Memorial: Sarah M

Sarah/Sallie McElroy

 

A Life of Action and Spiritual Growth

June 1, 1935 - April 19, 2017

Gathering of Remembrance at

University Friends Meeting, Seattle

http://ufmseattle.org

June 3, 2017 - 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Starting at 2:00 pm in Meeting Room

Welcome to this Memorial, which reflects both Quaker and Buddhist Ways.

Reading of the Quaker Meeting Memorial Minute.

Impermanence and letting go

Silent Meditation and Worship

Speaking from the silence

Reflections by family and friends

Songs

Acknowledgements

A moment of closing meditation

At 3:00 pm in Social Hall

Gather for conversation and light refreshment.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Sarah's life, she would be happy for your

consideration of:

- University Friends Meeting in Seattle (http://ufmseattle.org/)

- Seattle Insight Meditation Society (http://seattleinsight.org/)

- Nonviolent Peaceforce, US Office, St. Paul, MN (http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/)

- or similar organization promoting peace and social justice.

RantWoman could not attend this memorial and offers these notes in humble appreciation of Sarah's gifts to our community.

RantWoman is VERY grateful to Friends who responded to a request after worship for nuggets from the memorial.

Okay, so the request came with the following peculiar honesty confessions, topically phrased in context of other messages that day

--RantWoman had not realized that Sarah was in her early 80's!

--One of RantWoman's arguments with God and with various people in RantWoman's life who do Buddhist practice: too much Buddhism makes rantWoman want to punch someone. God and RantWoman are still sitting with what that problem is supposed to teach.

--RantWoman remembers Sarah as kind of challenging and insistent or clear in her positions.

--Despite RantWoman's personal vexations about Buddhism, it somehow made RantWoman glad to know that Sarah also had a Buddhist community.

Among the nuggets shared that stick with RantWoman:

RantWoman found Sarah a challenge sometimes. Like many good Quaker memorials, ministry came with both love and honesty. Someone from Sarah's Buddhist community recounted various moments of Sarah sticking to strong opinions. One moment was about where to go have tea and whether the workers were treated well. To Sarah it was never just tea.

One Friend commented about how nice it was to have a memorial with other people who get the concept of sitting in silence.

RantWoman is very glad to know Sarah had a care committee and did not just drop dead without telling anyone. RantWoman is also glad the care committee was composed of other people and is glad to know the work was appreciated.

May the strength of Sarah's light live on among the rest of us.