Weekly Reflections for Sunday Morning Worship Sharing
at the Meetinghouse and via Zoom
Reflection for Sunday September 14, 2025 Worship Sharing
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again. My people will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:17-20
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Jesus, Matthew 7:24-27
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:5-8
The Importance of Spiritual Grounding and Eternal Perspective
These have been interesting days to be reading the last 15 chapters of II Chronicles and the first 15 chapters of Ezekiel in the Through the Bible in a Year schedule. The II Chronicles readings describe quite clearly the tumult and chaos which marked the final years of the nation of Judah before it was conquered and exiled to Babylon in three stages from 605-586 BC. The readings in Ezekiel tell of that prophet’s early years in Babylon after he was deported from Judah with the second wave of Hebrew captives in 597 BC. Taken as a whole, the II Chronicles narrative makes the point that God must be served completely and consistently, not haphazardly or only at personal convenience. The early chapters of Ezekiel’s prophecies illustrate the importance of learning from hardship, remaining faithful to the Lord in all circumstances, and accepting God’s long-term view and timing rather than insisting upon our own.
I suspect I am not alone in feeling like “tumult and chaos” is an accurate description of the recent condition of our nation and the world. This week’s news cycles have been dominated by the tragic political violence in Utah, but that is on top of brutal wars raging in several places around the world, a looming government shutdown, financial stress in a fragile and uncertain economy, extreme sociopolitical polarization, increasing harm caused by climate change, the uncertainty of a future infused with artificial intelligence, and on and on. As I read those Old Testament chapters this week, it seemed apparent to me that our society is similarly vulnerable like Judah was due to deficits of spiritual grounding and eternal perspective. It also seemed apparent that we could benefit by learning from the Judeans’ experience.
The Demise of Judah Last week, we looked at Judah’s history up through the kingship of Jehoshaphat. He was an imperfect but righteous king whose humble appeal to God (II Chron 20:6-12) moved the Lord to allow disaster to fall upon a military force from neighboring countries which was preparing to attack Judah in around 850 BC. After Jehoshaphat, Judah had sixteen more kings before the Exile. Ten of them did evil, while only six were deemed righteous — and four of those six still failed to remove from Judea the high places where idols were worshiped. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram who succeeded him on Judah’s throne actually killed all his brothers to eliminate any competition, then married the daughter of Israel’s evil king Ahab and copied his father-in-law’s ways. In one of the saddest verses in the Bible, II Chronicles 21:20 states that Jehoram died, “to no one’s regret.”
The righteous king Joash was known for reviving (under the direction of the high priest Jehoiada) the offerings described in the Law for supporting the priests and the functioning of the Temple. II Chronicles 24:17ff relates, however, that as soon as Jehoiada died, Joash listened to ungodly Judeans and turned to worshiping idols. He conspired to have Jehoiada’s son executed, lost battles against smaller armies, and ended up being executed by his fellow Judeans. Joash’s son Amaziah succeeded him on the throne, and II Chronicles 25:2 records that he did what was right, “but not wholeheartedly.” At one point, Amaziah sought to build up Judah’s army by hiring mercenaries from the king of Israel. God’s prophet went to Amaziah and told him God forbade his use of the Israelite soldiers. Amaziah protested, saying he had paid a lot of money to hire them. The prophet replied that “the Lord can give you much more than that” (25:9).
The righteous king Joash was known for reviving (under the direction of the high priest Jehoiada) the offerings described in the Law for supporting the priests and the functioning of the Temple. II Chronicles 24:17ff relates, however, that as soon as Jehoiada died, Joash listened to ungodly Judeans and turned to worshiping idols. He conspired to have Jehoiada’s son executed, lost battles against smaller armies, and ended up being executed by his fellow Judeans. Joash’s son Amaziah succeeded him on the throne, and II Chronicles 25:2 records that he did what was right, “but not wholeheartedly.” At one point, Amaziah sought to build up Judah’s army by hiring mercenaries from the king of Israel. God’s prophet went to Amaziah and told him God forbade his use of the Israelite soldiers. Amaziah protested, saying he had paid a lot of money to hire them. The prophet replied that “the Lord can give you much more than that” (25:9).
