Field Notes: Quaker Earthcare Witness Steering Committee

Kallan Benson giving her presentation to QEW Steering Committee

Earlier this month, the Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW) Steering Committee held its semi-annual meeting at Pendle Hill. In recognition of World Quaker Day (which is observed on the first Firstday Tenth Month), we read the Kabarak Call for Peace and Eco-Justice , from the 2012 Sixth World Conference of Friends at Kabarak University in Nakuru, Kenya. We were gifted with presentations from biologist and activist Sandra Steingraber, PhD. (from Ithaca Monthly Meeting, New York Yearly Meeting) and from a 15-year-old Friend, Kallan Benson (from Annapolis Friends Meeting, Baltimore Yearly Meeting).

As is the practice of the Steering Committee, worship was followed by Worship Sharing with prepared queries provided by the Spiritual Nurturance Committee (Thank you!). The queries are provided here.

DAY 1: “Honoring our pain for the world”–power of sharing difficult socially unacceptable feelings–to create/enhance community, solidarity, relief of being able to express difficult feelings aloud

• What has your internal experience been–what thoughts, emotions, feelings arise– as you face the relentless and worsening news about the breakdown of Earth’s systems?
• Do you feel motivated by these feelings?
• What helps you/how do you process, move/work through this?

The Red Oak, by Mary Coelho

DAY 2: How do you prepare yourself for and in very difficult times? What goes into the grounding, centering and perhaps knowledge-building of the world’s condition?

What do you find helpful/not helpful?

• What has it been like for you to be in discernment about what is yours to do or be right now?  What has been your experience of that?
• What leadings or nudges or tantalizing invitations or urgencies have emerged from your discernment?
• Mahatma Gandhi: “It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
• What are you reflections on this quotation?  How/does it land in you?

DAY 3: Sharing from our experiences; assisting others

• What is the story of your journey through earth-care? How are/have you been led to serve?
• How can your community; monthly meeting, regional meeting and/or QEW assist/ support you in this journey?
• What do you have to offer in assisting others in their journey?
• What do we at QEW have to offer those Friends who are now waking up and actively seeking a way forward?
  • In your Monthly Meeting or Worship Group?
  • In your Quarterly and/or Yearly meeting?
  • In your wider local community?

Many thanks to Mary Ann Percy, Bellingham Friends Meeting, North Pacific Yearly Meeting!