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Report on the Traveling Ministries Program, 10/2002
By Marty Grundy, clerk, and Deborah Fisch, coordinator, for the FGC Central
Committee.
Discernment and faith continue to be key words for the work of the Traveling Ministries Committee and the Traveling Ministries Program. The Committee engages in ongoing discernment as it seeks to find and follow God's will both in the operation of its major task (matching seasoned Friends with requests for visitors) and in regard to its deepening understanding of this service to which it is called. One result of the latter has been the creation of a series of “working papers” to explain the Committee’s growing understanding of the leadings of the Spirit concerning travel by seasoned Friends and the hosting of those Friends. These working papers are amended as volunteer visitors, meetings, staff, and committee members bring new understandings reached through experience and continuing revelation. Current working papers include: "Volunteering for FGC TMP", "Being a Companion or Elder", an explanation of the "FGC Letter of Travel", "Travel Tips", "Suggestions for Follow-Up" by visitors, "Guidelines for Hosting a TMP Visitor", and an "Annotated Bibliography". The annotated bibliography is posted on the FGC Web site under the Traveling Ministries Program. Also on the TMP page is an article explaining travel minutes, letters of introduction, and FGC letters of travel. There is a map of the U.S. and Canada with locations of TMP visits marked, and links to reports and photographs when these are available. See it at www.fgcquaker.org/traveling/.
Through God's continuing grace, the TMP has been blessed to be able to
discern how to connect the Friend with the requisite gifts with the specific
needs of a meeting. From its inception to the end of Ninth Month 2002,
the TMP will have sent visitors to approximately 155 meetings, worship
groups, or isolated Friends. This does not include most visits by Couple
Enrichment leaders or Yearly Meeting Visitors, whose work also falls under
the care of the TMP. This year there were 27 visits, somewhat fewer than
last year. We think this is probably because many meetings found that
after 9/11 they wanted to focus on that, turning inward with a deeper
appreciation of their own meeting, and also way opened for only one extended
trip where eight meetings and worship groups were visited in three weeks.
At this time, 76 Friends have volunteered to travel for the TMP. Of those
Friends 48 are women and 28 are men. Forty-two Friends have traveled for
the program at least once and another thirteen have been asked to travel,
but were unable to accept that particular request. Of the 76, 40 Friends
are either not available to travel at this time, or have very limited
availability. Twenty-four Friends see themselves traveling only as elder/spiritual
companions (some only for specific Friends), and another twelve are only
available should a request for a specific kind of workshop be requested.
Each year new seasoned Friends are invited to travel for the TMP so that
the pool of experienced Friends who have served under the auspices of
the TMP continues to grow.
We are finding that many meetings consist of folks recently drawn to Friends, or who do not have a deep experiential understanding of Friends’ faith and practice. Some are eager for a deeper knowledge of both what might be called technical details, and some are hungry for a more life-suffusing relationship with God within the Quaker tradition. We continue to find that a many of visits (approximately 14 out of 27 this year) have been in what we are calling a listening ministry, including many visits that started as requests for a speaker, workshop, or retreat weekend. Seasoned Friends with gifts of listening, eldering, and nurture visit a meeting and speak to the questions that arise as the Spirit moves. Nearly all visits provide informal opportunities for personal conversation and prayer that we call "kitchen table ministry". Early in its work the Committee spent time in retreat and worship seeking a working definition of "ministry". Since that time our work continues to be guided by our understanding of ministry as words or acts of love, or simply being with another, in such a way that the presence of God is experienced as more vital, more palpably present.
As the TMP has continued to mature, the Committee has been able to turn its attention to questions around honoraria for Friends who cannot afford to do this work without financial compensation. This issue represents unfinished work for the TMP as well as for all of FGC. We are exploring alternate terms for the word “oversight” to describe committees because, while rich in Quaker connotations, the word gives pain to some of our Friends of color. We are beginning to look into developing some ads to place in Quaker periodicals to raise awareness of the Program. We have worked on the interface between the TM Committee and the Couple Enrichment and Yearly Meeting Visitor programs, learning how to be constructively aware of their activities without overburdening our already full agenda. Again this year we offered a retreat (in March) for all those who have volunteered to travel for the TMP or have a travel minute from their monthly or yearly meeting. Next month (11/15-17/2002) we expect to host our second consultation for representatives from our affiliated yearly meetings and fellowships to explore ways in which yearly meetings assist monthly meetings to discern and nurture gifts of ministry (especially, but not only, traveling in the ministry), and deal with accountability.
The work continues to be fulfilling and, we believe, carried out in faithfulness.
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