Amaziah’s son Uzziah (also called Azariah) succeeded him as king. II Chronicles 26:5 states that “as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.” The problem was that his success gave him power, and that led to pride and lust for more power. Though he was neither a Levite nor a descendant of Aaron, he took over the role of the priests. When he was rebuked for that by 80 priests, he raged back at them, and leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead and afflicted him the rest of his life (spent in quarantine). Uzziah’s son Jotham then succeeded him and for sixteen years “walked steadfastly before the Lord” (27:6).
Sadly, Jotham’s son Ahaz who became Judah’s next king violated everything his father stood for. He returned to idolatry, and he got into serious military trouble with several neighboring nations. The Chronicler recorded in 28:22-25 that in his time of trouble, “Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord.” He shut down the Temple, rebuilt the high places, and set up altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. (My guess is that he claimed to be spiritual, just not religious.) When he died, he was denied burial in the tombs of Israel’s kings.
Sadly, Jotham’s son Ahaz who became Judah’s next king violated everything his father stood for. He returned to idolatry, and he got into serious military trouble with several neighboring nations. The Chronicler recorded in 28:22-25 that in his time of trouble, “Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord.” He shut down the Temple, rebuilt the high places, and set up altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. (My guess is that he claimed to be spiritual, just not religious.) When he died, he was denied burial in the tombs of Israel’s kings.
Ahaz’s son Hezekiah succeeded him on Judah’s throne and violated everything his father stood for. II Chronicles 29-32 indicates that he purified and reopened the Temple, reinstated its services and functions, and rededicated Judah to the Lord. He led his nation in joyfully celebrating the Passover after an absence of many years, and he destroyed all the high places and idols in Judah. He renewed the collection of offerings for the Temple and even built new storehouses to hold the excess. With the help of the prophet Isaiah, Hezekiah skillfully and prayerfully defended Jerusalem from an Assyrian attack.
When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh became king (II Chronicles 33) and continued the rollercoaster pattern of leadership in Judah. He went right back to idolatry, restored the high places, and even sacrificed his own son in fire to a false god. The Lord allowed the Assyrians to return and attack Jerusalem, and they captured Manasseh and took him to Babylon with a hook in his nose and shackles on his limbs. In captivity there, he repented, and God facilitated his return to Jerusalem to restore his reign and the Temple — and “then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God” (33:13).
When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh became king (II Chronicles 33) and continued the rollercoaster pattern of leadership in Judah. He went right back to idolatry, restored the high places, and even sacrificed his own son in fire to a false god. The Lord allowed the Assyrians to return and attack Jerusalem, and they captured Manasseh and took him to Babylon with a hook in his nose and shackles on his limbs. In captivity there, he repented, and God facilitated his return to Jerusalem to restore his reign and the Temple — and “then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God” (33:13).
When Manasseh died, his son Amon succeeded him and immediately reverted to idolatry and evil. After just two years as Judah’s king, he was assassinated by his own palace officials, and his son Josiah was made king at age 8. Adult caretakers ruled Judah for about 12 years, but at age 20 Josiah began cleansing the nation of idols and repairing the Temple. In that process, the Book of the Law was found in the Temple. Josiah had it read to him and was grieved at Judah’s failure to live as God had commanded. He led Judah in a renewal of the Covenant and the celebration of Passover, and he had the Ark of the Covenant moved into the Temple. He sadly was killed at age 39 while leading Judah’s troops to defend Assyria in a battle with the attacking Egyptian army – an engagement God tried to prevent through the Egyptian king, but Josiah wasn’t listening for God when the courier brought the Egyptian’s message (II Chronicles 35:22). Four other kings ruled Judah after Josiah, starting with his sons Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, but none of the four reigned with righteousness. Judah began falling to the Babylonians in 605 BC and was essentially destroyed by them in 587-86 BC.
Ezekiel was the 25 year old son of a priest in Jerusalem and was being groomed to become a priest at age 30 when the Babylonian army of Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem in 597 BC to put down a rebellion (King Jehoiakim had stopped paying tribute). The Temple and palace were looted, and thousands of Judah’s “best and brightest” including Ezekiel were taken captive and marched to Babylon – the “second wave” of the Exile. Five years later in 592 BC, God appeared to Ezekiel in an otherworldly vision filled with symbolic images and creatures, and “the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 1). A voice within the vision called Ezekiel to be a prophet who would speak to the Hebrew exiles for the Lord (ch. 2). He then was handed a scroll of paper containing “words of lament, mourning, and woe” and was told to eat it. When Ezekiel ate the scroll, it tasted sweet. His assignment was to speak God’s words – a difficult message — to the exiled Hebrews who didn’t want to hear them but would only experience their sweetness by “digesting” them. It was the message of Jerusalem’s and the Temple’s impending destruction by Nebuchadnezzar’s army, and the exiles’ extended stay in Babylon. Ezekiel was not allowed to speak any words of hope to them for returning to Judah. He was told to tell them that what had happened was the consequence of the Hebrews’ idolatry and unfaithfulness. They would learn about the destruction of their beloved Jerusalem and Temple, and “then they will know that Yahweh is the Lord” (Ezek 7:4). Only after they got that news in 586 BC would Ezekiel be allowed to prophesy the promise of God’s forgiveness and renewal, and the hope of Israel’s return to Jerusalem after 70 years.
