RantWoman was part of the authoring process for the following masterpiece performed at Community Night for the NPYM Annual Session. RantWoman means for this item to enjoy Creative Commons license but RantWoman is unclear how to handle the issue of what tune this is to be sung to. Therefore readers are to guess...
All God’s Quakers got a place on a committee
We don’t care if you’re plain or pretty
You have to be a member for Worship and Ministry
But everybody’s welcome on Hospitality
Religious Education is a good one too
‘cause all our children really need you.
Oversight’s got a lot of clearness to see to
And Building and Grounds has plenty to do.
Our homeless neighbors share our worship space
And provide our Meeting with a measure of grace
Social concerns proceed apace
And the dishwashing tends to itself—NOT!
Please take pity on the Finance Committee
They beg for money and they hardly get any.
We value all our other seventeen committees
But nobody talks to Nominating.
So we all got together for a Year of Discernment.
It lasted 18 months and it left us in ferment
We talked about our talents and commitments and souls
And how to share our gifts and time and anything we got now
All our Friends got a place in our Meeting
From setting out chairs to standing and greeting.
Christian and Jew and Buddhist and Pagan
And all of our potlucks have options that are vegan.
PS. Special thanks to Stasa over at Musings of A Quaker Witch for the info that the tune is by Bill Staines , The tune of course is probably NOT under creative commons license.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Are all our members clear of sleeping in Worship?
RantWoman has been watching some thoughts about queries play out on others' blogs:
http://robinmsf.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-are-queries-for-anyway.html
http://gatheringinlight.com/2010/07/12/the-queries-and-a-life-of-discernment/
Both of these blog entries mention queries as part of Meetings' annual giving account of themselves.RantWoman confesses: she has never thought to consult any specific queries the time or two shehas been involved in producing her Meeting's State of the Meeting report.
RantWoman was all set to rattle on in some general vein about queries--until she came upon one from the 17th century: Are all our members clear of sleeping and other untoward behaviors?
No! Who says? Does sudoku count? You mean I gotta stay awake?
RantWoman demurs! First, RantWoman once took counsel from a Seriously Weighty Friend about how sometimes during worship, Seriously Weighty Friend's mind just flutters around "like a hummingbird on a holiday." Seriously Weighty Friend (who identified more as Fat Friend than Seriously Weighty Friend) has been at this Quaker worship thing way longer than RantWoman and if her brain still flits around like a hummingbird on a holiday, RantWoman SUPPOSES there is hope for herself and in the meantime room for napping too.
Once upon a time RantWoman read a Pendle Hill pamphlet extracted from the writings of some 17th century Friend. This Friend was writing about his experience of Meeting for Worship. He wrote something along the lines of "it does not seem to matter whether I just spend the time sleeping. Even if that is all that happens, God has kept me out of bad company and sinful ways for an hour or so."
RantWoman is humbled by this sentiment. RantWoman supposes that in the cold underheated days of yore, simply stirring oneself to go be warm in a space with others probably has practical payoffs. Yeah, right, and RantWoman is really just trying to find the right theological language for her own worshipful naps.
RantWoman could perfectly well stay home and sleep in her own bed doing full recumbent DNA sprawl with the cat and save herself the trouble of getting dressed and taking a bus ride. RantWoman could do this and experience is clearly unambiguously that the effect is not the same at all. RantWoman thinks the peculiar spiritual cover of napping during Meeting for Worship is just part of that ineffable something, the peculiar communion of silent worship.
(Wait, RantWoman used, sometimes, to fall asleep among Baptists who made a great deal more noise during worship services than unprogrammed Friends do. The Baptists also do actual grape juice and weird crackers communion...Perhaps RantWoman should just not get carried away....)
http://robinmsf.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-are-queries-for-anyway.html
http://gatheringinlight.com/2010/07/12/the-queries-and-a-life-of-discernment/
Both of these blog entries mention queries as part of Meetings' annual giving account of themselves.RantWoman confesses: she has never thought to consult any specific queries the time or two shehas been involved in producing her Meeting's State of the Meeting report.
RantWoman was all set to rattle on in some general vein about queries--until she came upon one from the 17th century: Are all our members clear of sleeping and other untoward behaviors?
No! Who says? Does sudoku count? You mean I gotta stay awake?
RantWoman demurs! First, RantWoman once took counsel from a Seriously Weighty Friend about how sometimes during worship, Seriously Weighty Friend's mind just flutters around "like a hummingbird on a holiday." Seriously Weighty Friend (who identified more as Fat Friend than Seriously Weighty Friend) has been at this Quaker worship thing way longer than RantWoman and if her brain still flits around like a hummingbird on a holiday, RantWoman SUPPOSES there is hope for herself and in the meantime room for napping too.
Once upon a time RantWoman read a Pendle Hill pamphlet extracted from the writings of some 17th century Friend. This Friend was writing about his experience of Meeting for Worship. He wrote something along the lines of "it does not seem to matter whether I just spend the time sleeping. Even if that is all that happens, God has kept me out of bad company and sinful ways for an hour or so."
RantWoman is humbled by this sentiment. RantWoman supposes that in the cold underheated days of yore, simply stirring oneself to go be warm in a space with others probably has practical payoffs. Yeah, right, and RantWoman is really just trying to find the right theological language for her own worshipful naps.
