--- a/philip_20190224.xml	Sun Mar 03 10:34:46 2019 +0000
+++ b/philip_20190224.xml	Fri Mar 15 17:25:32 2019 +0000
@@ -22,70 +22,86 @@
   </div>
   <div>
    <title>Philip's journey towards membership </title>
-   <p>considered staunchly that he was an atheist, recognising that's a belief
-in itself.  Since then a journey, moving towards faith, stepping back, looking
-for faith, something that was missing.  Job as support worker in a mental
-health setting, after years in financial services.  Looking for a way to make
-a contribution to peoples lives, after 3 years or so burned out himself. 
-Understood it at the time that he had taken on more than he could manage, that
-he wasn't suited for.  Counselling helped him understand what he needed as an
-individual, and that he was highly sensitive (HSP).  Digging deeper, looking back at
-how hiding his sexuality had meant always being on guard, wearing a mask. 
-Enabled to look more deeply at his own unmet needs.  'Non-violent
-communication' (NVC), introduced by his new boss.  Check-ins every working
-day.  HSP and NVC have helped Philip understand his yearning to contribute, to
+   <p>Philip went to to CofE schools, but let go of any
+idea of religion on leaving school.  He considered staunchly that he was an
+atheist, while recognising that that was a belief
+in itself.  He know sees that ever since then there's been a patter of moving towards faith, stepping back, looking
+for faith, something that was missing, not finding it, trying again.  Looking for a way to make
+a contribution to peoples lives, a key
+step came when he took a job as support worker in a mental
+health setting, after years in financial services.  But after 3 years or so he
+burned out, and realised that he had taken on more than he could manage.  Counselling helped him understand what he needed as an
+individual, and that he was a 'highly sensitive person' (HSP).  Digging deeper, looking back at
+how hiding his sexuality had meant always being on guard, wearing a mask,
+enabled Philip to look more deeply at his own unmet needs.  'Non-violent
+communication' (NVC), introduced by his new boss, also helped. HSP and NVC have helped Philip understand his yearning to contribute, to
 participate.  Realising this made sense of things he had done in the past
 without quite realising why, for example a year as a Samaritan, and time as a
 citizen advocate.</p>
-   <p>But there was still something missing.  Began, privately and
-tentatively, to explore faith.  Had gone to CofE schools, but let go of any
-idea of religion on leaving school.  Culturally Christian, but doesn't take it
-literally.  The bible has stories about how to live, without being
-historically true.  Looking for a religious context that was consistent with
-that, <emph>and</emph> wouldn't find his sexuality a problem.  Always had
-difficulty making friends, finding a community, even getting to know
-neighbours.  Experimented with local churches, read extensively online,
-contacted people online asking them "This is me, a gay man, what can you say
-to me?"  First-line response was always positive, but there was some
-vagueness, along with some explicit negatives.  Had looked at Quakers quite early
-on, Humanism, Buddhism, meditation.  Took a long time to get to the point of
+   <p>But there was still something missing.  Philip began, privately and
+tentatively, to explore faith. He recognised that because of the environment h
+grew up in he was culturally Christian, but he doesn't take Christian doctrine
+or the Bible
+literally.  The Bible has stories about how to live, without being
+historically true.  He began looking for a religious context that was consistent with
+that, <emph>and</emph> that wouldn't find his sexuality a problem.  He
+experimented with local churches, read about them extensively online,
+then contacted someone online asking them "This is me, a gay man, what can you say
+to me?"  First-time response was always positive, but beyond that there was usually some
+vagueness, along with some explicit negatives.  He had looked at Quakers quite early
+on, along with Humanism, Buddhism and meditation.  It took a long time to get to the point of
 attending a MfW, needed to be hopeful it was going to work, and would be OK
-with my husband.  He was supportive, I got a positive response to an email to
-Laurie Naumann, and on the day it was good, supportive, "I felt quite held".</p>
-   <p>Not quaking, but an atmosphere I could tap in to.  Welcomed, and asked to introduce
-myself, which I wasn't expecting, but despite some anxiety I was able to do
-so.  Drove home smiling:  I've found something I want to go back to.  I've
-been attending for two years, and feel that I've now reached the foundation of
-where I need to be.  I'm not done, but I have the basis for exploring from
-what is now my spiritual home.</p>
-   <p>Very engaged in a practical sense:  I'm the LM treasurer, I've been to
-Area Meeting when I can, I'm organising the new monthly MfW in Dunfermline. 
