Last year Peggy Hanson, who works in employee relations at Friendsview Retirement Community, asked if I could fashion for her a “talking stick.” As part Cherokee and a tribal member, she knew of this Native American practice, and that I fashioned assorted wooden things, like talking sticks, clocks, mottoes and stumps. Along with other native peoples, during a powwow, traditionally, a Cherokee chief would give the stick in turn to persons who would speak to an issue. When one held the stick others kept quiet and listened. A stick was often carved artistically, or enhanced by an eagle feather secured by leather thong or fur strip.

Continue reading …

Silverton Friends (Oregon) is celebrating its 50th Anniversary on Sunday, June 22.

Congregational Care! What a wonderful name for a yearly meeting board! It brings a vision to my mind of a group of people who symbolically put our arms around every congregation in the yearly meeting. We want to help congregations reach their God-given potential. Download the newsletter to read more

Also in this issue:

• Roberts’ Reflections - Arthur Roberts
• One More Thought - Joel Bock
• News & Notes:
  • The Journey
  • Friends Center Graduates

Download the June 2008 Connection here in the PDF format.

The Connection is also available in Spanish! Get it here.

Hope among the Shepherds ~ Joy Ellison

Abu Basil walks slowly, constantly mumbling to himself and to his sheep. At 70, he is the oldest man living in At-Tuwani. This morning I found him grazing his sheep in a valley near the Ma’on settlement.

Also in this issue:

• Prayer and Praise Notes
• Spotlight on Jeff & Christine Stanfield
• Note from Shawn McConaughey

Read the May Keeping Current
Also available in Spanish

May 2008

Last fall Reedwood Friends (Portland) held a class on “How can Friends recover successful outreach?” I led a session based on this Scripture text:

“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps’.” (John 4:35-37 NKJV)

Let’s consider together four kinds of “white unto harvest” situations in which both Gospel sowing and reaping occur: Continue reading …

Out of my mind…

A couple of weeks ago, the NWYM Administrative Council met with clerks from our various Yearly Meeting boards to discuss Ministry Plans for the coming year. For me, it was an exciting weekend—getting to hear some of the prayerful hopes and inspired dreams of our people—as they seek to be a resource to our local churches and a witness to the world we inhabit. Seeing it on paper and hearing the clerks talk about it was pretty exciting. However, what really gets me excited is knowing that these plans will actually be put into action in the year to come. Continue reading …

We are Publishers of Truth

Five Northwest Yearly Meeting truth publishers share their stories

Also in this issue:

• Roberts’ Reflections - Arthur Roberts
• One More Thought - Dan McCracken

  Download the May 2008 Connection here in the PDF format.

  The Connection is also available in Spanish! Get it here.

Download or read the May 200 GO! Newsletter here (in PDF format).

Articles in this newsletter are:

• Liz Interviews Irada
• Saying “Hello” in 11 Languages