On Bended Knee

By Jan Wood I love the depictions of the nativity scene throughout the centuries. I can sit with a painting and be drawn into the emotions of that first revelation that God was doing something special. I feel my body bending near and am aware that the posture of...

Rhythms of Silence in Group Discernment

One of the gifts of Quakers to the wider Christian community is the understanding that God is present and active in the midst of human affairs. In simple terms God, who loves us, delights to partner with each of us in all facets of our lives. This is not a static...

Overcome Evil Jesus’ Way

by Jan Wood God loves–and yearns for restoration–for our broken world.  But God is a realist.  God is not caught by surprise when people, relationships, cultures and nations turn their backs on their Divine Purpose and become misshapen.  They become a sad...

Introducing Inner Light Soap

Two years ago, Christine Hall’s anchor committee was mulling over how to raise the additional necessary funds for the Way of the Spirit program. As is the Quaker custom, the group went into silence to Listen to how Spirit might lead.  Suddenly, Jim...

Ministry as Answering

by Jan Wood In the community of faith of my childhood, it was very clear that once a person committed his/her life to Christ she needed to be about the business of ministry.  And since I made the decision to follow Jesus at the age of four, I’ve had a lot of...