Visit to Northern Yearly Meeting,
November 10-12, 2000
By Linda Chidsey and Marty Grundy

inda Chidsey was invited by Northern Yearly Meeting's (NYM) Advancement and Outreach Committee to speak with Friends on vocal ministry. Marty Grundy was asked to accompany her as spiritual companion/elder. This was a first attempt by NYM's Advancement and Outreach Committee to hold such a session.

There were 18 people plus Linda and Marty for a morning and an afternoon session in the NYM building in Menomonie, WI. A winter storm watch encouraged folks from a distance to leave before the evening session.

Linda held up the ideal of expectant worship as the ground from which vocal ministry arises, quoting from Barclay. She said that while we aspire to the "holy, pure, and spiritual" we also need to start where we are. She primed the pump, starting with milk rather than a hot pastrami sandwich, while holding out the invitation to a larger banquet. The morning was focused on meeting for worship, the afternoon on vocal ministry. Since the evening, which would have concentrated on nurturing vocal ministry, had to be abandoned due to the weather, she wove suggestions for nurture throughout the sessions. Linda had a nicely paced time of "lecture," small group work, and large group discussion. She had queries for each of the two small group sessions, and then set Friends to writing an advice to take home to their meetings.

Saturday evening three of us had a precious opportunity for "kitchen table Ministry." Sunday morning we separated, with Linda worshipping with the small Menomonie group, and Marty with folks in Eau Claire Meeting. Linda facilitated a pre-meeting before the meeting for worship at Menomonie to discuss/envision/plan for the future in light of a core family's move next year. After the rise of Eau Claire meeting Marty was asked to speak briefly about the role of elder as a traveling companion.

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