RantWoman could perfectly well stay home and sleep in her own bed doing full recumbent DNA sprawl with the cat and save herself the trouble of getting dressed and taking a bus ride. RantWoman could do this and experience is clearly unambiguously that the effect is not the same at all. RantWoman thinks the peculiar spiritual cover of napping during Meeting for Worship is just part of that ineffable something, the peculiar communion of silent worship.
(Wait, RantWoman used, sometimes, to fall asleep among Baptists who made a great deal more noise during worship services than unprogrammed Friends do. The Baptists also do actual grape juice and weird crackers communion...Perhaps RantWoman should just not get carried away....)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Could it be . . . SEXISM?
It's possible RantWoman should just leave well enough alone and direct her readers to this post from Gathering in Light with quotes from Proverbs and Rosemary Radford Reuther about reinforcing totalitarian power through masculine language: http://gatheringinlight.com/2010/05/24/reenforcing-totalitarian-power-through-masculine-language/
RantWoman is a generous soul. We actually have two problems. First, the PNWQWTC epistle mentions sexism but does not spell out any specific moments upon which to hang conversation. The second problem is that the comments RantWoman read do not really back up sympathy with very active engagement about what is meant and what we wish to go away. Not surprisingly then sexism is treated as an abstraction that will passively just go away with spiritual transformation rather than as something that rquires specific human engagement to eliminate.
RantWoman's basic questions, pre-annual session:, with the caveat that "we" has various referents
--Does there need to be conversation within NPYM specifically about sexism within NPYM?
--Are Quaker testimonies about equality and historical practice supporting the equality of women alive in the lives of our MonthlyMeetings and Worship Groups today?
--Do women recognize internalized sexism among ourselves or other women?
--Do we as women have a sense that at least some men will recognize sexist behavior and call other men on it? Does it matter whether problems are identified as sexism as long as problematic behavior is identified and those involved get called on it? Are there otherspecific things we might want to ask of men in our struggles against sexism?
--Do we expect different things of ourselves or others based on age, profession, role among Friends as well as gender?
--Do we have a sense that our Monthly Meetings, Worship Groups and other bodies have the tools to deal with abusive behaviors rooted in sexism or otherwise?--Do we have experiences or impressions that would benefit from moreconversations, either private or public?
There are a few different reasons RantWoman asks
:--The conference epistle mentioned sexism in the Religious Society ofFriends but was not terribly specific. Mention of the topic certainly invites further conversation, but does not immediately suggest topics to have conversations about.
--RantWoman had one conversation with a Friend who has lots of experience working iwth AFSC. She spoke of how even years ago at public events she and her male counterpart would make a specific effort to call on equal numbers of men and women but that women do not necessarily raise their hands to comment in public. This experience matches RantWoman's impressions from many more contemporary events among Friends and otherwise, but RantWoman wonders whether other women thing this behavior is a problem? RantWoman has observed that sometimes the very women who will not raise their hands in large fora will nevertheless immediately track down speakers for deep but less public conversations.
--RantWoman has been thinking fondly of one Friend who comes sometimes to NPYM Annual Session who has a T-shirt that says "Real Men listen." As with all evangelizing, RantWoman has the sense that his message takes root unevenly but she admires him for repeatedly bringing the message.
--RantWoman has personally been involved in extended conversation with one Friend who listens badly,declares whole swaths of topics and experience off-limits or irrelevant and then demands to have a conversation in his terms. Some of the conversational patterns involved are patterns noticeable among other men. In fact, even though this Friend seems powerless over these tendencies in himself, this Friend in lecture mode even rattles off the patterns as part of dynamics in conflict. There is extensive academic research about men and women having different styles in conversation, sometimes different ways of presenting narrative and a whole host of things that RantWoman does not necessarily consider problematic, but there are some other demeaning elements RantWoman consider blatant sexism though simply using that term is not necessarily helpful in terms of figuring out what actually needs to be done for sensible conversation.
--Rantwoman has a long personal list of issues and behaviors that annoy her but also finds less unambiguous and less clear-cut than in her more strident youth about many issues.
So what actually transpired at Annual Session?
--RantWoman noticed a couple men she sometimes sees alone appeared this time with their female partners. RantWoman is always pleased when couples have spiritual life together and hopes that Annual Session is more fun in the company of one's beloved.
--RantWoman went to breakfast Bible study every morning except the day she overslept. RantWoman noticed that, except for Bible Study Friend who organizes this, lots of women participate but men never seem to show up. RantWoman decided she does not even care about this gender imbalance for a couple different reasons. First, RantWoman needs to take her Bible study where she finds it. Discussion is always lively and rich. Most interestingly, Bible Study Friend always shows up on time and Mrs. Bible Study Friend who seems often to have other responsibilities and obligations before she can sit down comes later. When Mrs. Bible Study Friend arrives, it is obvious that the couple have prepared together and RantWoman approves of mixed gender spousal teamwork.
--RantWoman had two conversations with Friend who has a particular ministry where the phrase "male privilege" came up in reference to two different contexts. Anyone want to guess the gender of Friend who has a particular ministry? The gender of the objects of the two conversations?
