Rename? Discern?

Hi Friends

Someone at Meeting mentioned today that Friends Center Committee wants to rename itself to something more welcoming or something. I have no idea what is to be proposed and apologies in advance if this comes across as another round of (RantWoman's) perpetual fussiness about wording, but two things come to me very strongly.

1. One reason I am attached to the name is that actually the name Friends Center predates the existence of UFM. It dates from when the Friends Center at the University was a mission of what was then a mission from Friends Memorial Church. Friends Memorial is now North Seattle Friends Church and two yearly meeting names removed from its connection to Indiana Yearly Meeting. RantWoman cannot just go root in archibess by herself but Is there someone on this list who could look this up in our minutes or records just as a nod to our history and Quaker origin story?
    
2. The fact that I am in love with / attached to this history alone should not keep us from changing the name of the committee if others feel clearly drawn to something new. BUT what if instead of changing the committee we decided to think of what the words mean and let that be the core of how we revitalize the name Friends Center?
   1. Friends: I cannot remember the place in the New Testament where Christ tells the disciples they are his Friends, but that is part of the origin of the term Friends in the first place. But what does the word Friends mean to us in terms of community and things I think we want the committee name to speak to?
       
   2. Center: what is at the center of our community? What do we mean centering? Worship? What is at the center of our community life?
       
   3. What might we do with all this reflection: maybe leave the committee name as is with an added slogan? Maybe incorporate some thoughts into the committee description. Maybe express profound thanks to everyone who connects by helping with cleanup and thinking about other ways people connect?
       

Having a conversation by email would help me have a sense of shared discernment. Would Friends feel able to do that? I promise no more than one interaction per 24 hours and to change the subject line if the topic appears to drift.

 

Thank you all very much for thinking about this and for whatever rises in response.

 

In Light and faithfulness

 

(RantWoman)