Membership: Friends are pleased to note a slow and steady growth in the number of members, especially of young members many with children. The children are such a joy! Yaaaaayyy!!! They are also pleased to note a much stronger growth in the number of attenders bringing new energies to meeting. We had a seekers Meeting that was well attended, so more members are probably in the offing. These positive changes are balanced by the fact that many of our "weighty" Friends have moved away. Some members have died or become unable to attend due to problems relating to aging. This is a concern for all of us.
Meeting for worship: As will be discussed further under "issues and concerns" some Friends note that we, have too many messages too quickly at meeting for worship and attribute this to "growing pains." Others note that our unprogrammed meeting seems to be, growing stronger in the Spirit and that we have a connectedness that is warm and accepting,
First day school: We all welcome the increase in attendance each first day for worship. We have a bigger (also welcome) First Day School which is thriving under its convener's guidance and love and her really well organized Committee.
Financial and logistical: Friends are relieved to see that serious maintenance and improvements needs (public water, new fuel tank, handicapped access) can be met because of our long term capital reserves planned for about five years ago. We also enjoy and use a recently completed Meditation/Memorial Garden. We are saddened by the financial problems among some of our members and wish we could do more to help. These problems contribute to the Meeting's own rocky finances; sometimes we aim too high and fail to meet commitments we feel are important to Meeting and to Friends at large.
Ministry: Some Friends worry that our ministry outreach has been less effective recently. On the other hand, most of us are joyful at the, harmony of acceptance between Universalists and Christ- centered members and between Visionaries and Pragmatists--the, forest and the trees are equally true perspectives.
Peace and service: Some Friends miss having a Project such as the Sanctuary project we had a few years ago to unite the meeting in social action. Others note a decline in activism. Although our Program committee has been active in presenting opportunities, there bas been little follow-up by members.
What Issues and/or Concerns Are Uppermost?
Meting for worship: Some Friends are very concerned about the vocal ministry in Meeting for Worship. They are distressed by the feeling that many of our meetings seem to be "pop-up meetings." After an opening period of silence, there is not enough expectant silence in Meeting for Worship Some Friends do not even wait before speaking out using the first message as if it were a theme-for-the-week. Sometimes, messages have become discussions, each speaker responding to the former Friend. These Friends acknowledge, that the content of the messages is usually very good, even excellent, but are troubled that the "Spirit is missing" and so they fail to reach out. It seems to them that some Friends think giving a message is part of coming to meeting instead of an 'unusual' statement coming out of true inspiration. They would like Meeting to consider various solutions ranging from: 1. Going back to the old pattern that where two or three messages were a lot; 2. Accepting and enjoying the current situation with understanding that the Friends attending meeting today have needs to discuss their sincere concerns and that they perceive the vocal ministry as an appropriate forum, 3. poling the Meeting to find out if there is a desire to learn the traditional method of vocal ministry and if so schedule time for presenting information and education with the idea of changing the present pattern; and 4. Letting Meeting move in its own mystical way. Some Friends think eldering may be required, but are concerned about keeping it constructive and avoiding offense.
Others disagree and value the depth of ministry and community, especially that brought by new attenders. In these Friends' view, we have, as individuals, a long way to go in being patient, tolerant and accepting of each other's ways, As a Meeting, we should give much individual attention to understanding Point of View and Otherness. Not only if we find difficulty in getting along with someone (or something) contrary to our personal sense of things, but especially.
A second concern of some Friends is that although we must realize that the care of the meeting house an the political and social activities are of some importance, the spiritual life of the Meeting is of much greater concern. These Friends fear that too many of us come to Meeting for other than the communication with God and more for simple contact with each other, which is also important, but we must remember the primary reason for "Meeting for Worship."
Ministry and Counsel: Wilton needs to do more to address faith issues of New York Yearly Meeting and to be more connected to the Quarterly and Yearly Meeting concerns in general.
Membership: We are concerned at having lost (moving away) four very active members and their presence is missed. We hope others will come forward to fill the roles and leadership positions they have vacated. On the other hand we need to make allowances for those who need space to disengage from Quaker activities from time to time! Still, some Friends are concerned at what they perceive as too few people active in committees. It is sometimes difficult for nominating committee to find seasoned members willing, to serve on committees. Also the first day school committee needs support from the older, longer term members.
Financial and logistical: Fully meeting our obligation to NYYM 's assessment is always a struggle in what appears to be a lean year when our contributions are below last year's. The budget is still a difficult process to work out each year though our general guidelines seem to be working pretty well. Friends do feel gratitude for support of meeting in all forms--money, time, ability, etc. Friends in straightened circumstances still contribute through their work and involvement in the Meeting, for which we are immensely grateful. Even so, we need to spread the work load to a wider base. We also hope our members remember that Powell House continues to need our support.
Future challenges: Several members and attenders have expressed interest in same-sex weddings and homosexual concerns like AIDS. This may require attention to more tolerance of differences and of the "Rainbow Coalition." We also feel a need for much greater ethnic, social and socio-economic diversity in our lives, in out relationships and probably (consequently) in our Meeting...
Peace and service: Friends perceive a need for more unified social action--perhaps ministering to Bridgeport children? (Cities need our help.) Community Building project would be good follow-up to our retreat last summer. Some of us are engaged in outreach to a soup kitchen in Westport and in Family Christmas for Needy in Wilton. We hope this will continue. As a corollary , we need to be more involved in issues outside this meeting. Some of us feel we are too complacent.