Helping Others

We all know people, friends, neighbours, colleagues, and know of those working for good causes, who need our thoughts and prayers, as well as our 'enemies', who may need help most of all.

It is the custom of the Fellowship to collect the names of three or four individuals, and 'drop' their names into the final silence of our meetings for meditation. (See Conduct of a meeting) We do not state what we think is their need. This we leave to God.

In the Notes for October, 2001, Anne Nowell, previously our Chairman, writes:

'When we bring the names of those for whom we seek the Life-giving Power into the silence, this is what we do: we bring their names. They
are individuals, each one precious in the sight of God, each one with a spiritual seed waiting to grow by His Power. Marian Dunlop emphasises this. She says that we can meditate only for people, not for causes. This is because only in the human heart is the work of God begun, and only through the action of the Spirit of God within will our consciousness be transmuted and made whole.

'So if we are really concerned about hunger, injustice and conflict in the third world or in Europe or anywhere else, we should make some effort to find out the names of at least one or two of those involved. Sometimes we are given the names of the sufferers, more often we know of the aid workers; frequently we know the names of the leaders who have power to change things, or who are working to establish peace. We can bring them into our silence by name ...... We would perhaps give some time to meditate on behalf of a wounded child, an aid worker or a leader who may be able to make a contribution towards peace. Time spent thus in contemplative meditation would be an act of faith that the Power of God is working in that situation and in those who seek to help and those who are working to bring peace'.

The importance of individual names is emphasised by Isaiah

'I have called you by name and given you a title, though you have not known me,
'I am the Lord, and there is none other .....
Though you have not known me, I shall strengthen you'
(ch. 45 v.v. 4&5).

How much more is God's Spirit able to help those who are growing to know him.