A problem with ferns

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February 19, 2018 Dorsee Kemp writes in this morning’s Fruit of the Vine about a problem with ferns. When she and her husband, Phil, moved into their home, they were “delighted to see tiny green ferns peeping out of the ground.” Dorsee continues that she “had always wanted ferns, and we had visions of big, lacy, green fans surrounding the house all summer long.” But they soon discovered these ferns were “extremely invasive, choking out nearly everything around them. In midsummer, they died down, leaving brown, withered clumps.” Dorsee and Phil “decided the ferns had to go.” I don’t know about you, but Dorsee’s experience with ferns feels to me like a metaphor for what it is to be human. We set off down a particular path only to find ourselves somewhere other than where we thought we were headed. It is hard to admit we might have made a mistake, harder still to dig ourselves out and start over. This particular variety of fern, according to Dorsee, “spreads by underground runners.... For months we played fern-alert, searching and digging several times a day. Eliminating them took nearly three years.” This is how it is. Sometimes it seems easier to just live with the mess. But if we squarely face into the truth of our situation, sometimes what we uncover is beauty we might have missed if not for the mess. That’s what happened to Dorsee and Phil: “Buried beneath the ferns, we discovered a climbing rose, azalea bushes, and several hostas. Without the stranglehold of the ferns, these plants were able to thrive again.” I’m praying that God might do the same for each of us, helping us – especially in our time of need – to recognize that we’re stuck and to accept the help God offers. Underneath the strangleholds in our hearts and in our lives, we might just discover something beautiful, waiting for a chance to thrive again. Thank you, Eric Muhr BARCLAY PRESS 211 N. Meridian St. #101 Newberg, OR 97132 503.538.9775 www.barclaypress.com Share Stories Change Lives

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Better together

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February 12, 2018 Two weeks ago I made an announcement that a private donor had offered to “match every donation that comes in over the next four weeks, up to $1,000.” Last Monday, I announced that “nine donors have given $775, putting us within $225 of our goal.” That same day we met our goal and then some. We raised $3,000 from fifteen donors over the last two weeks and a total of $4,925 so far this year, almost 20 percent of the total we need to raise in 2018. Some of you might be wondering, “What happens with that money?” I’m glad you asked! Of the thousands of copies of Illuminate Bible study guides and Fruit of the Vine devotional readers we print each year, many go to small Friends churches, monthly meetings, or worship groups with extremely tight budgets. We have extended credit and occasionally provide materials for free in order to support the work of Friends in those communities. We publish at least one title each year that is important for Friends as a resource and that wouldn’t generate enough sales to earn the interest of other Christian publishers. In addition, we have gone to great lengths to keep older titles in print or to bring them back into print when no other equivalent work is available. Some of these books do eventually pay for themselves, but the up-front investment is significant. And there are no guarantees. Because of denominational support, Barclay Press has long been able to provide at-cost, short-run print services, web development, communications support, and in-house design for a number of Quaker organizations and Friends churches. This year, we also provided closed-captioning for two video projects and nearly a dozen training sessions for churches looking to improve their communications systems. What it comes down to is that we’re better together. This is why we pool our resources of skills, energy, time, and money. The little bit I offer goes farther and accomplishes more when it’s added to the little bit that you bring. Thank you, Eric Muhr BARCLAY PRESS 211 N. Meridian St. #101 Newberg, OR 97132 503.538.9775 www.barclaypress.com Share Stories Change Lives

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Shalom

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February 5, 2018 In a pamphlet first published in the 1970s, Howard Macy writes, “People have more than an appetite for peace; they are starved for peace.” That pamphlet, Shalom, has been out of print for years, so when Howard first asked whether Barclay Press might consider releasing a revised edition, I wondered if it would still prove relevant and useful. Then I read what Howard had written. And I knew – in a time when U.S. special operations forces are deployed in 70 percent of the world’s countries;  in a year where there have already been eleven school shootings;  in the face of sickness, suffering, oppression, and loss – the ever-present immanence of violence makes Howard’s study of peace more important than ever. Especially because, even as Quakers, “Many of us understand peace too narrowly and as having too small a realm.... Second, we may imagine peace on too large a scale, telling ourselves that the challenge is too large or imposing for us to make any difference.” In spite of this sense, “We are called to be makers of shalom, to be agents of God’s reconciliation.” Howard continues, “Our efforts at making peace often seem futile.... [But] our small efforts may be more powerful than they seem.” This is, I think, true of all our efforts. What little we can accomplish seems futile. But our small efforts – in every endeavor – add up to something. In last week’s Long Story Short, I announced that a private donor has offered to match every donation that comes in over the next four weeks, up to $1,000. As of this morning, nine donors have given $775, putting us within $225 of our goal. In one week! Over this next year, I’m tasked with raising $25,000 to sustain the work of Barclay Press. That’s about $2,100 each month. These funds will make possible the publication and distribution of resources like Shalom, which we plan to release as an e-book in March, making print pamphlets available for individuals and small groups in April. You can support this work with a one-time or monthly donation. And because we’re a small press, even small gifts make a significant difference. Just click on DONATE at barclaypress.com, or mail a check to Barclay Press, 211 N Meridian St #101, Newberg OR 97132. And if you’re interested in Howard’s pamphlet, watch this space. I’ll make sure to let you know as soon as it’s ready. Thank you, Eric Muhr BARCLAY PRESS 211 N. Meridian St. #101 Newberg, OR 97132 503.538.9775 www.barclaypress.com Share Stories Change Lives