Others mentioned the "pronounced lack of dogma and the presence of acting on what we believe." While many of us feel drawn to the Universalist side of Quakerism, others respond more to the Christian roots of our religion; but most of us seem to find it possible to welcome each other's point of view in the life of the Meeting. We appreciate the sense that we are all in a state of "perpetual seeking and openness to God in ourselves and in others" and that we must try to "find without being told."
In addition to acceptance, an extremely important aspect of our Meeting is its spiritual life. The Meeting for Worship is the very essence of our life together. Our "expectant, communal silence" and the Peace it generates within us draw many of our members and attenders who appreciate "a quiet spot in a hectic world that fortifies us to go out and work for good in our world."
It must be said that we do not feel entirely comfortable with the results of our efforts. While we feel that the Meeting is characterized by its "constant search for ways to spread godliness in the world," we also feel that "we should never be satisfied with how much we have done, but look for how much is left to do."
Thus, when we think of significant minutes in recent years, many recalled our decision to become a Sanctuary meeting, but some noted a more recent minute asking the Clerk to query the members about their participation in the life of the Meeting and its work. Some of us were troubled to note that our minutes in recent years seem to be focused on the Meeting's inner workings and to gloss over its interactions with the world at large.
While this may be true of our minutes, most of us would add that it is not generally true of our members who are involved in numerous peace and service activities. We have members who are intensely involved in Friends in Unity with Nature, in the Alternatives to Violence Project, in Amnesty International, in the Sister Cities project, in assistance to the homeless, and in witnessing for peace. Of course, in the spirit of an earlier statement, we each feel the need to query ourselves as to how much is left for us to do.
One minute is significant in that it reflects the feeling of acceptance noted earlier. This minute asks us to consider why our Meeting prohibits service on Ministry and Counsel by attenders who are not officially enrolled as members of the Meeting. Some of us feel that official enrollment is not the best definition of a Quaker and that some
of our Society's best resources Ä people who are willing to take on the responsibilities of our Meeting, to work on committees, to support each other spiritually and emotionally, etc. Ä are not officially enrolled as members. Some of us feel that these people are members in spirit if not on paper and that Quakers should not have a written prohibition against using these resources when they are offered to us.
When it comes to accepting new members in the Meeting, one Friend wrote: "Criteria? You shouldn't have to TRY to use criteria to recognize membership. You'll just know." If criteria had to be set forth, some of us would probably feel comfortable with saying that a member is someone who is "actively seeking," who has "lot of questions, not many answers," who is full of "love, tolerance, and understanding." Others would add that a member should have a "serious interest in Quaker backgrounds and testimonies and a knowledge and general acceptance of Faith and Practice."
In summary, we could say that this is a Meeting in which the spirit is sought in everyone and everyone is welcomed and in which the Meetings for Worship and with a Concern for Business are spiritually uplifting and productive. But it is also a Meeting with a feeling that we are never completely finished, that much still needs to be done and that our ongoing queries are more important than any momentary answer we may give them.