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FUM News

Sacred Moments by Sylvia Graves, FUM General Secretary
Leadership Training in Uganda
Handle With Care
Swift Purscell Boys Home
Friends Church Peace Team
Pennies for Peace
Kenya's Post-Election Crisis: A "Ripe Time" for God's Work
FUM 2008 Triennial Sessions: Workshops
Monthly Meeting Highlight: Lost Creek Friends, Tennessee

Sacred Moments
By Sylvia Graves, General Secretary

One aspect I love about Friends is the integration of ministry in our life’s work. So many people I know minister “outside the box.” I suppose the “box” here is interpreted as paid (or “hireling” as early Friends called them) ministers/pastors doing what their job descriptions say they are to do within a congregation or church fellowship. But Friends have a wider view of ministry and encourage the potential of all people to minister, not only to the spirit but to the mind, body and facilities needed for ministry work. Certainly there are other denominations where people do these things, but it seems that Friends are especially convinced that all of life is sacred and we are called to share our gifts of ministry wherever needed on a daily basis. Here are some examples:

A member of my monthly meeting was working at the local, church-sponsored help center where a woman had come in and was anxiously sorting through used clothing as if she were looking for something specific. When my friend offered to help, the woman explained she had to find “something nice to wear to church.” My friend said to her, “God doesn’t care what you look like on the outside, he looks at the inside.” The woman relaxed, paused and said, “Oh. Thank you.”

Another member volunteers two days a week at the newly established free clinic in our community for those without insurance or government aid. She always has stories about people being amazed that volunteers (including doctors and nurses) give of their own time to help others.

And yet another meeting member volunteers at the local hospital as a receptionist in the surgical center. Her job is to help people find their way around, soothe them in anxious moments and make sure they are as comfortable as possible in a strange and stressful environment.

A few days ago, I called a pastor who was unavailable so I left a message. When he called back, he joked that he had spent the day in prison. Visitation to inmates has been a call he has felt for years. He makes regular visits to a number of prisoners, helping them build personal relationships with God.

My husband was one of about twelve men who gave several days last week rebuilding the dishwashing room at Quaker Haven Camp in Syracuse, Indiana. He had worked with some of these men before on trips with Friends Disaster Service and other Quaker Haven work teams.

Another close friend, after retiring from teaching high school journalism, is now teaching a college-level course where students learn the historical significance of those who work for peace in the world. She believes it is important for people to learn about peace heroes as well as war heroes. One of her most attentive students this term, from whom she is learning much, is a veteran who has returned from Iraq.

In what ways are you called to be a minister? What types of outside the box ministry do you see in members of your meeting, family and others around you?

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,” Philippians 1:3.

I do thank God every time I remember you who make ministry your life work.

Leadership Training in Uganda
By John Muhanji, FUM Africa Ministries Representative

Uganda Yearly Meeting (UYM) made nominations last August and new leaders were appointed. The former yearly meeting clerk and general secretary disputed the nominations, which led to my being asked to conduct a leader’s seminar March 20-23, 2008, in Uganda at Elgon Quarterly Meeting Church in Bududa. The seminar addressed the following: discipleship, resource mobilization and management, church leadership, Quaker faith and practice and strategic planning. In addition to myself, the seminar’s facilitators were Simon Bulimo, from Friends Theological College, and Evans Lugusa, from the Africa Ministries Office-Kisumu. The seminar brought out several issues which were never attended to by the previous leaders for lack of knowledge in church management. This was the first time the leaders were trained in faith and practice. For the first time, leaders saw the importance of resource mobilization for running their church programs. It was discovered that monies collected in the church through offerings and other donations had never been accounted for. The leaders also learned the importance of sending budgets to the yearly meeting for running the central office in Uganda.

The yearly meeting is now set for developing its vision and mission statements to help achieve goals which were developed during the seminar. There were several goals, but these were reduced to five as a start: establish a physical office for UYM by May 2008; build unity of purpose both nationally and internationally; evangelism and church extension; training and equipping of leaders; empowerment of women and youth ministries; and resource mobilization and management. To show their seriousness and commitment to these goals, leaders themselves raised a total of 815,500 Uganda shillings (approximately $485). This is enough for almost five months rent. They are committed to fundraising with a goal of four million Uganda shillings (approximately $2,380) to buy a plot for the yearly meeting and build an office. Meetings have already started raising funds for this. The leaders discovered their full potential in doing the work of the yearly meeting as a team. I have never facilitated training where the leaders have so immediately implemented what I taught. It was an Easter period where resurrection was evident.

