Colleen Kristish bail reform editorial in Buffalo News

One of our Meeting’s regulars, Colleen Kristich, wrote a powerful editorial published in the Buffalo News on February 3, 2020 on the real impacts of Bail Reform.

From the article:

Recent bail reform prevents a defendant’s wealth from being the deciding factor in whether they are detained pretrial. It ensures that the justice system works fairly: to try cases based on facts instead of forcing poor defendants into plea deals in order to be released from jail. New York has righted the wrong of excessive bail to ensure that rich and poor defendants alike have equal protections under the law.

An International Gathering of Friends

Thanks to the outreach from Friends United Meeting (FUM), we connected Christ is the Answer International Fellowship with three Friends in FUM Ministry. Visiting from FUM were Ben Snyder, North American Ministries Coordinator; Dan Kasztelan, Communications Director; and John Muhanji, Director of the Africa Ministries Office. We shared an evening meal at my home on May 27th joined by Rodney and Ann Pierce and nine Friends from Christ is the Answer International Fellowship. After the meal, Ben Snyder spoke about FUM, and John translated into Swahili so everyone could understand. Ndanga then spoke about his church in Swahili and John translated into English. Others in Christ is the Answer International Fellowship then spoke too. Several issues came to the surface that Buffalo Friends were unaware of. These can now be addressed.

John Muhanji, left, Director of African Ministries for Friends United Meeting, talks to Ndanga Ramazani during a recent dinner gathering at Sue Tannehill’s home.

It was a rich gathering. Dan, who does the photography for Quaker Life took many wonderful photographs, one of which is included in this article.

In Scripture, it says both “Be still, and know that I am God” and “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” While Buffalo Friends and Christ is the Answer International Fellowship worship in different ways, we have much to gain from our shared roots and faith. I am very grateful that FUM Friends came to visit with us. I hope that Buffalo Friends will try to attend one of the Christ is the Answer International Fellowship meetings. These are joyful, full of music and testimony. This preparative meeting would welcome our visitation on any Sunday from about 4 to 6 pm in the Network for Religious Communities building basement.

Across the Divide

Farmington-Scipio Regional Meeting, of which Buffalo Meeting is a member, held its annual Spring Gathering in May at Watson Homestead in Painted Post, New York. Several of us from Buffalo participated, and we attended the key workshop on the conference topic “Seeing the Sacred Across the Divide.” Participants role-played different scenarios to illustrate opposing positions on a particular topic. We were encouraged to develop a “feeling sense of the condition of others,” much like John Woolman, who was able to feel compassion for both the slave as well as the slave-holder.

When engaged in active conversation or debate with someone who may not believe as we do, we learned how helpful it may be to identify the Moral Foundation which is at the base of the disagreement, and try to find some common ground.

Moral Foundation:

• Care/harm

• Fairness/cheating

• Loyalty/betrayal

• Authority/subversion

• Sanctity/degradation

• Liberty/oppression

(From The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt.)

Questions asked after the role-play directed our attention:

• Was the divide bridged?

• How was the divide bridged?

• What about communication prevented/added to the divide?

Friends are encouraged to attend Christ is the Answer International Fellowship

Ndanga Ramazani's church, Christ is the Answer International Fellowship, has been a preparative meeting of Buffalo Friends Meeting for several months. They hold their worship service in the basement of the Network of Religious Communities building starting at 4:15 PM each Sunday. They worship in the Swahili language, but their vibrant music transcends language. Members and attenders of Buffalo Friends Meeting are encouraged to attend a Sunday service. Please contact Ndanga know if you are planning to attend so that someone is available to translate for you.

February 24th events cancelled

The Meeting for Worship and Adult Education scheduled for February 24th have been cancelled due to the high wind warning in the Buffalo area.

Online Meeting for Worship using the Zoom platform will be offered starting at 10:30 AM.

Jan 20th Meeting for Worship Cancelled

The Meeting for Worship and potluck scheduled for January 20th have been cancelled due to the winter storm warning and expected poor driving conditions in the Buffalo area.

Online Meeting for Worship using the Zoom platform will be offered starting at 10:30 AM.

November Advices and Queries

Each month this quarter, Buffalo Quakers are reflecting on brief passages from the British Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice as a challenge to us in our personal lives and in our life as a religious community.

Dearly beloved Friends, these things we do not lay upon you as a rule or form to walk by, but with the measure of Light which is pure holy and so, in the Light these thoughts may be fulfilled in the spirit, not from the letter, but from the Spirit that gives life.

November Query Reading

Remember your responsibility as a citizen for the conduct of local, national and international affairs. Do not shrink from the time and effort your involvement may demand.