In seminary, I took a class on American Religious history. In one project, we had to research the religious history of our home state. I learned about Ojibwa religion and also when Christians first came to the Great Lakes region. There were two disparate approaches to reaching the Native Americans who lived there. One approach was embodied by a Protestant mission board. They thought the best way to reach Native Americans was to get them to wear European style shoes and farm in the European style. This was the first step in how they were spreading Christianity. The second approach was embodied by Franciscans who traveled with the Native Americans and leaned to hunt and trap like them and then shared Christianity. Which of these two groups had the more Quaker approach?

Outreach can be scary, but we do not have to do it the Baptist way nor even the Methodist way. Start with being led by love. Listen and learn. Let your life preach. When you share, do it authentically and with integrity.

Quaker outreach has something special to offer that the evangelism of other Christians doesn’t. Not all Quakers have lived up to the ideal Woolman laid out. I found his quote in the Faith and Practice of Britain Yearly Meeting under the category of evangelism with a larger set of quotes that generally seem to fit us. The Friends General Conference Yearly Meetings did not have outreach nor evangelism in their Faith and Practice. The concept seems clearer among Friends United Meeting churches. Woolman’s quote seems closest to my vision for Quaker outreach. 

 I have chosen Woolman specifically for his approach to other cultures. He did not begin by trying to change their culture or with a haughty attitude. John Woolman in our reading for today was led by love. When outreach begins with fear, anxiety, or judgment then the message is poisoned. To share a message of love you must first be moved by love.

Next, Woolman engaged in a sort of deep listening. He was eager to “feel and understand their life, and the Spirit they live in.”  There are very few people in the world today suffering from a dearth of information and a lack of people telling them what to do and what to believe. There are, however, many people who do not feel truly heard and seen.  Take time to learn about people’s lives both where they started and where they are now. Even if listening is where your outreach stops you have given a great gift.

Know that the Light is shared by all. Be humble. You can learn from this experience. Remember everyone has a piece of the truth, but no one has the whole cloth. Also, everyone is an expert in their own approach to life.

Woolman speaks of receiving instruction. Do not force another person to be your teacher but be eager to accept whatever they have to offer.

Woolman speaks of following the leadings of Truth amongst them offering something to the Native Americans. Living well among others can teach others by means of example. Let your life preach. As it says in the song, “build a bridge of care.” Your most effective witness will be the way you live your life. Be honest. Be humble. Be kind and a friend to all. Work to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and find shelter for the unhoused. Participate in the work of the warming center. Serve at the food pantry. Support transitional housing. Work to alleviate suffering in the present system and work to fix the system.

Before you share about your faith, establish a relationship. Be authentic. When you share, begin with personal experience. Speak from what you know and what you have seen. 

Have integrity. Admit that not everyone sees things as you do. Not all Quakers believe nor act as we do and that’s OK.

Know the good news that Quakers have to offer. We know that working for peace and justice is not just something that we do out there apart from church, but an integral part of being church.

A belief in continuing revelation sets us apart. There is a freedom in knowing that God is still speaking. Let them know that their own understanding matters. They don’t need anyone else to tell them who God is. The age of hearing from God did not end thousands of years ago.

We welcome diversity. Everyone is deserving of respect. You can be a Quaker and still disagree with other Quakers. You do not have to be like everyone else to be part of the group.

Everyone has a voice. All take part in decision making. Big decisions are made together by the whole group gathered. Anyone could be speaking for God that day.

Finally, when they are ready they will ask you how to get involved. Ask them to work beside you at the food pantry. Tell them about opportunities to demonstrate in the streets. Invite them to worship. Let them know what to expect in worship.

In the words of Harvey Gillman in 1993 as quoted in the Faith and Practice of Britain Yearly Meeting, “if someone comes asking for bread, we cannot say, sorry we are too busy discovering our own riches; when we have found them, we’ll offer you a few. Our riches are precisely our sharing. And the world is very, very hungry.”

• How has deep listening affected you?
• What part of your faith are you eager to share?