Handle with Care
By Frank Monroe, FUM Shipping/Receiving/Maintenance

In carrying out my duties as shipping and receiving clerk at Friends United Meeting I handle a lot of boxes. In preparing boxes for shipment I want them to be clean, sturdy and securely packed. I know they may encounter some rough handling along their journey. When receiving boxes at FUM I immediately inspect the outside condition for any indication the contents could be damaged. Inspecting the outside of the box can give me an impression of the condition of the contents. Some of these impressions are found to be true and some false. I am thankful Jesus teaches me not to judge. I am thankful he knows what is going on both inside and outside of each of us. I am thankful for the example he gives me to do my best in reaching out to others in whatever area of ministry he may lead me into.

Swift Purscell Boys Home, under the leadership of Donald Stewart, has been rated the #1 children's home in Jamaica.

Friends United Meeting has ministered in Jamaica for more than 100 years. Evi Sharpless, of Iowa Yearly Meeting, was the missionary who first established a relationship between North American Friends and Jamaica, in 1881. Since that time, schools, homes for children and local meetings have been established to provide for the physical and spiritual needs of Jamaicans. Jamaica Yearly Meeting was established and convened its inaugural yearly meeting sessions on April 15, 1941. Today, three Friends institutions which continue to be a high priority are the Swift Purscell Boys Home and Lyndale Girls Home in Highgate and Happy Grove High School in Hector’s River, Jamaica.

Friends Church Peace Team
By Joseph Mamai Makokha, Chairman of Friends Church Peace Team

When violence erupted in Kenya on December 30, 2007, after the results of the presidential elections were announced, the Friends Church in Kenya was touched by the sufferings of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Kenyan Friends held a conference from January 24-27, 2008, to plan for possible measures of crisis intervention. The Kenyan National Quakers Peace Conference appointed a committee of 13 members plus seven ex-officio members to implement immediate measures and to put steps in place towards long-term actions. Committee members have met several times. The following work has so far been accomplished as a result of the committee meetings:

Political Crisis Intervention:

• A pastoral letter from the conference was written on January 27, 2008, to President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga requesting them to speed up the process of reconciliation and peace-building to avoid more bloodshed in Kenya.
• An effort to use the media to publicize messages of peace and reconciliation has been made, particularly when the media covered occasions of distribution of humanitarian items to IDPs.

Humanitarian Crisis Intervention:

• The committee divided into groups and visited various centers, distributing humanitarian items to the displaced. Most displaced people have come from Mt. Elgon. Items distributed at every center included maize, beans, rice, cooking fats, salt, sugar, soap, blankets, water filters and clothes donated by Kenyan Friends.
• On February 7, group one visited Machewa Chief Center in the Trans-Nzoia District, Valley Province, which had 360 IDPs. Group two visited Kiminini Market where 1,270 IDPs had camped at Deliverance Church and 80 families at Toba Vunja Church. This was also in Trans-Nzoia District, Rift Valley Province. Group three visited Sabata shopping center in the same district as above with 1,858 IDPs.
• The Committee decided to revisit the above three centers on February 15, due to overwhelming needs at the centers. In addition to the above, Milembe Friends Church was visited where 3,200 people were staying on three farms: Milembe Farm, Rengecha Farm and Meso Farm.
• Two additional centers were visited on February 26: Eldoret in Uasin Gishu District in Rift Valley Province where 50 families were staying and Cheptulu Chiefs Center in Kakamega District, Western Province. Over 1,200 people were driven away from Rift Valley where they had bought land and settled. Their houses were burnt to ashes, their cattle taken away and they are now housed by relatives and friends.
• Money was sent to the clerk of Nairobi Yearly Meeting for their needs. A report is yet to be given on what was bought and distributed.
• On February 27, Giachere Friends Secondary School in Kisii District, Nyanza Province, was visited. More than 160 students, boys and girls, had run away from Nakuru, Njoro, Eldoret, Burnt Forest and other places and were admitted to this school without fees, text books or personal effects. This heavily strained the school resources. We delivered 20 bags of maize, five bags of beans, three bags of sugar, two packets of salt and two cartons of soap, all of which were not enough for the needs of the displaced students. Other needs the school has are for desks, text books, school uniforms and counseling for trauma healing.
• Apart from what was given, all the centers we visited requested the following: school fees for the displaced students, more food to last until the next harvest, material to reconstruct their homes, more blankets, tents while they await resettlement, sanitary towels for girls, medication and counseling and trauma healing. Unfortunately, our funds are limited.

