"Disagreements have softened and tensions have dissipated,” noticed a newer Friend as we began the process of inventorying our spiritual condition for the State of the Meeting Report. Friends continued with other thoughts on our spiritual state saying that Meeting feels different than it did a year ago and there seems to be an openness to dissimilar opinions. We recognized that we have room in our hearts for diversity of thought noting that when we discuss prickly issues there is a feeling of underlying love and spirituality that assures the safety and dignity of all involved. Those gathered looked at one another and felt our corporate shortcomings rising to meet us. What happened in our community to give this perception of peace to this Friend? In deep silence we waited as the answer formulated. "We are ignoring a problem? We have allowed our problems to walk out the door," said a Friend. Once again we found ourselves back to the question of what is the meaning of Meeting and what is our purpose as a Friends Meeting.

We recognized that the Quaker faith is a broad path of beliefs with seekers at many different places along the way. To this thought a Friend said, "Tolerance, forbearance and love for one another, as we seek understanding of the will of God, is what our (Quaker) Meeting should be about." "Is that the only purpose of our meeting?" asked another Friend. "What do we do when we find clearness on a concern? Do we hide that Light under a bushel or do we make our understanding of God's will known to the rest of the world?" he continued. "If we publish our truth (minutes approved by Meeting), does that make us appear exclusive by thought, even set a standard for membership and limit our being open to seekers who hold differing beliefs?” asked the first Friend. A Friend reminded Meeting that we are known by our actions as well as our inactions.

These philosophical differences have been an undercurrent of our Meeting that we have struggled with for quite a while, and unfortunately, sometimes not well. There is discomfort when we do not see the familiar faces of Friends who are absent from the Meeting because of our disunity on this topic. They feel they were not being heard.

We ask why we have come to believe in the Quaker faith and practice? Does our Quaker practice at York Meeting truly afford a safe forum for examination of beliefs for everyone? Do we find ourselves pushing or not pushing our own causes? Are we aware of the problems that this can lead to? Is Meeting the extension of everyone's own agenda? Are we willing to be vulnerable and answer these difficult questions? The answers may bring real peace and unity to our Meeting. We continue to pray for Love and Light on these difficult matters.

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 have given us opportunities to examine our beliefs and thoughts about pacifism. We found that not all Friends are of the same mind on this concern. Some Friends sense the need to project our Quaker ideas of peace beyond our walls to the public, non-Quaker community. They feel a need to raise our Quaker witness in the community and let the world know and understand what we believe. We seem to be a Meetinghouse divided. Where can we meet and find unity?

There may be hope in the recent decision of Meeting to reconstitute structured Meeting Committees. This action seems to be propelling us into a positive direction. It is our hope that Committees will enable the Meeting to institute and participate in intentional activities that before had been individual leadings. The Committees will look forward and envision where the Meeting needs to go. We are aware that we often fail at timely ending of Business Meeting as we do business that could have been handled by committee. The new structuring may allow us to move from Business Meeting to Meeting for Worship with a Concern to do Business.

We have seen growth in the number of Friends and Attenders at Meeting for Worship. We are concerned that our small Meeting House with limited space limits our growth. There are very few children attending Meeting and we recognize that there have been many missed opportunities with young families who find our facility inadequate. Some day we may take that leap of Faith, bolstered by a load of commitment, to begin a project of expansion to our Meetinghouse.

We have grown in many ways this past year and we will continue to grow, even beyond our fears as we stay open to Truth and mind the Light.