God Is the Lord The details and meaning of Ezekiel’s cryptic visions, role-plays, and prophecies are more than can be addressed here. It is useful to note, however, that Bible handbooks point out that helping the exiles to realize that “Yahweh is the Lord” was the central organizing point of all of Ezekiel’s work. It makes great sense that he uses that statement at least 65 times in his prophecies. Although the Hebrews grew up worshiping the God called Yahweh (and several other Hebrew names), their sinful unfaithfulness and idolatry indicated that they didn’t really believe he is the Lord of eternity. If they truly believed he was, they would not have so readily violated his Covenant with them. That same principle remains as true today as it was back then. Those who are serious about knowing the Lord of eternity are serious about knowing what he loves and what he hates, serious about living in full agreement with his will every moment of every day we’re given life. That’s something to ponder as we study Ezekiel. Just like those “righteous” kings of Judah, not even one of us is perfect in performance, but Christ’s Spirit makes it possible for us to be seeking and growing towards devoted faithfulness to him every day because we love him, trust him, and want to obey him. Let’s be his Friends.
–Ron Ferguson 14 September 2025
Queries for Worship-Sharing and Reflection
1) Why do you think the scroll eaten by Ezekiel which contained “hard words” tasted sweet?
2) Why was Ezekiel not allowed by God for years to speak to exiles about hope for return and renewing the Temple?
3) What spiritual lesson(s) do you learn by reading and pondering the lives of these Bible characters?
4) Why is it important for these stories to be taught regularly to people seeking to know and obey the Lord?
Reflection for Sunday October 6 , 2024 Worship Sharing
World Quaker Day and 2024 State of Society Report
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8
Jesus asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:15-18
How Have You Seen the Lord Lately?
Winchester Friends’ State of Society / Annual Report for 2023-2024
Winchester Friends’ State of Society / Annual Report for 2023-2024
Today is World Quaker Day, an annual occasion sponsored by Friends World Committee for Consultation to remember and pray for members of the Religious Society of Friends who will gather for worship, fellowship, and spiritual equipping in most of the time zones on earth. We are joined together by our dedication to Christ as our Savior, teacher, Lord, and friend, and by commitment to live and proclaim his eternal Truth. FWCC’s emphasis for this year’s observance is drawn from their 2024 World Plenary gathering’s closing epistle in which the phrase “We are still here – God is with us” is repeated multiple times. Winchester Friends’ Ministry & Oversight sees significant agreement between that emphasis and our own State of Society report for the ’23-’24 church year. We offer it here for your reflection and response during worship-sharing on this World Quaker Day.
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When the Ministry & Oversight met for their April 2024 meeting, one of the items on the agenda was to begin thinking about the overall spiritual condition of Winchester Friends as we approached the end of the church year and prepared for a new one. The story of Easter was still fresh in our minds. Mary’s joyful declaration about having seen the risen Lord in the aftermath of the crucifixion seemed like a good challenge to M&O members to identify the ways we have seen God at work in our midst over the past year. Time was spent reflecting upon and sharing insights to that question in the group’s April and May meetings. The following are their observations and offerings.
The Lord is my strength and my shield….. (Psalm 28:7) As that conversation got underway, the first witness of God’s presence and help that was noted was his protection of the members of our Meeting and community through the trauma of the March 14 tornado that severely damaged parts of Winchester and the surrounding area. At least 48 houses were totally destroyed, another 50 or more sustained major damage, and another 100 had damage requiring repair. At least ten of our Friends’ residences were damaged. Despite all that destruction, miraculously no one died here that night from injuries caused by the tornado. One M&O member noted that responding to this disaster together has provided a positive opportunity for our community to cooperate, be more aware of ministry opportunities, and grow closer together. The Lord surely has watched over us.
