In for the Long Haul: Inspiration, Strength and Perseverance for Spiritual Life

“Our membership of this, or any other Christian fellowship, is never based upon worthiness. We, none of us, are members because we have attained a certain standard of goodness, but rather because, in this matter, we still are all humble learners in the school of Christ. Our membership is of no importance whatever unless it signifies that we are committed to something of far greater and more lasting significance than can adequately be conveyed by the closest association with any movement or organization.” — Edgar Dunstan, Quakers and the Religious Quest, 1956 Swarthmore Lecture A life given over to the direction of the Holy Spirit in the Quaker fashion requires one’s constant attention and nurture over a lifetime. The challenges can seem daunting, overwhelming and discouraging, but there are resources in our faith tradition that will nurture our efforts to be faithful. We’ll explore spiritual disciplines and practices, the Scriptural story, and the testimony of our fellow Quaker travelers, past and present, as sources of inspiration, strength, and perseverance. The underlying metaphor of this weekend is a school for apprentices: a community of individuals gathered together to learn how to live in harmony with God and each other through a long-time dedication to their craft, learning from each other, from seasoned journeymen and journeywomen, and of course from the Master Teacher of us all. Our scales and etudes are the spiritual disciplines and Scriptural record, our textbooks are the unbroken historical community of Quakers over the centuries, and our workshop is our contemporary faith community. The “master piece” in such an apprenticeship is the construction of a life given over to God, fashioned day by day over a lifetime. Such a life is a blessing and invitation to many, helping to heal a broken creation. About the program leader Lloyd Lee Wilson has been apprenticed to the Quaker faith tradition for almost five decades. He has served on FUM commissions, as General Secretary of FGC, and as a recorded minister in North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative). His published work includes Essays on the Quaker Vision of Gospel Order, Wrestling With Our Faith Tradition, Pendle Hill Pamphlet #427: Radical Hospitality, and numerous contributions to the Journal of North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative). He and his wife Susan make their home outside of Greensboro, NC