Society of Bretheren rising in Kalistan

[Doc]

The SPoK has elected a new Party Leader whose previous job was organizer of the Society of Bretheren in Kalistan. Within Kalistan we now count close to 2000 members, and Bennots-Plum, the new Party Leader, has committed to continuing his work with the Bretheren. It is likely that the Bretheren will be fairly persuasive in Kalistan, given its parallels in Kalistani Socialism, and their growth will be fairly rapid in the coming decades, especially as long as Bennots-Plum retains the leadership of the Party.

Read about it in The Kalistani Beacon. All Nations with Society of the Bretheren Memberships are welcomed to visit Kalistan and confer with our Bretheren on meeting structure, Faith and Practice of their own Conferences.

[Aquinas]

OOC: Sorry to be a nuisance here...but under the rules, references to real-life religions and religious organisations are not allowed. There was a time a few years back when they were allowed, but not now. What you are able to do is come up with Particracy-equivalents for the religions and organisations being described. eg. the Aurorian Patriarchal Church is considered a Particracy-equivalent of the Catholic Church.

[OneTime]

OOC: But the Society of Brethren is the particracy equivalent of Quakers Aquinas.

[Doc]

OOC: Sorry to be a nuisance here...but under the rules, references to real-life religions and religious organisations are not allowed. There was a time a few years back when they were allowed, but not now. What you are able to do is come up with Particracy-equivalents for the religions and organisations being described. eg. the Aurorian Patriarchal Church is considered a Particracy-equivalent of the Catholic Church.

OOC: Boom- Society of Brethren at Particracy Wiki The Actual Quakers are called the Religious Society of Friends of the Truth. The IG Quakers are called Brethren. In Kalistan, it is nowadays spelled the Society of Bretheren. We're bringing it back- if there is any place it could resurface, Kalistan would be as likely as any.

[Aquinas]

My fault, I should have been clearer; the issue is with the term "Quakers", which is too strong a reference to a real-life religion and a real-life religious organisation.

[Doc]

My fault, I should have been clearer; the issue is with the term "Quakers", which is too strong a reference to a real-life religion and a real-life religious organisation.

Ah- Well, the RP doesn't make any reference to Quakers, just this announcement. So its all good.

Let me just go ahead and scrub the post.... BRB

There we go... I just put that in there so that folks who don't know who the Bretheren are will know who I was talking about. Lets face it- its not a faith that is RPed all that much, so I felt like reminding people who I was talking about. Though, now that I think about it, revision isn't really very Bretherenly...

[Doc]

Kalistani Bretheren Member is Elected President

SP Candidate and member of the Society of Bretheren in Kalistan, Elga Bjorksdattir was recently elected, unopposed, in Kalistan. SP Leader Jonas Bennots has issued the following statement to commemorate the Event:

The Society of the Bretheren, in Kalistan (SoBK) calls on all Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly Meetings and individual supporters of the Bretheren Faith and Practice to issue a minute which reflects a consideration of the potential of organizing a Bretheren International Conference, and the revision and renewal of the Bretheren Faith and Practice, in accord with the sense of the Society worldwide.

Jonas Bennots-Plum
SPoK Party Leader
Member, Neveras YM, Llhasa MM
Society of Bretheren in Kalistan

The sense of the Kalistani Yearly Meeting, as an expression of 100 Monthly Meetings, is that Kalistan is a welcoming home to Bretheren worldwide. Their permissive religious laws guarantee freedom from persecution, and their complete absence of State support for religion ensures that the Bretheren will be able to worship and live according to our own Practice. Generally, the Bretheren in Kalistan do not practice plain dress or plain speech, and the Socialist Party of Kalistan has been welcoming of our efforts and therefore provides a tangential outlet for political activism in the wider community. The Kalistani Yearly meeting has therefore passed a minute which is worded:

The Kalistan Yearly Meeting, based on the general sense among 100 monthly meetings across all five Districts in Kalistan, and representing the will of more than 4000 Kalistani Friends, have hereby endorsed a traveling Letter to Brother Jonas Bennots-Plum, and has hereby committed itself financially and spiritually to Bennots' Work in identifying and Organizing Bretheren worldwide. Bennots goes with the blessing and enthusiasm of Kalistani Brehteren. He is asked by the Kalistani Yearly Meeting to keep his Monthly Meeting in Neveras apprised of his efforts, and has agreed to meet with his anchor committee monthly. His Anchor Committee is formed of members and Attenders of his Monthly Meeting, and they are committed to overseeing his work and expenditures for his own clearness as well as accountability within the Meeting. Bennots is also to continue his work with the Socialist Party, building ties with the Party, continuing to work for the success of that Party, and leading that Party to a better Future for Kalistan and the World.

