2008 Spiritual State of the Meeting Report
(Prepared February 2009)

Patuxent Friends Meeting, Lusby, Md.

As a springboard to creative discussion of what our Meeting as a whole is thinking, feeling, coming from and going to, each person was encouraged to consider seven queries about their own relationship with the Meeting community.  The queries were:  How do we minister to one another? How do we help one another sense the Light? How do we nurture one another’s spiritual growth?  In what ways does our diversity strengthenour love and community?  How does our spiritual love for one another shape the ways weaddress our differences and resolve our conflicts? What do we need most to deepen the spiritual life of the Meeting? What was so painful or controversial last year that I do not want to put it into the State of the Meeting Report?  Forums were held for group reflection and sharing of these queries at the Meetinghouse, during First Day School, and in the home of members.

There is a general sense of satisfaction within Meeting.  The perception is that our Meeting community is safe, healthy, vibrant, and growing in Faith.  We greet each other; we encourage each other; we pay attention to God with bright Inner Light; we share food; we express humor; we celebrate our religious diversity—Catholic, Protestant, Jew—which “illuminates our spiritual life.”  Coming to Meeting is “…like seeing a best friend.  I always feel embraced, welcomed and accepted.”  We respect and value our differences; we meld rather than overcome them.  Meeting is “home away from home for all of us.”  We are blessed by revelation through our young people; reminded that “God speaks with such a tiny voice, you’ve really got to listen.”  We are strong as a group.  This collective strength allows us to be active and committed in Quaker Service to Community and World with organizations that reflect our shared values.  Patuxent Friends continue to invest time, resources and energy into peace building efforts in our community and world. For the past seven years we have supported and sponsored two Community Mediation Centers in Southern Maryland.  Our meetinghouse serves as a peaceful place where mediations are held and several of our members volunteer their services to the Centers as mediators.  The Meeting as a whole offers spiritual and financial support to the local mediation centers as well as to a Friend who is following her leading to offer mediation and training services in war-torn Liberia through Mediators Beyond Borders.  These peace-building initiatives, along with supporting the local homeless shelter and food pantries in our area, have provided Patuxent Friends a means to be visible in our community as a Meeting that cares about peace and social justice and is actively doing something to promote it.

Our “painful things” include continuing struggle with a lack of widespread adult involvement in First Day School, and with our children’s behavior.  We wonder about the appropriateness and effectiveness of our Pastoral Care, feeling inadequate about asking for and meeting certain needs of others.  We have concern with instances of inappropriate Eldering. We are afraid “something is missing,” or perhaps, we are missing something.

Our strength in the Light and in each other will help us meet these challenges.

Average attendance at Meeting for Worship during 2008 was 16.5.