In Samburu, Kenya, pastor Christopher Leduma, from Samburu Friends Mission, facilitated a one-day transformative dialogue called by Samburu community members who are tired of bandits from rival Samburu communities attacking familes and stealing their animals.
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Each year on Pentecost weekend Friends United Meeting hosts a retreat, Stoking the Fire, inspired by Acts 2:1–4: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” Inspiration for this year’s Stoking the Fire came from The Four Pivots, a book by Shawn Ginwright. In the introduction Ginwright writes, “Our real power comes from the courage to deal with our fractured relationships, the vulnerability to acknowledge our hurt feelings, and the awareness to know when our ego shows up.” . . . This year at Stoking the Fire we looked directly at how each of us might be able to, as Isaac Penington wrote, “Give over thine own willing. Give over thine own running. Give over thine own desiring to know or be anything, and sink down to the seed which God chose in thy heart...”
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The Friends Church Kenya (FCK) inaugurated its formal constitution in an auspicious ceremony held in Poroko-Highland Yearly Meeting. The ratification took place after an intensive development process that involved representatives from all Yearly Meetings in Kenya. The Yearly Meeting representatives participated in a robust and dynamic discussion over several meetings, ultimately arriving at the completed document that was approved and launched in April during the FCK Triennial.
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Several years ago, I was inspired by the one of ten in the Gospel account, so I started the spiritual practice of “returning.” On a sheet of paper, I counted my many blessings, identifying places that were transformative in my life and people who have influenced and encouraged me along the way. My list became quite long. Then, when possible, I returned to those places and people to simply say, “Thank you.” I have had opportunities to return to my childhood church in Burundi, teachers, family members, pastors, colleagues, high school, friends, the youth camp where I answered the call to ministry, and other places of blessings.
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The wind is frothing the waters and whistling in their sails, and the sailors have been rowing against it all night. They’re tired and frightened. Their shoulders and arms are sore. They’re straining to see land, but instead they see a ghost-like figure walking across the water.
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Today is the 3rd Sunday in Advent, the Sunday designated with the theme of Joy. This seems like a difficult time to speak of Joy. The condition of our country is confusing and distressing, leaving us all feeling a new level of vulnerability.
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Throughout our history, the people known as Friends (or Quakers) keep rediscovering an essential and enduring truth: There is one who speaks to our most basic needs and most significant hopes—Christ Jesus the Lord. Both individually and communally, we are learning to know and follow the Voice that guides us in the way we should go. Together, we seek to understand and obey that truth which sets us free. As a people, we share in the experience of that powerful life which makes all things new. Maybe you are searching for an authentic and transforming faith and community to call home—if so, come in and join us as we seek to know and follow Christ.
Friends United Meeting commits itself to energize and equip Friends through the power of the Holy Spirit to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved, and obeyed as Teacher and Lord.
