Memphis Friends Meeting

Memphis Friends began the process of writing this report by reflecting on how we have expressed our five testimonies during the past year.  Many Friends participated in this exercise and we felt the Spirit moving amongst us. Friends were very happy with how fluid the meeting has become and how well we work and play together.  There are a number of small groups within the larger meeting now, all of them open and welcoming. There’s a Sunday night Quaker reading discussion group; M&N and other standing committees; candlelight worship once a month; and young adult Friends are talking about forming a group of their own.  Outside of meeting there is a group that studies Tai Chi and others who go to contra dances together.

We feel that we have become much more mindful of each other’s gifts and are learning how to encourage each other to follow the Light within, stoking the flames of creativity in each of us. We are learning the dance of Quaker meeting, moving more easily and fluidly from leadership roles to being good followers and then back again – “till by turning and turning, we come round right.” We are becoming more aware of how simplicity of Spirit allows us to let go of ego and come to unity through speaking our minds and trusting to the discernment of the meeting. Being able to turn over whatever we feel strongly about to Quaker process always leads us to a better place.