Consider it pure joy…. that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2,3) With the widespread use of COVID-19 vaccines, the past church year was one of slow, careful emergence from the previous three years’ restrictions of the pandemic. It was a year of gradually more fellowship meals, in-person gatherings, and increasing choir activity. It has also meant some streamlining of the church’s committee structure for efficiency’s sake, given the reality of fewer people, programs, and activities than we had before the pandemic. There has not been a rush — as seen in many organizations in the past year — to return to doing everything that was being done before 2020. The sense of the Meeting has been to wait for leading, and to do fewer things well than to do many things exhaustingly or haphazardly. That process continues as we ponder how to add programs for Christian education for more people. Friends also have been faithful in financial support of the Meeting’s ministries, despite the challenges of the times. God has helped us persevere.
From Christ the whole Body…grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:16) The importance of every Friend doing their part to help the Meeting accomplish its work grows more obvious as we all grow older. The past year has posed significant health challenges to several in the Meeting, at times limiting their ability to do what they have previously done for the church. We thankfully have seen the Lord help many Friends regain good health in those situations, and we also have seen him work through others in the fellowship to make certain that needed ministries get carried out. God’s faithfulness through this time gives us hope and confidence that he will provide the people, energy, and leadership needed for our future.
Be very careful how you live….making the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15,16) One M&O member spoke of seeing God’s hand in new opportunities for fellowship and ministry with people who had not previously indicated much spiritual interest. It is a reminder to us all to live with keen awareness that God is always at work in lives around us.
We always thank God for all of you…. (I Thessalonians 1:2) The M&O members concur that the consistent, active participation of distant Friends and friends who have worshiped with us by Zoom in the past four years has been a clear and encouraging sign of God’s presence and work in our midst. They have enriched our lives and our meetings by sharing what the Lord has taught, or is teaching, them. Whatever we might have sacrificed from the “former way” to incorporate online participation in our meetings, God’s gift of their input into our meetings has been worth far more.
God’s presence and work in these ways also has nudged us all back towards Friends’ understanding of worship as listening first, before we speak or do anything else. We give thanks for all this evidence that God is indeed at work in us.
Winchester Friends Ministry & Oversight, June 2024: Cleo McFarland, clerk; Linda Groth; Sharon Reynard; Marsha Kritsch; Kathy Simmons; Dave Longnecker; Doug Baker; Ellen Craig; Brian Lilly; Pam Ferguson, ex officio; Ron Ferguson, ex officio
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Working on the State of Society report reminded me frequently of the article published several years ago by our friend and Friend Colin Saxton, the former general secretary of Friends United Meeting. In that piece, he encouraged Friends to prepare for discipleship and ministry in a rapidly-changing world by regularly asking and answering the questions journalists use to get accurate information for a story – but from a spiritual perspective.
Who are we? It is my prayer that we are people who believe Jesus’ Gospel message of forgiveness and reconciliation with God, and have experienced true relationship and cooperative friendship with Christ’s Spirit who “has come to teach his people himself.” We must acknowledge that we are mostly an aging fellowship who long to share his love with others but find it increasingly challenging to reach young people and young families. We seek the Lord’s help with that.
What are we (called to do)? We are called, just as the earliest Friends were, to “walk cheerfully over the earth, answering that of God in every person.” Jesus calls us to proclaim eternal Truth as he did, and to demonstrate that Truth’s life-giving impact on us through lives of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and service. We are called to let Christ live through us his life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-discipline.
When are we? We are in a unique moment in history, one of widespread self-focus, growing secularization, and resistance to the Gospel. It is a moment of widely-shared belief that technology, science, and wealth will solve all human problems, eliminating our need for God. It is a moment crying out for authentic witness of inward spiritual transformation that results in power over sinful, destructive selfishness, in lives of meaning and purpose, and in spiritually obedient, loving use of all of God’s gifts.
Where are we? We are in the wealthiest, most advanced nation in the world’s history. We are in a conservative region of that nation, a region historically called the Bible Belt. Some researchers suggest that that “adjacent familiarity” has led to a kind of immunity to Jesus’ call to deep discipleship. Perhaps because of that, the Christianity around us sometimes seems to be the inherited, social type rather than the “inner life, friendship with the Living Christ” type.
