On August 23, we gathered again for Part IV: Preparing Responsibly for Our Future. Wendy Kane, the Bucks Quarter Coordinator joined us and shared her wider perspective.

We acknowledged our aging and declining active membership, the difficulty of finding Friends willing to take on leadership and committee responsibilities, and the fact that several earlier conversations about renewal have produced more ideas than action.

But the discussion also revealed something important: Wrightstown Meeting still has vitality.

PERHAPS WE NEED TO CONTINUE DIFFERENTLY

One theme emerged repeatedly: the question may not be whether Wrightstown Meeting can continue, but whether we can do things differently so that we can continue.

Do we need every traditional committee and position to function as it always has? Could the work of the Meeting be divided into smaller, more manageable tasks? Could some work be contracted? Could we make it easier for people to participate without immediately assuming substantial committee responsibilities?

We also discussed how we welcome newcomers, outreach to the wider community, connections with George School and our Nursery School, possible experiments with worship, and ways of becoming better at explaining what being a Quaker means to us.

Perhaps the most encouraging moment came near the end of the session. Instead of talking about what “we could” do, Friends were invited to say what “I can” do.

And people did.

Specific offers included helping with outreach, talking with Nursery School families, exploring connections with George School, examining alternative worship opportunities, reviewing new outreach materials, helping with responsibilities traditionally performed by the Clerk, and developing a clearer picture of the individual tasks currently carried by the Clerk’s Team.

Where Do We Go From Here?

FROM DISCERNMENT TO EXPERIMENT

How can the Wrightstown Meeting community that exists today organize itself to get the necessary business of the Meeting done so that the Meeting can continue into the future?

This session suggested a practical next step: try some things, see what happens, and learn from the results.  Wendy said that other Meetings do things in a variety of different ways.  Some even have no clerk.

WATCH, LISTEN AND READ

We encourage Friends who could not attend, as well as those who would like to revisit the discussion, to explore the materials below.
Watch the August 23 Session Passcode: 1d7^0ASG

Listen to the August 23 Session: (is there an audio only recording? Is there any advantage to listening instead of watching the video)

Read the Full Analysis and Next Steps