk with the clerks of Finance, Outreach and M&O, have recommended what modifications to make to the original schedule of fees for use of Meeting premises ($50 for four hours for Common or Meetingroom, $75 for both). Meeting agreed to a reduction of 30% for 11 or more bookings, a return of the fee for organizations on the P&SC annual list for support, no charge for Friends’ use, Outreach choosing others not to be charged, referral to M&O in cases of doubt, and sending of copies of agreements to the Treasurer.

Marian Carter told Meeting that some of the willow on the southern boundary will have to come down. Michelle DiGiacomo spoke wonderingly of the face of a bear she could see in the stump of the willow to our east. This excited some turning of heads without noticeable effect.

Bill Wilkinson spoke of the coming of Eyes Wide Open to San Antonio again. He is trying to arrange for this in the Fall, in a more prominent location.

Personal

Lisa Kerpoe has her art work on display at a fiber art show near Dallas. Click on the link below to see her work (# 2 and # 61). If you want some idea of what fiber art is all about take a look at pieces from some very talented artists here in Texas. Check out at .... http://www.dallasfiberartists.org/NewHorizons08/index.html. This fall Lisa will be displaying more of her work in England.

RT, 10, showed us one of his really interesting achievements. He can blow up a balloon really big, and then let the air blow back into his mouth and it comes out of his nose. We were able to test this (with our finger under his nose) and he is right. We appreciated his sharing this with us.

Marian Carter will be spending the last two weeks in March teaching English in Peru, which will also allow her to visit Machu Picchu.

Margaret Mayberry’s father was a clarinettist. Originally he played in the band of (then) His Majesty’s Coldstream Guards, and in his later years regularly with the Sadler's Wells Ballet company, now the Royal Ballet. Often they played in the bandstands in the London parks on Sundays, and of course they would be required to play at all official functions, state funerals at home and abroad, etc. The family had a line from a Shakespearean poem, (Sweet Music's Power) engraved on his tombstone:

“To his music plants and flowers
Ever sprung: as sun and showers
There had made a lasting spring."

Quakers no longer place tombstones. Yet tombstones often provide moments like this.

Events

For more in the summer, Mike writes: "we are considering starting late in June with the Seri for their New Year, either for their summer harvests or going to the sierras to work on a water reservoir. We would also like to return to Pine Ridge, S.D. in late July, for the Tribal Pow-wow. We could do service (typically house building or repair)the week before and/or after the pow-wow if there are enough people. If you are interested, please contact Mike at mgray@afsc.org.”

Barb Luetke, of Dallas Meeting, at bluetke@twu.edu , has been on this trip in a previous year.

The World Council of Churches CROP Walk will take place on Sunday March 2nd. Bill O'Connell, Denise and Bill Wilkinson, Amy and Stephen Whitworth ( and some of their family), Steve and Jenny Colagero, Frances and Karl Frey, and Janet and Ken Southwood, are walking and would appreciate your sponsorship. The walk helps to pay for support of social programs in poor areas of the world.

Enchanting. Irresistible. Charming. Three words out of many that describe Ireland's legendary County Down performer, Tommy Sands, who will appear at the Peace Center with his children and accomplished musicians, 25 year-old Moya and 26 year-old Fionán Sands. The performance is Tuesday, March 11th at 7:30 p.m. at the peaceCENTER, 1443 S. St. Mary's, San Antonio, TX. Tickets, $15, will be available at the door.

Experience India at a Day of Fun with family & friends on March 9th, 2008 (Sunday) at Maverick Plaza near La Villita, 401 Lavillita St: Time: 11.00 am to 4.00 pm. This is a wonderful chance to see Indian dancing, hear Indian music, eat Indian food, and just meet Indians. Admission is free.

THE QUAKER BEETLE

I gaze intently at the bug on the floor,
Wondering whether he has six legs or more,
As I watch for an hour, immobile he stays.
But shouldn't my mind be in a loftier place?

I contemplate him with mild fascination,
A tiny bug, but still part of creation,
So still, so silent. Is he a Quaker?
Does he too center his thoughts on his Maker?

Amused, I wonder if he's one of us too,
Has he come to worship, his life to renew?
So small and helpless, it can only be right,
That we hold all of God's creatures "in the Light."

