You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. We gathered with many of the same goals of the 1980 Consultation on Quaker Service held in Richmond, Indiana, with some added concerns. We heard the voices of Friends for whom simple love is the driving force and from Friends whose mission is also to share their Christian faith with others. We are hopeful that we can share our service efforts across these traditions.
Work is love made visible.
Volunteer service may or may not change the structures of society, but if we claim to love God and all Creation then we need to express that love through service. The sand foundation would be a human vision alone, whereas the rock is the love of a living God, and our willingness to be obedient to it. We seek not simply to address social concerns, but to find what God calls us to do. Quakers also need to recognize and nurture what is unique in Quaker process relevant to service. There are also Quaker practices that base our work in worship, such as Meeting for Worship, Bible reading, sharing of beliefs, and evaluation.