To be fair, one of the conversations seemed to involve several men much older than the speaking Friend. These men listened with great interest for a good while with only a dollop of male privilege expectation tacked onto a tangential thread at the end. The thought was tacked on in a way that caused RantWoman the catty thought that such attitudes might be one reason Tacking on Friend is currently lacking in female companionship. Ah, the wages of sexism....
--RantWoman is scratching her head about the second Male Privilege Friend. Among his many counterintuitive behaviors is giving messages in worship laced alternately with the language of Torah study and reference to the Goddess. RantWoman supposes that if she herself is going to muddle around several directions herself, she really ought to respect this Friend's spiritual language too; to say the least, RantWoman is still confused by practice no less than language.
No such luck!
Or else RantWoman should think in more depth about this item composting the ramblings of one of the people RantWoman currently has great difficulty discerning that of God within and summoning Dietrich Bonhoffer's writings about suffering and standing alongside the suffering. http://blog.sojo.net/2010/07/21/glenn-beck-and-the-foolishness-of-the-cross/ . Despite this item's efforts to universalize traditionally feminine attributes such as humility and suffering, RantWoman is having a good bit of trouble about anything that fetishizes suffering, as if there is not already enough suffering in the world. RantWoman supposes it would at least be sporting to elaborate a little on the problems she is having and how this relates to problems with traditionally Christian ideals. Doing that would be way too tidy; RantWoman is a Quaker partly because she feels license to leave her muddled half-formed spiritual questions all over the blogosphere while she figures out where it is she is going.
Meanwhile, RantWoman is going to attempt something she is better at, cataloging further queries and observations.
RantWoman was packing her brain cells and centering her heart and aiming to get grounded in preparation for her upcmoning journey to the NPYM Annual Session in Missoula, MT. As with almost everything in the world of RantWoman tidy intellectual packing is easier said than done. Consider the recent Pacific Northwest Quaker Women's Theology Conference and thoughts of what openings one wants to encounter to talk about Sexism.
Okay, RantWoman really actually does NOT want to talk about sexism. RantWoman wishes sexism did not exist and that all were smooth and hunky-dory and that RantWoman could expend her energy on all the other prickly matters in the RantWoman bouquet of frequent aggravations. Alas, along come the following comments on posting of the PNWQWTC epistle .
Houston, we have a problem!
What problem could we possibly have if two guys RantWoman knows generally to be thoughtful and intelligent are posting things that sound sympathetic about the problem of sexism at least to start?
RantWoman is a generous soul. We actually have two problems. First, the PNWQWTC epistle mentions sexism but does not spell out any specific moments upon which to hang conversation. The second problem is that the comments RantWoman read do not really back up sympathy with very active engagement about what is meant and what we wish to go away. Not surprisingly then sexism is treated as an abstraction that will passively just go away with spiritual transformation rather than as something that rquires specific human engagement to eliminate.
RantWoman's basic questions, pre-annual session:, with the caveat that "we" has various referents
--Does there need to be conversation within NPYM specifically about sexism within NPYM?
--Are Quaker testimonies about equality and historical practice supporting the equality of women alive in the lives of our MonthlyMeetings and Worship Groups today?
--Do women recognize internalized sexism among ourselves or other women?
--Do we as women have a sense that at least some men will recognize sexist behavior and call other men on it? Does it matter whether problems are identified as sexism as long as problematic behavior is identified and those involved get called on it? Are there otherspecific things we might want to ask of men in our struggles against sexism?
--Do we expect different things of ourselves or others based on age, profession, role among Friends as well as gender?
--Do we have a sense that our Monthly Meetings, Worship Groups and other bodies have the tools to deal with abusive behaviors rooted in sexism or otherwise?--Do we have experiences or impressions that would benefit from moreconversations, either private or public?
There are a few different reasons RantWoman asks
:--The conference epistle mentioned sexism in the Religious Society ofFriends but was not terribly specific. Mention of the topic certainly invites further conversation, but does not immediately suggest topics to have conversations about.
--RantWoman had one conversation with a Friend who has lots of experience working iwth AFSC. She spoke of how even years ago at public events she and her male counterpart would make a specific effort to call on equal numbers of men and women but that women do not necessarily raise their hands to comment in public. This experience matches RantWoman's impressions from many more contemporary events among Friends and otherwise, but RantWoman wonders whether other women thing this behavior is a problem? RantWoman has observed that sometimes the very women who will not raise their hands in large fora will nevertheless immediately track down speakers for deep but less public conversations.
--RantWoman has been thinking fondly of one Friend who comes sometimes to NPYM Annual Session who has a T-shirt that says "Real Men listen." As with all evangelizing, RantWoman has the sense that his message takes root unevenly but she admires him for repeatedly bringing the message.
--RantWoman has personally been involved in extended conversation with one Friend who listens badly,declares whole swaths of topics and experience off-limits or irrelevant and then demands to have a conversation in his terms. Some of the conversational patterns involved are patterns noticeable among other men. In fact, even though this Friend seems powerless over these tendencies in himself, this Friend in lecture mode even rattles off the patterns as part of dynamics in conflict. There is extensive academic research about men and women having different styles in conversation, sometimes different ways of presenting narrative and a whole host of things that RantWoman does not necessarily consider problematic, but there are some other demeaning elements RantWoman consider blatant sexism though simply using that term is not necessarily helpful in terms of figuring out what actually needs to be done for sensible conversation.