Counseling Sessions:

• Spiritual Crisis and Listening Programs — Before distribution of humanitarian items, each group gave the IDPs time to speak to their experiences of the violence as we listened. Words of encouragement and advice against hatred and retaliation were given by committee members.
• The gospel of peace was preached from the Bible by pastors who had accompanied the groups. Alternatives to Violence workers were also present to do counseling.

In Process:

• Mediation in situations of acute and persistent conflict.
• An attempt to talk to Sabaot Land Defense Force has begun and is still at the very infant stage. This is an armed group with powerful weapons who may be responsible for deaths of many people in Mt. Elgon. It is our hope that our talks with them will convince them to demand their rights peacefully as we convince the government to listen to their grievances without harassment. This attempt may bring a lasting solution to the violence that has persisted for more than two years.
• Reintegrate displaced people into the community and rebuild trust between neighbors.

On behalf of Friends Church Peace Team, I highly appreciate the assistance our overseas Friends have given us. Long-term work has to start now that a peace agreement in Kenya between Kibaki and Odinga has been reached. Displaced people require resettlement. Houses will be required, farm inputs, youth empowerment, economic development, advocacy, spiritual development of the peace testimony and organizational capacity are the activities we have earmarked as long-term activities. We kindly ask for more financial support locally and from overseas for the above to be accomplished. We are strongly committed to integrity, transparency and accountability in use of funds. May God’s almighty hand be seen in this work.

Pennies for Peace
By Jamie Lyon

I want to share with you the exciting ministry that is coming out of Russiaville Monthly Meeting’s (Western YM) youth group, known as Junior Christians or JCs. Our 8-12 JCs have started a fundraising campaign called “Pennies for Peace.” Each young person is decorating a 2-liter pop bottle and taking it home to fill with pennies that will be donated to FUM’s Kenya Emergency Relief. We have discussed conflict resolution skills and what it takes to cope with difficult situations. Our young people recently wrote letters of encouragement to John Muhanji and the Friends Churches of Africa. John wrote back and all became excited about getting involved. One of our 14-year-olds even took it upon himself to e-mail John and get acquainted with him. He called to tell us about his experience and later that evening shared with us a printed copy of his correspondence with John. Most young people want to do something to help, but are sometimes limited as to what they can contribute. Pennies are an item that most of our young people have access to, so it is our desire as a small youth group to challenge all the other small groups to join us in this “Pennies for Peace” fundraising effort. Sometimes we think that, since we are a small meeting, there is not much we can do to make a difference. This fundraising campaign proves that is not the case. Our youth group is small, but our members are really excited about the chance to help our African F/friends. Youth group members involved in this project include: Courtney, Hannah, Olivia, Kacey, Kaitlyn, Nathan, Steven, Chandler, Ashley and Lauren, along with some occasional visitors. The group is led by Phil and Nancy Carter and Jamie and Carol Lyon.

Kenya's Post-Election Crisis: A "Ripe Time" for God's Work
By Mary Kay Rehard, former co-principal, Friends Theological College, Kaimosi, Kenya

You may be aware that on December 27, 2007, Kenya held parliamentary and presidential elections, which resulted in weeks of chaos approaching anarchy. It was a close race, but it is now clear that vote rigging occurred at several levels, and that Mwai Kibaki, the Party of National Unity (PNU) candidate, was wrongly declared the winner by the Electoral Commission, in spite of serious irregularities. The opposition party candidate, Raila Odinga, of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), refused to accept the results, saying the election had been stolen by Kibaki.

This political conflict set off violent protests nationwide, with supporters of Odinga and Kibaki polarizing the nation according to ethnicity. But through it all, African scholars and commentators have insisted that, fundamentally, this is not an ethnic conflict. It is a political and socio-economic conflict. It is a conflict between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” based on historical and ethnically-based resentments and biases.

