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Our Quaker Life
Celebrating Quakerism and the Value of Community in Practice at Brooklyn Friends School.
I n October, the Spiritual Life Committee of the Board of Trustees hosted a virtual gathering for Brooklyn Friends School families focused on “Quakerism and Community.” Members of the Spiritual Life Committee spoke about and explored the concept of Community, central to Quaker values. They addressed what it means to them personally, and to the many families, colleagues, and BFS community members who seek and live this spiritual practice in their lives. It was moving for our school community members, both new and veteran, to hear from Spiritual Life Committee members on how the “C” in SPICES is a guiding light in their lives.
Jonathan Edmonds, BFS Lower School Math Specialist, shared how he brings Quaker practice to his work as a teacher. He shared, “I’ve made it a practice of literally pausing for a quiet moment before I enter a classroom to consider how this will be a meeting for learning. I ask if I’m prepared and ready to share what I know effectively and with joy. I ask if I’m ready to listen with curiosity to what others are bringing of what they know. Secondly, I allow myself to plan lessons and experiences with a direction that is hopefully focused and cohesive, but that is also open to the unexpected as individuals share their truth. I remind myself that each classroom’s community time together is unique and that I can’t possibly anticipate all that will emerge as we gather together around a problem or a game.”
James Lynch, BFS class of 1981 and current parent, spoke about the impact of Brooklyn Friends School and Quaker education on his life and work. James is an attorney, college professor, and President of the Buddhist Council of New York. James shared, “I can’t say enough about Brooklyn Friends. Quakerism is always with me. There is nothing that I’ve done in my life since leaving Brooklyn Friends School that has not been impacted by my time at Brooklyn Friends School.” He added, “there are infinite possibilities in each human being. That’s what I learned at Brooklyn Friends School.”
Thank you to the Spiritual Life Committee for hosting this powerful and insightful gathering on our Quaker life for our community!
Monthly All-Community Meeting for Worship
The Brooklyn Friends community comes together on a monthly basis for Meeting for Worship. Currently hosted virtually, the Spiritual Life Committee hosts this spiritual practice that is at the heart of our Quaker life. By regularly returning to our Quaker roots as a community, these monthly Meetings offer tremendous peace, insight, and closeness among us as we collectively steward BFS. Please check the BFS website calendar at BrooklynFriends.org/Calendar for our next Community Meeting for Worship.
Upcoming Professional Development for Colleagues on Our Quaker Life
In February, we will welcome the Friends Council Education to engage with our colleagues at a professional development day. We will explore how Quaker values manifest in our daily lives at BFS and what it means to work at Quaker school.
Essential Questions in the Middle School
To kick off the school year, eighth grade students led the Middle School in exploring three essential questions. What is a query? How can we “find” our silence? How do we share a message at Meeting for Worship?
A Quaker Book of Wisdom by Robert Lawrence Smith
The Care Relationship Committee of Brooklyn Monthly Meeting generously donated copies of A Quaker Book of Wisdom by Robert Lawrence Smith, the former head of Sidwell Friends School. This book is available for any Brooklyn Friends family who would like to deepen their understanding of Quakerism and its testimonies. The Spiritual Life Committee will be hosting book discussion events about A Quaker Book of Wisdom in the coming months.
The Quaker Testimonies
The Quaker testimonies are a dynamic body of beliefs and ideals that have evolved over time and vary between groups of Friends. They guide Quakers in putting their faith into practice. At Brooklyn Friends School, we consider a set of common testimonies distilled from centuries of Quaker practice by Howard Brinton, the foremost 20th century Quaker theologian. The testimonies follow the acronym S.P.I.C.E.S.
Simplicity: Focusing on what is essential, rather than material distractions.
Peace: Resolving conflicts peacefully and working actively for peace.
Integrity: Maintaining our beliefs in all parts of life.
Community: Taking care of one another.
Equality: Honoring each person and working against oppression.
Stewardship: Giving ourselves up in service and being environmental stewards
