by Editor
George Lakey is a visiting professor and research fellow at Swarthmore College. He’s keynoted for Friends General Conference and for yearly meetings in the U.S. and abroad, as well as taught at Pendle Hill and Woodbrooke College in England. Trained as a sociologist, he’s authored eight books; the newest is Facilitating Learning Groups: Strategies for Success with Diverse Adult Learners (Jossey-Bass). He co-founded A Quaker Action Group and Training for Change and led over 1500 social change workshops. He serves on the Worship and Ministry Committee of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. What follows is an edited version of his keynote address at Pacific Yearly Meeting this year.
When I moved from my small town to a college I learned that there was not a church of my own denomination in that college town. So I toured various churches. On my list was a Quaker meeting, so I showed up at High Street Monthly Meeting in West Chester, PA. And my mind was blown.
I was so taken with that kind of worship. I was shy, so I didn’t go to coffee hour. I split out the back door before someone could grab me. But I noticed that there was a bulletin board, and I always read bulletin boards wherever I go because I think I can learn something about a group by its bulletin board. There on the bulletin board was a notice to Friends to write a letter to Friends Committee on National Legislation – or to carbon copy to them and to write to their congressperson about universal military service.