In 1996, while working as a youth pastor at Meridian Friends Church (Idaho), I came across a book of poetry in our church library, On the Edge of a Truth. It was a small anthology from people I knew, and there was one poem, "Definition," by Nancy Thomas, that put to words a feeling I'd often experienced in open worship. When I checked the title page and saw that the collection had been printed by Barclay Press, I decided to give them a call. I found the number listed in the back of our yearly meeting minutes, and when Dan McCracken answered the phone, I asked if there might be any left-over copies of the title (it had been printed 16 years earlier). Dan assured me that one could be found and that he'd be glad to have it mailed to me.
I still have that book.
Not so many weeks ago, Nancy Thomas and I met to talk about her poetry. I didn't tell her in that meeting - I think she already knows - that I'm one of her biggest fans. Time and again, Nancy's gentle way of encountering the world has given me words for my own experience of it. For its beauty. For the immediacy of God's creativity and good humor. For the comfort of a carefully-constructed line.
Nancy and I met because she has a new collection, edited by Bill Jolliff, that we will be bringing into the world later this year. It's called Close to the Ground, a phrase Nancy uses to identify the kind of lived experience with Jesus that has sustained her over the years: "My spirit hums closer to the ground. . . . Loves it when Jesus plays with little kids. . . . Laughs during the prayer. Sometimes forgets to say 'Amen.'"
Eric Muhr
To privately carry the sorrow of another
Leann Williams shares in this morning's Fruit of the Vine of a time her obedience to a prompting from God led to a painful discovery: "I had been working with a massage client on what she thought was a pulled groin muscle. I felt directed by God to do some abdominal work. It was then I felt a mass low in her abdomen." The woman was known and loved in the community, but "medical ethics prevented me from sharing the situation until her diagnosis was made public. God asked me to privately carry her sorrow with her."
To privately carry the sorrow of another - this is the work of the pastor, of the counselor, of the friend. Leann points out that it was also the work of the prophets who "carried deep sorrow over the failure of their people to obey God." But there is room for hope alongside the private sorrows we carry for one another. God's messenger brought three encouragements to the prophet Daniel in 10:19 - "Do not be afraid; peace; and be strong!"
Are you carrying the sorrows of someone close to you? Are others also carrying your sorrow? Do not be afraid. Peace. Be strong.
And if that is too much, then Daniel's prayer might be the prayer you need: "O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act!" Because, as Leann reminds us, "We are not alone in this work. Jesus carries our sorrows with us."
Eric Muhr
We're not in this work alone
It was the kind of email that makes me wonder if the work we do even matters. The pastor of a small church asked that we cancel their standing order for Illuminate Friends Bible study material. Here at Barclay Press we get this kind of email from time to time. Sometimes it's because the class is being laid down. Sometimes it's because the local church isn't sure it can afford the expense of Sunday school materials. Sometimes it's because class members are unhappy with the message of a particular lesson or unit.
I thought about how best to respond. After all, Barclay Press can't survive without the support of local churches. I can't afford to ignore these emails. So I asked this pastor for help. Tell me more "about what you are looking for in Sunday school material," I wrote. "This is important feedback for us as we consider how best to move forward, especially since there is no other publisher creating this kind of material for Friends churches." The very next day, I received an email in response, and I realized that this pastor needs our help almost as much as we need hers: "It has always been so convenient to order from Barclay Press."
We're not in this work alone. We do this work best when we find ways to do it together.
Over the week, we emailed back and forth, and we came up with a plan. This morning, I shipped out brand new copies of Adult Friend curriculum from winter 1990/1991 - stories of God's love, stories of faith and faithfulness, stories of Christian living and service. Old material, yes. But also, at least for the members of this Sunday school class, it's a reminder that their continuing commitment to one another matters; and that there are people at Barclay Press in Newberg, Oregon, who want to help.
Eric Muhr