Why are we? We are who and what we are because Christ’s life and love within us compels us to share his Good News with any and all who will listen. He helps us to see that just as he told his first disciples, “the harvest” is as great or greater than it ever has been, but “the workers” are as few or fewer than they ever have been. People of every generation are called to be bearers and reflectors of his spiritual Light to those who walk in the darkness of not knowing him. It is my prayer that we disciples at Winchester Friends truly mean the words we sing in the hymn “To Be God’s People”:
Almighty Father, give us a vision of a dying world that needs Your love and care.
We see the need, the yearning for a Savior; in Jesus’ name grant this our prayer.
We see the need, the yearning for a Savior; in Jesus’ name grant this our prayer.
To be God’s people in this place, live His goodness, share His grace
Proclaim God’s mercy through His Son, share His love with everyone.
Proclaim God’s mercy through His Son, share His love with everyone.
And when we falter, be Thou our comfort, guide us as Your children that our lives may be
A beacon in this darkness that surrounds us, a Light that others then may see.
A beacon in this darkness that surrounds us, a Light that others then may see.
Lord, let this be true in our lives and faith community, and in all the Friends everywhere who worship you this day. Amen!
–Ron Ferguson, 6 October 2024
Queries for Worship-Sharing and Reflection
1) How have you sensed God’s presence and seen the Lord at work in your life, in our midst, and/or in the world lately?
2) In Matthew 5:8, what do you think is the connection between having a pure heart and spiritual vision for seeing God?
3) How has the fellowship and ministry of your Quaker Meeting and Friends been a help and blessing to you this year?
4) In your experience, how has Zoom participation enhanced and enriched our worship and life together for us all?
Sermon on the Mount Series Links
Sermon on the Mount Series #1 – Diamonds Aren’t Forever
Sermon on the Mount Series #2 – Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
Sermon on the Mount Series #3 – Blessed are the Meek
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May 7, 2023
150th Celebration
April 30, 2023 150th Celebration with Jay Marshall, speaker
Winchester Friends Meeting, est. 1873
Celebrating 150 Years of Ministry
Meeting for Worship April 30, 2023
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Celebrating 150 Years of Ministry
Meeting for Worship April 30, 2023
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With Guest Speaker Jay Marshall
Friends Minister, Author, Seminary Dean (ret.)
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Friends Minister, Author, Seminary Dean (ret.)
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When the Spirit Calls
I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint.
Then the LORD said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.”
Habakkuk 2:1-4, New Living Translation
I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint.
Then the LORD said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.”
Habakkuk 2:1-4, New Living Translation
Queries for Reflection and Response
1. What is the call or sense of mission that motivates you personally? What motivates the Meeting?
2. What are some of the ways you have learned to discern what is from God and what is simply chatter?
3. What made the memorable occasions that have shaped your understanding of faith and ministry?
4. If you are a reflection of the five closest people in your life, what are you reflecting?
5. Imagine for a moment that you have climbed a watchtower in downtown Winchester. Where could the Meeting’s gifts bring hope and healing to the community?
If You Could See What I See
All of my life I have dreamed that somehow love would find me
Now I can’t believe you’re standing here
If beauty is all in the eye of the beholder
then I wish you could see the love for you that lives in me
Now I can’t believe you’re standing here
If beauty is all in the eye of the beholder
then I wish you could see the love for you that lives in me
And you would know you have my heart, if you could see, what I see
That a treasure’s what you are, if you could see, what I see
Created to be the perfect one for me, if you could see, what I see
That a treasure’s what you are, if you could see, what I see
Created to be the perfect one for me, if you could see, what I see
I know there are days when you feel so much less than ideal
Wondering what I see in you
It’s all of the light and the grace your belief in me drives me to say
That I promise you a faithful love, forever true
Wondering what I see in you
It’s all of the light and the grace your belief in me drives me to say
That I promise you a faithful love, forever true
If you could see then you’d understand why I fall down to my knees
And I pray my love will be worthy of the One who gave his life
so our love could be, if you could see what I see
And I pray my love will be worthy of the One who gave his life
so our love could be, if you could see what I see
You’re created to be the perfect one for me, if you could see what I see
If beauty is all in the eye of the beholder,
then I am beholding… true beauty
If beauty is all in the eye of the beholder,
then I am beholding… true beauty
–Geoff Moore (CCLI 649965), sung by Judi Marshall
We Are Called
Come, live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light for the Kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God.
We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly. We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God.
Come, open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear. We are called to be hope for the hopeless so hatred and violence will be no more…..
