Calling All Friends Seeking To Heed Their Calling
Throughout Quaker history Friends have challenged themselves to follow their leading as guided by Quaker testimonies – simplicity, peace, equality and community. George Fox issued the challenge when he asked of a Friend, “What canst thou say?” What, he wanted to know, was the Friend’s expression of faith based on his own experience and spiritual discernment?
And yet heeding such calls when they come rarely comes without sacrifice. Early Friends, when called to ministry, depended on others to support their families and help with their livelihoods. Such is the impetus of the Quaker Volunteer Service Committee, to assist Friends who seek to heed their calling.
The Quaker Volunteer Service Committee was organized with support from the 57th Street Meeting of Friends in Chicago and other Friends Meetings. The committee supports volunteers led by the Spirit to work full-time for peace, justice and community within a framework of Quaker spirituality.
Volunteers will work for at least one year with community-based organizations or in other service-based activities, doing peace and justice work and community-building. Emphasis is on work with the poor, oppressed and most at risk. Volunteers will work with the guidance and support from the Quaker Volunteer Service Committee and a liaison committee representing participating Quaker meetings.
The Quaker Volunteer Service Committee has arranged for volunteers to live in community in Quaker House, in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Volunteers will have extensive opportunities to participate in the activities of 57th Street Meeting and in community efforts beyond their full-time assignment. Support for volunteers will include room and board, health insurance, a small living stipend, transportation to Chicago at the beginning of the year of service and back home at year’s end, local transportation costs, as well as orientation to the city.
The Quaker Volunteer Service Committee will provide all needed support in arranging placements consistent with the volunteers’ leadings, as well as connections with other volunteers, activists and community and educational resources.
For further information, you can contact QVSC@quakervolunteers.org.
. . . and of course, Friends, and friends, who are led to service overseas might consider a summer workcamp (5 weeks) or extended volunteer service (3 months to a year, or longer) in east central Africa with the African Great Lakes Initiative, a project of Friends Peace Teams. We still want a few more folks for summer 2009. We accept volunteers of all ages and even entire families! No special skills are needed for the summer workcamps. Learn more at http://www.aglionline.org.
I am deeply impressed by the vision, the commitment, and the generosity of those who got this project going. My old Meeting (57th St.) started it and has given some initial financial support, but it’s great to see people in the leadership core from other Meetings as well. Now, we should all be recruiting for it!
Mark Mattaini (from both PRC and the QVS) and I were at a national consultation on Quaker Volunteer Service in February of this year, and I earnestly call your attention to the Epistle coming from that group, which truly felt we were gathered under Divine Guidance, part of something deeper and richer that is renewing our Religious Society.
Please have a look via this link:
http://johanpdx.googlepages.com/quakervolunteerserviceconsultation
When I find a clickable link, I’ll also send you (or Mark might) the longer document of the “Proceedings” of that consultation. Or one can write me privately (dfinke@iland.net) and I’ll send it as an e-mail attachment.
With you, in Hope, -DHF
Concerning National Service Legislation:
Several weeks ago a bill passed Congress that provides for public/community service with federal assistance, that I think we should become familiar with. Unfortunately, there are those in the political right-wing, and some professional haters & fearmongers, who have mischaracterized this either as mandatory (rather than voluntary) or, worse, as a foot in the door for an “Obama Corps” to brainwash our children and worse. The best rebuttal, of course, is simply to read the bill. I urge those taken in with the hysteria to simply write or call their congressperson or senatorial office and ask for a copy of the legislation.
Here’s how I found out about it, via AARP.
As I’ve been researching the status of various opportunities for Quaker Volunteer Service, I note with regret that the wonderful programs jointly run for decades by InterMountain YM and several offices of AFSC has been inactive for over a year. They are listed at the right under “Western Quaker Workcamps.”
However, Project Lakota which arose out of one of their workcamps at the Pine Ridge Reservation does continue, and very much can use money as well as volunteers.
I also suggest that you add to that listing of “Service Opportunities” on the right the link to the excellent work being done in the Quaker Volunteer Service project hosted in Chicago by 57th Street Meeting, as described 2 years ago by Chuck Hutchcraft, above, and on their present website.
As I’ve been researching the status of various opportunities for Quaker Volunteer Service, I note with regret that the wonderful programs jointly run for decades by InterMountain YM and several offices of AFSC has been inactive for over a year. They are listed at the right under “Western Quaker Workcamps.”
However, Project Lakota which arose out of one of their workcamps at the Pine Ridge Reservation does continue, and very much can use money as well as volunteers.
I also suggest that you add to that listing of “Service Opportunities” on the right the link to the excellent work being done in the Quaker Volunteer Service project hosted in Chicago by 57th Street Meeting, as described 2 years ago by Chuck Hutchcraft, above, and on their present website.
Thank you David for the updates! All requested edits to the “Service Opportunities” section at right have been made.
GWC (Global Works Camp) offers Volunteer Opportunities, International Work Opportunities for Volunteers and abroad Volunteer Programs.