December1 , 1985 FRIENDS ~~~~~t and ou RNAL T~~~y AMONG FRIENDS FRIENDS Friendly Rhythms JOURNAL wo of the major articles in this issue discuss the sub­ December 1, 1985 Vol.30, No.18 ject of Friends and music. I suspect that my Friends T meeting, like many other unprogrammed meetings, is Contents rather typical in the way it relates to music. Music plays no formal part in our meeting for worship. There is no piano in the room and we don't sing hymns together as part of our Cover photo by Peter Stettenheim. scheduled period of worship. Occasionally, out of the silence of worship, a Friend will feel moved to share something in Among Friends: Friendly Rhythms song, and I sense that there is general approval for this. Vinton Deming .............. ..... .... 2 At other times, however, my meeting does enjoy music in Worship Sharing Renee C. Crauder ......... 3 Music and the Society of Friends more planned ways. Children in First-day school often sing Susan F. Conger . .... .................. 4 together. At special times, too, such as Christmas, we push Harmony, Community, and Listening: a piano into the meeting room after the rise of meeting, hymn­ Friends Testimonies and Music books are distributed, and Friends sing out together in good Thomas F. Taylor ... ............. ........ 8 fashion. I wish we could find more opportunities to do this. John Woolman and Animals Music can often bring people together in very unexpected Joan Gilbert .................. ........ 11 ways. Once this past year, for instance, I had gone for an Coming of Age in Mount Holly, afternoon walk with my two-year-old son, Simeon, and we New Jersey, 1741 (a poem) stopped at a small playground in a local park. On any pleas­ Terry S. Wallace ........................ 12 ant afternoon there, one will meet a good assemblage of Winston Lucy Aron ...................... 13 young children, friendly dogs, and watchful parents, and on A Quick but Heartfelt View of Nicaragua this day we were not disappointed. Simeon became friends Ruth Dreamdigger ................. ... 15 instantly with a small boy who enjoyed pouring stones and dirt down the sliding board and sliding down backwards. Reports ........... 18 Films .. ........ 23 After a time I saw four young adults settle on a bench and World of Friends .... 19 Calendar .......... 24 begin to play an assortment of rhythm instruments: a tall Forum ............ 20 Classified ...... 24 drum, some small bongos, a tamborine, maracas, and some Books ............. 21 Meetings ..... ..... 27 other things I can't name. Some of the parents began to look nervous. One mother gathered her small charges and left. FJUENDs JouRNAl. (ISSN 0016-1322) was established in l9SS as the sucx:essor to The Friend Others looked tense and tried to ignore the drummers. But ~n"'ri~:J~! ~s ~~!f:rei~f~l~ ~~~~~~t ~.~ted with the Religious Society this was hard to do. What had started as soft rhythmic drum­ STAFF ming had grown in intensity, with chants and vocal sounds Vinton Deming, Editor·Manag~r Joyce Marie Martin, Gene Miyalc:awa, Eve Homan, Assistant Editor Ruth Laughlin, and Richard Mulltt, Barbara lknton and John Davis Gummere, Typography being added. Design Jeanne G. Beisel, S«retarial Servi~ Then to my astonishment Simeon walked directly up to the Carolyn Terrell, Ad~rtising/Circulationl James Neveil, Bookkeeper Promotion Renee C. Crauder, Editorial Assistant musicians. He stood no more than a few feet from them and Volunteers: Jane Burgess (Index); Emily Conlon (Editorial Assistance); Mary Erkes and seemed transfixed by their rhythms and sounds. After what Marguerite L. Horlander (Office Assistance). BOARD OF MANAGERS: 1983-/ 986: Kirk L. Bjornsgaard, Dean Bratis, Helen Morgan seemed like a long time-probably only a minute-he picked Brooks, Sol A. Jacobson, Leonard Kenworthy, Rowland K. Leonard, Mary Mangelsdorf, Lioell McCurry (Clerk). 1984-1987: Frank Bjornsgaard , Judith Brown, Emily Conlon up a maraca from the bench and began to shake it. (Assistant Clerk), Peter Fingesten, Mary Howarth, Marcia Paullin, Wiltiaro D. Strong (Trmsunr), Thomas Swain, Allen Terrell, Mary Wood. 198$-1988: John Breuted, Carol I was embarrassed by his boldness ("You didn't ask per­ H. Brown (li«retOIJ'), Teresa J. Engeman, Norma P. Jacob, Herbert L. Nichols, Elizabeth B. Wauon. mission . you might break it . "). Before I could say HONORARY MANAGERS: Eleanor Stabler Clarke, Mildred Bi nns Young. anything, however, one of the musicians-a rough looking, FORMER EDITORS: Olcutt Sanders, Susan Conon-Finnerty, Ruth Geibel Kilpack, James D. Lenhart, Alfred Stefferud, Frances Williams Browin, William Hubhen. sober-faced man with a large Afro hairstyle-bent over to •FPJENDS JOU&NAJ. is published the first and fifteenth of each month (exoept January, Simeon and welcomed him to the group. The others clearly June, July, August, a nd September, when