ANNAPOLIS FRIENDS NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2015

Transcription

1 ANNAPOLIS FRIENDS NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2015 CALENDAR Meeting fr wrship: 11 a.m. n First Days First Day Schl fr children: 11 a.m. (jining Meeting fr Wrship frm 11:45 a.m. t nn) Nursery care fr ur yungest: 11 a.m. Meetings fr Wrship with a Cncern fr Business: 1st First Day f mnth at 9 a.m. Adult religius educatin: As nted in calendar belw Early meeting fr wrship (weather permitting utdrs) at 8 a.m. n 2 nd, 4 th, and 5 th First Days The Nrth Cunty mid-week meeting: First Tuesdays frm 6:30 t 7:30 p.m. Call fr mre infrmatin. Meditatin study grup meets at 7:30 p.m. n Wednesday evenings in the meeting rm NOTE: The deadline fr submitting newsletter items is the 20 th f the mnth JANUARY 4: 9 a.m. Meeting fr Wrship with Attentin t Business; 11 a.m. Meeting fr Wrship JANUARY 11: 8 a.m. Early Meeting fr Wrship; 11 a.m. Meeting fr Wrship JANUARY 18: 9 a.m. Cmmittee Meetings; 11 a.m. Meeting fr Wrship JANUARY 25: 8 a.m. Early Meeting fr Wrship; 11 a.m. Meeting fr Wrship; 1 p.m. Ptluck lunch CARE OF THE MEETING HOUSE: Ministry and Wrship QUERIES FOR FIRST MONTH: MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP Are meetings fr wrship held in expectant waiting fr Divine Guidance? Are Friends encuraged t share spiritual insights? Are special gifts f ministry recgnized and encuraged? D yu cme t meeting with heart and mind prepared? Are yu careful nt t disturb the spirit f the meeting by late arrival r in ther ways? (Faith and Practice, p. 37) THINKING ABOUT RACE JAMES BALDWIN IN 1963 James Baldwin published this 51 years ag. The cntext fr this qute is limited, due t space cnstraints, but Baldwin s take n a limit t the number f peple any gvernment can put in prisn is a message fr tday, given the extent f mass incarceratin. Hw can the American Negr past be used? It is entirely pssible that this dishnred past will rise up sn t smite all f us. There are sme wars, fr example that the American Negr will nt supprt, hwever many f his peple may be cerced and there is a limit t the number f peple any gvernment can put in prisn, and a rigid limit indeed t the practicality f such a curse. A bill is cming in, that I fear America is nt prepared t pay. Frm Fire the Next Time, the sectin entitled Dwn at the Crss. Letters frm a Regin in My Mind, These mnthly items are prepared by the BYM Wrking Grup n Racism (WGR) and sent t the designated liaisns at each Mnthly and Preparative Meeting fr publicatin in their newsletter r ther means f disseminatin. The WGR meets mst mnths n the third Saturday frm 10 a.m. t 1 p.m., usually at Bethesda Friends Meeting r Friends Meeting f Washingtn. If yu wuld like t attend, n a regular r a drp-in basis, cntact clerk David E at david.etheridge@verizn.net r Pat S at pat.schenck@verizn.net. 1

