However, the ministers of the community stepped forward with a plan for peace. Parents were organized into parent patrols with cellular phones to monitor children entering and leaving the schools, Saturday activities were planned, and the ministers met with school personnel, the Chicago Housing Authority, and the Chicago Police Department to seek collaboration for peace. The authority of the Living Christ continues to call us to step out in faith to work for peace in our lives. Since the Living Christ continues to reveal God's will to us, another important aspect of discernment is community. In American society where often the epitome is self-actualization, this can bring a real pinch to some people.
Friends have a rich tradition of corporate discernment in their monthly meetings for business.
Just as the early Christian Church practiced discernment in Acts 15, early Quakers believed that the Living Christ was present in the midst of a gathered meeting for worship. The will of God can be discerned even today. An important area of corporate discernment for me has been the affirmation of my gifts of ministry. As a college student I felt Christ's call into ministry one summer night in a meeting for worship. When I married Steve, I found myself sharing his vision for urban ministry.