Friday, June 11, 2010

A Valiant Sixteen - Part 12

Queries

For meetings and churches:
  • What gifts do you recognize in the young people in your faith community?  How do you name those gifts?  How can the community as a whole receive these gifts?
  • Are Friends in the meeting or church aware of Friends’ history in traveling in the ministry?  
  • How do you define terms such as minister, elder, and spiritual gifts?
  • How should a young Friend who is experiencing a call to ministry ask for support?
  • Are Friends prepared to form support and accountability committees for young Friends feeling a call to ministry?
  • What is the process for creating a traveling minute or a minute of service?
  • How can your meeting or church provide financial support for those called into ministry?
  • How do you make space available for Friends returning from traveling in the ministry to share their experiences?
For young Friends experiencing a call to travel in the ministry:
  • How have you experienced this call to ministry?
  • What are your daily spiritual practices?
  • Who would you like to have on a support and accountability committee?  Who could serve as a traveling companion?
  • What kind of support do you think you will you need for your travel?
Suggested Reading

Abbott, Margery Post & Peggy Senger Parsons. Walk Worthy of Your Calling: Quakers and the Traveling Ministry.  Friends United Press, Richmond, IN (2004).

Drayton, Brian. On Living with a Concern for Gospel Ministry.  Quaker Press of Friends General Conference, Philadelphia, PA (2006).

Grundy, Martha Paxson. Tall Poppies: Supporting Gifts of Ministry and Eldering in the Monthly Meeting.  Pendle Hill Pamphlet #347 (1999).

Wilson, Lloyd Lee.  Essays on the Quaker Vision of Gospel Order.  Celo Valley Books, Burnsville, NC (1993).

[From the research paper I wrote for the School of the Spirit on the spiritual nurture of young Friends traveling in the ministry.]

1 comment:

  1. Hi Ashley

    I have really enjoyed reading this whole series. I have also found myself wanting to insert queries such as:

    --Who in our communities might have had similar experiences to draw on, both in terms of travel in specific ways and general points such as re-entry culture shock or the tasks of presenting stories and walking with issues between travels.

    --Is it more important for people on a support and accountability committee to have experiences related to the proposed travel in the ministry or to be generally trusted and well-respected by the person requesting support?

    ReplyDelete

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