War, Peace and Taxes

In January, I presented a Forum on this topic, which was attended by six Friends. This article is intended to let others know about a current campaign to defund the war in Iraq, and other topics connected to war tax resistance. Some of these were mentioned in the forum and some were not.

War tax resistance has a considerable history in the Religious Society of Friends. Early Friends resisted governmental levies (taxes) to support the Established Church, and many went to prison or lost property because of their resistance. In Pennsylvania, Friends refused to raise militias or the funds to support them until Quakers withdrew from governing the colony. For some contemporary Friends, war tax resistance is an important part of conscientious objection to war.

New York Yearly Meeting has a number of conscientious objectors to taxation for military purposes, some of whom have had cases heard in the US Supreme Court. In April, 2006, it passed the following Minute:

“The Living Spirit works in the world to give life, joy, peace and prosperity through love, integrity and compassionate justice among people. We are united in this Power. We acknowledge that paying for war violates our religious conviction. We will seek ways to witness to this religious conviction in each of our communities.”

Friends Committee on National Legislation works on this issue, as do other groups which have Quaker members but are not specifically Quaker. Among them are War Resisters League, the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, and the National Campaign for a Peace Tax lFund. WRL publishes an annual “pie chart” showing a calculation of what percent of funds from income tax support past, present and future wars. (FCNL’s calculation is slightly different.)

This year a new coalition group, War Tax Boycott, is calling on taxpayers to “Withhold from War, Pay for Peace”, by refusing to pay a part or all of their war taxes, and to divert the funds to peaceful programs. Some may withhold symbolic amounts, some, a portion or all of the money going to war spending, and some, all of their taxes (or may earn an income below taxable level.) This campaign of civil disobedience is aimed at “Defunding the War,” and participants are encouraged to write members of Congress about their concerns and reasons for their actions. The hope of the organizers of the Boycott is to pressure Congress to listen to citizens’ wishes to end the war sooner, rather than later.

The consequences of such actions depend not only on the amount of money withheld, but also the number of people that do it. The government relies on the cooperation of citizens in filing and paying taxes to operate—even a small number of resisters can make an impression. A large number could force a change in policy, even if their resistance is a small amount of money. There are many details about resistance strategies, consequences and efforts to have a tax fund for non-military activities established, into which conscientious objectors could pay their taxes legally, on the websites mentioned below. I can also offer some information to Friends if you request it.

New York Yearly Meeting: www.nyym.org
War Tax Boycott: http://www.wartaxboycott.org/
War Resisters League: http://www.warresisters.org/
Friends Committee on National Legislation: http://www.fcnl.org/index.htm
National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee: http://www.nwtrcc.org/
National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund: http://www.peacetaxfund.org/

Forums

“The Scriptures were the prophets’ words and Christ’s and the apostles’ words, and what they spoke they enjoyed and possessed and had it from the Lord. Then what had any to do with the Scriptures, but as they came to the Spirit which gave them forth? You will say, Christ sayeth this, and the apostles say this; but what canst thou say? Art thou a child of the Light and hast walked in the Light, and what thou speakest is it inwardly from God?”

The issue raised was: do our words rely on the authority of the bible (or George Fox) or do we rely on our direct experience of God? Many contributions were expressed afterwards. Is our ministry in meeting too wordy, too designed? Should we each become our own prophet? Prophets are said to have been trouble-makers in their time. Advice heard at FWCC in Ireland, seeking prophecy, was, “Announce, denounce, and comfort,”. A doubt was expressed about seeking to be a prophet. A meeting ministry from elsewhere was quoted, “No words! God is love!” It was felt that our aim should be personal transformation, to experience our humanness, to become a “wise fool.”

For words that “speak to our condition,” one Friend quoted Griswold, “words cannot describe the experience [of divine truth] but can only be used . . as pointers toward the experience.”

Testimonies guide us. Stories guide us. We must question authority.

And, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect,” Romans 12,2.

In March the Forum on March 9th Ken Southwood will question the nature and origin of Quaker supplicative prayer and “holding in the light.” March 23 is Yearly Meeting and Easter and on March 30th, Meeting will consider the priorities in the coming year for the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington.

Torture is a Moral Issue

But U.S.-sponsored torture persists. The Campaign’s "Torture is a Moral Issue" video features Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders challenging the reality of U.S.-sponsored torture. If you haven't seen it yet, go to http://www.nrcat.org/, where you can sign a statement of conscience on this issue.

