The Farmington Friend

Transcription

1 The Farmington Friend VOLUME 70 NUMBER 11 FARMINGTON, NY November 2015 Equality Math For some reason, I was thinking about number sentences the other day, (which may cause some to suggest I need to get a life). In math, number sentences are statements that are true. For example, five plus five equals ten, or as we more commonly write it: = 10. The following are also true = = = = = = = = = 10. When we look at these number sentences, we can see that quite a few different number combinations many, many more than are given can add to ten. (And other operations yield ten as well: 5 x 2 = = 339/33.9 = 10.) As I continued to ponder number sentences, I thought they might prove a useful vehicle for considering equality. The numbers are different in their appearance and they represent different points on a continuum, but they still equal ten. Most of us have a favorite number and may find a number sentence containing our favorite number more appealing than another, but the value of the number sentences remains. So, too, we find some persons more appealing than others; we like some people more than others. However, that liking or not liking does not determine the intrinsic value of the person. Another observation is that though the number sentences have the same value the sentences themselves are not identical. Very often we confuse sameness or identical treatment with equality. These two are not the same thing. Equality of opportunity requires that all children have access to school. However, that does not mean each child will be treated identically as every other child. For example, twins Kyle and Kris live in the same house on the same street. Each school day, Kyle walks a mile to school. Each school day, Kris rides the school bus the same mile to the same school. How is that equal? Kyle is healthy and capable of walking the mile to school with ease. Kris suffers from a degenerative muscular disease and cannot walk unaided. The equality lies in the access to the schooling not in by what mode the child reaches the school. However, as I worked this mathematical metaphor over and over in my mind, I recognized that one number sentence does not work for us as Quakers when it comes to equality. As Quakers, we recognize the mathematical truth of = 10, but as Quakers we would not apply that number sentence to people for we do not believe a person starts with nothing. We believe that every person has that of God or the Light or Spirit within from the beginning, so no person could be the zero in the equation. Every human starts with value every human. If that truth were uppermost in our minds and our actions, how would we figure equality then? -Darleen Farley

2 EACH IN OUR OWN WAY Carol Elaine Deys, Para-Deys Acres We have our stories to tell - each in our own way, and none are the same. Together we manage to assuage the possibilities of a new life in Christ, and the fullness of such now presents. In the name of the Peacemakers we go forth, knowing full well that each in our own way we are doing our best. Happy Birthday! Some are late/comers to the Meeting - not knowing the camaraderie of fellowship which dominated the old church. Sheltered by entire families - generations deep of the past, many were raised to look at life through the familial glass. Today a new wave happening is occurring in our Meetinghouse. Sheltered by the sister group across the street, we again rise to new levels of appreciative gain - learning to value the consistency of those who have lived in Christ through multitudinous occasions - each in our own way presenting. The pattern is changing. In order to meet the world now accompanying this Mission of Peace, we must also change. Not in the way we approach our own Divinity - for that is our personal space, but in the way that we accept the visions of others. As we gain freedom of choice in the days to come, may the fullness of The Holy Spirit determine to value our entire Meeting. May the expansive, exciting direction of potential rise to meet us and in many ways determine for us a valued participation in a place of hope called Farmington Friends. We must learn to co-operate and value one another in that co-operation. As a Mission of multi/varied sources we have gathered our strengths, and it is this mutual determination which has now reached a stage where we now work not only efficiently together, but also in a place where we have learned to support the dignity of our historical bent. God has been good to us in so many ways. Blessed by the positioning of One Life in Christ, we now go forth to determine a new wave healing for all concerned. Our conjoined story shall be one of gathered discernment, and we shall learn to value the powerful history which has walked before us. In the beginning, many were not aware of the value this brought before us. In the past few years, we have all shared in the directive influence of a place of blessed peace where many have come to share in this time in space. It has not been easy to challenge the old determined ways, held tight by the weaving of the past. It has not been easy to defend a new way of approaching life, and a more cognizant source of the recreative value of new blood showing up. From all over they have come, spreading the word of faith and the joy of it is, that we - together as a whole, have Continued on Page 6 DECEMBER 1 John Cooley 3 Judy Bovet Egnor 6 Ronald L. Herendeen 8 Annie Bontrager 10 Travis Kipp 21 David Van der Velden 26 Noelle Horan 27 Sherry Nettle 30 Reno DiDomenico 31 Sally Soule 31 Ann Davidson FARMINGTON FRIEND STAFF Editor: Keith Egnor Co-editor Annie Bontrager Front Page: Kathy Dudarchik Society Editors: Margaret Baker, Jeanette Bay Treasurer: Scott Parker Address Labels: Susan Sharp Mailing Staff: Pat Ford (copying), Evelyn Sadler, Margaret Baker, Linda Doyen Leave articles in Meetinghouse folders or mail to the editor by the 2nd Sunday of the month. Mail: 193 Howell Street, Canandaigua, NY egnork@yahoo.com Telephone:

