Our Meeting is now faced with finding a new location for our worship and work.  We have appreciated the willingness of the First Baptist Church to share its space with us and it has served us well in many respects.  We empathize with them as they go through the difficult time of disbanding their congregation.

This event now provides us with the opportunity to re-evaluate what our Meeting is about and what kind of physical facility we need to follow the Spirit's leadings.  The Quaker tradition of a threshing session is a worthy one to help us begin the transition we now face.  Your clerk and assistant clerk thought that, for Friends to prepare, it would be valuable to offer a description of the threshing process.

The purpose of a threshing session is to provide a forum where Friends may hear one another's truths, a variety of differing opinions, and absorb information around a complex, controversial, or emotionally charged issue.  Expression of diversity of opinion is welcomed and is one of the goals.  The overriding desire is to sort out what is important from the multiplicity of available information and opinion.  The threshing session differs from a typical Meeting for Business and Worship in that Friends are urged to express themselves openly and passionately; Friends may speak more than once, speak to a point previously made, or ask a question.  It is more helpful to the Meeting to address difficult issues openly, rather than to hold back for fear of offending.  "Hesitancy to share a strong conviction because it may offend someone, reflects a lack of trust."  (Quaker Process for Friends on the Benches, Mathilda Navias).

This trust in each other is what makes community strong.  We can be open and honest with each other if we trust that all will hold the other in tenderness, remembering that there is that of God in everyone.  In the book Quaker Process (as cited above), some ground rules are helpful and are as follows:

     -No decision will be made in this gathering.
    -Come with a sense of humility and openness to new insights and to learn about
      differing experiences.
    -Listen to each person and receive their thoughts.
    -Each person has the opportunity to declare what he or she is thinking, feeling,
      And perceiving.
    -Speak from personal experience.

Some practicalities should be noted.  Full notice of the planned threshing session will be given to all, in order to allow full participation.  No minutes will be developed from the session, however notes may be taken to capture ideas and information that may be useful in later decision-making.  A recommendation may be forwarded to the Meeting for Worship with attention to business for further discernment.  Length of the session is approximately 2 hours; if more time is needed for all to be heard, extension or additional sessions can be made.

We want this process to be one that strengthens our Meeting and deepens our relationship with Spirit and each other.  If there are any contributions you want to add, please contact either Martha Nieman or Marie Vandenbark.    Our Meeting is now faced with finding a new location for our worship and work.  We have appreciated the willingness of the First Baptist Church to share its space with us and it has served us well in many respects.  We empathize with them as they go through the difficult time of disbanding their congregation.

This event now provides us with the opportunity to re-evaluate what our Meeting is about and what kind of physical facility we need to follow the Spirit's leadings.  The Quaker tradition of a threshing session is a worthy one to help us begin the transition we now face.  Your clerk and assistant clerk thought that, for Friends to prepare, it would be valuable to offer a description of the threshing process.

The purpose of a threshing session is to provide a forum where Friends may hear one another's truths, a variety of differing opinions, and absorb information around a complex, controversial, or emotionally charged issue.  Expression of diversity of opinion is welcomed and is one of the goals.  The overriding desire is to sort out what is important from the multiplicity of available information and opinion.  The threshing session differs from a typical Meeting for Business and Worship in that Friends are urged to express themselves openly and passionately; Friends may speak more than once, speak to a point previously made, or ask a question.  It is more helpful to the Meeting to address difficult issues openly, rather than to hold back for fear of offending.  "Hesitancy to share a strong conviction because it may offend someone, reflects a lack of trust."  (Quaker Process for Friends on the Benches, Mathilda Navias).

This trust in each other is what makes community strong.  We can be open and honest with each other if we trust that all will hold the other in tenderness, remembering that there is that of God in everyone.  In the book Quaker Process (as cited above), some ground rules are helpful and are as follows:

     -No decision will be made in this gathering.
    -Come with a sense of humility and openness to new insights and to learn about
      differing experiences.
    -Listen to each person and receive their thoughts.
    -Each person has the opportunity to declare what he or she is thinking, feeling,
      And perceiving.
    -Speak from personal experience.