--Rantwoman has a long personal list of issues and behaviors that annoy her but also finds less unambiguous and less clear-cut than in her more strident youth about many issues.
So what actually transpired at Annual Session?
--RantWoman noticed a couple men she sometimes sees alone appeared this time with their female partners. RantWoman is always pleased when couples have spiritual life together and hopes that Annual Session is more fun in the company of one's beloved.
--RantWoman went to breakfast Bible study every morning except the day she overslept. RantWoman noticed that, except for Bible Study Friend who organizes this, lots of women participate but men never seem to show up. RantWoman decided she does not even care about this gender imbalance for a couple different reasons. First, RantWoman needs to take her Bible study where she finds it. Discussion is always lively and rich. Most interestingly, Bible Study Friend always shows up on time and Mrs. Bible Study Friend who seems often to have other responsibilities and obligations before she can sit down comes later. When Mrs. Bible Study Friend arrives, it is obvious that the couple have prepared together and RantWoman approves of mixed gender spousal teamwork.
--RantWoman had two conversations with Friend who has a particular ministry where the phrase "male privilege" came up in reference to two different contexts. Anyone want to guess the gender of Friend who has a particular ministry? The gender of the objects of the two conversations?
To be fair, one of the conversations seemed to involve several men much older than the speaking Friend. These men listened with great interest for a good while with only a dollop of male privilege expectation tacked onto a tangential thread at the end. The thought was tacked on in a way that caused RantWoman the catty thought that such attitudes might be one reason Tacking on Friend is currently lacking in female companionship. Ah, the wages of sexism....
--RantWoman is scratching her head about the second Male Privilege Friend. Among his many counterintuitive behaviors is giving messages in worship laced alternately with the language of Torah study and reference to the Goddess. RantWoman supposes that if she herself is going to muddle around several directions herself, she really ought to respect this Friend's spiritual language too; to say the least, RantWoman is still confused by practice no less than language.
From out of nowhere: Barclay online
Several Friends in RantWoman's meeting are getting together a group to read and talk about Barclay's Apology. RantWoman does not expect to be short of inclination to run off at the keyboard once things get going and will maintain more or less electronic silence in the meantime.
RantWoman is in preparation posting this link to an online copy of Barclay's apology for her own and others' edification and memory reinforcement.
Barclay's Apology for the True Christian Divinity, scanned and prepared by Quaker Heritage Press
RantWoman is in preparation posting this link to an online copy of Barclay's apology for her own and others' edification and memory reinforcement.
Barclay's Apology for the True Christian Divinity, scanned and prepared by Quaker Heritage Press
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Go Ahead Ask Me For Money
No, wait! The invitation above in no way is meant to imply that RantWoman necessarily has any money to give one or another project. Far from it: RantWoman herself does really well at penurious and impecunious. This does not mean RantWoman has no interest in the pitch of people asking for money; it does mean RantWoman has topical experiences of different kinds. Even when RantWoman herself is in no position to help out financially, RantWoman has a concern for helping others learn how to ask for money effectively.
--Reading on Ashley W's blog Ashley W's blog of young Friends who have travelled in the ministry and who think there should be more financial support among Friends. RantWoman has been reading this. (RantWoman is seasoning a stew of questions about hireling ministers and historical practices around supporting those travelling in the ministry. RantWoman has also heard stories of Friends being downright cheap in supporting called ministers living amongst them. If RantWoman is feeling especially egalitarian she will at some point speculate about whether points of money are necessarily any more or less tender than points of money among other communities.) When RantWoman has money she is sometimes quite happy to have her money rather than herself travelling. This is another reason RantWoman does not in the least mind being asked.
--Reflecting on different times and reasons she herself has either been in the position of asking for money or of helping decide how available money is spent.
--Is the amount asked for reasonable in terms of the costs of what one proposes to do?
--Is the amount requested reasonable in terms of budget and the guidelines of the organization being asked for funds. Here, RantWoman admits to being of two minds: RantWoman would prefer to see requests that show evidence of interacting with the question of how much may be available from a given source. On the other hand, if people ask for what they need, RantWoman and those discerning will still not feel obliged to offer more than makes sense within their limits.
RantWoman is working on a tirade about timidity on a corporate scale about asking for money but she has a feeling there is going to be a good deal more laboring with to bring others to her point of view. Stay tuned.
For instance, if you want to ask RantWoman for money to help cover a speaker's expenses or to support his or her work, please warn RantWoman in advance. RantWoman is shameless and will show up whether she has money or not. However, RantWoman has eccentric habits as far as what cash she does or does not carry. Carrying cash tends to help RantWoman spend money faster than she intends so she tends not to carry cash. This is one reason RantWoman also almost worships her bus pass.
RantWoman may make a special point of carrying something to give away if she knows an opportunity to support a good cause might be on the agenda and thinks it's fine, preferable even, if announcements about events indicate that being asked for money is part of the deal. You would think that by the time RantWoman has reached the ripe old age of (....never mind...) RantWoman would already be able pretty accurately to predict what kinds of events might automatically come with fundraising pitches. RantWoman recommends event organizers not rely on this and speak also to others not so prescient.
