Blog-Assisted Discernment

RantWoman is slowly compiling responses to an email from Dear Friend about our ongoing conflict. The topic in a nutshell: is RantWoman or is she not suitable for membership in one of our Meeting's pastoral care committees. Naturally, there are several other topics entangled in the matter, not least of which is which associated questions need further seasoning and in what venues.

RantWoman has come to the following thoughts specifically about addressing at least some of the many entangled topics partly in her blog:

--In RantWoman's experience, sometimes writing things out helps her clarify what she is thinking and how to break down big hairy tangled up problems into pieces she can tackle individually or in combination.

--RantWoman is pretty sure she will want to refer again to her own thinking on various questions. RantWoman's blog will fit that bill admirably in a format that works for RantWoman with the access methods RantWoman has available to her. RantWoman knows how to use the print function for such Friends in her orbit as never touch the e-stuff, though RantWoman also could easily understand these Friends' being content with digests in other forms.

--RantWoman spends huge percentages of her time at present thinking about the pluses and minuses of electronic communication. RantWoman sees no reason her life in Meeting should be separated from that thinking

--There are some questions and personal sensitivities RantWoman will not, Not, NOT spell out in great detail in her blog.

--Dear Friend's email was sent to several people who are topical as far as watching the issue unfold: the clerk, the acting clerk of nominating committee, a couple other people. RantWoman is herself unclear who needs or wants to be in which parts of the conversation. RantWoman has heard one plea from someone who, as far as RantWoman is concerned has a right to be excused from further email. RantWoman thinks one or two people not on the To: list maybe should be part of the conversation ex oficio. RantWoman knows other people who read RantWoman's blog anyway may have something to contribute to the conversation. RantWoman will do targeted email and give Friends the option of clicking through to read her blog.

--RantWoman is keenly aware that electronic means of participation have different pluses and minuses than the phone or in-person meetings. RantWoman highly does not think the whole discernment process should be confined to electronic media but she does hope they offer an additional window into various processes.

--RantWoman has no pretensions about achieving the stature of Forbest magazine on Business Meeting However, RantWoman HOPES to strike a balance between privacy and leaving enough of a breadcrumb trail that at least some others might draw ideas about how this is done.

Let us see how this works.