If you are a Quaker, no doubt you have seen the painting called “Presence in the Midst.” Some Quakers may know nothing about it or, perhaps, that it is even famous. So, let me give a bit of background and then I want to relate it to my life today.
The painting is by the Irish painter, Daniel Penrose. The painting portrays a group of Quakers in what we call a Quaker meetinghouse (some folks simply would call it a church). The Quakers are gathered in worship. The Quaker style of worship was to gather and sit in silence. Some kids might simply say they were very quiet. Of course for most contemporary Americans, this would drive them nuts in about two minutes! Since I have done that many times in my life, it seems perfectly normal. I have been in gatherings of some two or three hundred men and women---and sometimes, children---and we were all silent together.
The silence has a point. Quakers are confident that if we begin to get quiet and wait, the Spirit will come to us. That is the point of the painting. It shows a ghostly, shadowy figure whom we would readily identify as Jesus standing above them but in their midst. Theologically this is the resurrected Jesus whom, I am comfortable, now saying is the Spirit. No doubt, folks familiar with the New Testament will recall passages where Jesus promises the disciples that where two or three folks gather, he would be in their midst. This painting portrays this promise.
The painting by Penrose shows the famous Quaker meetinghouse called Jordans. I have visited it and it is lovely. It is west of Heathrow, the famous airport outside of London. The Quaker theology affirms that when worshippers gather, God will come into their midst and teach the people directly. Understood in this fashion explains why Quakers have not felt it was necessary to have priests and preachers tell us what to believe. We don’t need a mediating person to convey God’s experience to us.
It is not a far reach to claim this is a good representation to how Quakers might understand the sacrament of the eucharist or communion. Traditionally, Quakers do not celebrate communion by using the outward elements, i.e. the bread and wine. Even traditional Christian groups like Catholics and others feel like the bread and wine are symbols of the “Real Presence,” which is the resurrected Christ or the Spirit. In this fashion the painting portrays Christ present among the group of worshippers at the Jordan Meetinghouse. And rightly, I think, can it be seen as a sacramental gathering.
All this was on my mind in recent weeks as I joined a number of other Quakers in a worship experience online. The appointed hour of worship came, so I opened my computer and joined others as we all connected. It was an interesting group, no doubt unique in the sense that never before has this particular group gathered for worship. There were two or three from Florida, a couple from Oklahoma and even California. One woman was online from Montreal and another from southern England.
Even though our pictures were portrayed on the screen, most were seated with eyes closed. We mimicked those worshippers long ago at Jordans. I sat in my easy chair and also closed my eyes. I had done this hundreds of times as a Quaker. But I don’t know that I have even done it simply holding my computer in my lap. Such is the price of Covid-19. It has changed almost everything we habitually have been doing. You can worship, but it’s going to be different!
It was during the silence that picture of Jordans came to mind. I have seen that picture so many times in so many different Quaker places. At least, when I look at it, my attention is immediately drawn to the image of Jesus in their midst. For me that is the central feature of the painting---its primary teaching. I love that we call it the “Presence in the Midst.” If I can put it sacramentally, it is the “Real Presence” that I assume when I am with the Catholic community at their Eucharist. For Quakers who gather in worship, the promise of Christ coming is realized. It happens in the heart and the mind.
As I reflect on this electronic experience of worship, I am grateful to have the opportunity. Before technology, I simply would be left to my own design. There would be no corporate sense of worship, which I did get even online. Even though we were not in physical proximity, I felt their presence as co-worshippers. It was not the same and, I would admit, not my preference. But I am grateful. I can say Amen.
As I reflected a little further, I decided I can label my experience the ePresence in the Midst. I experienced the presence of the Spirit electronically. I don’t claim I had a different sensation of electrons in my body. But theologically, I want to affirm that where two or three do gather---even if electronically or virtually---the Spirit is in our midst.
We have ePresence. Amen.
The painting is by the Irish painter, Daniel Penrose. The painting portrays a group of Quakers in what we call a Quaker meetinghouse (some folks simply would call it a church). The Quakers are gathered in worship. The Quaker style of worship was to gather and sit in silence. Some kids might simply say they were very quiet. Of course for most contemporary Americans, this would drive them nuts in about two minutes! Since I have done that many times in my life, it seems perfectly normal. I have been in gatherings of some two or three hundred men and women---and sometimes, children---and we were all silent together.
The silence has a point. Quakers are confident that if we begin to get quiet and wait, the Spirit will come to us. That is the point of the painting. It shows a ghostly, shadowy figure whom we would readily identify as Jesus standing above them but in their midst. Theologically this is the resurrected Jesus whom, I am comfortable, now saying is the Spirit. No doubt, folks familiar with the New Testament will recall passages where Jesus promises the disciples that where two or three folks gather, he would be in their midst. This painting portrays this promise.
The painting by Penrose shows the famous Quaker meetinghouse called Jordans. I have visited it and it is lovely. It is west of Heathrow, the famous airport outside of London. The Quaker theology affirms that when worshippers gather, God will come into their midst and teach the people directly. Understood in this fashion explains why Quakers have not felt it was necessary to have priests and preachers tell us what to believe. We don’t need a mediating person to convey God’s experience to us.
It is not a far reach to claim this is a good representation to how Quakers might understand the sacrament of the eucharist or communion. Traditionally, Quakers do not celebrate communion by using the outward elements, i.e. the bread and wine. Even traditional Christian groups like Catholics and others feel like the bread and wine are symbols of the “Real Presence,” which is the resurrected Christ or the Spirit. In this fashion the painting portrays Christ present among the group of worshippers at the Jordan Meetinghouse. And rightly, I think, can it be seen as a sacramental gathering.
All this was on my mind in recent weeks as I joined a number of other Quakers in a worship experience online. The appointed hour of worship came, so I opened my computer and joined others as we all connected. It was an interesting group, no doubt unique in the sense that never before has this particular group gathered for worship. There were two or three from Florida, a couple from Oklahoma and even California. One woman was online from Montreal and another from southern England.
Even though our pictures were portrayed on the screen, most were seated with eyes closed. We mimicked those worshippers long ago at Jordans. I sat in my easy chair and also closed my eyes. I had done this hundreds of times as a Quaker. But I don’t know that I have even done it simply holding my computer in my lap. Such is the price of Covid-19. It has changed almost everything we habitually have been doing. You can worship, but it’s going to be different!
It was during the silence that picture of Jordans came to mind. I have seen that picture so many times in so many different Quaker places. At least, when I look at it, my attention is immediately drawn to the image of Jesus in their midst. For me that is the central feature of the painting---its primary teaching. I love that we call it the “Presence in the Midst.” If I can put it sacramentally, it is the “Real Presence” that I assume when I am with the Catholic community at their Eucharist. For Quakers who gather in worship, the promise of Christ coming is realized. It happens in the heart and the mind.
As I reflect on this electronic experience of worship, I am grateful to have the opportunity. Before technology, I simply would be left to my own design. There would be no corporate sense of worship, which I did get even online. Even though we were not in physical proximity, I felt their presence as co-worshippers. It was not the same and, I would admit, not my preference. But I am grateful. I can say Amen.
As I reflected a little further, I decided I can label my experience the ePresence in the Midst. I experienced the presence of the Spirit electronically. I don’t claim I had a different sensation of electrons in my body. But theologically, I want to affirm that where two or three do gather---even if electronically or virtually---the Spirit is in our midst.
We have ePresence. Amen.
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