In the general case, RantWoman has been:
--Reading on Ashley W's blog Ashley W's blog of young Friends who have travelled in the ministry and who think there should be more financial support among Friends. RantWoman has been reading this. (RantWoman is seasoning a stew of questions about hireling ministers and historical practices around supporting those travelling in the ministry. RantWoman has also heard stories of Friends being downright cheap in supporting called ministers living amongst them. If RantWoman is feeling especially egalitarian she will at some point speculate about whether points of money are necessarily any more or less tender than points of money among other communities.) When RantWoman has money she is sometimes quite happy to have her money rather than herself travelling. This is another reason RantWoman does not in the least mind being asked.
--Reflecting on different times and reasons she herself has either been in the position of asking for money or of helping decide how available money is spent.
In addition to the event-specific comment above, some other thoughts on RantWoman's mind in terms of what she wants to see of people whose requests for money she reviews.
--Has the request and the proposed activity been seasoned with the support committee for a ministry? RantWoman is always especially pleased by requests that can be channeled through something that qualifies for a tax deduction. It's not particularly that RantWoman ever gets to take advantage of tax deductions. RantWoman just interprets the option of tax deductions as one indication that the person making the request has done good discernment and secured thoughtful conscientious support, as well probably as having interacted with the imperatives of bookkeepers.
--Is the amount asked for reasonable in terms of the costs of what one proposes to do?
--Is the amount requested reasonable in terms of budget and the guidelines of the organization being asked for funds. Here, RantWoman admits to being of two minds: RantWoman would prefer to see requests that show evidence of interacting with the question of how much may be available from a given source. On the other hand, if people ask for what they need, RantWoman and those discerning will still not feel obliged to offer more than makes sense within their limits.
RantWoman is working on a tirade about timidity on a corporate scale about asking for money but she has a feeling there is going to be a good deal more laboring with to bring others to her point of view. Stay tuned.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Lilian Vega Ortiz: the rest of her trip
RantWoman suspects that the overlap of people who read her blog and people passionate about Alternatives to Violence International might be approximately zero. RantWoman thinks this is unfortunate. Alternatives to Violence is a conflict-resolution training program originally begun by Quakers in a New York prison. Since its inception Alternatives to Violence has spread to many countries with different adaptations based on culture and history. RantWoman wants her readers to attend the presentation to learn more about the ways AVP works.
RantWoman is reposting the announcement below about Guatemalan AVP volunteer Lilian Vega Ortiz' speaking tour in the Northwest in an attempt to remedy her readers' possible unfamiliarity with the work of AVP! If you live in one of the places on the itinerary and are even slightly interested in Alternatives to Violence International , RantWoman highly recommends this speaking tour. If you read all the way to the end, RantWoman MAY even provide some commentary on the event last night at her Meeting as further enticement
Alternatives to Violence in Guatemala - Lilian Vega Ortiz Join us in hearing about Friends Peace Teams work in Central America: RantWoman already has the event at her Meeting on her calendar. RantWoman is especially humbled by the wonderful quote below. After a career of volunteer social service with young people in detention facilities, Lilian Vega Ortiz now devotes her time to theological study and facilitation of workshops for the Central American Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies, including Alternatives to Violence workshops. "I believe that all of my life experiences, as difficult as they have been, never took place to paralyze me, even though I have been a victim. Instead, they have given me strength to go forward and prepare myself to help others find their own values and find the support systems so that change can take place. I know that this society, full of adversity, needs the efforts of valiant and optimistic people, now more than ever.”
Tue., 6/29 Olympia Meeting Contact: Donna Schumann Wed.,
6/30 7 PM University Friends Center 4001 - 9th Ave. NE Seattle 98105 (just north of University Bridge, 1 block W of Roosevelt Avenue, exit 169 off I-5) Contact: Pablo Stanfield
Thur., 7/1, 7 PM Lopez Island Worship Group at the Lopez Library Contact: Ron Metcalf
Fri., 7/2 7 PM Bellingham Friends Meeting/Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, 100 E. Maple St. (at the corner of Cornwall and Maple) Contact: Doris Ferm
Mon., 7/5 7:30 PM Hosted by South Mountain Meeting and held at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 87 4th St., Ashland Contact: Ken Deveney
Wed., 7/7 7PM Multnomah Meeting Contact: Andy Cross Thur., 7/8 5:30 Potluck 7 PM Program Corvallis Friends Meetinghouse, 3311 NW Polk Ave. Contact: Esther Schiedel,
Fri., 7/9 Eugene Friends Meeting – presentation and benefit concert Contact: Helen Park
What stood out to RantWoman, hopefully without spoiling the opportunity to hear Lilian's own eloquent presentation.
--Lilian outlined the colonial history of Latin America and spoke of different cultures and histories in several countries where AVP noew has a presence.
--Lilian spoke movingly of a connection between opportunities through AVP workshops for women's empowerment and noticeable changes in the domestic lives of women who participate.
Lilian also got everyone who attended to participate in part of a mini workshop. For example, we got assigned to do a crafts exercise. RantWoman would say the gringos cheated: The task of the crafts excercise was to create an animal using only a total of one sheet of paper per person and masking tape. Each person was limited to only two movements per turn. People had 30 seconds to talk at the beginning and then were to work in silence.
RantWoman thinks her group defined movements broadly enough to for instance fold paper, stick on tape, and add it to the animal even though some of these steps clearly involved more than one step. For instance, Applying masking tape meant finding the end of the tape on the roll, pulling off a length of tape and sticking it where wanted.