All nations with a Society of Bretheren presence are asked to contact the Kalistani Yearly meeting, and to consider our request stated above.

[Doc]

reprinted from
The Kalistani Beacon
Ananto Bretheren open New Meeting House
Kaliburg Meeting House is 'technological wonder'
Kaliburg, Ananto District
May 3, 3924

Last week, the Kaliburg Monthly Meeting of the Society of Bretheren in Kalistan held its grand opening of its newest meeting house. Official numbers of Kalistani Bretheren have topped 10,000 for the first time in recent memory, and the Meeting in Kaliburg, which began meeting just a few short years ago has already outgrown its original meeting place in the basement of the headquarters of the Socialist Party of Kalistan. Beginning early last year, the Kaliburg meeting hired the architectural firm of Olaf and Korgan to design an environmentally friendly structure to house the Meeting, as well as space to serve as the Headquarters of the Kalistan Yearly Meeting. The result was quite impressive, even by Kalistan standards. The project was completed early in April, and the building was finally open to the public on May 1st, where the Monthly Meeting held its first business meeting. Scholars across Kalistan have hailed the Kaliburg Monthly Meeting House as a "technological wonder" due to its many advanced features hidden behind a rather plain interior and exterior decor. Dr. Henricka Ericson of the Architectural School of Kaliburg National University hailed the building as among the most technologically advanced buildings in Seleya.


The Auxiliary Meeting room in the new KMM building, opened early this month in downtown Kaliburg.
More than 200 Kalistani Bretheren met for an hour of silence and then an hour of Business

The structure is made of 100% sustainable building materials. The exterior load bearing walls were of cob and plaster construction, which serves as a natural all weather insulation. Interior walls are vented to allow lightweight and modular deployment of the walls, as well as ensure constant airflow throughout the building. This building technique will ensure the durability and versatility required by the Monthly Meeting and any other organization seeking to use the structure. The building is lit with natural light during the day, and solar powered batteries at night, to ensure that the building does not add load to the power grid. In the winter months, heating, when required will be produced by solar powered radiators, which serve to heat water during the day and circulate the water throughout the walls and floors of the building. During the warm season, the building is cooled by a natural heat sink, which cycles water warmed by the air into the earth, returns cold water and circulates the cold water through the walls and ceilings, naturally cooling the interior of the building. This heating and cooling process will lead to a comfortable climate controlled 70 degrees, with 45% relative humidity inside the building at all times.

The building is also carbon positive. Planted all around the building are deep thickets of bamboo, which will slowly be replaced as shady oaks and elms rise into the sky. Additionally, the roof is designed as a green roof, with a community garden established already this spring. The fresh food produced in the garden through Kalistan's three growing seasons will provide ample food for all who need it, and will supplement the local branch of the Food Bank system. Ultimately, these methods help the building do its part in reducing environmental destruction, as well as carrying on the mission of Social Justice and Equity in Kalistan. The Meeting asked that no parking lots be planned for- the goal being to reduce car traffic to and around the building and encourage the use of non-motorized vehicles and public transport. The Socialists in Kaliburg were able to add an extra stop on the city's bus routes to ensure that people were easily able to make if to and from the building at all hours of the day.


The Main Meeting Room in the new KMM building comfortably seats 3,000 which is about 1/3 of all Kalistani
Bretheren by current count, and demonstrates a more traditional meeting house architectural style

When asked about the cost of the building to the meeting, the Clerk of the Meeting, Diane Jefferson said: "Well the figure stands at something over 23 million Rubles, but much of the cost was offset by recycling of waste from the construction, as well as generous grants from the Architecture firm, the Socialist Party, and the various meetings across Kalistan. We should also note that no public money was put into the construction of this building, and the land was purchased at fair market value from the City of Kaliburg."

It is expected that much of the space in the building will be rented to various charities and social organizations in the coming years. For example, the Kalistani Food Bank program has already leased office space in the sublevel of the building as a new Center of Operations, and other space has been earmarked for a potential HQ of the Terran Brethren General Council, which is said to be in the beginning stages of organization.

