The Wider Quaker Fellowship

1506 Race Street · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102 · 215.241.7293
wqf@fwccamericas.org · http://www.fwccamericas.org/about_us/programs/wqf.shtml

November, 2007

Dear Fellows,

A few months ago I was eating dinner by myself in the restaurant of a very upscale resort somewhere in Texas, where my husband was attending a professional conference. I had gone with him to take care of some Quaker-related business. Since the attenders of the conference were eating separately, I found myself in these plush surroundings. I was not particularly pleased being there. There was entirely too much conspicuous consumption being displayed by my fellow diners for this Quaker. Since I was alone, I had brought work and started to read the latest version of the text of Deborah Saunders’ talk, the one included in this mailing. When I was through, I was in a different place.  No, not physically; spiritually. Deborah’s words had taken me out of my petty and judgmental attitude about the lack of Quaker simplicity. What she wrote about, that was important. Instead of irritation, I was flooded by feelings of love and compassion for my fellow diners, and the people who served me. We Quakers have an expression for what had happened: the article had spoken to my condition.

This, dear friends, is what we hope the offered material may do for you. I am aware that what speaks to one person, may not speak to someone else; and what doesn’t speak to me today may very well be just what I need at another moment.  For that reason we try to bring you several different articles.

I have been collecting and saving the Wider Quaker Fellowship pamphlets for almost twenty years, and it is amazing how often I go back to them.  Browsing through old pamphlets, I am often moved by what did not particularly speak to me several years ago.

Therefore, in addition to Deborah Sanders’ article this mailing also includes Conversations from the Heartland, by Kat Griffith (reprinted from Friends Journal, October 2006); for a lighter note, The Top Ten Reasons Why I am a Quaker by Gregg Koskela, (reprinted from www.BarclayPress.com); and our perennial favorite, The Motto Calendar.

We hope that the articles and pamphlets in this mailing will bring you new insights, make you smile with recognition, inspire you, and above all, will open your heart and speak to your condition.

May peace come to all of you,

Tina Coffin, clerk