RantWoman thinks the challenges and risks of this venture would be even more obvious if tighter limits were enforced about what is meant by a movement. Perhaps life was uncertain enough as the exercise evolved. IN any case, RantWoman heartily recommends these appearances!
For more about the history of AVP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternatives_to_Violence_Project
RantWoman is reposting the announcement below about Guatemalan AVP volunteer Lilian Vega Ortiz' speaking tour in the Northwest in an attempt to remedy her readers' possible unfamiliarity with the work of AVP! If you live in one of the places on the itinerary and are even slightly interested in Alternatives to Violence International , RantWoman highly recommends this speaking tour. If you read all the way to the end, RantWoman MAY even provide some commentary on the event last night at her Meeting as further enticement
Alternatives to Violence in Guatemala - Lilian Vega Ortiz Join us in hearing about Friends Peace Teams work in Central America: RantWoman already has the event at her Meeting on her calendar. RantWoman is especially humbled by the wonderful quote below. After a career of volunteer social service with young people in detention facilities, Lilian Vega Ortiz now devotes her time to theological study and facilitation of workshops for the Central American Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies, including Alternatives to Violence workshops. "I believe that all of my life experiences, as difficult as they have been, never took place to paralyze me, even though I have been a victim. Instead, they have given me strength to go forward and prepare myself to help others find their own values and find the support systems so that change can take place. I know that this society, full of adversity, needs the efforts of valiant and optimistic people, now more than ever.”
Tue., 6/29 Olympia Meeting Contact: Donna Schumann Wed.,
6/30 7 PM University Friends Center 4001 - 9th Ave. NE Seattle 98105 (just north of University Bridge, 1 block W of Roosevelt Avenue, exit 169 off I-5) Contact: Pablo Stanfield
Thur., 7/1, 7 PM Lopez Island Worship Group at the Lopez Library Contact: Ron Metcalf
Fri., 7/2 7 PM Bellingham Friends Meeting/Whatcom Peace and Justice Center, 100 E. Maple St. (at the corner of Cornwall and Maple) Contact: Doris Ferm
Mon., 7/5 7:30 PM Hosted by South Mountain Meeting and held at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 87 4th St., Ashland Contact: Ken Deveney
Wed., 7/7 7PM Multnomah Meeting Contact: Andy Cross Thur., 7/8 5:30 Potluck 7 PM Program Corvallis Friends Meetinghouse, 3311 NW Polk Ave. Contact: Esther Schiedel,
Fri., 7/9 Eugene Friends Meeting – presentation and benefit concert Contact: Helen Park
What stood out to RantWoman, hopefully without spoiling the opportunity to hear Lilian's own eloquent presentation.
--Lilian outlined the colonial history of Latin America and spoke of different cultures and histories in several countries where AVP noew has a presence.
--Lilian spoke movingly of a connection between opportunities through AVP workshops for women's empowerment and noticeable changes in the domestic lives of women who participate.
Lilian also got everyone who attended to participate in part of a mini workshop. For example, we got assigned to do a crafts exercise. RantWoman would say the gringos cheated: The task of the crafts excercise was to create an animal using only a total of one sheet of paper per person and masking tape. Each person was limited to only two movements per turn. People had 30 seconds to talk at the beginning and then were to work in silence.
RantWoman thinks her group defined movements broadly enough to for instance fold paper, stick on tape, and add it to the animal even though some of these steps clearly involved more than one step. For instance, Applying masking tape meant finding the end of the tape on the roll, pulling off a length of tape and sticking it where wanted.
RantWoman thinks the challenges and risks of this venture would be even more obvious if tighter limits were enforced about what is meant by a movement. Perhaps life was uncertain enough as the exercise evolved. IN any case, RantWoman heartily recommends these appearances!
For more about the history of AVP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternatives_to_Violence_Project
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Elise Boulding: when one needs courage
Rantwoman grabbed the following quote from Lilian Vega Ortiz
The passing of Elise Boulding is unquestionably one of those occasions that calls valiant, optimistic people to service now more than ever. RantWoman will start with the obit below and invites her readers to click on linds and send remembrances as led.
[FPT Council] AGLI--Elise Boulding 1920 - 2010
Elise Boulding 1920 - 2010
Dear All,
As you may have heard Elise Boulding died just before her 90th birthday. Here is her obituary which is way too long because she did so many things. In additional to all that is mentioned, she was one of the founders of Friends Peace Teams and one of its original co-clerks. She was still co-clerk when I began working with FPT in 1996.
Peace,Dave
Below is a message received from Russell Boulding, son of Elise Boulding, Friend and Honorary Chair of the National Peace Academy Advisory Board:
Dear Friends, Elise died peacefully at 4:40 pm on Thursday June 24. Her webpage provides more about her last few weeks: http://www.earthenergyhealing.org/EliseBoulding3.htm. A copy of her obituary, kindly prepared by her biographer Mary Lee Morrison is below. There will be a Memorial Service for her on her 90th birthday, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, Tuesday, July 6 at the Houghton Memorial Chapel, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA. Mark, Christie, Philip, William and I will be there with our spouses (Greg in Spirit). This web page can be checked for the latest information about the Service: http://www.earthenergyhealing.org/EliseBoulding1.htm Love, Russell
Elise Boulding died at 4:40 pm, June 24, 2010 in Needham, MA.