Sing! Sing a new song. Sing of that great day when all will be one. God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love…. We’ll walk humbly with God…..
–David Haas, based on Micah 6:8; arr. Mark Hayes (CCLI 649965)
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Winchester Friends Ministry & Oversight
State of Society Report – Annual Report for 2020-2021
June 2021/ October 3, 2021
State of Society Report – Annual Report for 2020-2021
June 2021/ October 3, 2021
Lives That Speak
Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone…. –Friends founder George Fox
Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone…. –Friends founder George Fox
As the Ministry & Oversight began discussing the state of spiritual life at Winchester Friends at the close of the 2020-2021 church year, it was nearly impossible to think about the past twelve months in any framing other than that of the changes caused and necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each M&O member offered reflections on what they have observed and sensed about our life together in the past year, and their hopes for the days yet to come. The following is a summary of their thoughts.
Trials of 2020-2021 For all of us, the past year was one of significant losses and profound sorrow. At least fifteen participants in our faith community tested positive for coronavirus infection and experienced various degrees of illness. A number of our Friends lost close or extended family members to COVID or other causes during the year and often did not have the comfort of gathering to mourn together. Added to that was the sadness of watching the number of pandemic deaths in the US steadily climb past half a million. It was a year of lost chances for close fellowship, handshakes and hugs, a long period of isolation and loneliness. One M&O member compared it to the pupae stage of a butterfly’s life when the caterpillar “shelters in place” inside the chrysalis to await favorable conditions outside. It was a year without the encouragement of singing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs together” (Colossians 3:16). Many ministry activities had to be suspended, meaning lost inertia and momentum. In some cases, people who may have had only minimal interest in participating in the Meeting simply withdrew and have not reappeared. Because the pandemic changed so many things in our lives, we all were required to expend large amounts of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy to accomplish in different ways what used to be fairly simple, routine tasks. Work, school, social, travel, and meeting schedules were disrupted, with resumption in many cases still uncertain, making planning very difficult. In the community and society beyond the Meeting (and potentially within as well), economic stress and civil unrest have led to fraying of the social fabric in ways that make many relationships tenuous.
Encouraging Surprises of 2020-2021 The M&O clerk pointed out that none of us should be surprised that the pandemic has not changed God. For those who have remained engaged and have continued seeking the Lord, the pandemic has provided a new or renewed sense of God’s identity and character. Technology was adopted and adapted to our Meeting’s unique needs in a way that has allowed us to maintain relationships and a surprisingly deepened sense of community. In the butterfly analogy, meeting by Zoom has helped break open the isolation of the chrysalis stage to make new life possible. The shift to a worship-sharing format on Sunday mornings has found encouraging success in nudging Friends to be participators rather than spectators, and it has taught us to listen more carefully for “that of God in others.” Meeting via Zoom has made it possible to welcome local newcomers, distant former Friends and family members, and other faraway friends into our fellowship in meaningful, delightful ways that none of us had imagined before the pandemic necessitated these changes. Despite the financial uncertainties and hardships that the pandemic has imposed on so many people and organizations, the Meeting’s finances have remained healthy due to the faithful generosity of so many of our Friends. That consistent support has given us confidence to continue sharing resources from the Best Trust to help “make Christ’s love tangible and visible” in the community and world around us.
