In the Love and Light that unite us,
         Beckey Phipps, clerk

ell, if not us, who would write First Day School curricula for FGC Friends? Even within our own Quaker family, no one-not FUM, not EFI, not Conservative Friends-has our specific theological focus. In this article, we will describe some theological focal points that are unique to FGC Friends, and we will discuss why FGC Friends should write curricula.

The most important theological focus for FGC Friends is our experience of that of God in everyone-that we see a potential in each person for more good than bad. This is a profound idea, which has some cousins in Eastern thought and in some Christian traditions, but, even among Friends, is uniquely ours in emphasis and degree. From our experience of that of God in everyone stem our testimonies, our organizational structures, and our faith and practice.

Second, we intentionally embrace theological diversity. It is our experience that exploring diverse ideas can help us find the truth. FGC Friends, for example, are open to a variety of interpretations of the life and teachings of Jesus. Whereas most Christians are fairly precise in their interpretations, FGC Friends tend to be more comfortable with ambiguity and with maintaining a variety of interpretations. Friends frequently agree to disagree on matters of theology.

As a result of our theological diversity, we intentionally de-emphasize dogma-and few religions even want to make such a claim. We care more about what people do than what they believe. Because FGC Friends do not claim that salvation is a matter of belief, we do not emphasize doctrine. We also accept other religious traditions as authentic expressions of the experience of God's inward presence. We are unique in that, in large part, our testimonies have replaced the traditional role of doctrine in religious traditions.

Third, our unique emphasis on honesty, integrity, community, simplicity and peace has many implications for us in social, economic, and political spheres. Our experiences of living out our testimonies combined with our commitment to answering that of God in all people have given us vital tools for doing the work of social justice and peace. Few if any groups-religious or secular-approach conflict and injustice precisely the way we do.

And finally, we have a process for conducting our business- finding unity with God and others-that is unique in the world.

The point is that we need curricula that make these points, and that, although we share many of our ideas with others, the mix and emphasis of our ideas is uniquely ours.

Generally, looking for similarities among religions is more important and useful than looking for differences. Ecumenism is extremely important, and Friends are deeply committed to developing relationships with and understanding of other religious traditions. But in the area of curricula writing, Friends cannot rely upon curricula from other religious traditions to teach our children Quaker history, tradition, values, and spirituality.

We FGC Friends think that, if more people practiced our core values, the world would probably be a better place. Even though we hesitate to proselytize, we have, therefore, an obligation to propagate our faith; and even though our children experience many good and loving things in First Day School, that isn't enough. Because we have a special combination of ideas that is worth preserving and propagating, and because conversion to Quakerism comes through convincement, which is, in part, an intellectual experience, we must be concerned about what First Day School teaches. For Quakerism to thrive, we need to offer a studied approach. Learning about Quakerism doesn't "just happen. " As elders, we need to teach our faith and practice.

How does writing and using curricula help? Curricula provide a systematic method of learning. In a religious setting, curricula direct us to God and help us know more about what God wants us to be. Although curricula make use of the writings and living examples of those who have gone before us, curricula isn't simply teaching history. It is also building community. Curricula is how we learn to live together now-how we make connections, to God and others, in the present time. This makes building community in First Day School a high priority.

Preparing and writing curricula are not easy matters for FGC Friends. Whereas other religious groups often hire professional curricula writers, we do not. We depend largely upon volunteers to initiate the work and on committees to guide and direct it. Hard as it is, we depend upon Quaker process.

Why are writing and using FGC curricula so important? Through curricula, we make choices about learning. These are important choices. There is a huge range, perhaps an infinite number of possible things we could teach our children. The problem is that we do not have an infinite amount of time in which to teach them. Children grow up. Teachable moments pass by. Curricula help us focus on the essentials, on the most important wisdom we adults can give our children.

The future of the FGC tradition depends upon our ability to convey our thinking and experiences to others. A good place to begin is with our children. Perhaps we actually have an obligation to teach our history, tradition, values, and spirituality. If so, curricula writing may be one of FGC Friends most important ministries.

People of all ages and conditions need love, care, support, and nurture. Likewise, a Friend may be nurtured by someone of any age or condition. How have you received love, care, support, or nurture from or within your meeting in the past month? How have you offered one or more of these ministries recently? How are we upholding and sustaining religious educators who provide nurture for Friends in our meetings?

You don't have to buy a computer, though it makes things more convenient. Most libraries have quick, easy and free access to the internet. Depending on the library, you may have to sign up, show a library card or agree not to download pornography; and there is always someone to show you how to get started and to offer help if you get stuck. If you want to print things out, there will be a cost similar to duplicating costs.

But if you haven't already discovered the internet, you probably have some apprehensions or perhaps have had a bad experience in the past. In the following paragraphs, I will try to answer some of the questions you might have if you are starting out.

Isn't the internet and using it terribly complicated?

Yes, it can be complicated if you want to do complicated things, and there are many ways of using it, but learning a few simple things that work is enough for most of us. Organizations have websites which provide words and pictures within a framed area on the monitor screen called a "window. " You just need to find your way to the window you are interested in, often by linking from other windows.

How do I use a "mouse"?

When you move a mouse around you notice a small arrow or similar symbol moving around the screen. You can move this symbol around to an icon (small picture) or word or anything else you are interested in. The mouse will have two, or sometimes three, buttons, but almost everything you will do involves clicking the left button. For example, there are small squares containing black triangles at the top and bottom of a bar at the right of many documents, which scroll the text up or down when you place the pointer on them and click or hold down the left mouse button.

What is the significance of those underlined words?

On the internet, if you click on an underlined word or phrase, a new window appears. Usually this is a link to a new website, or another part of the website you have chosen. Sometimes you will need to click on an icon, but underlined words are more common. If an underlined word serves as a link to another window, the symbol will change when you move the mouse over that word. Just click on it. This is how you travel from window to window. To get back to a previous window, simply click on "Back," which is found at the top left of the screen.

What do those words at the very top of the screen mean?

They give you access to many commands. The one you will use the most is "File. " When you click on this a window pops up which allows you to Print the current information, or Close the window if you are finished with it. You can also close a window by clicking on the little X that is at the upper right hand corner of most windows. As previously mentioned, "Back" is another command which appears at the top.

OK, but how do I start getting all this Quaker information?

When you first get on the web (a librarian will show you how) there will be a web address near the top of the screen, something like http://www.netscape.com. You need to replace this with http://www.quaker.org and strike "Enter." You can do this by placing the pointer to the right of the address and clicking the left mouse button; it becomes highlighted, and if you type the new address it replaces the old one.

Is this all I need to know to surf the web?

No, but it should get you to a lot of good Quaker information. Don't be afraid to ask or to try clicking on different things to see what happens.