Hailed as a "matriarch" of the twentieth century peace research movement, she was sociologist emeritus from Dartmouth College and from the University of Colorado and in on the ground floor in the movements of peace, women's studies and futures and played pivotal roles in each. Her writings on the role of the family, women, spirituality and international non-governmental organizations have offered activists and educators new ways of conceiving the tasks inherent in making peace. Beginning in tandem with her late husband, economist and Quaker poet Kenneth Boulding and later on her own, she went on to build a life that encompassed research, writing and teaching, networking and building communities of learning. Dr. Boulding is the author of over 300 publications and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. Her theoretical work on the role of the family in educating toward social change, and the role women have played in peacemaking, together with her ideas on transnational networks and their relationship to global understanding are considered seminal contributions to twentieth century peace education thought.
Prior to her scholarly career, which formally began for her at age fifty after receiving her doctorate from the University of Michigan, Dr. Boulding was making major contributions in other areas, most notably as a peace educator and prominent Quaker and as a leader in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), rising up to be International Chair.
She was a founder of the International Peace Research Association and later became its International Secretary-General. She was a co-founder the Consortium on Peace, Research, Education and Development. As an active opponent of the Vietnam War, Dr. Boulding ran for Congress in the 1960s on a Peace Platform in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She taught sociology and women's studies at the University of Colorado, where she helped to found the peace studies program. She later taught sociology and helped to found the peace studies program at Dartmouth College.
She took key leadership positions in the American and International Sociological Associations, worked on climate change, population, and arms control with the American Association of the Advancement of Science, was engaged with the American Futures Society, the World Policy Institute, the United Nations University in Tokyo, consultative work with UNESCO, and was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the only woman to sit on the Commission to establish the U.S. Institute of Peace. She was on the boards of the National Peace Institute Foundation, the Boulder Parenting Center, the Exploratory Project on Conditions for a Just World Peace, the International Peace Research Association Foundation, the Committee for the Quaker United Nations Office, and Honorary Chair of the National Peace Academy Advisory Board.
Prior to her retirement from Dartmouth College, she was a Senior Fellow of the Dickey Center for International Understanding at that university. In 1993 Dr. Boulding represented Quakers at the inaugural gathering of the global Interfaith Peace Council. Born in 1920 in Oslo, Norway, her status as an immigrant profoundly affected her life and work. A graduate of Douglas College (now part of Rutgers University), Dr. Boulding joined the Religious Society of Friends at age 21, Her sense of herself as a Quaker and her deep spirituality informed all of her subsequent work. Blessed with a very high energy level, at times she also sought out Catholic monasteries for times of retreat from her very heavily scheduled life as an academic, activist, author and speaker. In 1973 she spent a year in retreat in a mountain cabin outside Boulder, CO, where she began writing her seminal work on women, The Underside of History, a View of Women Through Time.
Her last book, Cultures of Peace: the Hidden Side of History, is a celebration of the many ways peace is made in everyday places and hidden spaces and its writing was a culmination of her life's work. Retiring from Dartmouth College in 1985 she returned to Boulder, Colorado. In 1996 she relocated to Wayland, MA and in 2000 she moved to a retirement home in Needham, MA.
Pre-deceased by her husband, Dr. Kenneth Boulding and her two sisters Sylvia Griffith and Vera Larson, she is survived by her five children and their spouses: Russell and Bonnie Boulding of Bloomington, IN, Mark and Pat Boulding of Englewood, CO, Christine Boulding and the late Gregory Graham of Wayland, MA, Philip and Pam Boulding of Olalla, WA and William and Liz Boulding of Durham, NC, 16 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Peace Academy, PO Box 306, Shelburne, VT 05482 (please identify Elise Boulding Scholarship Fund, which was established to honor her life of dedication to peace, on check). Russell Boulding (4464 N. Robbs Lane, Bloomington, IN, 47408, jrb-eeh@bluemarble.net) is collecting tributes/reminiscences of those touched by her to be complied, shared with the family and placed in the Elise Boulding Collection at the University of Colorado Archives, Boulder.
AGLI Contact Info
-- New webpage: http://www.aglifpt.org/
New email: dave@aglifpt.org
David Zarembka,
CoordinatorAfrican Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
P. O. Box 189,
Kipkarren River 50241 Kenya
Phone in Kenya: 254 (0)726 590 783 in US: 240/543-1172
Office in US:
1001 Park Avenue,
St Louis, MO 63104 USA
314/647-1287
"...(to) prepare myself to help others find their own values and find the support systems so that change can take place. I know that this society, full of adversity, needs the efforts of valiant and optimistic people, now more than ever."
The passing of Elise Boulding is unquestionably one of those occasions that calls valiant, optimistic people to service now more than ever. RantWoman will start with the obit below and invites her readers to click on linds and send remembrances as led.
[FPT Council] AGLI--Elise Boulding 1920 - 2010
Elise Boulding 1920 - 2010
Dear All,
As you may have heard Elise Boulding died just before her 90th birthday. Here is her obituary which is way too long because she did so many things. In additional to all that is mentioned, she was one of the founders of Friends Peace Teams and one of its original co-clerks. She was still co-clerk when I began working with FPT in 1996.