Outcomes of 2020-2021 The past year has given us – and all in the Meeting, we hope – a deepened sense of Christ’s faithful presence with us and care for us, no matter how dire our circumstances might get. Worship in a more semi-programmed manner than before has shown many Friends the importance of giving verbal witness of God’s love and Truth within our fellowship when the Spirit prompts them. That hopefully has strengthened and improved their ability to do the same in their relationships beyond the Meeting. Our meetings for worship online have shown the importance of engaged participation by everyone, whether verbal or not – the things said by many Friends on Sunday mornings are most meaningful when heard and absorbed by everyone. Hopefully we will move into 2021-2022 with a new realization of the importance of showing up consistently, whether we end up sharing what we have learned, or we listen deeply to the helpful words of other Friends. Each of us has learned many things about ourselves and our calling to daily ministry during the “inactivity” of the pandemic months. If we’ll let it, that knowledge should equip us for effectiveness in the new environment of the upcoming church year. Returning to the butterfly analogy, the caterpillar-transformed-into-
Hope for 2021-2022 The Ministry & Oversight members are determined to learn and grow from the hard lessons of 2020-2021, and not to squander the unexpected blessings and opportunities that have come out of the unprecedented church year just completed. We desire to remain highly attentive to the Lord’s constant, consistent presence. We acknowledge that although we do not yet know everything we will need to understand for effective ministry in the post-pandemic world, we know we cannot just go back to what was “normal” before. We acknowledge that it will require the input and participation of every Friend in the Meeting if we are to successfully fulfill the Lord’s desires for our faith community. We gratefully recognize that the blessings we have enjoyed during the difficult past year are due in large part to a core of Friends who have remained committed to the Meeting and its ministries. They have done so because of their love for the Lord who has saved us, their love for one another in this community of believers, and their dedication to our shared spiritual life. Moving forward, we hope to find relevant new ways of letting Christ’s timeless light of love and Truth shine through us. We long to help the minimally involved to renew their seeking. We desire to welcome the uninvolved to discover the benefits of living by faith – especially young adults and families in this overly secular era for whom the pandemic has been a rude awakening to human frailties and mortality. Like the butterfly that has been protected and nurtured inside the chrysalis, we know we must in faith release our grip on the refuge of “what has been” and fly into the unknown future in order to fulfill God’s calling and purpose for us.
We invite every Friend in the church to join us in that journey. Like Paul appealing to the Corinthians (I Cor. 2:1), we cannot depend on eloquent words or superior human knowledge (or slicker technology and flashy entertainment). We welcome you just to let your daily lives speak, both in words and actions, of God’s love, Truth, and presence. As George Fox discovered, it’s the way God enables us to “walk cheerfully” throughout our lives, and to forge rich connections with others who desire to know and live for the Lord. In the world’s present turmoil, he needs every one of us to get involved. Thank you for letting your lives speak in ministry through Winchester Friends.
Winchester Friends Ministry & Oversight, June 2021: Cleo McFarland, clerk; Sharon Reynard; Dave Longnecker; Linda Groth; Doug Baker; Ellen Craig; Marsha Kritsch, ex officio; Pam Ferguson, ex officio; Ron Ferguson, ex officio
Lives That Speak — Lives of Resilience and Hope
The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery (of the king’s dream).” –Daniel 2:47
Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” –Daniel 3:28
Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” –Daniel 3:28
Let your light shine before people, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
–Jesus, Matthew 5:16
–Jesus, Matthew 5:16
Today is World Quaker Day, an initiative of the Friends World Committee for Consultation to remind Friends that in every time zone around the world on the first Sunday of October, Quakers will gather in the presence of the Spirit of Christ. We meet to worship the Lord who unites us in a global community of faith, and to pray for one another’s effective witness in the challenges and opportunities we face. Clearly with the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises in mind, FWCC selected “Resilience and Hope: Drawing Strength from our Faith” as the theme for World Quaker Day 2021. As in the past several years, Winchester Friends’ Ministry & Oversight has chosen to present their State of Society Report for the recently-completed church year during worship on World Quaker Day. The theme of their report (“Lives That Speak”) turned out to dovetail almost seamlessly with FWCC’s focus, and with the past week’s Through the Bible chapters centered in the Book of Daniel.
Daniel was one of Judah’s young “best and brightest.” He and hundreds of other skilled and educated Hebrews were exiled to Babylon in 605 BC after the Babylonian army forced the surrender of Jerusalem, helped themselves to Judah’s treasures, and turned Judea into a client state. Part of Nebuchadnezzar’s strategy for keeping conquered nations weak was to deplete their human capital as well as their treasury. Daniel and three other young Hebrews featured in the first half of the Book of Daniel – Hananiah (Babylonian name Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) – were chosen to undergo three years of language and other training to become servants in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace (Dan. 1:3,4). As part of that assignment, they were fed rich food and wine from the king’s own table, food that had been offered to idols and included things that violated the dietary instructions of Moses’ Law. Rather than follow orders and spiritually defile himself, Daniel resolved to obey God and requested permission from their Babylonian boss to eat only vegetables and drink only water. The Babylonian feared he would be blamed for underfeeding the Hebrews, but he reluctantly agreed to a test. After ten days, the Judeans looked and performed better than their counterparts who ate the rich food. Their diet was switched, and at the end of their training years the king found them superior to all his other wise men and advisors. Their lives spoke.