Some practicalities should be noted.  Full notice of the planned threshing session will be given to all, in order to allow full participation.  No minutes will be developed from the session, however notes may be taken to capture ideas and information that may be useful in later decision-making.  A recommendation may be forwarded to the Meeting for Worship with attention to business for further discernment.  Length of the session is approximately 2 hours; if more time is needed for all to be heard, extension or additional sessions can be made.

We want this process to be one that strengthens our Meeting and deepens our relationship with Spirit and each other.  If there are any contributions you want to add, please contact either Martha Nieman or Marie Vandenbark.    Our Meeting is now faced with finding a new location for our worship and work.  We have appreciated the willingness of the First Baptist Church to share its space with us and it has served us well in many respects.  We empathize with them as they go through the difficult time of disbanding their congregation.

This event now provides us with the opportunity to re-evaluate what our Meeting is about and what kind of physical facility we need to follow the Spirit's leadings.  The Quaker tradition of a threshing session is a worthy one to help us begin the transition we now face.  Your clerk and assistant clerk thought that, for Friends to prepare, it would be valuable to offer a description of the threshing process.

The purpose of a threshing session is to provide a forum where Friends may hear one another's truths, a variety of differing opinions, and absorb information around a complex, controversial, or emotionally charged issue.  Expression of diversity of opinion is welcomed and is one of the goals.  The overriding desire is to sort out what is important from the multiplicity of available information and opinion.  The threshing session differs from a typical Meeting for Business and Worship in that Friends are urged to express themselves openly and passionately; Friends may speak more than once, speak to a point previously made, or ask a question.  It is more helpful to the Meeting to address difficult issues openly, rather than to hold back for fear of offending.  "Hesitancy to share a strong conviction because it may offend someone, reflects a lack of trust."  (Quaker Process for Friends on the Benches, Mathilda Navias).

This trust in each other is what makes community strong.  We can be open and honest with each other if we trust that all will hold the other in tenderness, remembering that there is that of God in everyone.  In the book Quaker Process (as cited above), some ground rules are helpful and are as follows:

     -No decision will be made in this gathering.
    -Come with a sense of humility and openness to new insights and to learn about
      differing experiences.
    -Listen to each person and receive their thoughts.
    -Each person has the opportunity to declare what he or she is thinking, feeling,
      And perceiving.
    -Speak from personal experience.

Some practicalities should be noted.  Full notice of the planned threshing session will be given to all, in order to allow full participation.  No minutes will be developed from the session, however notes may be taken to capture ideas and information that may be useful in later decision-making.  A recommendation may be forwarded to the Meeting for Worship with attention to business for further discernment.  Length of the session is approximately 2 hours; if more time is needed for all to be heard, extension or additional sessions can be made.

We want this process to be one that strengthens our Meeting and deepens our relationship with Spirit and each other.  If there are any contributions you want to add, please contact either Martha Nieman or Marie Vandenbark.    Our Meeting is now faced with finding a new location for our worship and work.  We have appreciated the willingness of the First Baptist Church to share its space with us and it has served us well in many respects.  We empathize with them as they go through the difficult time of disbanding their congregation.

This event now provides us with the opportunity to re-evaluate what our Meeting is about and what kind of physical facility we need to follow the Spirit's leadings.  The Quaker tradition of a threshing session is a worthy one to help us begin the transition we now face.  Your clerk and assistant clerk thought that, for Friends to prepare, it would be valuable to offer a description of the threshing process.