3 Society Thank You Thanks to Harold and Carolyn Herendeen for their contribution to The Farmington Friend. Family Visit Keith and Judy Bovet Egnor and daughter Maggie had a great visit with grandson/nephew Sam and his family in Boston and on Cape Cod. Mother nature treated us to beautiful weather, a glorious sunset, and a marvelous rise of the full moon over the Atlantic. Warrior Dash World Championships Over Columbus Day Weekend, Joshua and Annaliese Parker Traveled down to Pulaski, TN for the 2015 Warrior Dash World Championships. Joshua and Jeremy qualified for this event by placing in the top 25 male finishers in the regional Warrior Dash this summer. Joshua had the honor of competing with Olympic athletes whom he met the night before and world steeplechase medalists. He finished 140 of 215 male finishers, and was 1 of only 6 teens participating. We stopped in Kentucky on the way back to enjoy a cave tour. Upcoming Events 3 USFW Meets The November meeting of USFW will be on Tuesday, Nov. 17th at 1:00 PM, at the church. Peace and Social Concerns Meets Peace & Social Concerns will meet on Thursday, Nov. 19th at 5:30 PM, at the home of Judy Bovet-Egnor. Senior Handbell Practice Practice will be at 9:00 on Nov. 22nd. Guest Speaker Rebecca Schillenbach will talk about The Power of Gratitude on Sunday, Nov. 22nd. Monthly Meeting Monthly Meeting meets following worship on Sunday, Nov. 29th. USFW Meeting for December The December meeting of USFW will be on Tuesday, Dec. 15th at 1:00 PM, at the home of Jeanette Bay. Pastor Speaking Schedule 2015 November Andrew Bodden of the Mennonite Central Committee - with Potluck and Informal Afternoon Session 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Program November 14th: Ansley Jemison and Michael November Rebecca Schillenbach - the Taylor, "Lacrosse, Iroquois Nationals, and Power of Gratitude Haudenosaunee Identity" at the Farmington Friends Meetinghouse, Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Co-sponsored November Melissa Moore with Ganondagan Historic Site. December AFSC Guest Speaker and Informal Afternoon Session Andrew Bodden will be the guest speaker on December Children s Program Sunday, Nov. 15th. Following worship there will be a potluck dinner (please bring a dish to pass and your December Darleen Farley own table service) and an informal afternoon session concerning the role of the Mennonite Central December Anita Paul Committee in Syria and in refugee camps.

