tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571146151683416940.post6530880720779781791..comments2024-03-16T10:05:23.129-07:00Comments on LA Quaker: Pacific Yearly Meeting is on the endangered species list. Can it be saved?LA Quakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11084465501021443492noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571146151683416940.post-28699500400744546252019-08-24T17:17:08.559-07:002019-08-24T17:17:08.559-07:00Eric, you are correct that I enjoy PYM Friends and...Eric, you are correct that I enjoy PYM Friends and that's why I have gone consistently for 30 years. If I didn't love Friends, and believe that Quakerism has a message that the world needs to hear, I wouldn't be so deeply disappointed. The overall membership of YM has remained flat for a number of years, but the attendance at YM has dropped by half. That suggests to me that there is something amisss with YM. I suspect it has something to do with location, as I mention in my blog. It's a huge hassle to get to Walker Creek, and a waste of fossil fuel. We'd be wise to choose a location midway between northern and southern California, like Mt Madonna. Many Friends didn't like Mt Madonna because of the vegan food, but a vegan diet is what we need to help save this planet. Surely, if we care about our planet, we can forgo meat and dairy for four days. But that is apparently too great a sacrifice for some Friends. I like your question: What can be do to save PYM? I've provided some of my answers. We need to be socially relevant and speak to the times we live in. We need more activism, less quietism. What is your sense of how we can save Quakers from dying out? LA Quakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11084465501021443492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571146151683416940.post-47184721842757369262019-08-22T22:03:39.545-07:002019-08-22T22:03:39.545-07:00Anthony:
Your disappointment in our Yearly Mee...Anthony:<br /> Your disappointment in our Yearly Meeting is clear, and expressed in the title “Pacific Yearly Meeting is on the endangered species list”, but from the content it is clear you have mixed feelings. In the photos you look happy to be there at Annual Session – not so?<br /> “Are there deeper reasons for the decline of our YM membership?” I can think of two that you don’t credit in your message: <br />(1) the prevalence of “spiritual but not religious” – known as “nones” – which results in declining membership in all the organized Christian churches (including evangelical, of late). Why should Quakers be immune?<br />(2) the conscious decision by some Friends not to travel to gatherings as an expression of their environmental concern. Can’t argue against acting on one’s principles.<br /> “Can it be saved?” would be a poorly formed query for worship-sharing, since a “yes, no, or maybe” answer leads to no solutions. Better is: “What can I do to save it?”<br />-Eric<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08173672811590132359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571146151683416940.post-6263582449029137622019-08-19T12:35:21.500-07:002019-08-19T12:35:21.500-07:00I have a feeling this is the case for ALL Yearly M...I have a feeling this is the case for ALL Yearly Meetings of unprogrammed friends. I don't think it is just only Quietism, that is causing a breakdown, I believe its also a cultural shift informed by race and age. I have seen some religious groups make intentional,practical changes to accept a change of a more youthful and inclusive culture. It's what has to happen.It could be that Yearly Meetings are slow on the uptick. Think about how long (100 years) it took American Quakers to denounce slavery after receiving eldering from German Quakers.<br />After meeting some Young Adult friends and teens at PYM, I have hope that we can thrive if we make room (like, clear the room for) a new way. JRFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06792428002943419276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571146151683416940.post-52823266835945360692019-08-18T13:13:24.722-07:002019-08-18T13:13:24.722-07:00I'm with you Anthony.I'm with you Anthony.<br />Nichoe Lichenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00499201965426076456noreply@blogger.com