Kenyan Friends’ Peace List

Political crisis:
Issue a public statement from this Conference.
Use the media to publicize messages of peace and reconciliation.
Document and disseminate stories of people acting in courageous non-violent ways.
Engage in non-violent direct action to stop violence and retaliation in our communities.

Humanitarian crisis - internally displaced people:
Shelter, accommodation, food, water, fuel.
Clothing.
Medication, first aid, health care, sanitation.
Security and safety, trauma counseling.
Bible distribution.
Activities, games, access to schooling.

Inter-communal crisis:
Mediate in situations of acute conflict.
Assist in reconciliation between displaced. people and those who threatened them.
Reintegrate displaced people into the community, rebuild trust between neighbors.

Psychological and spiritual crisis:
Crisis-intervention counseling.
Train primary school teachers on the effects of trauma on young children.
Reach the "disaffected" youth, e.g. boda boda drivers, touts, the unemployed.
Scale up AVP to reach as many places as possible.
Establish "listening programmes" for people to tell their stories in a safe environment.
Preach the gospel of peace, educate our own people on the teachings of our church.

Crisis of youth in this country:
Begin a pilot programme for civic and peace education in Quaker schools.
Organize youth work camps to help with humanitarian work and rebuilding.

Organizational capacity:
Establish a national coordination body for the short-term work.
Address need for personnel, including placement of volunteers.
Networking and communications.
Guarantee integrity and transparency in use of funds, to maintain our good reputation.

Possible cluster areas for longer-term work, and potential activities:
Youth Empowerment.
Create a fund for youth empowerment.
Youth programmes, e.g. volunteer training and action, work camps, vocational training.
Seriously examine the involvement of youth in the structures of the Friends Church.
Re-engage with our Quaker schools.
Peer-mediation and AVP in the schools.

Economic Development
Income generating activities.
Teach practical business skills, entrepreneurship.

Humanitarian Relief
Relief Fund for future disasters.
Peace, justice and non-violence - for social transformation toward a culture of peace.
Peace Research Institute (at the University).
Peace Radio, other publications.
Workshops, mediation, AVP, listening.

Restorative justice movement
Peace curriculum through the Ministry of Education.
Training for non-violent direct action for social change.
Advocacy.
Establish an organization which can organize the Friends voice on Public Policy matters.
Build the capacity of Friends to be involved in the civic agenda at all levels.
Use the model of QUNO "quiet diplomacy."
Spiritual development of the Peace Testimony.
Review and improve the content of the membership class curricula.
Strengthen the peace and justice programmes at Friends Theological College.
Organizational capacity: National Management Committee - develop institutional capacity
Network with other peace organization in Kenya and around the world

From David Zarembka:

The SLDF is now moving further down the hill to steal cattle and goods killing people in the process. This area is very heavily populated by Quakers; every mile or two is another Quaker school. As the violence increases--and the current political crisis has been a great ‘cover’ for increased attacks and ethnic cleanings in the area--the Quakers there will be more and more affected.”

Discussing the prevalence of young men among the attackers, he says, ““it is the elders (Bush, Cheney, et alter) who send the youth to war in Iraq. It is the Kalenjin elders who send their warriors to attack the Kikuyu and the church which was burned down in Eldoret. It was the elders here in Lumakanda who encouraged the youth to attack the local Kikuyu. Where the elders did not encourage the youth, or perhaps discouraged the youth from attacking, the youth were not violent. If this interpretation is correct, then it is the older people who are responsible for the violence, death, and chaos in Kenya and not the youth who physically did the damage.”

As a past student of such violence, we support his assessment. With Kofi Annan’s help there is now a high-level agreement in Kenya but much local work remains to be done.

SCYM Queries

– How does the Spirit illuminate your Meeting's worship? How do you encourage ministry and seek to deepen the spiritual life of the meeting and of individual Friends?

– Meeting community. How does your Meeting's community reflect its corporate spiritual strivings? How do Friends care for one another in times of spiritual or material need? What role do children play in the Meeting community?

– Religious education. How has study deepened your faith and your understanding of what it means to be a Quaker? How have you explored issues of faith with newcomers, seasoned Friends, and children?

– Decision making. How is the good order of Friends used among you? How does the Light illuminate your Meetings for Worship with Attention to Business? How does your Meeting deal in love with the inevitable differences that arise from diverse readings and points of view on issues of faith and practical matters?

