Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls (Jeremiah 6:16)

This month’s featured selection from the Reflections archives

What’s a Quaker to do with Christmas?

It seems that every year in the lead up to the Christmas season that questions arise about Quakers celebrating Christmas. Often there is a response along the lines of “Quakers hold all days to be equally holy, the 25th of Twelfth Month is not more holy than the other days of the year, therefore Quakers do not celebrate Christmas.”

This response might be missing the focus of the notion that “all days are equally holy,” concerns about religious holy days that early Quakers had, and the development of secular holidays for contemporary Quakers.

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Ohio Yearly Meeting has a series of podcasts. Below is this month’s featured podcast. Link to podcast page,

The True Christian’s Faith and Experience: Advice to New Friends (part 1 of 4)

Often we are linked in error to political groups which also use the word “conservative.” These political groups are often indifferent to the plight of the economically deprived but are strong supporters of the nation’s military operations. This is contrary to the life and teachings of our Lord and Savior who instructs us to “love our enemies” and “turn the other cheek”. He expects us to reconcile with our opponents in His holy name.

Conservative Friends, on the other hand, embrace the need for true reconciliation. That is why in unity with George Fox and other early Friends we wait on the Lord for instruction as well as inspiration with the spiritual knowledge that Jesus is present in our worship sessions as Prophet and King in addition to being our enabler who loves us.

That is why when a minister rises to speak to our meeting, he or she does not utter their own words, but is led to reveal Christ’s revelations for us to follow. Political ministers, to the contrary, more often than not, when they speak, it is with the words of their alleged superiors. They claim that they are waiting on Jesus to appear physically before they can be inducted into His Kingdom. To the contrary, we feel Jesus’s presence within us, not only during corporate worship but whenever we submit to the Lord’s will. We therefore pray without ceasing to maintain our adherence to the Lord in all matters.

Most important, we are not satisfied just worshiping the Lord in our community. Rather, in unity with first generation Quakers, we are instructed to preach the everlasting gospel to all people regardless of race and class. Remember that Jesus speaks to all people prepared to listen and obey His commands.

Small wonder we do not identify with any political party, unlike the so-called religious conservatives who align themselves with the rich and powerful. Yes, we would like to minister to these souls along with preaching to all people. But Jesus is our master and we must obey Him in the love that overcomes Satan.

To put it succinctly, we are conservative because we are in unity with the Christianity of our founders whose enunciations we so admire. They preached and lived in the Lord.

Arthur Berk, 01-26-2008