A quaking Quaker trying to live adventurously!

World Conference of Friends 2012 - Kenya 2012

Dear all,

I am indeed blessed, I have been nominated to help represent German and Austrian Friends of the Truth (Quakers) in April 2012.

We will be based in Nakuru in Kenya, and this will be the largest single gathering of international Friends (Quakers) of all traditions and flavours since 1967. 

As you can see the theme is  ”Being Salt and Light - Friends living the Kingdom of God in a broken world”.

The theme asks us to reflect on how we can be salt and light and what Friends have to say in the 21st Century. It will be explored through worship, small group discussions, by speakers from across the globe and in working groups, looking at areas such as peace work, poverty and the environment. Study materials on the theme have been distributed, and it is hoped they will offer inspiration and challenge to participants, Meetings and Churches. (link to study materials page)

In deciding the theme, we drew inspiration from several Bible passages, including Matthew 5:13 (“You are the salt of the earth…”), Matthew 5:14-16 (“You are the light of the world…”), Matthew 6:33 (“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…”), Matthew 6:9-13 (the Lord’s Prayer), Micah 4:4 (“They shall sit under their own vines and fig trees and no one shall make them afraid.”), and Micah 6:8 (“… And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”).

The theme is supplemented by a passage from Luke, 17:20-21. “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed … the Kingdom of God is among you.”

If Jesus was saying this is aramaic (and not the Koine Greek that Luke wrote), I would add that it is possible that Jesus may have said something like ” The kingdom of our God is not one that can seen with our eyes, but the kingdom will be suddenly made known to you”.

Once we are aware of this new Jerusalem, the republic of heaven or Gods planned Commonwealth on Earth then we know what is wrong and begin fixing our broken world.  

I do not believe this new world is not just at the end of our lives, nor is it just a better political system here on earth…. from what I saw, it is a parallel world running along side our own which we can drift in and out of (if we are willing to step into the new world).

That is quite a challenge.. but with help it is what we are called to do!

Has the new world been shown to you?  I saw it, smelt it and waked briefly in it in December 2010… I now know it exists.  

30 January 2012 ·