GREETINGS FROM YOUR NEW CLERK

Hello! I wanted to provide an update on my clerkship as well as a little about myself. I realize that although I am a very open person I am also a very quiet person and thought it would be helpful to write a little bit about myself and my journey as I come into the clerking role. Writing is my best form of self-expression!

I’ll start with the most recent update: The meeting has graciously enabled me to travel to Pendle Hill for a clerking workshop on the weekend of November 17th, which I am sure will be immensely helpful to me. I hope I will learn to slow things down to let spirit lead the way, which can be a challenge for me as my brain is always moving a mile a minute.

My journey with Northside Friends began in 2017. I was fresh out of college and looking for a community that aligned with my values, and I found that more easily than I could have ever anticipated when I walked in the door at Northside. I appreciated the spirit-led business meetings and worship sharing at second hours the most, and quickly became involved in Second Hour Committee, which was my first experience with Committee work as well as clerking. I was also part of several long pieces of work around the creation of a new website and a new “Who We Are” statement for the meeting.

I became a member of the meeting somewhere in the haze of the pandemic. My clearness committee for membership was one of the final in-person events that I did before everything shut down. Although I was challenged by online worship, as were many Friends, I stayed closely connected through committee work.

I grew up in Naperville, a west suburb of Chicago, with three younger siblings with whom I am still close. I was raised Catholic and have always connected with the mystical aspects of the faith. When I left the Catholic Church and was searching for a new spiritual home, I took an online quiz to determine what religious organization aligns with my beliefs and who I am as a person, and that quiz result led me to visit Northside. From the first time I came to Meeting for Worship, I knew it was the right place for me.

Somehow, it has already been 10 years since I moved to Chicago. I live in Edgewater with my husband, Dylan, whose support in my spiritual journey and personal growth has been invaluable. We were married in March of 2023, which coincides with both of our birthdays. In my free time I write fiction, play video games and tabletop games, and ride my bike. I also have a variety of birds, including a cockatiel, a parakeet, and a number of button quail, all of whom keep me busy and entertained.

As I have grown in my Quaker life, I have long been attracted to clerking. I love Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business and feel called to be involved in those meetings in a regular way. After a busy few years with grad school and wedding planning, life has finally calmed down enough for me to come to clearness around this calling. I am very grateful to Friends for entrusting me with this role.

Faithfully,

ERICA DIX CHENG