2 DAYSPRING SILENT RETREAT Dear Friends: Our beautiful winter Dayspring Silent Retreat will take place February 6-8. I hpe yu can take this pprtunity t hear the Still Small Vice while walking in the meadw r warming at the hearth. Registratin frm is attached and pasted belw. Please share this infrmatin with yur meetings. Annaplis Friends will be jined by ther Baltimre Yearly Meeting Friends, space allwing. In the past there has been ample rm! I lk frward t ur sacred time tgether in the SILENCE. In peace, Jean ******************************************************************* ANNAPOLIS FRIENDS MEETING SILENT RETREAT AT DAYSPRING February 6-8, 2015 Be still and knw that I am Gd (Psalm 46:10) Friends, I hpe yu can share in the silence f Dayspring Retreat Center. The warmth f spiritual cmmunity in the heart f winter, amid nature=s beauty--what a blessing! Lve and LIGHT t yu as yu cnsider jining in this adventure. Details abut the retreat fllw, starting with excerpts frm the Retreat Center s welcme letter: The purpse f silent retreat is the deepening f cmmunin with Gd, with ther persns and with neself....(w)e make space fr...a time f waiting in silence, in slitude, t hear the vice f the One >Wh speaks in everything that is, and wh, mst f all, speaks in the depths f ur wn being.= (Thmas Mertn) LOCATION: Dayspring Retreat Center, Neelsville Church Rd., Germantwn, MD (Telephne, in case f emergency: ) See DIRECTIONS: DIRECTIONS TO DAYSPRING RETREAT CENTER: Frm I-270 take the Damascus exit (#15-A), Rute 118 t the nrth. G 8/10 f a mile n Rute 118 t MD Rute 355. Turn left n MD Rute 355 and g a VERY SHORT blck. Turn right n Neelsville Church Rd. Cntinue 6/10 f a mile n Neelsville Church Rd. t Dayspring Retreat Center. OR Frm I-70 take Rute 27 suth at Munt Airy. It will merge int 355 (Frederick Rd.) cntinuing suth. Turn left nt Neelsville Church Rd. (just befre reaching Rute 118) and fllw directins abve. GENERAL INFORMATION: 1) Over 50 years ag, Church f the Savir in Washingtn, D.C. was led t establish Dayspring as a silent retreat center. Tw simple buildings verlk meadws, wdlands and pnds filled with wildlife. The Inn (18 single rms, each with Bible, bed, sink, desk and reading chair) and the Carpenter s Ldge (living rm with fireplace, dining rm, kitchen and prch) are cnnected by a path. 2) Meals are vegetarian. A Dayspring ck prepares the fd. Retreatants carry ut final preparatin, set-up and clean-up in silence. 3) Silence is maintained frm Friday s pening meeting fr wrship thrugh Sunday s clsing wrship. 4) Retreatants ften bring devtinal reading, persnal jurnals, sketch bks, knitting. Mst imprtantly, we bring pen hearts. 5) Yu will need tilet articles, warm casual clthes, walking shes r bts and a flashlight. Bed linens, blankets, pillws, washclth and twels are prvided. 2

3 REGISTRATION Make check fr $210 payable t Dayspring Retreat Center and give r mail t Jean Christiansn, 189 Edgewater Rd., Pasadena, MD We need a minimum f 9 registrants. Maximum capacity is 18. Yur check will guarantee yur spt. Registratin deadline is Friday, January 30. Checks will be depsited after the retreat. Annaplis Friends are encuraged t ask AFM fr schlarship assistance if the fee is an bstacle. Feel free t jschristiansn@gmail.cm r call me at with questins. Name Mnthly Meeting Address Preferred phne DECONSTRUCTING RACISM DISCUSSION Our next decnstructing racism discussin will be Saturday, February 28, frm 2 t 4 p.m. in the meetinghuse library. The grup is under the care f AFM Ministry and Wrship Cmmittee. Friends gather every tw r three mnths t talk abut ur recent experiences related t race and diversity. We pen in silent wrship, update each ther n events in ur lives, examine ur wn unaware racism, discern ur individual and cllective leadings fr furthering equality and justice, and clse in silent wrship. Hpe yu can share in this exchange! In peace, Jean NANCY KNAPP MEMORIAL MINUTE Nancy K was brn in Washingtn, DC n August 20, 1942, t James Webb K and Bierne Davis K. She mved t the Annaplis area in 1979 and n September 16 th became a member f Annaplis Friends Meeting. Nancy was a 4 th grade teacher at Lthian Elementary Schl fr many years. She was nutritin cnscius years befre it became ppular. Nancy was a life-lng student and practitiner f Transcendental Meditatin, which suited her quiet and spiritual nature. She served n Clearness Cmmittees at AFM and was a standing influence in the prcess. An avid reader, Nancy recently served n the Library Cmmittee. She enjyed pt luck lunches and the cmmunity they prvided. Nancy died n Octber 16, She is survived by a niece, Liz N. HOLIDAY MARKET OUTCOME Dear Friends, Supprt frm the whle AFM cmmunity is what makes Quaker Markets pssible. Sme simplify their lives by dnating clthing, husewares, bks, etc. that they n lnger need and wish t share, while thers may srt thse items and display them attractively, make sup, bake quiches and desserts, create handcrafted items such as scarves, lap rbes, pttery, live table centerpieces, r set up tables, staff the kitchen and check-ut table, prvide live music, r clean up. All f these tasks and mre are needed, and appreciated. Our children wrked hard t prepare fr Hliday Market, preparing, packaging and decrating jars f 13 Bean Sup Mix, baking ckies, practicing their musical pieces, rubber stamping bags fr the paperwhite narcissus bulbs, and wrking n art and handcraft prjects. Their preparatins and participatin as integrated members f ur cmmunity are gifts that help us get t knw each ther mre deeply, in additin t helping t make ur market mre successful. With yur help we were able t raise ver $4,000, which will be split amng ur chsen causes accrding t the fllwing schedule: $100 fr the FDS children t wrk thrugh what causes they wuld like t supprt, 75% t ur external causes fr this event (split evenly between Dctrs withut Brders and Services frm the Heart), and 25% t Climate Stewards f Greater Annaplis, a cause created and champined by a number f ur cmmunity members. In additin t raising funds fr the 3

