I am very grateful to those who took part in our Quaker peace vigil. It was inspired by Cecelia Valentine, the newest member of Orange Grove Meeting's Peace and Social Concerns Committee, who called on us to have this demonstration. This vigil wasn’t authorized by Orange Grove Meeting. But I feel that it was authorized by the Holy Spirit who called us to witness for peace during this dark time. What a joy it was to stand together and "be peace!"
Ten people took part: Bill Evans, Estelle Stevens, Steve Rosenbluth, his two
Highlights: Steve Rosenbluth’s daughter holding up a sign
that said, “Cookies, Not War.” Hearing the approving honks of passing cars (at
least 35, by Steve’s count), someone donating $5 to our cause. People smiling
when they saw us and our signs.
Interest was expressed in having a vigil next Sunday from rise
of meeting till 1:00 PM (so it won’t interfere with business meeting). Everyone is welcome to join us. The more, the Friendlier!
Next steps?
· Urge our elected officials to opt for diplomacy and sanctions, not war. FCNL.org
·
Donate
to the UN relief fund for Ukrainian families and children: https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-children-crossfire-ukraine-crisis/
I also encourage you to pray for guidance and take part in
an international Quaker worship service that takes place daily at 9 am. I have
attended a couple of times and it was a deeply spiritual experience, with
between 180 and 450 Friends attending from the USA, UK, Ireland, France,
Germany, Latvia, etc. I give thanks to God for this beloved Quaker community and
for my dear friend Julie Harlow who has been faithful in her support of Friends
House Moscow since the 1980s. Here’s what Julie says about this daily worship:
This daily Meeting for Worship is sponsored by Friends House Moscow, a small Quaker non-profit living out Friends' testimonies in service to the people of Russia, Ukraine and
beyond.
We invite you to join other Friends holding in the Light all the
people affected by the current crisis in Ukraine.
The room opens at 8:45am Pacific time in the US; if you are
familiar with security and other co-hosting functions, consider arriving at
8:45 and volunteering to co-host.
We allow the first 10 minutes for centering in silence and the
last 10 minutes also in silence to let the messages settle in our hearts.
The host will mute everyone at the beginning of
Worship. Sink deeply into the Spirit which is not of this world and
let ministry rise from that spirit to give us guidance and
light. Raise your digital hand if you have ministry to offer and
wait patiently to be asked to unmute yourself to speak. A co-host will also be
scanning for those who must raise a human hand or use chat to request to speak.
We leave a cushion of silence between messages, giving everyone a chance to fully
absorb the message and return to centering in the Spirit.
During Worship use the chat only for contacting the host if you
are having technical difficulties or notice something that does not seem
right. If you are new to Quaker unprogrammed worship and wish
to talk with someone about it, send a message to the host and someone can join
you in a breakout room.
Live transcription will be available for those with hearing
difficulties so please speak slowly and clearly. Some other functions
will be disabled during the meeting in order to discourage disruptions.
After Worship has concluded, you will be invited to a breakout
room where you can introduce yourself to a small number of Friends and share
thoughts that did not rise to the level of ministry.
Peace in our hearts, Peace for all the people,
Julie Harlow
Friends House Moscow board
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4165005614?pwd=NUtieEtqbDBYbjBrcGdMMzBKQ3drQT09
Meeting ID: 416 500 5614
Passcode: 182805
Please keep Myanmar, Mali, Libya, So. Sudan, Columbia, Cambodia, and Guatemala, and any others I have forgotten in your prayers for peace as well as the homeless of all the world in your prayers. Thank you Friends.
ReplyDeleteBr. Clif