1.Take heed, dear Friends,
to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Trust them as the leadings
of God whose Light shows us our darkness and brings us to new life.
1.Take heed, dear Friends,
to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts. Trust them as leadings to
compassionate action.
2. Bring the whole of your
life under the ordering of the spirit of Christ. Are you open to the healing
power of God's love? Cherish that of God within you, so that this love may grow
in you and guide you. Let your worship and your daily life enrich each other.
Treasure your experience of God, however it comes to you. Remember that
Christianity is not a notion but a way.
2. Bring the whole of your life
under the guidance of love and truth. Are you open to the healing power of
love? Cherish this love within you, so that it may grow in you and guide you.
Let your spirituality and your daily life enrich each other. Treasure your
spiritual experiences, however they come to you. Remember that Quakerism is not
a notion but a way.
3.Do you try to set aside
times of quiet for openness to the Holy Spirit? All of us need to find a way
into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness of the divine and to find
the inward source of our strength. Seek to know an inward stillness, even amid
the activities of daily life. Do you encourage in yourself and in others a
habit of dependence on God's guidance for each day? Hold yourself and others in
the Light, knowing that all are cherished by God.
3. Do you try to set aside times of quiet for openness to the love and wisdom within. All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness and to find the inward source of our strength. Seek to know an inward stillness, even amid the activities of daily life.
3. Do you try to set aside times of quiet for openness to the love and wisdom within. All of us need to find a way into silence which allows us to deepen our awareness and to find the inward source of our strength. Seek to know an inward stillness, even amid the activities of daily life.
4 The Religious Society of
Friends is rooted in Christianity and has always found inspiration in the life
and teachings of Jesus. How do you interpret your faith in the light of this
heritage? How does Jesus speak to you today? Are you following Jesus' example
of love in action? Are you learning from his life the reality and cost of
obedience to God? How does his relationship with God challenge and inspire you?
The Religious Society of
Friends has traditionally found inspiration in the life and teachings of Jesus.
Is that tradition relevant to you today? What inspires you to love in action?
5. Take time to learn about
other people's experiences of the Light. Remember the importance of the Bible,
the writings of Friends and all writings which reveal the ways of God. As you
learn from others, can you in turn give freely from what you have gained? While
respecting the experiences and opinions of others, do not be afraid to say what
you have found and what you value. Appreciate that doubt and questioning can
also lead to spiritual growth and to a greater awareness of the Light that is
in us all.
5.
Take time to learn about other people’s experiences and inspirations. Remember
the importance of the Bible, the writings of Friends, and all sources which may
develop our wisdom and understanding. As you learn from others, can you in turn
give freely from what you have gained? While respecting the experiences and
opinions of others, do not be afraid to say what you have found and what you
value. Appreciate that doubt and questioning can also lead to spiritual growth
and greater awareness.
6. Do you work gladly with
other religious groups in the pursuit of common goals? While remaining faithful
to Quaker insights, try to enter imaginatively into the life and witness of
other communities of faith, creating together the bonds of friendship.
6.
Do you work gladly with other spiritual groups in the pursuit of common goals?
While remaining faithful to Quaker insights, try to enter imaginatively into
the life and experience of other spiritual communities, creating together the
bonds of friendship.
7. Be aware of the spirit of
God at work in the ordinary activities and experience of your daily life.
Spiritual learning continues throughout life, and often in unexpected ways.
There is inspiration to be found all around us, in the natural world, in the
sciences and arts, in our work and friendships, in our sorrows as well as in
our joys. Are you open to new light, from whatever source it may come? Do you
approach new ideas with discernment?
7. Be open to the wonder in
the ordinary activities and experiences of your daily life. Spiritual learning
continues throughout life, and often in unexpected ways. There is inspiration
to be found all around us, in the natural world, in the sciences and arts, in
our work and friendships, in our sorrows as well as in our joys. Are you open
to new light, from whatever source it may come? Do you approach new ideas with
discernment?
8. We are in awe of the
accelerating development of scientific knowledge, and mindful of both the
benefits and the horrors this may bring. Let us remember that the universe
shown to us by the sciences is a divine gift, and not turn away from our
responsibility to consider the implications of scientific and technical
discoveries.
8. Spiritual learning continues throughout life, and often in unexpected ways. There is inspiration to be found all around us, in the natural world, in the sciences and arts, in our work and friendships, in our sorrows as well as our joys. Are you open to new inspiration, from whatever source it may come? Do you approach new ideas with discernment?
8. Spiritual learning continues throughout life, and often in unexpected ways. There is inspiration to be found all around us, in the natural world, in the sciences and arts, in our work and friendships, in our sorrows as well as our joys. Are you open to new inspiration, from whatever source it may come? Do you approach new ideas with discernment?
9. Worship is our response
to an awareness of God. We can worship alone, but when we join with others in
expectant waiting we may discover a deeper sense of God's presence. We seek a
gathered stillness in our meetings for worship so that all may feel the power
of God's love drawing us together and leading us.
9. We can Worship alone, but
when we join with others in the expectant waiting of Meeting for Worship we may
discover a deeper sense of connection. We seek a gathered stillness in our Meetings
so that all may feel the power of love drawing us together and leading us.
10. In worship we enter with
reverence into communion with God and respond to the promptings of the Holy
Spirit. Come to meeting for worship with heart and mind prepared. Yield
yourself and all your outward concerns to God's guidance so that you may find
"the evil weakening in you and the good raised up".
10. In worship we enter into
stillness with each other to seek. Come to meeting for worship with heart and
mind prepared. Try to put aside your outward concerns, allowing the seed of new
thoughts. Let the guidance of your own inner spirit and that of others lift and
encourage you.
