I packed the car in the cool of night, blessing each basket of goodies, expressing gratitude for the rewarding task ahead. In the morning I would head to Quaker Knoll Camp on Cowan Lake to offer a retreat on spiritual nurture—my vocation for the past 20 years—for the opening of
Cathy Barney
Charles Wallner Sees the Power of Connecting
Cincinnati Friends Meeting (CFM) new member Charles “Charlie” Wallner has developed a career philosophy that sounds fairly spiritual. As a longtime community organizer, Charles said, “I’m not against a top-down or bottom-up approach to community outreach, but I think you’ve got to have a mesh. No one goes to work
Behind the Scenes of Picnic Magic
On the Friday before our June 17 picnic with Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, when a half dozen of us assembled to set the scene, it was less a chore and more like magic. During the week, while I organized and prepared lists, my planning buddy, Linda Daigle, picked up supplies.
For Ann Criswell, Quaker Clearness Provides a Voice and Courage
With each move, and there have been many, new Cincinnati Friends Meeting (CFM) member Ann Criswell finds a spiritual home. Beginning with the Lafayette, IN, Methodist Church she attended as a child—“shepherded there by my Great Aunt Irma, the organist”—Ann’s spiritual journey has revolved around community. “My family was so
Quaker Leadership Conference Addresses North American Decline
Cathy Barney is Cincinnati Friends Meeting’s Nurturer for Spiritual Growth and Outreach. More than 60 Quakers from all branches gathered April 27-29 at the Earlham School of Religion (ESR) for the first Quaker Leadership Conference to discern the decline of our faith in North America. The conference was organized by