December 14 Study Session Minutes
General Business & Orientation
We met at the Meeting House at 6:00 pm, Monday, Dec. 14, 1998 after enjoying Yoshiko Tanaka's successful and delicious home made pizzas. Besides Yoshiko-san, Mikio Miyake, Michelle Ichimura, Yeri Coyner, Michael Kawamoto, Tom Coyner and a young Japanese woman (please someone inform Tom Coyner of her name!) attended the actual study discussion that began a bit after 630 pm.
Study Session
We discussed the following questions regarding Friends for 300 Years, Chapter 5, "Vocal Ministry;" followed by our conclusions.
Conclusion:1. Howard Brinton writes, "The first singular pronoun is held in Quaker ministry, nor does the speaker declare his own experience except as his experience may illustrate a more general truth." Howard shortly thereafter writes the worshiper "may find arising in his consciousness a message which he feels is intended for more than himself alone." "He must learn to recognize the unique sense of urgency which is evidence of a divine requirement."
Question: Given the above is appropriate during "kanwa" (or spontaneous vocal ministry) to deviate directly from the above guidelines? If so, why? If not, why not - and is there kind of guidance to that effect within our meetings for worship?
Discussion Summary: There are guidelines in the leaflets found at the door of the meeting and there is an introduction to Quaker non-programmed worship at our web site at www2.gol.com/users/quakers. However, generally speaking most people gain an adequate understanding from observing others after attending meetings for worship after a year or so; and normally people attending at first are hesitant to speak.
2. While there are no rules laid down for Quaker ministry, there is a principle of the spoken word should be the affirmation of the truth rather than an argumentative defense of it. At the same time Brinton believes that a Friends meeting should be spontaneous in the sense that no one should come with the expectations of speaking nor expectations of not speaking.
Question: While there may be little controversy about the first point, often people expressing themselves during unprogrammed worship seem to have been thinking deeply on the subject they express. Where may one differentiate between coming fully prepared to speak versus being moved to speak on something one has been thinking or meditating on during the recent past?
Discussion Summary: While some people may consider ahead of time something they may wish to speak, usually they only speak when the "spirit moves them." Often we may be tempted to speak ahead of time but at the time of unprogrammed worship, it often seems inappropriate to speak. Interestingly enough, often even accomplished public speakers are both motivated and nervous to speak at the appropriate time since there is something unique and moving about standing up and saying what needs to be said at the appropriate time.
There was also some concern expressed among the study group attendees about how some people, especially the elderly, tend to at times to ramble for long periods of time. However, we agreed that we should recognize that often the elderly are often ignored and succumb to speak at length to an audience since they are too often deprived of sympathetic or interested listeners.
3. Brinton outlines what appears to be a very anti-intellectual tradition within Quakerism starting from George Fox's repudiation of Oxford trained clergy whose learned preaching culminated in what he called "brain-beaten, heady stuff" and what Barclay later labeled as "conned and gather stuff." Yet speaking during the meeting for worship is the necessary intellectualization of the spiritual condition through the spoken word. Brinton notes that very often the more or better articulated the word the less there is in spiritual content.
Question: How may we attempt an appropriate balance between human reason and the Spirit - both during "kanwa" and during our daily lives?
Discussion Summary: As far as our daily lives, we agreed there is a need to balance our actions with regular reflection. To simply to go "gung-ho" for even the best of reasons for the best of causes can be reckless if we do not honestly and quietly consider what we have done and what we should do next.
4. Consider Whittier's sonnet, "Utterance:"
But what avail inadequate words to reach
The innermost of Truth? Who shall essay
Blinded and weak, to point and lead the way,
Or solve its mystery in familiar speech?
Yet if it be that something not thy own,
Some shadow of the Thought to which our schemes,
Creeds, cult, and ritual are at best but dreams,
Is even to thy unworthiness made known,
That mayest not hide what yet thou shouldst not dare
To utter lightly, lest on lips of thine
The real seem false, the beauty undivine.
So weighing duty in the scale of prayer,
Give what seems given thee. It may prove a seed
Of goodness dropped in fallow grounds of need.Question: Given this sonnet's message and our prior discussion of the above questions, how may we summarize when and how we should speak during unprogrammed worship - and when is it more appropriate to hold our tongue until after worship and perhaps share during announcements or during informal conversations?
Discussion Summary: One of the attendees remarked that at the Seattle Meeting the first 45 minutes are devoted to unprogrammed worship where the traditional, spiritually motivated messages may be shared. During the last 15 minutes, important messages based on religious or social concern are welcomed but are not expected to be spiritually motivated. Perhaps everyone at the study group felt such a practice should be considered for the Tokyo Meeting.
5. At this point of the book we have covered many of the important issues related to Quaker worship. In the Appendix at the back of the book is printed the "The Philadelphia Queries of 1955." Please review the three queries listed in section "I. Meetings for Worship and Business."
Questions: What are Queries and what is their role in Quakerism? How often are they or more relevant Queries reviewed by the Tokyo Monthly Meeting? Are the current Queries regarding Meetings for Worship and Business similar to those listed in the book? How well do we think does the Tokyo Monthly Meeting measure to our current Queries?
Discussion Summary: We reviewed the first set of Queries twice. From that we went into an often heated discussion of the current situation of the Tokyo Monthly Meeting with honest expressions of concern. While certain concerns were very valid we also recognized that those who were critical about the flexibility or openness of the Meeting had not yet seriously attempted to properly propose new directions or activities - rather only judge on anticipated reaction from the membership instead of formally suggesting and properly working a proposal through proper channels for Meeting approval. The response from the formal Meeting members that the Meeting was very open to new ideas but such actions require formal presentation at a Meeting for Business to be adopted by the Tokyo Monthly Meeting.
The group agreed to meet again next month on a yet to be determined Monday evening. Tom Coyner was asked to write these minutes and to suggest a Monday night of common convenience to the study group members.The meeting ended with silence, agreeing that we ask Tom Coyner to again develop study questions for Chapter 6 of the same text. Also, it was suggested that Tom may draft a suggested summary of the study session. If there is time, we will supply the study minutes and questions to the Ministry and Council for guidance.
The next study session will take place from 6:30 pm on a yet to be determined Monday in January following a light meal from 6:00 pm. Tom Coyner is to check with all concerned to determine which Monday. Everyone is welcome to attend. Advanced preparation such as reading the text is most encouraged but is not required.
Added 12th Month 19, 1998
Return to our
Page