Community

When I have joined other churches, there is a comversation that happens and goes two ways.

Firstly, people ask "are you new in the area? What did you do previously?" - the process of discovering what I have done, what I might be able to bring to the place.

The other side is my discussions and telling those in the church what I can do and what areas I might be interested in.

It is the process of working out where I might fit, how I might be involved, because involvement is important - and I have always been one to get stuck in and put my skills and talents to use.

When I joined the Quakers it was different.

People asked me where I had come from, what my history was. That is natural, and is part of what I ask people who are new. My response was "I am not ready to talk about that yet" - which was true, as the few years before that were quite painful.

And the people just accepted that and we moved on. Because my experience is that in the Quakers what is critical is the "now", the immanent community that happens when a group meet together.

Just for clarification, I have given some of my story since, and there are roles I have taken on within the group. But that has been my choice - and I wouldn't ever deny that there is work to be done and roles that need filling.

What has struck me in the Quakers is this sense of "now". For the hour that we sit together, we are a community. The past (and the future) are less relevant than what God is doing with each person now, at this point in time.

That is my perspective at least. And it is a positive reflection, because it means that I can grow at my pace. As can each other person.