Kenya is one of the richest African nations, but most people remain extremely poor; the gains in the economy have been enjoyed by only a few, while life for most Kenyans remains unspeakably difficult. Kenya is one of the most corrupt nations in the world, and the vast majority of Kenyans live in poverty, coping on one or two dollars a day. Ten percent of the population controls 40 percent of the nation’s wealth. The crowds of protesters who were attacking, looting, raping, burning and destroying property, were mainly angry and unemployed (probably inebriated) young men — they have very little to lose and are easily manipulated by political leaders at the local and national level.

This kind of violence with ethnic overtones has occurred around elections several times since Kenya became independent in 1963, but never before was it as widespread or unbridled.

The more I read, the more I come to understand that the issues to be tackled — post-colonial resentments and conflicts over poverty, land, wealth and power — are dizzyingly complex and absolutely enormous. In fact, it seems the political leaders on both sides — Kibaki and the PNU, and Odinga and the ODM — are equally ruthless, corrupt, selfish and greedy. Although all have held public office for decades, not one of them has ever demonstrated any real commitment to caring for the poor, reducing economic disparities or ensuring effective basic services like education and health care for all.

In light of the commentary and analysis that is coming out of Kenya, it is tempting to become discouraged or overwhelmed by it all. But Margaret Mead’s famous words on determination and perseverance give me hope, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

How is Kenya’s situation — this socio-political moment — a time of crisis and opportunity for Christians, and especially for Quakers?

Upon his arrival in January, Kofi Annan spoke of the opportunity for Kenya to become stronger and more stable in the process of resolving the current crisis. He proposed a four-step process or “roadmap to peace,” that would tackle the following areas, the first three to be undertaken within two weeks:

1) address the current humanitarian crisis;
2) promote reconciliation, healing and restoration of normalcy; and
3) resolve the political crisis arising from the disputed presidential results as well as the ensuing violence.

Long-term issues and solutions, including undertaking legal reforms, tackling poverty and inequity, unemployment, consolidating national cohesion and unity, land reform and addressing transparency, accountability and impunity, are to be agreed on within a year. These are the long-term issues that need to be resolved if Kenya is to emerge from this crisis in one piece. If the leaders act with wisdom and true statesmanship, then they will prove that this crisis is an opportunity for Kenya to overcome these inequities and become stronger.

Just as the crisis is an opportunity for Kenya as a nation, the crisis is an opportunity for Quakers in Kenya and Quakers worldwide. That is, this crisis provides Quakers worldwide with an opportunity to better understand the causes of the crisis, to engage in social analysis of the structures that oppress Kenyans and to join in their struggle for change.

There has been a growing desire for genuine and full partnership between Friends from North America and Europe, and Friends in East Africa. Unfortunately, for the first one hundred years of our shared history in Kenya, Friends in North America have set most of the agendas and priorities for Quaker service in Africa. Some would call this a colonial, paternalistic or patronizing model of missions.

I believe this developed mostly because North Americans have been the source of all the available cash. And for better or worse, the ones who hold the cash hold the power. Let us remember that, flawed as our history may be, Friends in Kenya and Friends from North America worked hard, side by side, to the best of their ability and knowledge at the time.

So what about the next 100 years of our history?

This crisis in Kenya affects all of us — when one part of us is hurt or diminished, all of us are hurt and diminished. But if we share the crisis, we also share the opportunity in this crisis moment. So this crisis is an opportunity not only for our African brothers and sisters, but for Quakers worldwide, as a global body.

We have an opportunity to really listen and learn from Kenyan Friends about what went wrong and how to fix it. We have an opportunity to transform our historical relationships and shape our institutions to serve all Friends better in the next 100 years of our history together!

Too often, Americans want to bring our analysis and our solutions to Africa, without taking time to listen to Africans and to think carefully about the impact that foreign solutions will have on African communities and relationships.

We have an opening in this crisis to continue to share our cash, but also to examine the balance of power between Friends in North America and Friends in Africa. We have the opportunity to receive the stories and wisdom that Friends in Kenya would like to share with us. We have the opportunity to actually learn and for our relationships to be transformed accordingly.

We also have the chance to share other kinds of gifts that you can’t put a price-tag on — gifts of listening, negotiating and peacemaking; gifts of entrepreneurship, organizational theory, finance and marketing; gifts of counseling, trauma healing and pastoral therapy.

Already, Kenyan Friends have issued an inspired and inspiring statement promoting peaceful resolution of this conflict. Kenyan Quakers quickly organized a Peace Conference in the midst of the conflict in January, taking great risks even to travel to Kakamega to meet and discuss the situation and possible responses or solutions. The desire is there to find the solutions to Kenya’s problems in Kenya.

