Yeah, I'm a Quaker. No, not those folks with the horse and buggies. Those are the Amish. And not the folks with the furniture. Those are the Shakers. And no, it has nothing to do with oat meal.
On Tuesday I arrived at Pendle Hill, a Quaker school and retreat center outside of Philadelphia. Working with the Young Adult Leadership Development program, I presented some of my queer themed pieces, including my talk about language & oppression in the "ex-gay" movement, Talkin' Trash in the Homo No Mo Halfway House.
Pendle Hill draws both activists and artists. Here you can meet people who worked in japanese internment camps in the 40's and young teachers who serve at the Friend's School in Ramallah.
A fully stocked library, a 24 hour art studio where you can do ceramics, silk dying and card making, an organic garden to supply the kitchen (which always offers a vegan meal option), a woodland path through an arboretum, nice spaces to read, write and think. This is where I come to refresh, recharge and get challenged.
Then in meeting for worship, in that quiet, still place, I sort things out (or get sorted out). Tomorrow I leave here to join the other movers and shakers out in the real world (no, not the folks on that inane MTV reality program, those are just silly).
On Tuesday I arrived at Pendle Hill, a Quaker school and retreat center outside of Philadelphia. Working with the Young Adult Leadership Development program, I presented some of my queer themed pieces, including my talk about language & oppression in the "ex-gay" movement, Talkin' Trash in the Homo No Mo Halfway House.
Pendle Hill draws both activists and artists. Here you can meet people who worked in japanese internment camps in the 40's and young teachers who serve at the Friend's School in Ramallah.
A fully stocked library, a 24 hour art studio where you can do ceramics, silk dying and card making, an organic garden to supply the kitchen (which always offers a vegan meal option), a woodland path through an arboretum, nice spaces to read, write and think. This is where I come to refresh, recharge and get challenged.
Then in meeting for worship, in that quiet, still place, I sort things out (or get sorted out). Tomorrow I leave here to join the other movers and shakers out in the real world (no, not the folks on that inane MTV reality program, those are just silly).
Comments
During the national gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC), a large group of queer Quakers play a major role in the workshops, leadership and worship.
I'm sure the anti-gay Quakers think that we are just a bunch of bad apples, but we ain't going away any time soon.
I found your blog via Google and wow what a blog! I'm definitely bookmarking yours. Very interesting. Right now I'm currently reading God Among the Shakers. I know it's not the same as the Quakers or Amish, but I find them very interesting. When I took a Christianity 101 class in college I found these three different Christian secs very interesting!!
I'd love to hear more about how you became an exgay. Have you ever heard of Setting Captives Free? Just curious.
Write soon:)
Never heard of that book you mention. I will have to look into it.