-Being in the meeting has become an important strand of what keeps me well.  I
-do still struggle to define simply what it is, what I get from it.  I'm
-getting better at living with being unable to do that.  I'm fortunate that ByM
+with his husband.  He was supportive, and Philip got a positive response to an email to
+Laurie Naumann. </p>
+   <p>So, he went to his first Meeting for Worship in Kirkcaldy.  On the day it
+was good, supportive, "I felt quite held".  There was no quaking, but an
+atmosphere he could tap in to.  He was welcomed, and asked to introduce
+himself, which he wasn't expecting, but despite some anxiety he was able to do
+so.  Drove home smiling:  "I've found something I want to go back to".  That
+was two years ago, and he's been attending regularly since then. He feels that he's now reached the foundation of
+where he needs to be.  He's not done, but he has the basis for exploring
+further from
+what is now his spiritual home.</p>   
+   <div>
+    <title>Where Philip is now</title>
+    <p>He's very engaged with Friends in a practical sense:  he's the Central
+Fife LM treasurer, he goes to
+Area Meeting when he can, he's organising the new monthly MfW in Dunfermline. 
+Being in the meeting has become an important strand of what keeps him well.  He
+does still struggle to define simply what it is, what I get from it, but he's
+getting better at living with being unable to do that.  He feels fortunate that
+Britain Yearly Meeting
 is part of the 'liberal' Quaker tradition.  Sitting in silence
 <emph>and</emph> going regularly to the discussion groups are both part of
-what has become a very big piece of the jigsaw which makes me who I am.</p>
-   <p>I needed to check one last time, it seemed, and went to the local
-Episcopal service, and I had to leave halfway through: this was not for me.  I
-am home, with people who accept me for who I am.  All views are heard.  I
-don't feel any expectation to say something clever.  When ministry comes, it
-will be given to me.  Membership is an outward symbol of commitment, a pledge.
-It is a kind of label, but the symbolism of offering myself to this part of my
-life is in making a deeper commitment.  And, that I have something to offer,
-as I've already begun to do.</p>
-   <p>I sometimes regret our inability to broadcast what we have to offer more
+what has become a very big piece of the jigsaw which makes him who he is.</p>
+   <p>He did feel the need need to check one last time, it seemed, about
+whether Quakers were the right answer for him, and so went to the local
+Episcopal service, and realised halfway through that this was not for him.  He
+is at home in the Meeting, with people who accept him for who he is.  All views
+are heard.  He doesn't feel any expectation to say something clever.  When ministry comes, it
+will be given to him.</p>
+    <p>For him, membership is an outward symbol of commitment, a pledge.
+It is a kind of label, but the symbolism of offering himself to this part of his
+life is in making a deeper commitment.  And, that he has something to offer,
+as he's already begun to do.</p>
+   <p>He sometimes regrets our inability as Quakers to broadcast what we have to offer more
 effectively.  You don't have to adhere to a set of rules, which is so
-refreshing.  I'm loving that I've find a community where I can feel safe and a
-part of.  What binds us together is the style of worship, the way we agree on
+refreshing.  He's loving that he's found a community he can be a
+part of and where he can feel safe.  What binds us together is the style of worship, the way we agree on
 business, viewing what people say without blame or criticism.</p>
-   <p>I couldn't fit myself to the mode of all the other churches I looked at,
+   <p>He couldn't fit himself to the mode of all the other churches he looked at,
 whereas Quakerism offered a place to just be, without signing a declaration
 that you believe certain things.</p>
-   <p>HST: what about MfWfB?  P: not consensus, not a vote, but where the spirit leads.  Not
+</div>
+   <p>When asked about Meeting for Worship for Business, Philip noted that we
+didn't seek consensus, nor did we vote, but looked for where the spirit leads.  Not
 "this is right, this is wrong", but being in the moment, being led to take a
 particular path at this time.  We all take responsibility.</p>
-   <p>L: Touched about the sense of journey from a base that you've expressed.</p>
+   <p>The visitors let Philip know that they were touched by the sense of
+journey from a base that he had expressed, and grateful that they had shared it
+with him.  We closed with a comfortable silence, in no doubt that Philips
+membership in our Society was already a reality, now ready for recognition by
+Area Meeting.</p>
   </div>
  </body>
 </doc>