4 Meeting Minutes Summary Summary of Monthly Meeting Minutes Sunday, October 25, 2015 Meditation and Prayer Farmington Friends met for monthly meeting for worship with a concern for business Sunday, October 25, 2015, at the rise of programmed worship with sixteen (16) persons in attendancec: Dianne Aldrich, Annie Bontrager, Willie Bontrager, Rosemary Brehm, Marion Cole, Norm Cole, Darleen Farley, Anne Gilson, Bea Kimball, Ann Ledgerwood, Cyndi Marvin, Melissa Moore, Carol Nicholson, Polly Nicholson, Jean Parker, and Barbara Popenhusen. We began our time together with a reading from Richard Allen s The Quaker Way (which can be found on the FGC website) followed by prayer. Continuing Quaker Education Continuing Quaker Education this month dealt with sense of the meeting and responses to sense of the meeting. Sense of the Meeting and Possible Responses to the Sense of the Meeting A sense of the meeting is a shared understanding of the place to which the Spirit has led the group. When we have come to a shared understanding, we say we are in unity. A sense of the meeting may be used in two ways; the sense of the meeting may or may not contain within it a decision. It may be a statement of how a matter was processed and a record that no specific action was taken. If, however, a sense of the meeting includes a decision, the decision itself is sometimes referred to as the sense of the meeting. When the clerk proposes a sense of the meeting, those present have several options for how to respond: 1. I approve is said when someone feels that the clerk has accurately stated the sense of the meeting and the speaker feels he or she can unite with it. 2. I am not clear (or I do not think we are ready to make a decision ) might be said when someone is asking for more information or greater clarity. If this 4 happens, the clerk or the meeting, might want to take time to bring greater clarity to the matter. 3. I am not comfortable, but I would like to stand aside is said when someone does not feel comfortable or in complete unity with the clerk s proposed sense of the meeting but does not wish for his or her lack of comfort or complete unity to keep the meeting from going forward. When someone stands aside, it is expected he or she will share his/ her reasons with the group, and that these reasons will be made known as early in the process as possible. Further, when someone stands aside, it is expected that he/she will support the decision of the group. It is not acceptable to stand aside and then subvert the decision at a later time. 4. I disapprove or I am not in unity is said when someone feels that he or she cannot unite with the proposed sense of the meeting. In Friends practice, when someone is not in unity, it is usually the case that the meeting will not go forward because being in unity is the way decisions are known. It is expected that someone not in unity with the group will share his/her reasons as early as possible in the process and not wait until the last possible. (to be continued ) Health of the Meeting The meeting celebrates the recent marriage of Susan Jeanette Sharp, daughter of Jeanette and Don Bay of our meeting, and David Pettig who were married here under the care of our meeting October 17, We also celebrate that her father Don Bay was able to escort Susan down the aisle. The meeting shares in the joy of Anne Gilson and her family as her sister Jean s follow up evaluation is clear. The meeting expresses loving concern and support for the following persons who are dealing with health issues related to aging, illness, or accident: Annaliese Parker s niece who is recovering from severe brain trauma, Jeremy Parker s classmate Aidan who is struggling with having to give up all contact sports, Ann Ledgerwood s brother Joe who will have a biopsy this week, Jim Daily who is returning home to go into hospice care, Louis Martz who is suffering from cancer that has spread to his spine and pelvis, Rachel Westlake who is battling

5 non-hodgkins lymphoma, Jim DePuy who has recently been diagnosed with bladder cancer which has spread to his spine and ribs, Bob Sheldon who has been ill for several months, Kathy Dudarchik in the many challenges she is facing, Helen Kirker who is recovering from hip surgery, and David Pettig who is recovering at home from neck surgery.. We also continue to pray for Jessica Dudarchik whose baby will be delivered by Caesarian-section Thursday, October 29, We hold these Friends, their families, their caregivers, all who are struggling in any way, our world, and its need for healing and peace in the Light and in our prayers. Treasurer s report The Meeting accepted the verbal report from Annie Bontrager. The checking account balance at the beginning of September was $12, and at end of September $12, The Meeting reviewed the loose offering amounts for July, August, September, and October, 2014 and the same months in The total from 2014 was $ and 2015, $ The Meeting approved leaving $5, in the Memorial Fund at Reliant CU but transfer the other monies to the Friends Fiduciary Fund. Phone service at the parsonage was suspended but calls to the parsonage are supposed to be going to the church s phone. Garbage collection cancelled. Ministry and Counsel The Meeting accepted the verbal report from Willie Bontrager. Willie Bontrager, Linda Doyen, and Gardie Soule served as Griffin Perry s clearness committee. The committee recommends the meeting accept Griffin Perry into full membership. The Meeting approved this recommendation. Pulpit supply: Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) will be here November 15 on refugee assistance to Syria and other efforts throughout the world; American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) speakers will be here December 6. The Meeting approved a pot luck for both of these dates. Heather Cooke on behalf of Regional Ministry and Counsel has requested our meeting host an 5 extended meeting for worship from 9:30 A.M. 3:30 P.M. on a Saturday in either June or October The Meeting approved hosting extended worship in October House & Grounds Norm Cole updated the meeting on ongoing projects of House and Grounds: A window in the education wing blew out but did not break. It has been repaired. Furnace cleaning by Total Comfort has been scheduled for the parsonage for November 12 and for the Meetinghouse on November 13. A total of three furnaces. Parsonage lawn mowing and flower cutting back was done last week. House and Grounds recommends the Meeting contract with High Peaks at $75.00 per plow with a $25.00 donation off each plow; also salting would be done front and back as needed for an additional $40.00 per plow. The Meeting approved this recommendation. Willie Bontrager and Norm Cole visited an area establishment with a hydraulic lift elevator designed for one person and a wheelchair with a 750 pound capacity and an approximate cost of $33,000. House and Grounds recommends having the company visit our building and give us an estimate, which House and Grounds thinks may be $40-45,000. House and Grounds recommends forming an ad hoc committee to explore financing. The meeting approved having the company come to give us an estimate after the first of the year. The meeting decided to wait on forming the committee until after receiving the estimate. Religious Education Minutes The Meeting accepted the verbal report Anne Gilson brought for the Religious Education Committee. The visit to the Apple Farm did not go as well as hoped as the farm was not well organized and we found it a bit confusing. Next year we ll try a different farm. However, the applesauce-making event was successful!

