Representing our spiritual life together as a community
Faith & Practice Committee proposes core values for Sierra-Cascades
Here are the first three of nine core values that Sierra-Cascades' Faith and Practice Committee has been in discernment on. We seasoned these three together and we sense that the committee feels unity on them.
We intend to bring these as a first reading for our winter quarterly gathering, February 24.
Jesus Christ is present. Jesus Christ is actively present with us as Savior, Teacher, Lord, Healer, and Friend. Christ is accessible to those who seek Him. Those who take time to listen to Christ can hear His voice and follow Him, individually and collectively. Seasoned by committee 11/25/23 for winter quarterly gathering.
God is the source of life, and all life is sacred. All life has its origin in the creative work of God. As human beings we are all children of God. Because all persons have equal value and are created in the image of God, we must treat each other with respect and dignity, regardless of human measures of merit or value. Seasoned by committee 1/20/2024 for winter quarterly gathering
God’s Holy Spirit transforms and empowers us. The Holy Spirit enlightens our paths and transforms our lives as we yield. As we become immersed in the life of the Spirit, things change: Despair gives way to hope, and weakness gives way to empowerment. All things indeed become new. Seasoned by committee 1/20/2024 for winter quarterly gathering.
Context:
• We began with a set of core values that had been written, seasoned, and approved by Eugene Friends Church a few years ago. These values spoke to our condition as committee members and our sense of the Meeting as a whole. The language felt authentic and also fresh.
• The statements did not feel like a reaction to something our Yearly Meeting is against, a comparison of ourselves to others, or reaction to past traumas, but rather a truthful and simple affirmation of what spiritual values are most dear to our community. This felt hopeful to us, especially because a part of us (Eugene Friends) have already found unity on these. We began a process of working with these statements.
• Fall quarterly 2023—we brought these forward for feedback from the wider body.
• We entered a process of reflection, rewriting, and reworking of the values incorporating feedback from the Meeting, and attempting to find the words that felt “our own” as Sierra-Cascades.
The “why”
As our country is increasingly individualistic, polarized, secularized, we face increasing challenges to building a spiritual life together, yet we continue to affirm our call to seek God together as a community.
As an intentionally diverse Meeting, we may never find the exact words which feel perfect to every one of us as an individual, but our committee feels that these words are a faithful representation of our spiritual life together as a community. We hope that the Meeting will agree.
Yours in Christ,
Jade Rockwell, co-clerk of Faith and Practice