Conservative Friend

Hello Friends,

I have been a Christian for a long time who met some Friends locally  some years back, which began my search and reading on Quakers.  I hold no formal affiliation at this time, but consider myself to be a Christian Quaker in spirit for about 5 years now. I have some chronic illness challenges and family issues that have kept me from from formal membership at this time, but I strive to put God first and foremost in my life.

I am married to my highschool sweetheart, named Dave, and we have 3 children, ages 10, 13 and 19.  I have been home from my formal teaching job for some time now and continue to homeschool our 2 youngest daughters.  We live in a rural part of NJ in Hunterdon County and enjoy caring for many animals. (Yes, there are some rural NJ areas left and we are next to the Pa border.)

On any given Sunday, we can be found visiting Buckingham Meeting, Pa., my husband's non-denominational church or at home just doing our own thing.....Bible study, quiet reflection and prayer together with our daughters.  Most winters I am at home due to my autoimmune disease so I seek fellowship often online and am one of the original founders of Quaker Faith and Fellowship, where they continue to put up with my more conservative postings. I have much love and respect for Friends there, but find myself spending a bit less time there and needing further fellowship.

Our family was blessed by visiting Keystone Fellowship Meeting out at Lampeter Meeting House, Pa. late this past summer.  It really opened my eyes further to all the reading and seeking I had done on more conservative friends.  We felt right at home in this wonderful small group of friends and were so taken back by the spiritual messages we heard that day.  I hope to be able to visit again, though it is about 1 hr. 45 minutes from our home. I would join in a heartbeat if there was a Conservative Meeting present locally.

Many thanks to Friend Kevin and all who are making this forum possible.  I consider myself blessed to be able to be a part of it.

In Christ,

Jan Lyn

Hey Jan Lyn-

I'm delighted you are able to visit here. We lost a minister in my meeting to Keystone. There's a couple of folks in Jersey. I used to drive 70 miles to meeting when I lived in California, but those were mile-a-minute California miles, and Jersey is not that way.

maybe we can figure something out.

Thanks for the welcome...yeah, I used to drive cross country and think nothing of it and just a few years back wouldn't blink an eye about driving to Lancaster.  Dave and I love it out there as long as we stay away from the touristy areas.  Just really inconsistant in my abilities due to uncontrolled pain levels now.  That's what keeps me from forming a group here. 

Never know what the future could bring, though. Some times I think about a informal gathering once a month or so. I am very "young" in unprogrammed worship feeling that I connect more to the Spirit than with the community when I attend so far.   I remain open to the Lord's leading in it all....

Jan Lyn

Don't let any of it put you off. I attended Friends meetings in people's living rooms for years before I ever stepped into a meetinghouse. Do a potluck once a month with people who are interested, sit around for an hour before. That's all it takes to get started. Nothing else is necessary. Let God do the hard stuff.

Jan Lyn Lewis at 03:25PM on Jan 31, 2010

Thanks for the welcome...yeah, I used to drive cross country and think nothing of it and just a few years back wouldn't blink an eye about driving to Lancaster.  Dave and I love it out there as long as we stay away from the touristy areas.  Just really inconsistant in my abilities due to uncontrolled pain levels now.  That's what keeps me from forming a group here. 

 

Never know what the future could bring, though. Some times I think about a informal gathering once a month or so. I am very "young" in unprogrammed worship feeling that I connect more to the Spirit than with the community when I attend so far.   I remain open to the Lord's leading in it all....

 

Jan Lyn

You said, "Some times I think about a informal gathering once a month or so. "

Freind Jan, thee knows I am up for this if ever we can do it. 

Thy Friend in Christ across the river,

John

Thanks for the encouragement, Kevin.  Sounds like a good rule in general, to leave the hard stuff to God.  I'm working on that.

That is so kind, John.  I know I am clear that a formal once a week meeting would be too much for me, though some thing less formal and not as often might be more realistic.  Dave and I would sure be up for meeting you and Gretchen.  This is a big hospital month for me, but we shall keep in touch and hope for a time.

