SUMMER 2011 PYM Philadelphia Yearly Meeting A Journal of Our Quaker Faith and Practice of the Religious Society of To d a y Friends Quaker Leadership Annual Sessions: Powerful Beyond Measure, Trusting the Call to Leadership VITAL AND GROWING PYM TODAY • SUMMER 2011 Quakers and Leadership of leadership which I find appealing: A leader takes risks, sticks her neck Arthur M. Larrabee General Secretary “Leadership is taking initiative in rela- out and is willing to be vulnerable in tionship.” This fits well with my own service to the group. A leader is willing notion of Quaker leadership. All leader- to risk rejection. If her ideas are not odern day Quakers sometimes ship, secular and Quaker, involves tak- accepted, she will release them in favor M seem to have an uneasy relation- ing initiative. The thing that’s different of new insights, new ideas and new pro- ship with leadership. We snicker when about Quaker leadership, however, is posals. it is suggested that the quality of being “in relationship;” A Quaker leader is spiritually ground- Quaker leadership is an relationship not only with the commu- ed, has a spiritual awareness and is open oxymoron. I think I nity but also with the Spirit. Quaker to spiritual guidance. We expect that understand some of leadership is not mostly about the there will be a spiritual component to this. Believing that leader, rather it is mostly about being Quaker leadership. there is that of God in in a relationship of service to the A Quaker leader is willing to test her everyone, Quakers community. ideas with the community. We expect honor the spiritual Quakerism is not just about the indi- that the community will have insight authority available to each of us, and vidual. We sometimes forget that Quak- and that the community’s input is an we harbor a fear, sometimes conscious erism is also about the community and important aspect of arriving at a right and sometimes unconscious, that a Quaker communities have need of outcome. “leader” might somehow diminish the leaders to function well and to realize Finally, a Quaker leader finds her spiritual authority we treasure. their potential. primary satisfaction in the success of the Is it possible, however, that we are Here’s what I think are six qualities community, and not in her won person- leery of leadership because we have in of a Quaker leader. The first three are al success. mind a secular model and not a Quak- applicable to any organization, the I believe the question for Quakers is er one? My impression of secular lead- second three are more uniquely Quaker. not whether we need leadership, but ership is that it is mostly about the A leader thinks globally; that is, whether we are using a model of leader- leader, someone who wants something thinks comprehensively about the ship that serves us well. I believe that the to happen, and someone who then whole, whether the whole is a meeting, a Quaker model of leadership, sketched advocates for it until he or she prevails. committee, a board, or an organization. above, does this. I have in mind a different concept of A leader shares her perceptions, leadership, one which I call a Quaker ideas and experience; she is proactive, model. taking initiative in sharing what she has In March, at the William Penn Lec- learned and she invites others to under- Arthur is a member of Central Philadelphia ture, George Lakey shared a definition stand and to share in her thinking. Monthly Meeting. Contents SUMMER 2011 2 Vital and Growing • “A Remarkable Speaker!” • From Shadows Into Light • Quakers and Leadership • Leadership and Power 24 Caring for Our Community 3 Quaker Leadership 13 Annual Sessions • Cultivating Relationship • Reflections on Leadership • Powerful Beyond Measure 25 Witnessing Our Faith • Youth Meeting in Western Quarter • Finding a Way Forward, Together • Change our World, Educate a Girl • Big Heart, Tough Skin • Sessions Workshop Descriptions • Developing Quaker Leadership • Developing Leadership in a • One Book, One Yearly Meeting Through Nonviolent Direct Action Monthly Meeting 28 Quakerism Then and Now • Young Adult Friends Leadership 21 Spiritual Growth and Renewal • Quakerism Then and Now— Institute • Being Led and Leading Revisited • Leadership Through Education • The Power of Silence 30 Friendly Advertising • Friends’ Persistence in Fair Hill, • Mindfulness Meditation Skills North Philadelphia for Friends 32 Upcoming Events 2 PYM TODAY • SUMMER 2011 QUAKER LEADERSHIP Reflections on Leadership: My Experiences with Western Quarter Youth It was decided: this group, Youth Youth Meeting in Greta Rech Meeting, would meet every other First Western Quarter Western Quarter Youth Day evening and that its paradigm Activities Facilitator would be one of a youth-led