– Intervisitation and outreach. How has intervisitation and involvement with Friends outside your Meeting affected your Meeting's spiritual growth? How have you reached out to seekers and the community around you?

– Membership changes. How has your membership changed? How has this affected the life of your Meeting?

Bric a Brac

• •established the first secondary school for girls in Pennsylvania in 1754,
• offered free evening classes for Black students for two decades,
• persuaded Friends to open an “Africans’ School” in 1770,
• challenged assertions of innate Black inferiority,
• was noted by Thomas Clarkson in Britain for work “instrumental [1772] beyond any work ever before published in disseminating a proper knowledge and detestation of this [slave] trade,
• wrote about assistance for Acadian refugees, temperance, peace, fair treatment of Native Americans, religion, educational reform, and poor relief,
• wrote letters to the monarchs of England, Portugal, and France, Continental Congress, and Parliament and many others.

In Ray Billingsley’s cartoon strip, Curtis, he recently portrayed Curtis as having heard some “eyepoppin’ stuff” at school. He goes on to tell his mother how he had learned that Quakers were active in the “underground railroad,” hid runaway slaves, campaigned for the rights of women and Native Americans, and believed the inner light existed in all people.

This was incidental, though, to the eye-poppin’ stuff, a scandalous rumor about a teacher and an assistant dean.

St. Mary’s University President's Peace Commission, in its quest to foster justice and peace, devoted its spring program to a presentation of Islam in many of its manifestations by examining the diversity in the Muslim communities around the world. “Our intent is to develop an appreciative understanding of the Islamic world. And our hope is to pave the way for constructive dialogue between people, based on mutual respect rather than fear.

Poverty and Neural Development

Poverty rates are much lower in most European countries than in the United States, mainly because of government programs that help the poor and unlucky.”

Unviolent Counterterrorism

He says, “We cannot win the war on terrorism when we are losing the border to insurgents. . . . Top al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists . . . using the border to set up camps, to recruit volunteers from the tribal population and to train them . . .

Aerial bombing raids by the Pakistani military to fight the insurgency only alienate the populace as civilians are killed and villages destroyed. . . An effective counterterrorism strategy requires a global ground response to forge a cooperative relationship with the tribes that harbor the insurgents and the Frontier Corps responsible for border security. We need to offer them more than the insurgency is offering. . .

The Pashtuns have a tribal code known as Pashtunwali that demands hospitality. But the tribesmen and women living among the jagged mountains are terribly oppressed. . . Millions are without access to health care, clean water, education and jobs.

To counter the insurgency, we need more than military measures -- we need to improve the lives of those who live in the region.”

He urges the establishment of a Global Tribal Fund to direct funding into a strategy consisting of:

“1. Tribal Scouts: a coalition of locally recruited tribesmen and tribeswomen who would begin to contact and negotiate with the tribes in the border areas. The scouts would meet with chiefs to find out what they need for their people. . . .

2. Tribal Life Support. . . provision of water, roads, transportation, health care, education, employment opportunities and security to live and work. . . [with] trained Pashto- and Balochispeaking administrators, builders, designers, health-care providers and educators. 3. Tribal Security Training, for the Frontier Corps – . . . locally recruited tribesmen who know the language, the tribes and the culture and are the logical security forces. . .so that they can resist domination by the insurgency. .

We need native, on-the-ground, face-to-face negotiations. We need to switch our ideology from winning the war to winning the border. “

We should note that if the Taliban and Al Qaeda encounter strong resistance among the border population, they will have to leave the area. They depend on local support.

Annals of the Unenforceable

And, since 2001, it has been illegal in North Carolina to use “profane, indecent, or obscene language in the presence of a dead body.”

From Choices, Newsletter of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of SA, (210)226-4071.

From More Quaker Laughter, William H. Sessions:

The Daily Text
At the Friends School, The Mount, in York, a girl would choose a text from the bible and read it at breakfast. One day a girl chose a verse from the Psalms, “I have more understanding than all my teachers.” After that the passage was chosen by the Head Mistress.

Temperance
The Friends Temperance Union secretary started an address at Ayton School by asking the juniors if any of them could quote a text from the Bible about strong drink. There was silence, then a small boy put up a quivering hand, and said, “God is a Spirit.”

Query for March