But I believe Kenyan Friends will need enormous support to follow through with their stated priorities and strategies, and they will need resources to sustain their efforts to promote peace, healing and reconciliation in their communities in coming months and years.

This crisis in Kenya is not something that will be resolved quickly. This crisis will shape a generation of Kenyans the way 9/11 has shaped a generation of Americans.

How will we respond as a church? How will we participate in that healing and peace building?

We can be courageous enough to see the present reality for what it is, to be aware of events, to recognize the violence and destruction, while at the same time making a conscious effort to look for signs of hope, “the epiphanies of God” in Kenya, not only the tragedies.

Here are some stories you may have not heard in the media:

• In the midst of the violence, people were leaving flowers in downtown Nairobi as a sign of peace.
• People in Nairobi were donating blood as a way to show that ethnicity is secondary to our common humanity.
• Women wore burlap sacks to encourage people to have humility and stop the violence.
• Peace graffiti was painted in the slums of Nairobi at the height of the conflict.
• Quakers upcountry hid refugees of other ethnicities, at great risk to their own families.
• Kenyan “women in white” circled the Serena hotel to insist on a political solution by the leaders.

As we re-think missions and Quaker service in Africa, we must share our skills and participate with the understanding that North American skills and experiences will need to be developed, tempered, adapted and interpreted by Kenyans, to be applied effectively to the African context.

Friends United Meeting 2008 Triennial Sessions: Workshops

One way to learn more about the ministries you are involved in as a part of Friends United Meeting is to attend FUM Triennial sessions July 9–13, 2008, in High Point, North Carolina. Meet staff members from the Richmond and Kisumu offices, as well as field staff from Kenya, Ramallah and Belize. The following workshops will be offered:

THURSDAY

Clerking
The clerking workshop will be a time of sharing (loaves and fishes). Those new to clerking, as well as seasoned clerks, are invited to bring questions and stories. Katherine Smith of Baltimore Yearly Meeting will facilitate this workshop which includes handouts.

Curriculum
What curriculum is available from Friends United Meeting? What are the latest trends? What resources does your church/meeting use? What would you like to see Friends United Meeting publish in the future? Bring your questions and creativity to this discussion, facilitated by FUM Communications Editor Katie Terrell.

FUM Missions
Are you looking for an overview of the mission work of Friends United Meeting? This is your workshop! You will have opportunities to ask questions and Terri Johns, FUM program manager, will share ways your meeting can get involved.

History of Friends in North Carolina
North Carolina: a place of Quaker gatherings since the 1660s. This workshop will be led by: Tony Lowe, coordinator, NCYM Faith and Practice Study initiative, member and pastor of Fancy Gap Friends Fellowship; Lynwood Winslow, recording clerk, Eastern Quarterly Meeting, member and recording clerk of Up River Meeting; and David Hobson, pastor of Rocky River Friends Meeting.

History of Friends United Meeting
Friends United Meeting has historically been one of the most theologically diverse of Quaker entities, debating its identity almost since its formation. This workshop, led by Tom Hamm of Earlham College and Indiana Yearly Meeting, will try to make sense of that diversity and its implications by looking at the history of FUM, especially the status of the Richmond Declaration of Faith.

Living More Simply — Creating Change
Susan Carlyle, of Quaker Earthcare Witness and Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting, looks at the “how” and “why” of making changes in our lives, including the spiritual aspects of simpler living, the consequences of our actions and purchase decisions and how we make small, meaningful and incremental changes.

Praying for Sexual Abuse Victims
Praying for people whose lives are affected by sexual abuse — having been abused or knowing someone else who has experienced abuse — is much like prayer for any other issue. But there are some important differences. In this workshop, Mary Heathman of Rocky Mountain Yearly Meeting explores helps and hindrances and how we can be the best help we can be as we pray for people. Practical application and sample prayers will also be offered.

Youth/Young Adult and Intern Program
Darlene Pittman of North Carolina Yearly Meeting identifies the foundational layers of leadership development that are essential for effective youth and young adult ministries, offering an intentional focus of discovering and creating a culture that fosters a reproductive leadership culture.

SATURDAY

Friends Boys School, Belize
Mike and Kay Cain have served as principals of the Friends Boys School for over a decade. As Mike and Kay are retiring this year, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to hear their stories.

