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Companions Along the Way -- Workshops Part 1 -- Teaching And Companions Along the Way Spiritual Formation Within the Quaker Tradition A Resource for Adult Religious Education Edited by Florence Ruth Kline with Marty Grundy Workshops Part I: Teaching and OrganizingAdult Religious Education Programs in the Monthly Meeting Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends Fifteenth and Cherry Streets Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102-1479 The publication of this book was made possible by grants from the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Publications Granting Group, the Shoemaker Fund, and Friends General Conference. We want to express our appreciation to Patricia Loring for permission to reprint excerpts from her book, Listening Spirituality, vol. 1, Personal Spiritual Practices Among Friends, to the Family Relations Concerns Group of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for permission to reprint its Pastoral Care Newsletter and to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for permission to reprint excerpts from The Journal o f George Fox. Please contact the following for permission to order or reprint their material: PYM Family Relations Concerns Group for its Pastoral Care Newsletter Renee-Noelle Felice for her workshop (copyright Renee-Noelle Felice) All the other material in this publication may be reprinted without permission. We ask that you acknowledge the authors and not charge for the material. A cataloging-in-publication record is available from the Library of Congress. Copyright © 2000 by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Alison Anderson, Copy Editor Bruce McNeel, Layout and Cover Design Loma Kent, Cover Illustration J-A \ s Friends our way is to companion one another humbly, joyfully, and gratefully. We lived fully into this at the Companions Along the Way con­ ference; seasoned Friends felt privileged to be given the opportunity to pass on what they knew and those who received their teachings did so in the same spirit. There was the sense that we are making our spiritual journeys together and that ultimately we will all arrive at the same place. This kind of companioning hap­ pens when we, in turn, are companioned by God. The more that we are present to this Divine Companion, the more we are present to one another. It is in this spirit that this book is dedicated. Dedicated to those Friends who teach Quakerism by the conduct of their lives Part I: Teaching and Organizing Adult Religious Education Programs in the Monthly Meeting Allen Oliver This workshop by Allen Oliver is a “pep talk” for small meetings. He speaks to those underlying attitudes and assumptions (“‘flaws and fears”) that can lead to defeat in planning an adult religious education program if they are not addressed and understood. An example of such an attitude is “We are just too small to do anything worthwhile. ” A section on the demographics of the liberal meeting provides valuable insights for developing and sustaining your adult religious education program and is applicable to the larger meeting as well. Sections on faith development and spiritual preparation for the teacher further enrich this workshop. Allen Oliver is a member of Louisville Monthly Meeting, where he is active on Ministry and Oversight. He is the Clerk of East Hill Worship Group, Presiding Clerk of Miami Quarterly Meeting and on the Executive Committee of Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. Allen is currently a member of the American Friends Service Committee Board of Directors, the FGC Central Committee, and the FCNL General Board and has served Friends General Conference as Nurture Coordinator. A psychotherapist in private practice, Allen lives with his partner, Cynthia Welch, on the bluffs of the Ohio River. He has two daughters, one son-in-law, and two grand­ children, all of whom he loves very much. Allen Oliver can be contacted at 270-422-3047 and [email protected]. It isn’t easy to be a Quaker. There's so much to learn The lives of many are enhanced as a result. about how to do things, and there are usually so few of This article does not offer specific lessons or us in any one place. We seldom know the comfort o f all- even a curriculum of study. Rather, it offers some around community support, and we seldom feel we guidance on how to approach the development of a have done all we could. Yet again and again, we stub­ custom curriculum and tailored lessons. It is a primer bornly choose to devote time and energy to our small on planning. This direction was chosen for several minority, our fragile little meetings and worship reasons: the great diversity among Friends, the inde­ groups. (Marty Walton, The Blessed Community) pendent nature of most Quakers, the variety of needs in the different meetings, and a basic article of faith - Quakers think for themselves. JB "®:v : 8*®. Designing and