The language of leadings

There is something in a Quaker concern that is inherently communal… a relationship between the individual and the meeting, between personal leading and group discernment. Imagine an oak tree, broad and strong, its roots reaching deep and wide. The acorn took a while to germinate, but even before that, interesting and invisible things were happening inside it. Once it germinated, it needed nourishing soil and protection. Now it has a strength and a life of its own. Here is our corporate tested concern, rooted in and growing out of Quaker beliefs. Have you ever wondered what Quakers mean when they talk about a ‘concern’? While each personal experience is unique, this book outlines some general principles. It follows the course of a concern from initial promptings to testing, developing and acting on it, and eventually perhaps laying it down. The author also explores other ways in which Quakers might share their experience of living out their faith in their daily lives. Jane Pearn draws on her interest in language and her 30 years as a Quaker to consider the meaning of concern in her own life and in the lives of others. A Woodbrooke Eva Koch Scholarship in 2016 enabled her to spend time reflecting on past Quaker writings and listening to Friends’ expressions of being led by the Spirit today.