When I was around five years old, I watched “Popeye the Sailor Man” cartoons on TV each Saturday morning. My brother and I became convinced that if we ate enough canned spinach, we too could get strong enough to rip the top off a can and eat the contents like a beverage. We got our mother to fix us some spinach. After I had choked down a couple of spoonsful, I went outdoors to play and saw our neighbor Mr. Carmichael working on his lawn mower in his driveway. I ran over and told him I had eaten some spinach and was now as strong as Popeye. I asked him if he wanted to see. He didn’t reply right away, so I flexed my skinny biceps for him, then slugged him on the shoulder. I was only five, but I’d bet it hurt a little. I am horrified every time I remember that incident. It makes me wonder how many parents persuaded little kids to eat canned spinach by telling them they’d be strong like Popeye. They probably should have told us more about the virtues of Olive Oil. I’m pretty sure that my siblings and I were told the Bible story of Daniel and his friends a few times, too, to persuade us to eat our vegetables and stay away from wine.
Daniel 2 tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream, and his demand that his advisors tell him both what he had dreamed and what it meant. When the advisors had no idea what the dream had been, the king ordered them all killed (including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). Daniel was given a chance to plead his case with the king and was allowed time to seek the Lord. After the Hebrews prayed, the Lord revealed the complicated dream and its meaning to Daniel. When he laid that all out to Nebuchadnezzar, the king acknowledged the sovereignty of Yahweh (Dan. 2:47, above) and spared the lives of his wise men. Daniel 3 tells us of Daniel’s three friends’ courageous refusal to bow in worship to a statue of Nebuchadnezzar, even on the threat of death. After the Lord miraculously accompanied them through the fiery furnace and enabled them to emerge unscathed, the king again praised Yahweh’s omnipotence (3:28, above). Several years later, following the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon, their ruler Darius made Daniel one of the most powerful administrators in his kingdom (Daniel 6). Other officials, jealous of Daniel’s power and friendship with Darius, fooled the king into signing a decree sentencing to death in a lions’ den anyone who prayed to any deity other than Darius. Daniel’s life had spoken. They knew he prayed three times daily towards Jerusalem — the City of Zion where the presence of Yahweh dwelt — and would not cease doing so. He was arrested and thrown into the lion’s den, but God “sent his angel and shut the mouths of the lions.” Darius witnessed Daniel’s miraculous survival and issued a decree praising Yahweh as the one true God (6:26,27).
In young adulthood, Daniel and his three friends were forced into a horrible situation they never would have chosen. Rather than giving in to Babylonian cultural religion and surrendering their deepest identity as children of the Living God, they held tenaciously to their faith and made the best of their difficult circumstances. They were resilient. In faith, they never gave up hope that God would allow the Hebrews to return to Jerusalem and Judea, and would help them live more faithfully than the people had whose disobedience and idolatry led to Israel’s captivity. Their determination to obey the Lord in all things first, then deal with whatever consequences resulted, spoke volumes about God and about themselves to anyone who was paying attention.
We in 2021 face a combination of challenges – pandemic, climate crisis, economic upheaval and disparity, armed conflict, social and racial injustice — that may add up to nearly equal those which faced the Hebrew exiles. And due to modern communications technology, a lot more people are now paying attention. The Lord’s message to us today through Daniel’s examples is that the resilience, hope, and resolve to “seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness” which they displayed 2600 years ago are still available to all who wish to live lives that speak to others of God’s holiness, loving compassion, and eternal promise. All he needs is our invitation to allow his Spirit to live fully in us. Let’s help one another to let our lives speak for God in all we are, in everything we do.
–Ron Ferguson 3 October 2021
Queries for Worship-Sharing and Reflection
1) What have been your greatest trials or discouragements of the past 18 months? How has God helped you with them?
2) What do you think “spiritual resilience” and “spiritual hope” will look like in 2021 and beyond?
3) What encouraging surprises or positive changes have you experienced in the last 18 difficult months?
4) Why is it important to consider what others will conclude about God and faithful living when they watch how I live?
5) What are your most fervent hopes as the world and our community slowly emerge from these months of pandemic?
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Winchester Friends Church 765-584-8276
124 E. Washington St. Winchester, IN 47394
www.winchesterfriendschurch.
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Winchester Friends Church 765-584-8276
124 E. Washington St. Winchester, IN 47394
www.winchesterfriendschurch.
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QUAKER QUERIES
February 16, 2020
February 23, 2020
March 8, 2020
March 15, 2020