The purpose of a threshing session is to provide a forum where Friends may hear one another's truths, a variety of differing opinions, and absorb information around a complex, controversial, or emotionally charged issue.  Expression of diversity of opinion is welcomed and is one of the goals.  The overriding desire is to sort out what is important from the multiplicity of available information and opinion.  The threshing session differs from a typical Meeting for Business and Worship in that Friends are urged to express themselves openly and passionately; Friends may speak more than once, speak to a point previously made, or ask a question.  It is more helpful to the Meeting to address difficult issues openly, rather than to hold back for fear of offending.  "Hesitancy to share a strong conviction because it may offend someone, reflects a lack of trust."  (Quaker Process for Friends on the Benches, Mathilda Navias).

This trust in each other is what makes community strong.  We can be open and honest with each other if we trust that all will hold the other in tenderness, remembering that there is that of God in everyone.  In the book Quaker Process (as cited above), some ground rules are helpful and are as follows:

     -No decision will be made in this gathering.
    -Come with a sense of humility and openness to new insights and to learn about
      differing experiences.
    -Listen to each person and receive their thoughts.
    -Each person has the opportunity to declare what he or she is thinking, feeling,
      And perceiving.
    -Speak from personal experience.

Some practicalities should be noted.  Full notice of the planned threshing session will be given to all, in order to allow full participation.  No minutes will be developed from the session, however notes may be taken to capture ideas and information that may be useful in later decision-making.  A recommendation may be forwarded to the Meeting for Worship with attention to business for further discernment.  Length of the session is approximately 2 hours; if more time is needed for all to be heard, extension or additional sessions can be made.

We want this process to be one that strengthens our Meeting and deepens our relationship with Spirit and each other.  If there are any contributions you want to add, please contact either Martha Nieman or Marie Vandenbark.    Our Meeting is now faced with finding a new location for our worship and work.  We have appreciated the willingness of the First Baptist Church to share its space with us and it has served us well in many respects.  We empathize with them as they go through the difficult time of disbanding their congregation.

This event now provides us with the opportunity to re-evaluate what our Meeting is about and what kind of physical facility we need to follow the Spirit's leadings.  The Quaker tradition of a threshing session is a worthy one to help us begin the transition we now face.  Your clerk and assistant clerk thought that, for Friends to prepare, it would be valuable to offer a description of the threshing process.

The purpose of a threshing session is to provide a forum where Friends may hear one another's truths, a variety of differing opinions, and absorb information around a complex, controversial, or emotionally charged issue.  Expression of diversity of opinion is welcomed and is one of the goals.  The overriding desire is to sort out what is important from the multiplicity of available information and opinion.  The threshing session differs from a typical Meeting for Business and Worship in that Friends are urged to express themselves openly and passionately; Friends may speak more than once, speak to a point previously made, or ask a question.  It is more helpful to the Meeting to address difficult issues openly, rather than to hold back for fear of offending.  "Hesitancy to share a strong conviction because it may offend someone, reflects a lack of trust."  (Quaker Process for Friends on the Benches, Mathilda Navias).

This trust in each other is what makes community strong.  We can be open and honest with each other if we trust that all will hold the other in tenderness, remembering that there is that of God in everyone.  In the book Quaker Process (as cited above), some ground rules are helpful and are as follows:

     -No decision will be made in this gathering.
    -Come with a sense of humility and openness to new insights and to learn about
      differing experiences.
    -Listen to each person and receive their thoughts.
    -Each person has the opportunity to declare what he or she is thinking, feeling,
      And perceiving.
    -Speak from personal experience.

Some practicalities should be noted.  Full notice of the planned threshing session will be given to all, in order to allow full participation.  No minutes will be developed from the session, however notes may be taken to capture ideas and information that may be useful in later decision-making.  A recommendation may be forwarded to the Meeting for Worship with attention to business for further discernment.  Length of the session is approximately 2 hours; if more time is needed for all to be heard, extension or additional sessions can be made.

We want this process to be one that strengthens our Meeting and deepens our relationship with Spirit and each other.  If there are any contributions you want to add, please contact either Martha Nieman or Marie Vandenbark.