QUIP Quaker Writers' Conference Evening Plenary Programs

Spirit Rising: Young Quaker Voices Release Party

This is the editorial board celebrating.

Blogging is a way that Friends publish - here Sarah Hoggatt, Liz Oppenheimer and Martin Kelley, virtually from his home in New Jersey, discuss their expereince blogging. To find their blogs and other Friendly blogsites go to http://www.quakerquaker.org/.

Friends young and not so young listening to Tom Hamm.



For more about the conference go to the Quakers Uniting In Publications website at www.quakerquip.org or join the QUIP group on Facebook.

2010 QUIP Quaker Writers' Conference - my thoughts

The QUIP Annual Meeting this year was combined with a writers' conference. It was a great experiment that seems to have worked really well. Here is a picture of Tom Hamm speaking the first night about the history of Quaker publishing at the Earlham School of Religion Dining Room.

The QUIP meetings were wonderful for me. Several things felt rewarding on a personal basis. I was affirmed by all the young people and the wonderful book, Spirit Rising: Young Quaker Voices, that they created. It's lovely to have been a small part of this process. Can a committee write a book? You bet ya! I was affirmed by finding a better name for what I do for QUIP, administrative facilitator, which fits my role of helping volunteers carry out the many tasks it takes to run the organization. I was affirmed by friendships renewed and friendships made new. I was affirmed by looking at new ways that QUIP can facilitate the ministry of the written word for authors - my mind keeps thinking about that topic. I look foward to discussions with others in the future about it including the QUIP clerks, bloggers, others. And I was affirmed by the smiles that went around so often and one after another Friends found new insights and joys sharing their faith and their craft.

QUIP has meaning for me. Guess that's why I do all the work I do to keep it going. I need to find a way to convey that meaning to other Quakers involved in writing, publishing, book selling.

I'm new at this blogging and will post pictures in another post since they seem to only come in last first.

Been Sad

It's been a very sad month. Heard the other day that another friend from the past had died suddenly. Maddie Sherman was a Rutland, Vermont friend who had babies the same time I had mine. She and her husband Jake, were very supportive after my first husband Paul died. I remember her fondly for her wonderful cooking and great, open hospitality. Though I didn't visit her every year, I often dropped in while in Vermont. These last few years I have stayed away maybe because she still didn't have any grandchildren. Seems hard to talk about mine in htat situation - I can't seem to keep my mouth shut about them, especially when we are all together in Vermont.

That's two friends my age who have died this month, one from a bike accident, Maddie from heart failure after surgery (she did have some other health problems). Makes me very sad.

Otherwise, I am experimenting with doing an annual time budget. It's helping to keep me on track though certain tasks are still taking longer than I estimated. I'll keep working on it.

Only a few days and I will begin my trip across country, solo, to see Gail in DC first and then on to the grandchildren in Massachusetts. There we will all attend New England Yearly Meeting. I hope to use this blog to keep up with my writing when I can. No one seems to reading yet but I will keep writing.

Life is Good

Back from the FGC Gathering

Gathering this year was so much less pressured than the last ten. Facilitating a workshop is lots of work, some of it during the Gathering but most before. I loved doing it but need to discern if I have the time next year.

Discovered Nadine Hoover's wonderful article on Time and Ministry while preparing for the workshop so I have a new tool. Am preparing to start using it 7/15. Still recording my hours but a time calendar will help as well.

Bonnie Tinker's death in a bike accident really hit me. But others took care of me.

Too late now to write much more. I hope to get back to this very soon.

one joy in my life are my grandchildren

Story will be central to my workshop on discerning leadings. I will tell at least twelve stories of following a spiritual leading, some from biblical and historical people and some from contemporary life.

It's been really a growth process for me to prepare for this workshop. I've realized how "love was the first motion" has worked in my own times of way opening and how much the Spirit has been active in the lives of those I know personally. I'm ready to testify to that but feel still confused about how to get all the stuff organized and presented.

Tomorrow is another day.