it is published monthly) by Friends Publishing Corporation, 1 ~ 1 Cherry St., Pbiladdphia, PA 19102. Telephone (21S) 241·12TI. Second· enjoyed his participation as well. Several of the parents looked class postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa. • Subscription: United States and "possessions": one year Sl.S, two years $29, three at me and smiled. There was some scattered applause when years $43. Add S6 per year for postage outside U.S. Foreian remittances should be in U.S. dollars or adjusted for currency differential. Sinal< copies: Sl; samples sent on request. the number ended. • Information on and assistance with advertising is available on request. Appearance of any advertisement does not imply endorsement by FamNDS JoU&NAJ.. Later, as we walked home, Simeon sang softly to himself Copyright © 191S by Friends Publishing Corporation. Reprints of articles available at nominal cost. Permission should be received before reprinting exoerpts longer than 200 and tapped a stick on the sidewalk. words. Available in microfilm from University Microfilms International. P-: oted .....,_.-_to Fm:Nos IOORNAL, 1501 Clleny St. , ~. PA 19102. V;,.,;-. 11~ 2 December}, 1985 FRIENDS JOURNAL WORSH P SHAR NG A Way to Deepen Communion With Friends and With God fourth Monday of the month. A theme, did") or tries to make us feel sorry for by Renee C. Crauder topic, or guiding idea is chosen at the her ("Look at the trouble I have")­ end of the previous meeting, preferably that's manipulation. Or someone replies hen I recently asked several one that will continue, elaborate, or to a sharing with advice or admonition. Friends what they mean by deepen the experience of that meeting. A gentle, loving reminder by the Wworship sharing, these were A Friend (often the one who suggested facilitator will usually get the meeting some replies: the topic!) is asked to facilitate. During back on track. Sometimes God's spirit "Isn't that another word for meeting the month, she examines her own experi­ is so strongly present that we speak lit­ for worship?•" ence and perhaps brings along some tle and become a meeting for worship. "Yes, I've heard of worship sharing; notes. Recent topics have included an­ The facilitator then gently encourages us but what exactly is it?" ger, simplicity, dealing with hurt, most to speak to the topic. "That's where you talk about how important in my life now is . , and Some fruits of the worship-sharing ex­ you felt as a four-year-old." love. perience are greater acceptance of each "Ah yes. A discussion with a lot of We begin at a quarter to eight. As other; a deeper sharing on other levels­ silence between speakers." there are almost always newcomers, we especially during the social hour after­ " Part worship and part sharing?" introduce ourselves, and the facilitator wards; a gratefulness for each other; a explains the worship-sharing format. more intuitive understanding of the Isn't worship sharing part worship We begin with silence as in meeting for needs of others and a willingness to be and part sharing? Yes, and more. But worship and center ourselves. As we used to speak to those needs, especially first, what's the difference between become aware of God's presence, the in meeting for worship. meeting for worship, a discussion, and facilitator introduces the topic out of her For Friends, worship sharing can be worship sharing? In meeting for wor­ own prayer and experience. The living preparation for meeting for worship, a ship, we settle down and center our­ silence deepens; the topic sinks from our sensitizing of our intuitive processes selves to listen to God's voice in us and heads to our hearts. After what often enabling us to understand better God's in others. Sometimes that voice nudges seems like a very long time (during action in us and in others by our accep­ us to share insights with the meeting. We which the facilitator may wonder if she tance and love of each other. wait for a leading and for an opening; has the right topic) the deep silence is As a way of growing closer to each that is, we wait for a message, and we broken. One of us shares thoughts, feel­ other in a group, worship sharing has wait for the right timing to speak that ings, experiences relating to the topic. been tried and honed by various Friends message. In a discussion, we exchange The silence resumes. Another person groups in the last 20 or 30 years. In her ideas, suggestions, challenges within the shares, and another, and another. Not essay ' 'Encounter Through Worship group in order to air or solve a problem. everyone shares at each meeting, Sharing,'' written after the 1967 Friends We try hard to get our viewpoint ac­ although we are free to do so. Unlike World Committee for Consultation cepted. Worship sharing, on the other meeting for worship, here we are en­ triennial conference, Margaret S.