Weekly progress

Week One | Week Two | Week Three | Week Four | Week Five | Week Six | Week Seven
Young Friends weekend | Tapestry workshop

Week Six


From left: Margaret Bearlin, Barbara Rautman, Helen Bayes, Elaine Cornwell (back), Anne McCarthy, Valerie Joy, Tess Edwards, Lloyd Godman, Pamela Leach, David Carline, Gerry Guiton, Margaret Evans. (Photo: Katherine Purnell)

Minute of Record - Meeting for Discursive Reflection (held on Thursday)

Proposed agenda Items
Creativity
Community
Time and space
AQC concept
Leadership
Meeting for worship
Spiritual nurture
Silent day
Expectations
Courses
(Friends indicated a wish to discuss all of these topics but time did not allow)

Community:
Friends are finding their sojourn a refreshing, rewarding, nurturing and challenging experience. It is a dynamic, evolving process with changes every week.

It is important that a rhythm has been established for the AQC. The culture is ready to mature to the next stage. This involves putting into practice more participatory Quaker ways of living out our faith together, using our business process to prayerfully discern our individual expectations and how we want to grow our community in the week ahead. Short business meetings during the week could also offer formative reflection as to how we are experiencing our life together. Participation needs to extend beyond household tasks. If Friends can participate more they may leave the AQC with a greater sense of having had a home here rather than having been guests. We are sowing seeds. It will take more time to really distil the essence of AQC.

This community provides a valuable chance to connect with other people in a substantial way. Those coming from small meetings have had the opportunity to meet more people and gain a better appreciation of the wider Quaker body. It has also been lovely getting to know people from our own meetings better. Friends are forming bonds with each other and are building a shared memory. It was noted that of the 5 participants, 3 people have been in residence for a prior week. Also the 3 leaders were in their second week. Staff provide important continuity.

Tension (“storming”) is normal in groups. We need to handle these situations wisely. Skills developed in this setting are valuable in our local meetings. We need to leave here as a healed body.

A sojourn at the AQC has proved a catalyst in assisting with our spiritual journey via input of different theological/ideological viewpoints and traditions. This helps provide spiritual direction. Friends would like to explore and share more deeply the role of elder. Teaching and learning are important, and we need a clear vision of the future of Friends. An hour-long session on the future of the society left us wanting more time to build a vision. So many things are happening here including exploring our spiritual experience, teaching, nurturing, ministries and eldering. We need to become aware of each strand to nurture it and give it a right place in the AQC. There was a sense from some of wishing to be made collectively self aware.

For some, secret English spoken by Friends is difficult and constitutes a language barrier that often implies double meanings. Concern was expressed regarding gendering based on preconceived ideas. Do we need separate time for men’s business and women’s business? One Friend found the climate was not relaxed in its approach to spiritual growth. Being here has opened up a lot of issues, great things and also denial among friends.

We need a stronger sense of the Australian character of Quakers. It was felt by some that there was an overemphasis on English history. There is a need to address Australian issues, in particular, reconciliation and climate change. It was enriching to have Aboriginal elder David Carline in our midst, who shared generously about his life. We were inspired and challenged by Gerry Guiton’s course on the Rule of Love ad how we might see it translated for our own time and for the future of the society.

Meeting for Learning and the AQC both offer educational experience. The time clash and the duplication need to be addressed. The Alternatives to Violence (AVP) Program could be offered at the AQC, and its principles and activities might enrich the life of the community at the AQC and at large.

Practicalities:
It would have been preferable to clarify expectations in relation to how the time was being structured and used (5 days rather than 6?). The need for more clarity of tasks was also felt. Friends appreciated the care taken in meeting special dietary needs and many other loving acts. Cold has been an overriding problem for some.

Some suggestions were made for further input to facilitate community, including the idea of a “graffiti board” for practical suggestions. It would be desirable to have a time of “attunement” or check-in each day, possibly at the end of Meeting for Worship.

The program has been felt to be overwhelming and indigestible by some. Friends tend to get overextended and need to be selective in which things they become involved in.

It was noted that we have fewer core workers than expected, resulting in some stress. Gratitude was expressed to those who kept the centre alive and provided for our needs.

Silent time:
There is a need for the community to discern how to best employ silence. The following questions were raised: Is it worthwhile in the program in the context of the other activities? How do we help people enjoy and benefit from silence? Does it help or hinder the teaching sessions and the overall experience?

Some reported benefitting from the shorter silence period (8.30pm to 12.30pm). The time allowed an opportunity to connect to and appreciate the premises and nature. A challenging walk was a valuable way to be silent. We might explore silent or meditative group walks.

Appreciation was expressed for the care and helpful introduction into the silence provided by our resident elder, Barbara Rautman. The suggestion was made to integrate a period of silence as part of the daily rhythm instead of using a weekly block of time. This is felt by some to be disruptive to the flow of the program. Silent mealtimes can be very beneficial.

Discomfort was expressed in relation to lack of prior notice about the whole day of silence before coming. Perhaps the AQC should consider the alternative of keeping silent retreats separate at the beginning or end of the week. This might offer a more suitable and respectful setting for silent retreat.

Creativity:
Appreciation was expressed for Lloyd Godman’s course on ephemeral sculpture as an instructive, inspired and creative experience. Friends felt enriched by our exploration of the arts and spirituality. Some Friends appreciated how the ephemeral sculpture workshop allowed the chance to explore creativity without negatively impacting the environment.

Meeting for Worship:
Suggestions included scheduling the morning meeting earlier (say, 8.30), having one in the evening or including some variation in timing. Interest was also expressed in trying alternative ways of doing Meeting for Worship eg. more worship sharing. Some felt it would be good to have more guidance around centering down and other aspects of worship. A worshipping committee could be introduced to support worship and the elders at the AQC.

There was appreciation for the more fluid format of the discursive reflection meeting, both in setting the agenda and allowing for discussion. More feedback as to how suggestions are being implemented would be helpful and appreciated.