2007 Interest Group proposal for Gathering

As mentioned in a previous post, Robin M and I have submitted a proposal for an interest group to be held at FGC's 2007 Gathering in western Wisconsin. The proposal reads this way:

On Fire! From Small Nudges to Faithful Obedience

Faithfulness and obedience in small things is what makes obedience and faithfulness in the big things possible. Phrases and queries such as "Not my will, Lord, but thine" and "How might I be of service?" help us in our yearning to be faithful. How might we support one another to stay faithful amidst busy lives and chaotic times? How might our individual faithfulness support the renewal of the Religious Society of Friends?

It took Robin and me some time to understand that neither of us were called or led to offer a purely "Convergent" topic. It took a phone call here and there to understand that we felt there was an opening to do something together, and then a little bit more time to discern together a topic that had Life for both of us.

Robin will be posting/has posted her own thoughts on how the interest group ties in with Convergent Quakerism. [UPDATE: here's the link to Robin's post.] I've been overly busy with continuing to make preparations for the FGC Gathering, namely supporting the twenty or so Friends who are supporting the ninety or so workshop leaders who are offering the seventy or so workshops over the course of the week.

On a side note, given the importance of maintaining a line of communication and interaction between young adult Friends and old(er) adult Friends, I have been in touch with clerk of FGC's Youth Ministries Program about possibly having a "meet-up" during the Gathering, much like what happened last year.

Of course, I realize there is no way to repeat what happened in 2006, but my hope is that Robin and I can stay faithful to what we've been given and, during the course of the interest group itself--if it's a go--continue to open ourselves to any unexpected promptings of the Spirit.

Blessings,
Liz