In Christ,

Jan Lyn

Jan Lyn Lewis at 01:29PM on Jan 30, 2010

Hello Friends,

 

I have been a Christian for a long time who met some Friends locally  some years back, which began my search and reading on Quakers.  I hold no formal affiliation at this time, but consider myself to be a Christian Quaker in spirit for about 5 years now. I have some chronic illness challenges and family issues that have kept me from from formal membership at this time, but I strive to put God first and foremost in my life.

 

I am married to my highschool sweetheart, named Dave, and we have 3 children, ages 10, 13 and 19.  I have been home from my formal teaching job for some time now and continue to homeschool our 2 youngest daughters.  We live in a rural part of NJ in Hunterdon County and enjoy caring for many animals. (Yes, there are some rural NJ areas left and we are next to the Pa border.)

 

On any given Sunday, we can be found visiting Buckingham Meeting, Pa., my husband's non-denominational church or at home just doing our own thing.....Bible study, quiet reflection and prayer together with our daughters.  Most winters I am at home due to my autoimmune disease so I seek fellowship often online and am one of the original founders of Quaker Faith and Fellowship, where they continue to put up with my more conservative postings. I have much love and respect for Friends there, but find myself spending a bit less time there and needing further fellowship.

 

Our family was blessed by visiting Keystone Fellowship Meeting out at Lampeter Meeting House, Pa. late this past summer.  It really opened my eyes further to all the reading and seeking I had done on more conservative friends.  We felt right at home in this wonderful small group of friends and were so taken back by the spiritual messages we heard that day.  I hope to be able to visit again, though it is about 1 hr. 45 minutes from our home. I would join in a heartbeat if there was a Conservative Meeting present locally.

 

Many thanks to Friend Kevin and all who are making this forum possible.  I consider myself blessed to be able to be a part of it.

 

In Christ,

Jan Lyn

Hello Jan Lyn,

I've never gotten to attend a Quaker meeting.  So, I know what it is like to be one in spirit.  It seems that we gain great strength from giving and receiving in Friendly ways and from gathering and giving joy from and to one another on the forum and gathering joy out of life.  For me adding joy to staying positive about myself, and as selfish as this sounds, loving my self in the middle of and through it all helps me to stand with great courage against any thing life is throwing at me.   Sometimes I get an inkling that maybe, we were put on such an imperfect place as this earth to pin a badge of courage on each other for what we must take head on.  Through trial and error, I've also found that anytime life chunks something at me that causes hardship that for some reason softening my heart, tuffens my resolution to conquer all life throws my way.   

Friend, Tim 

Hello Friend Tim and thank you for welcoming me.  I read your profile and see that you are well versed in what I like to call "challenges" as well.  I like your outlook.  It certainly puts one in wide open spaces of grace and glory and wondering very alertly as to what God may put in one's path next. It's all some how good......

God bless you Tim.

Jan Lyn

Jan Lyn Lewis at 06:00PM on Mar 02, 2010

Hello Friend Tim and thank you for welcoming me.  I read your profile and see that you are well versed in what I like to call "challenges" as well.  I like your outlook.  It certainly puts one in wide open spaces of grace and glory and wondering very alertly as to what God may put in one's path next. It's all some how good......

 

God bless you Tim.

Jan Lyn

Jan Lyn,

I like your outlook, too.  Maybe, one of the good things we have in our paths is to learn to love our self beyond our present comprehension or imagination and that is totally and completely with a worth nothing diminishes and great joy through everything we go through and onward and beyond and onward and beyond.  For that is the love God is giving us and from the experience we know how to love our neighbor as our self.  And from loving our self and our neighbor as our self we know how to love God and that is as our self.  And in your own words that is sharing wide open glory and favor, undiminished worth and great joy and peace and overflowing whole, fresh, perfect Life! 

Alive Again WOW!

Love Ya Sister, 

Brother, Tim