“I love knowing that Meeting is alive.”

Like an entwined rope of many fibers rather than a single strand, FMW remains large, diverse, transitory, and a magnet for seekers at all stages of their spiritual journey, which includes individuals in need of an accepting, nurturing community. Some long for more cohesion and a deeper acquaintance with Quaker practice among FMW members and attenders; others find the flow and diversity of new Friends and seekers increases the Meeting’s vitality. Many hope for a more compassionate community where we collectively and as individuals embrace each other with respect, patience, attentive listening and an open appreciation of our differences – recognizing that all are seekers of the Light within.

“Meeting provides a space for focused worship and inspires bringing the Light into all actions. Silent worship helps me know what it feels like to be centered; Meeting keeps me grounded, focused and humble.” “What I learn in Meeting is crucial to [my] ability to work passionately in the world.”

By far, our primary interest in FMW is Quaker worship. Over 96% of our survey respondents see the presence of the Spirit manifest in our Meetings for Worship. Social concerns, direct service, companionship, and personal study and growth are seen as important secondary priorities. Nearly a third of us find the Spirit manifest in our Meetings for Worship with a Concern for Business, committee work or social and learning interactions like Young Adult Friends. While most of us attend the 10:30 a.m. Meetings for Worship, many appreciate the variety of worship opportunities FMW offers, each with its own character and varying amounts of vocal ministry. Many still feel that our community would benefit from a deeper individual understanding of spirit-led vocal ministry and of when and where political messages are appropriate. Over half of our community attends Meeting for Worship at least twice a month but many are unable to attend due to family issues or because they live outside the Washington area. Some feel alienated by messages that seem self-generated rather than Spirit led.

“[FMW] is the center from which I can stand. Learning from other friends, watching as we all struggle and stumble and experiment and reconnect with the Holy Spirit”

During this year many have sensed a trend toward spiritual revitalization, highlighted by the growing engagement of Young Adult Friends and children, volunteer efforts that have refreshed our buildings and gardens, committee activities devoted to welcoming newcomers and healing and reconciliation, and a more inclusive approach to our ongoing enhanced access and renovation project. Many continued to find spiritual inspiration in Friendly 8s, inquirers class, the Shoebox Project, peace and social concern programs, and other learning and service activities. Some, however, still feel less integrated into FMW and hope that FMW will continue to equally nurture families with and without children and individuals, while also much more actively seeking racial diversity. Adequately communicating with and integrating Members and attenders who are at a distance or who feel alienated remains a challenge, as it does for many Quaker Meetings that do not rely on a “clergy” to provide individualized contact and attention. There is a deep concern that FMW depends heavily on a relatively small group of individuals to meet a large, complex set of Meeting and worldly needs. Serious concerns about honoring our fiscal obligations also continue. Many hope that more members and attenders will be moved by the Meeting and the Spirit to shoulder personal responsibility and take up activities that build our spiritual community.

“I experience the FMW as a touchstone and I am encouraged that it endures.””[It] refreshes my spirit; reminds me that I am part of a corporate body seeking the Spirit in how I approach everything I do.”

As we move forward in the next year, the spiritual state of our meeting and our community is strong; however, there are also many who long for more connectivity and inclusiveness. Many feel that the Meeting does not respond meaningfully to their personal needs and hope that it will grow in its ability to supply spiritual nurture to members and attenders. As our survey respondents said, there is wonder and blessing in the spirituality FMW offers us now and there is promise in what it can become as we consider our shared concerns, move forward to meet our Meeting community’s needs, and turn to the Light for spiritual discernment and God’s guidance.

“In countless ways I carry the values and practices of Friends into daily life.” “I have Friends who are friends who support my spiritual journey. That keeps me coming back…It has been a great joy”

“The Meeting makes it too hard for people to come into it. From our peep-holed doors…to our answering machine message…a visitor could have a sense that [it] is only for those in the know.”

“Being a Member of FMW… I think about being a Quaker a lot in my life.” “It grounds me in what is important.” ”For me [it] is like returning to ‘the well’ or an oasis for nourishing.””[It] provides a spiritual space in my life…and for my family.”

“The Meeting’s light has been under a bushel for too long…the losses of the AIDS Coffeehouse, Senior Center, bazaar, and other programs need to be countered with new ways to reach out, engage, and bear witness; at the same time we must ‘in-reach’ to nourish all in our beloved community.”

‘I cannot get through the week happily if I have not been to meeting for worship”.

“Once upon a time it served as the foundation of my life – it helped me raise my kids and gave me a way to see the world in a positive and loving way. The last couple of years I attended, I would leave feeling angry every Sunday.”

“The Meeting provides a strong spiritual anchor in my life. It helps me turn to silence and sustenance, witness and wonder, love and Light.” “I am reminded to see the Light within others, to withhold absolute judgment, to reach out, to live simply, to be a good steward for the environment, to pray and to take time for silent meditation.”

Join us May 16, ll:45 am! Two new illustrated histories Seeking the Sense of the Meeting: A History of Friends Meeting of Washington 1972- 1992 and Anniversary Essays: Celebrating 75 Years at Friends Meeting of Washington will feted.