implementing a religious education Flaws I program for the small meeting is perhaps the most dif­ ficult task in modern Quakerism. Teaching in the Because the task is so difficult, meetings sometimes do small meeting is a complicated matter. It calls for not undertake to have a religious education program. much clarity and wisdom, coupled with an under­ Smallness is discouraging. What could be seen as inti­ standing of the essentials of the Quaker approach to a mate is considered inferior, and planning is sacrificed. life of faith and the particular needs of the meeting Educationally, this is suicidal behavior. Planning is at members, most of whom have little or no knowledge the heart of any educational program. This is true of of Quaker ways. Rarely are there adequate resources the small meeting as well as for the larger one. When available. Often the task falls to people who are them­ the meeting is small there is a dynamic that occurs that selves just learning the intricacies of Quakerism. Too discourages planning. Somehow the stakes seem frequendy there is little unanimity on just what to small when there are fewer people involved. Instead, study. It is a wonder that anyone makes the effort, just the opposite is true. The stakes are very high much less succeeds at it. However, every week, across when the meeting is small. Without proper planning the country, superb lessons are designed and taught. the effort will die. In a larger meeting, a poorly 37 planned educational program can be rescued by 4. We will go wherever the conversation takes us. another member who will undertake the necessary This approach will likely lead away from any system­ planning. In a small meeting, all the members are atic investigation of serious topics and toward offhand already involved. There is no one left to effect a res­ talk of little consequence. Under such direction, peo­ cue. The impression will be that education is not ple generally talk impulsively about whatever is on top needed and will be surrendered in favor of some other of their mind. While this may lead to great spiritual activity. insight, it is not likely. Such conversation usually leads There are at least five fatal flaws that will under­ to chatter. It takes a teacher of great spiritual discern­ mine the educational effort in a small meeting. A brief ment to find the spiritual kernel in such dross. consideration of each of these is in order. 5. I f we don’t like to study, we’ll just quit. 1. We don’t need an educational plan because we are small. When these approaches are chosen, people do not Religious teaching requires wisdom, thoughtfulness, find the “study” engaging. The study hour becomes a and consideration. The teacher must be able to artic­ “coffee klatch,” and after a while they do quit. It takes ulate clearly the facts, their meanings, and their rela­ a study in depth, stimulated by planning and prepara­ tionships. These must be connected to the lives of the tion, to keep the learners pressing forward toward learners and to the world at large. The spiritual impli­ spiritual growth. This can be accomplished by anyone cations must be plainly laid out. Such can only be done who is willing to undertake the necessary planning after prayerful planning, regardless whether the class and preparation. is large or small. U r ' : 2. We don’t need any materials; we’ll just talk. Fears , Most often, casual talk is simply drawn from one’s stock of general knowledge and consists of generaliza­ New teachers are often frantic. This is true of those tions, superficial understandings, old knowledge, and who teach in both the large and the small meeting. fixed opinions. It rarely advances understanding, and However, in the small meeting they are often without may simply be the sharing of ignorance. The choice of support. In the larger meeting, a novice can go to an materials, their reading, and the attempts to explicate experienced teacher for help. In the small meeting, the them often stimulate both the mind and the spirit. teacher is usually alone. Fears emerge. There are five Engaging the thoughtful reflections of a knowledge­ that are common. able author is far superior to chitchat. The FGC 1 .1 can’t teach; I don’t know enough. bookstore has a full catalogue of useful resources and directions as to how best to use them. Learning is the essence of teaching. Therefore, the good teacher is first a good student. Knowing in 3. We don’t need to prepare; we’ll ju st read together. advance is not nearly as important as a willingness to Such an approach is deadly tedious and does not lend learn. By taking up the role of the student, the teacher itself to the thoughtful engagement of the topic or the learns the tasks and the reactions of the student. This selected materials. Under such an approach, most knowledge is as important as that of the material to be people do not read in advance and do not consider the taught.
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