Kabarak University hosts world’s largest Friends conference

16^th April 2012

BY: Alex Chepkoit & Bonface Njogu

Over one thousand Friends from parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and North America are gathering at Kabarak University-main campus for the Largest Worldwide Conference of Friends.

The conference which will run from April 17 to 25^th will provide opportunities for discussions, worship sharing and prayer for the participants.

 The conference is set to explore the theme Being Salt and Light. It will be explored through worship, small group discussions, by speakers from across the globe and in working groups, looking at areas such as peace work, poverty and the environment

According to Nancy Irving, the Friends World Conference Secretary General, the conference shall seek to unite the spiritual foundation of their faith with their understanding of the basis of the work in the world.

In deciding the theme, the International Planning Committee (IPC) drew inspiration from several Bible passages, including Matthew 5:13 (“You are the salt of the earth...”), Matthew 5:14-16 (“You are the light of the world...”), Matthew 6:33 (“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God...”), Matthew 6:9-13 (the Lord’s Prayer), Micah 4:4 (“They shall sit under their own vines and fig trees and no one shall make them afraid.”), and Micah 6:8 (“... And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”).

The theme is supplemented by a passage from Luke, 17:20-21. “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed … the Kingdom of God is among you.”

The second supporting quote for the theme is from the eighteenth century American Friend John Woolman: “We have the prospect of one common interest from which our own is inseparable, to turn all we possess into the channel of universal love becomes the business of our lives.”

“This theme unites the spiritual foundation of our faith with our understanding of the basis of our work in the world in all its diversity,” said Irving.

For the seven days of the conference, worship will underpin the participants’ time together and each day there will be opportunities for stillness, prayer, singing and experiencing the diversity of Friends' worship.

Participants will be assigned a home group - small groups which will meet daily with more time for discussion, worship sharing and to get to know other Friends on a deep level. 

During the first three days of the conference, working groups look at how Friends can respond to aspects of the theme. They will be offered on around 40 different topics, or threads, and the insights which emerge will be woven together later in the conference.