organiza- tion. And this has come to be! Mikala Moorech ver hot coffee on a cold December I have watched (and facilitated) this London Grove Monthly Meeting Oday I listened, jotted notes, shared group, which started out as a core of my thoughts as a Friend shared with eight youth and has grown into a core Every other Sunday night at London me his concerns, thoughts and ideas group of 12. They have wrestled with Grove Monthly Meeting I attend Mid- regarding the fluctuation in participa- how long to meet, how often would dle/High School Youth Meeting of tion of middle and high school youth they be “off-meeting grounds” for fun, Western Quarter. Along with myself in the life of the meeting community. how often would they do business, how there are two adult clerks and approxi- With great ease we mately ten youth who attend. Unlike planned for an evening traditional youth groups this group is gathering in late January. Thoughts on Leadership led by the youth and simply facilitated What evolved for this eadership is a God-given ability, and no better or by the adults. The group is open to gathering was a structure Lworse than say, a good singing voice or an ability Quaker youth and their friends who are that authentically held up with numbers. Like all of God’s gifts, leadership must interested. the youth in our commu- be identified by others, then nurtured and developed This group has given the youth, nity while respecting the in the individual by the community. We used to have including myself, the opportunity to needs and honest limits Friends who were charged with doing this. They were take on leadership positions. Everyone of a busy world. called Elders and they had a distinct and authorita- has the ability to give their opinions, On January 30, 2011, tive position in our monthly meetings. Now, they are introduce new ideas, and generate youth and their parents/ rarely acknowledged in my Yearly Meeting, and if creativity. One young Friend has adult presence met at they are, they have no real authority. We have be- opened up the possibility of a variety of London Grove Meeting- come a school with no teachers, a team with no service projects. Others have come up house for a communal coaches, a family with no parents. Restore our Elders with ideas for activities and still others pizza dinner. This gave all bring to it the gift of fun and laughter. and we will raise new leaders. present time to engage in As Co-Clerk, assuming many re- informal getting-to-know Benjamin Lloyd sponsibilities has made me develop as a you while filling our Haverford Monthly Meeting leader but I enjoy leading something I stomachs. After dinner Clerk of Worship and Care enjoy. I did not realize how Quaker and a brief introduction Standing Committee meeting for worship for business was of all present, the agenda run until now. Something that I have was established and the found to be both difficult and a blessing group split in two. One group was for would they choose clerks, should they is when everyone has a voice and ev- the adults and was facilitated by Rick have co-clerks, what kind of service eryone wants to be heard at the same Draper of London Grove MM and the projects might they do, and is it too time. Keeping order and still having other group was for the youth and was soon to plan a camping trip to Virginia. everyone feel heard and appreciated is facilitated by me. This was done inten- It is with great maturity and a great a challenge. tionally so that each group could dis- deal of laughter that they have found This is a wonderful group and al- cuss their joys, concerns, hopes, fears, their way. The challenging one another though we’ve only been established for and coolest ideas without feeling inhib- to see a “simple decision” from its two months, we’ve already accom- ited by perceived expectations. The two multi-faceted and farther-reaching con- plished so much, including building groups came back together at the end sequences. They provide indirect clear- community, defining our community, of the evening to share what transpired having worship and having fun. and to figure out “What is next?” continued on page 4 3 QUAKER LEADERSHIP PYM TODAY • SUMMER 2011 Reflections continued from page 3 ness for leadings and gifts. They uphold and unwavering trust in the strength, of youth energy ensures that the com- leadership while accepting the human- joy, intelligence, creativity and leader- munity that is built by these youth ity of making mistakes. They gently ship of anyone at any age is known to includes the fun that is ever so neces- coax humility from one another during be a Truth by the adult facilitators and sary! Last, by placing the leadership of business meeting or while making the youth themselves.