We enjoyed another memorable Christmas Eve potluck, hymn sing, and Meeting for Worship. We welcomed Kathleen Finn as the new coordinator of a growing First Day School. We also welcomed several babies. Tate was born to Robin Appleberry and Ken Forsberg; twins Asa and Ruby were born to John and Erika Hurvitz; and Nathaniel was born to Margot Greenlee and Todd Harvey. Two members died: Barbara Nnoka was a pillar of many decades and many programs, including our scholarship program for students of DC public high schools. Peter Craig was best known for successfully blocking expressways from dissecting the District of Columbia inside the Beltway. Both are missed.

“The freedom to go where the Spirit seems to be leading gives FMW enormous richness…people seeking a particular kind of spiritual experience are likely to find it or be able to create it.”

Asked to consider their personal relation to the life of the Meeting, Friends expressed deep connection and gratitude for the “succor,” “grounding,” and “strength” they receive from their participation in the life of FMW. Several spoke of it as being a central element in their lives.

“FMW means just about everything to me–it’s my center, really. And the center of that center is worship.”

Friends celebrate our diversity of age, race, sexual orientation, and spiritual beliefs. However, some FMW members and attenders feel that not all views are welcomed. In the past year, some Friends have come into personal conflict about their political choices or about some Christian-oriented messages delivered during Meeting for Worship. For some, these conflicts suggest that not all forms of diversity are equally valued and that the Meeting may not be a safe place to express all of our dimensions.

Also during the past year, FMW and the School for Friends worked together compassionately to find clearness on the future location of the school. After much prayer and discussion, the School decided it would remain spiritually connected to FMW but would physically relocate.

Friends also offered varying perceptions on whether and how worshippers stand together in love and conviction. It is rare for a large proportion of FMW Friends to work together on a single goal or initiative; some feel that in a Meeting our size, this is neither achievable nor necessary. Some feel that regular endeavors such as the annual Shoebox Project and working at local soup kitchens and shelters, special events such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Inauguration Day hospitality, and the memorial service of a homeless attender who was murdered are manifestations of a common Spirit through joint effort. Others feel that such events are not representative or are perhaps too few and far between. Equally important are small acts that are less visible: “the private carings so little known outside small circles are the most precious.”

“We stand together best … when faced with adversity from outside, that of an external war or conflict. We stand together weakly when that adversity erupts from within the Meeting.”

Friends acknowledged the gifts offered by individuals within the Meeting, including weighty Friends who let their lives speak and thus lead by example. Friends also expressed a hope that some aspects of Meeting life might be strengthened, including the nature of its silent worship. Several cited a wish for more Spirit-centered vocal ministry, noting the need for sensitivity in gently encouraging that end while realizing that Spirit-led revelations are not always easily recognized. There are also concerns related to eldering, which suggest the Meeting may want to clarify the ways in which Quakers can share Spirit-led guidance with kindness, respect, and sensitivity. A Healing and Reconciliation Committee has been formed to help address these concerns.

“There are…no messages which are given in Meeting that are devoid of spiritual content if we will only listen. Many are cries of a desperate heart…”

Our historic Meetinghouse also is a source of emotional concern. Deferred maintenance and wheelchair accessibility have been urgent issues for many years and, while significant progress has been made with support from the Property and Planning Committees, the Meeting has not reached unity on final plans – leading, for some, to a “sense of resignation.” While there is agreement about the need for full access and flooding prevention, concerns remain about funding and the extensiveness of renovations. Some Friends view our Meetinghouse as a beautiful spiritual home that deserves special care and attention; others feel that a large financial and/or sentimental investment in property is inappropriate. FMW also continues to struggle with budget shortfalls and some Members are deeply troubled that as a community we seem unable to meet our fiduciary responsibilities.

Many wish to see the Meeting foster greater connection among worshippers, both in shared service endeavors and in informal socializing, and to be more welcoming to newcomers. The Religious Education Committee is working to revive the “Friendly Eights” dinners. Some believe that hospitality needs to be Meeting-wide rather than having responsibility located only within one committee. Recognizing the promise of being a modern, urban, and open Quaker community, FMW is supportive of individual leadings, affirming the possibility that anyone may lead and that the nature of this leadership is fluid as different initiatives come forward.

“I worry about members and attenders who drop out, sometimes unrecognized, because they find they are unable to establish meaningful connections.”

Another common desire is for the collective body to be better grounded in Quaker faith, practice, thought, and history. Suggestions include expanded study groups, worship sharing on particular topics, panel discussions, outside speakers, and a thought-out path guiding people from newcomer to attender to member.

“…there is much enthusiasm about the ideas of Quakerism from new inquirers/ attendees, but …it is difficult for us new folks to gain the necessary information about ‘effective’ ministry and worship practices.”

In response to our concerns about the Meeting, we are working together faithfully. Our committees are seeking clarity on outreach to new attendees, on ways to embrace diversity, on fiscal and facility stewardship, and on actions we can take to further demonstrate our caring for one another, our spiritual community, and the world we live in. We trust the Spirit to lead these efforts and to inform our hearts. In so doing, we draw on the love, tolerance, and patience that have long sustained the Friends Meeting of Washington.

“It takes some effort to turn urban diversity into a spiritually unified gathering, but it does happen occasionally and we should all be grateful when it does – and patient with one another when it doesn’t.”