4 causes chsen as the recipients fr this Market's prceeds, we als wrked t raise awareness. Fr the first time we had infrmatinal tables staffed by tw f these causes present at the event, as well as a table staffed by Fahima Gaheez, ur dear friend frm Afghan Wmen's Fund, and educatinal psters fr all fur f these causes. Many thanks t all wh supprted and wrked s hard n Hliday Market 2014! We wuld like t extend a special thanks t tw members f ur cmmittee, Jean C and Careen M, wh, in spite f their wn health issues, cntinue t champin Quaker Market, bringing their gifts f wisdm, grace, and cheer t Quaker Markets, and t ur cmmunity. Many thanks, dear Friends! Peace, Cairn fr the Market Cmmittee P.S. It's nt t early t mark yur calendars fr Spring Market 2015, n Saturday, 7 May... At AFM's Hliday Market, the Meeting's ldest and yungest members (Iris I age 100, and Jey K age 1) had the chance t get acquainted. LIBRARY CORNER A REMINDER: Yu will find bks and pamphlets n the query f the mnth in the bk rack n the cunter and n the rack (hpefully) n the table respectively. The bk fr the envirnment is a great resurce: Wrld Changing: A User's Guide fr the 21st Century, edited by Alex Steffin with and a frward by Al Gre This is a bk we all culd us in ur hmes fr resurce. It is divided int tpics, frm shelter and plitics t plants. The first chapter is entitled "Stu here as an ff." Each has a shrt intr with shrt text and then further resurces. Hw t use this bk suggests using the ideas here as an avenue fr explratin finding the nes we can use and fllwing thrugh n what they suggest. It is a very resurceful bk. One which the editr quickly states sme f the ideas may r may nt be fr the reader: Yu are the best judge f hw t apply these ideas t yur wn life." Check ut the Pendle Hill pamphlets t as very shrt and infrmative reading. 4