6 Advent starts November 29. There is a project for the children to assemble at home each day of Advent. On November 15, we will start collecting presents for a family for Christmas. We are excited about this year s Christmas Youth program which contains a lot of music and activity and a bulletin is already printed. Rehearsals begin November 1 and continue Nov. 15 and Dec 6 with a run through Program on Dec. 13. Follow-up on mentoring to our young people. Some children are receiving notes from adults, some are not. Some children are writing back, some are not. Some children never received any notes. Music The Music Committee reports the organ may need a repair. The Interim Pastor Search Committee The Meeting accepted the verbal report from Melissa Moore, for the interim search committee. One pastor is willing to serve; the committee is seeking to contact this person s references and then move forward. Other Matters The meeting approved resuming taking up the offering during worship including an offering prayer but leaving the offering plates at the back of the meeting room. We have received ten responses to the letter sent about the turkey supper and have received $ Marion Cole is writing thank you notes to these responses. Annie Bontrager will assume responsibility for the prayer chain. Correspondence The Meeting has received Oak Leaf magazine. NYYM Treasurer s report can be found on the NYYM website. Rochester Monthly Meeting s Peace and Social Action Committee is presenting the film I m Not Racist, Am I? at 1:30 PM November 15, followed by a facilitated discussion. 6 Next Meeting Date We will meet for our next Monthly Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business at the rise of programmed worship, Sunday, November 22, Each in Our Own Way continued from page 2 managed to survive not only the onslaught of past derision, but also the wonder of the growing pains we have all experienced. The future holds only good for all concerned. Touched by the Light of those who have shared their personal messages with us, we go forth - blessed by the uniting power of the Holy Spirit who has expansively touched the lives of many who have come to share our Vision of Hope. May the Light that we have conceived continue to shine forth, expanding upon the promises at a place of genteel worth. Where the value of the Holy Spirit continues to blend with authority, calling those who hear its voice back to a home/church worth supporting. Mercy has blended this power in many ways discerning. May this latent aspect of Self as a Whole continue to bless our seeking and finding a new Pastor - one who will understand the value which has been placed in all that surrounds, and one who will lead this flock in a new and more expansive way. We have been given much. May we continue to blend with the authority of a place of blessed peace, and may our little spot on the map manage to peruse its newly chosen Ministry as a place of blessed enrichment, where people are allowed to grow spiritually - each in their own way, supporting those who are doing the same. God bless us all! God bless the power this reuniting spirit has brought before us, and God bless the intensity of a brand new way of achieving the old. May the Master's Hand continue to bless this flock, and may we always remember the powerful history which has walked before us - bringing with it not only the authority, but also the Chosen Walk which now presents. The Word of Grace is all around us. We must continue to listen to this wonderful Voice of Reason, and we shall be guaranteed safe journey in everything we attempt to do.

7 Farmington Friend December :15 RE Meeting :00 Unprogrammed Worship 9:15 Junior Handbell Practice 10:00 Sunday School 10:00-11:00 Adult Bible Study 11:00 Worship :00 Unprogrammed Worship 9:00 Senior Handbell Practice 10:00-11:00 Adult Bible Study 11:00 Worship-Children s Program Friend Notes Due :00 USFW at Jeanette Bay s :00 Unprogrammed Worship 9:15 Junior Handbell Practice 10:00 Sunday School 10:00-11:00 Adult Bible Study 11:00 Worship :00 Christmas Eve Service 25 Christmas Day :00 Unprogrammed Worship 9:00 Senior Handbell Practice 10:00-11:00 Adult Bible Study 11:00 Worship

8 Front Page Equality Math Page 2 Each in Our Own Way/Birthdays/ Page 3 Society/Upcoming Events Page 4 Meeting Minutes Summary Page 7 Calendar FARMINGTON FRIENDS CHURCH PO Box Farmington, NY Cape Cod Moonrise, October 2015