[Doc]

reprinted from
KALISTANI BEACON
First International Meeting of the Society of Brethren (Bretheren) begins in Eveari
Brethren from over 20 countries to Join Kalistani-led
"Bretheren General Council"
Eveari, Ananto
June 4, 2930

Major Conference of International Bretheren Opened by Big Names in Kalistani Government

A major international conference of representatives of the Society of the Brethren (or as they are spelled in Kalistan, Bretheren) began this week in the resort town of Eveari, on the Island of Ananto. The two week conference is aimed at the establishment of connection between all Brethren worldwide and the Kalistani National Meeting, as it is now called. Bretheren also seek to compose, using the ancient method of discernment known as "Brethren Practice", a new code of worship and ethics for the member of the Society of Brethren. Due to concerted effort within Kalistan, Kalistani Brethren number more than 200,000, with an additional monthly meeting beginning across Kalistan every third month, on average. Kalistan now holds the greatest concentration of organized Brethren of any country on Terra, due largely to parallel membership and recruiting among Socialists in Kalistan and meeting building by committed Bretheren. Consequently, it is Kalistani Bretheren who represent the most dynamic force in the world Brethren movement, and it has therefore been incumbent upon Kalistani Bretheren to bring other members together.


Jonas Bennots-Plum, New General Clerk of the Brethren General Council (BGC)

The Meeting began with invited Speeches. Former Socialist Party Leader Jonas Bennots-Plum and former Kalistani President Delia Smith-Phillips opened the Conference with speeches of welcome to delegations from more than 20 countries with Brethren Populations. Bennots-Plum emphasized the importance of organizing locally- Most participants were not members of organized Monthly Meetings. But Smith-Phillips underscored the importance in the study groups which met occasionally in homes across the world, and pointed out that these Study Groups were the precursors to Monthly Meetings. Both speakers offered words of encouragement to isolated Brethren.


Former President Smith and Foreign Minister Suarez at Bretheren Conference

The Next Invited Speakers were the current head of the Socialist Party, Hillary Clark, and the Kalistani Foreign Minister, Milena Suarez. Neither speaker is a member of the Society of Bretheren, but have worked close with Bretheren in the ranks of SPoK. Clark stressed the importance of the alliance between the Socialist Party of Kalistan and the Society of the Brethren. She attributed the decision to end the Embargo and stand down from belligerence to Bretheren pressure within the Party organization. While noting that the two organizations remain separate groups, functionally, the two seem to be natural allies, due to the stress toward social justice, equality, feminism, environmentalism, human rights, and liberty held by both organizations. She stopped short of offering her Party's resources to promotion of the Society worldwide, and underscored the point with a reminder that the SP is a secular, non-religious Party, and Kalistan is a secular state, but her words of encouragement demonstrate that Kalistan will remain a fertile ground for the development of the Society of Brethren in peace and safety for the foreseeable future. Suarez reiterated the Opposition Leader's statements on the parallel missions of both the SP and the Bretheren, and publicly committed to the peaceful resolution of Kalistan's outstanding foreign relations matters. She also pledged Kalistani aid for all Brethren in foreign Nations who sought to relocate to Kalistan as religious refugees.


Speaker for the Opposition Clark, SPoK, Speaking at conference, stops short
of declaring full alliance between SP and Brethren, though highlights parallel mission

Once opening speeches ended, the delegates got down to business. Their primary task is to write a new Faith and Practice, but before doing so, the gathered Bretheren declared the foundation of a new "Brethren General Council (BGC)" as the international Meeting for Brethren world-wide. The Brethren General Council supersedes the ancient and defunct "Friends General Council" from which Bennots-Plum drew inspiration when working to found the movement in Kalistan fifteen years ago. The BGC was immediately offered offices in the KYM building in downtown Kaliburg, and has named Bennots-Plum the first General Clerk of the BGC, Dian Hoffs as the Recording Clerk for the BGC, Delia Smith as the Staff Clerk, and Thomas G. Boxer as the General Treasurer. Bennots-Plum expressed his gratitude at the appointment, and will clerk the rest of the conference.

New Faith and Practice

Before committees broke out of General Session, Bennots-Plum explained the purpose of the Faith and Practice. The Faith and Practice for the Bretheren General Council will be a set of statements and Quieries on Brethren faith and practice. Not a book of rules or a bible, instead, it is meant to provide guidance for Brethren when attempting to address an issue that may rise in meeting. It is meant, Bennots stated, as a living document, to be amended and aggrandized by Yearly meetings across Terra, with new changes being considered at each subsequent BGC conference, which will be held once every 4 years.