Peace,Dave
Below is a message received from Russell Boulding, son of Elise Boulding, Friend and Honorary Chair of the National Peace Academy Advisory Board:
Dear Friends, Elise died peacefully at 4:40 pm on Thursday June 24. Her webpage provides more about her last few weeks: http://www.earthenergyhealing.org/EliseBoulding3.htm. A copy of her obituary, kindly prepared by her biographer Mary Lee Morrison is below. There will be a Memorial Service for her on her 90th birthday, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, Tuesday, July 6 at the Houghton Memorial Chapel, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA. Mark, Christie, Philip, William and I will be there with our spouses (Greg in Spirit). This web page can be checked for the latest information about the Service: http://www.earthenergyhealing.org/EliseBoulding1.htm Love, Russell
Elise Boulding died at 4:40 pm, June 24, 2010 in Needham, MA.
Hailed as a "matriarch" of the twentieth century peace research movement, she was sociologist emeritus from Dartmouth College and from the University of Colorado and in on the ground floor in the movements of peace, women's studies and futures and played pivotal roles in each. Her writings on the role of the family, women, spirituality and international non-governmental organizations have offered activists and educators new ways of conceiving the tasks inherent in making peace. Beginning in tandem with her late husband, economist and Quaker poet Kenneth Boulding and later on her own, she went on to build a life that encompassed research, writing and teaching, networking and building communities of learning. Dr. Boulding is the author of over 300 publications and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. Her theoretical work on the role of the family in educating toward social change, and the role women have played in peacemaking, together with her ideas on transnational networks and their relationship to global understanding are considered seminal contributions to twentieth century peace education thought.
Prior to her scholarly career, which formally began for her at age fifty after receiving her doctorate from the University of Michigan, Dr. Boulding was making major contributions in other areas, most notably as a peace educator and prominent Quaker and as a leader in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), rising up to be International Chair.
She was a founder of the International Peace Research Association and later became its International Secretary-General. She was a co-founder the Consortium on Peace, Research, Education and Development. As an active opponent of the Vietnam War, Dr. Boulding ran for Congress in the 1960s on a Peace Platform in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She taught sociology and women's studies at the University of Colorado, where she helped to found the peace studies program. She later taught sociology and helped to found the peace studies program at Dartmouth College.
She took key leadership positions in the American and International Sociological Associations, worked on climate change, population, and arms control with the American Association of the Advancement of Science, was engaged with the American Futures Society, the World Policy Institute, the United Nations University in Tokyo, consultative work with UNESCO, and was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the only woman to sit on the Commission to establish the U.S. Institute of Peace. She was on the boards of the National Peace Institute Foundation, the Boulder Parenting Center, the Exploratory Project on Conditions for a Just World Peace, the International Peace Research Association Foundation, the Committee for the Quaker United Nations Office, and Honorary Chair of the National Peace Academy Advisory Board.
Prior to her retirement from Dartmouth College, she was a Senior Fellow of the Dickey Center for International Understanding at that university. In 1993 Dr. Boulding represented Quakers at the inaugural gathering of the global Interfaith Peace Council. Born in 1920 in Oslo, Norway, her status as an immigrant profoundly affected her life and work. A graduate of Douglas College (now part of Rutgers University), Dr. Boulding joined the Religious Society of Friends at age 21, Her sense of herself as a Quaker and her deep spirituality informed all of her subsequent work. Blessed with a very high energy level, at times she also sought out Catholic monasteries for times of retreat from her very heavily scheduled life as an academic, activist, author and speaker. In 1973 she spent a year in retreat in a mountain cabin outside Boulder, CO, where she began writing her seminal work on women, The Underside of History, a View of Women Through Time.
Her last book, Cultures of Peace: the Hidden Side of History, is a celebration of the many ways peace is made in everyday places and hidden spaces and its writing was a culmination of her life's work. Retiring from Dartmouth College in 1985 she returned to Boulder, Colorado. In 1996 she relocated to Wayland, MA and in 2000 she moved to a retirement home in Needham, MA.
Pre-deceased by her husband, Dr. Kenneth Boulding and her two sisters Sylvia Griffith and Vera Larson, she is survived by her five children and their spouses: Russell and Bonnie Boulding of Bloomington, IN, Mark and Pat Boulding of Englewood, CO, Christine Boulding and the late Gregory Graham of Wayland, MA, Philip and Pam Boulding of Olalla, WA and William and Liz Boulding of Durham, NC, 16 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Peace Academy, PO Box 306, Shelburne, VT 05482 (please identify Elise Boulding Scholarship Fund, which was established to honor her life of dedication to peace, on check). Russell Boulding (4464 N. Robbs Lane, Bloomington, IN, 47408, jrb-eeh@bluemarble.net) is collecting tributes/reminiscences of those touched by her to be complied, shared with the family and placed in the Elise Boulding Collection at the University of Colorado Archives, Boulder.
AGLI Contact Info
-- New webpage: http://www.aglifpt.org/
New email: dave@aglifpt.org
David Zarembka,
CoordinatorAfrican Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams
P. O. Box 189,
Kipkarren River 50241 Kenya
Phone in Kenya: 254 (0)726 590 783 in US: 240/543-1172
Office in US:
1001 Park Avenue,
St Louis, MO 63104 USA
314/647-1287
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