FUM Africa Ministries
Eden Grace, field staff for the Africa Ministries Office in Kenya, will bring us current information on the FUM projects in East Africa as well as updates on relief efforts, peace training and crisis counseling.

Natural Church Development
Would you like your church to be healthier? Natural Church Development, a curriculum and process developed by Christian Schwarz, is an exciting way to address church health. To measure the health of any church, there are eight quality characteristics that NCD focuses upon, which Nina Jackson of North Carolina Yearly Meeting will address in this workshop.

Purpose of Attraction
It isn’t magic; it isn’t chemistry. God has a purpose for the feelings we have for that “special” man or woman. What is God’s purpose? What can we understand about the intensity of our attractions? How does that understanding affect the way we live as Christian men and women? In this workshop, Mary Heathman of Rocky Mountain Yearly Meeting will discuss her perspective on these questions.

Ramallah Friends Schools, Ramallah
Joyce Ajlouny, director of Friends Schools in Ramallah for the past four years, shares stories of the hope and determination found at the heart of schools in war torn Palestine — a school that, despite the violence, produces exceptional students.

YOUTH

Young Friends Activities
There is a lot of excitement building for the Young Friends Triennial sessions in North Carolina this summer! Youth from all over have the opportunity to connect with other Young Friends, worship and work together. You don’t want to miss Pat Byers’ (Indiana) talent and passion for worship, and Tim Vestal’s (North Carolina) passion and ability to connect with youth. Activities will include: a trip to Quaker Lake Camp, bowling, putt-putt, service projects and so much more! We can’t wait to see you in July!

Registration forms are available online or by contacting Kim at (800) 537-8839.

Monthly Meeting Highlight: Lost Creek Friends, Tennessee
By Dave Goff, Pastor of Lost Creek Friends

A group of eight Friends met together on February 25, 1815, at the Lost Creek meetinghouse, near the town of New Market in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Their purpose was the establishment of one of the first societies in the United States dedicated to the abolition of slavery, the Tennessee Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves. These Friends were Charles Osborne, John Canady, John Swan, John Underwood, Jesse Willis, David Maulsby, Elihu Swan and Thomas Morgan. The first article of the constitution for this society stated that each member was to have an advertisement posted, in the most conspicuous part of his house, with the following words: “Freedom is the natural right of all men. I therefore acknowledge myself a member of the Tennessee Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves.”

On February 8, 2008, Lost Creek meetinghouse was once again the host for a special meeting, organized around the theme, “Freedom is the Natural Right of All.” With a consortium of partners from the local area including the Bonner and Appalachian Centers at Carson-Newman College, the Race Relations Center of East Tennessee and the Young’s Memorial AME Zion Church of New Market, Lost Creek celebrated their historic contributions to confronting the evils of slavery with a program entitled, “On the Freedom Train in Jefferson County: Stories of the Tennessee Manumission Society and Underground Railroad.” This meeting drew quite a few more people than the first one, with over 130 in attendance, but it was held to recognize the significance of the earlier event.

The program consisted of a pot-luck supper, followed by a time of worship after the manner of Friends. Special music was provided by the adult choir from the Young’s Memorial AME Zion Church and by a local group of folk musicians called “Elihu and the Emancipators.”

An audiovisual presentation followed which primarily resulted from the research efforts of students in the Bonner Scholars program. In a panel discussion that followed, Shirley Clowney of African Americans of Appalachia and Blount County presented information about the Underground Railroad efforts in Blount County, and Scott Knight, pastor of the Ball Play Friends Meeting, discussed several little known elements of the work of the Underground Railroad which, he emphasized, would seek to help not only slaves escaping to freedom, but also conscientious objectors escaping conscription.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of “where do we go from here,” led by Dr. Larry Osborne and Valerie Erickson of the Bonner program. Among the items considered was making this celebration an annual event, working together to ask the Tennessee legislature to formally apologize for slavery (as a number of other slave-holding states have done) and to work together with other organizations to promote good relations among the people of all races. Shedenna Dockery of the African American Task Force Coalition invited those present to work with her organization to promote the celebration of Emancipation Day in Tennessee and in identifying a series of historical sites relevant to Black history, called the “Afro-lachian Trail.”

Lost Creek Friends is the oldest meeting in the Wilmington Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends and the second oldest meeting to be established in Tennessee. The oldest meeting, New Hope Friends in Jonesborough, was laid down in 1896.