Query #5 - Mutual Care
How do we respond to each other's personal needs and difficulties in sensitive and useful ways? Do we encourage both men and women to share in care giving?Although we are usually sensitive to each other’s needs, we have found that we lack a structure for dealing with conflicts between two people in meeting. When we studied clearness committees in depth recently, we found that they were better suited to working with one individual. It would be a good idea to look again at this problem and to try again to find a way to allow a small group to meet with two dissenting people; their problem might not be solved, but they could hear each other and at least try to discern each other’s objectives.
What are we doing to welcome and draw members and attenders of all ages into the fellowship of the meeting? How do we help our children feel the loving care of the meeting? What do the children contribute to the meeting? Social events like the recent retreat and adult involvement with the children during refreshment time have strengthened our ties and helped the children feel loved and respected. Their reports on their activities are always greeted with enthusiasm. They return our care by offering us laughter and gracious acceptance of our adulthood.
It is time for us to expand our program so that the older children can learn more about Quakerism and hopefully get to know even more of the adults in the meeting.
How do we keep in touch with inactive and distant members and attenders?
The newsletter has always been a
popular way to communicate, but
the current lively format and the
trend toward receiving it via
email have ensured its appeal.
Even long-absent Friends often
opt to continue to subscribe.
In planning the last two retreats, the planners have telephoned everyone on the local phone list, regardless of their active status. This gesture has been highly popular; many who could not come to the retreat or might not choose to were nonetheless grateful for the personal contact.