Initial Items to be found in the Faith and Practice include:
Brethren Testimonies- Bretheren hold the following five article of practice- Integrity and Honesty, Simplicity, Peace, Equality and Social Justice and Stewardship and Community. Each testimony should also contain Queries meant to invite Bretheren to challenge their own commitment to these testimonies.
Meetings- Brethren Monthly Meetings for Worship are conducted in silence, though Bretheren are invited to "Speak out of the silence" if they are led to do so. Meetings are called to silence and risen from the silence by the Clerk or some other senior member who has the respect of the meeting. Meetings for Worship, with attention to Business are conducted in much the same way as a regular meeting, however, the Clerk presents a business agenda for the reflection of the community, and minutes are recorded only after discerning the sense of the meeting. Other meetings (such as meeting for worship with attention to marriage) are conducted in similar fashion.
Brethren Practice- All Bretheren Meetings will be conducted according to Brethren Process, which is a method of discernment of the Truth by the entire meeting. The Clerk will ensure that all who wish to speak on a topic have the opportunity to speak before anyone who has spoken can speak again. All decisions will be made by every person present in the Meeting (whether a Member of the Society or not at the time) by allowing anyone with significant objection to a proposed course of action to "stand in the way" of the decision, thereby giving the Meeting cause to pause. Only those questions which have properly seasoned should be considered, and if there is significant disagreement as to a course of action for the meeting, the meeting will postpone a decision and allow the question to season more. There should be no voting.
Oaths- Bretheren should not swear any oaths, nor are they required to violate their consciences to do their duty to any state. Nor should they use titles oher than Brother and Sister among equals (family titles may continue as before), pay tithes, or observe any sort of arbitrary privilege. All are equal, and should let their yea be their yea and their nay be their nay, without needing to make an additional oath as to the fact.
The Inner Light- All humans have an inner light which is the still small voice of God talking to them. People will hear it if they listen for it. Others can help them hear it by listening to their own light and sharing the message with the friend. A group of people gathered together may discern the Truth of some matter easier than a single person, though a Truth discerned in private and tested is no less true. We are all equals in this regard- we all have that measure of the truth within us, and no person is more important than any other.
The Book- The Hosian Bible is a book, and where the Bible conflicts the Truth, the Truth must win. The Truth is more holy than the Book is. Bretheren may use any religious text for discernment that they feel they can derive Truth from, because all holy writers themselves had an equal measure of the Truth in them, and wrote it as they saw it in their holy books.
Hosianism- While the Brethren were initially convinced that Eliyahu was the son of God, Modern Brethren do not necessarily need to subscribe to the religion of the followers of Eliyahu. Bretheren believe that Eliyahu, were he alive today, would be a person of considerable virtue, and in that his example is worthy of observation. But there is no article for salvation among the Brethren, most especially belief in Eliyahu, and certainly not the dogma built after his death in his name. Whatever individual Brethren think of Eliyahu, the dogma of Hosianism stands between individuals and the Truth, and therefore, Brethren are explicitly non-Hosianism, though they may still follow the moral examples of Eliyahu. Just as Eliyahu had the spirit of God in him, so too does each other person alive today.
Non-Hierarchy- Similarly, there is no hierarchy over any member of the Society of the Brethren, anywhere, which should stand between that Brethren and the Truth. The BGC is non-hierarchical, and exists specifically to assist individual yearly and monthly meetings as they need assistance, either through sufferings funds for Brethren in need, or counseling or organization services. Brethren are guided by the Truth, discerned in silence and with the help of other Brethren or other people. No meeting exerts any more authority over the moral life of any person than he or she exerts over him or herself. The Meeting may only expel those from the meeting who the meeting deems to be dangerous to the community, and yet, as long as those people seek it, the Meeting still holds even expelled Brethren in their care.
Instruction for Brethren Under Nineteen (BUN)- Brethren Meetings may establish specific non-religious education opportunities as they are able. Brethren institutions will adhere to all National curriculum. Additionally, BUN education may also occur at Meetings, and that education, open and free to all, will be specifically related to Brethren Testimonies and Queries.
Queries- The Majority of the Faith and Practice will be made up primarily of Queries, designed to give advice on specific topics likely to be encountered by Bretheren on a day to day basis. The focus of these general Queries will be on the testimonies, but all meetings should feel free to add other topics of investigation.

The Conference will provide the initial steps toward a complete Faith and Practice. Bennots-Plum stated that a final edition will be completed within two years and will be made available across the world for consideration and discernment by Brethren across the world.