MIDWEEK October 8: Sarah Allen | Listening to the Earth: Ministry of the Microbe (online)

​A common way to teach the gospel parables is to put yourself in the position of one of the characters. Looking at the Parable of the Sower from the perspective of the environment in which the seeds are sown, what does it mean to be a part of the earth? What if we could be like the microbe that transforms its surroundings into more fertile soil? 

​In this Session, Sarah Allen will share a story from her experience of listening to the Gospels while carrying a tender Quaker ministry. In the Gospels, this parable is told three times, in Mathew, Mark, and Luke. With repetition of different versions of the story, she noticed different things over time, opening new paths for her ministry. Her story will be followed by worship, with time for questions and sharing from others. 

​Sarah Allen, Member of Friends Meeting at Cambridge (FMC), also attends San Francisco and Three Rivers Monthly Meetings. Her ministry leads her to gather Friends to grapple with the realities of abuse and interpersonal violence in our Society, exploring how we transform conflict and heal trauma. She is collecting Quaker writings that address this tender concern and has started to share them at https://lifeandpower.org/resources.