5 QUAKER QUOTES FOR JANUARY Fr when I came int the silent assemblies f Gd s peple, I felt a secret pwer amng them which tuched my heart; and as I gave way unt it, I fund the evil weakening in me and the gd raised up. (Rbert Barclay) Bring the whle f yur daily life under the rdering f the spirit f Christ. Live adventurusly. In every situatin seek t be aware f the presence f Gd, praying that spiritual energies in yurself and in thers may be released fr the furtherance f Gd s kingdm. (Advices, Lndn YM, 1964) With diligence meet tgether, and with diligence wait t feel the Lrd Gd t arise, t scatter and expel all that which is the cause f leanness and barrenness upn any sul; fr it is the Lrd must d it, and he will be waited upn in sincerity and fervency f spirit; and let nne be hasty t utter wrds, thugh manifest in the light in which ye wait upn the Lrd; but still wait in silence, t knw the pwer wrking in yu t bring frth the wrds, in the ministratin f the eternal wrd f life t answer the life in all. (Stephen Crisp, 1663) The Quaker meeting fr wrship is nt a place fr individual meditatin, it is a cmmunity in which tw r three are gathered tgether t wait upn the presence in the midst which links us all. (Edward Hare, Deepening the Spiritual Life f the Meeting, FGC, 1995) Jhn Wlman experienced the mystical Presence f Gd lng befre it ever ccurred t him that slavery was unethical. Then ne day in his retail ffice smene asked him t write ut a receipt fr a slave. Smething revlted in Wlman s cnscience because, as a result f his spiritual cnsciusness, he was terribly present t that mment awake, mindful. He didn t write the receipt. It was a persnal matter fr him. Gradually thereafter, he began speaking t his friends, t his meeting, t ther meetings, abut freeing the slaves. His ethics spntaneusly grew frm his spiritual sensitivity. N ne pressured him t jin any cmmittees. He did nt start with an ethical ideal f human rights and g t meeting in rder t talk abut it. It happened the ther way arund. He went t meeting t be present befre Gd. His ethics was the flwering f Silence. (Alfred K. LaMttte, 1982) We becme what we d. A great religius interpreter f ur times nce said that he kissed his child because he lved her and that he kissed his child in rder t lve her mre. Regular participatin in crprate wrship is a schl and wrkshp in which thse wh wuld grw in the religius life, n matter hw tenuus may be their present cnnectins, shuld be in attendance. (Duglas V. Steere, Prayer and Wrship, FUP, 1978) MEETING FOR WORSHIP WITH ATTENTION TO BUSINESS MINUTES SEVENTH DAY OF THE TWELFTH MONTH, 2014 Present were: Elise A (Clerk), Phil C (Recrding Clerk), Cairn K, Nan & Sky E, Jennifer D-M, Kim F, Barb T, Janna T, Kimberly & Carl B, Karen C, Careen M, Pat S, Will & Margaret C, Sue P, Patty R, Wes J, Dt W, Phyllis S, Lynada J, Ruth S, Hugh C, Bill K, Mardy B, Marcia O, Jack L, and Beth I. We began with centering wrship. Our Clerk invited Friends t be pen t the light & lve f the seasn as we lk frward t plans fr the new year. 1. Cairn K reprted that ur Quaker Hliday Market was anther fantastic success thanks t the wrk f many Friends, delectable fd, and ur children s music. Over $3500 was earned, including prceeds frm ur AFM ckbks and ther funds dedicated t Quaker causes. A Friend cmmented, Each market gets better, nting this year we have helped mre participating rganizatins and mre needy individuals than befre. At 8:45 a.m., ur lbby was filled with faithful custmers waiting fr the Meeting Rm drs t pen and Phil F speaking t them abut climate change. 2. Friends apprved this memrial minute fr Nancy K: Nancy K was brn in Washingtn, DC n August 20, 1942, t James Webb K and Bierne Davis K. She mved t the Annaplis area in 1979 and n September 16th became a member f Annaplis Friends Meeting. Nancy was a 4th grade teacher 5

6 at Lthian Elementary Schl fr many years. She was nutritin cnscius years befre it became ppular. Nancy was a life-lng student and practitiner f Transcendental Meditatin, which suited her quiet and spiritual nature. She served n Clearness Cmmittees at AFM and was a standing influence in the prcess. An avid reader, Nancy recently served n the Library Cmmittee. She enjyed pt luck lunches and the cmmunity they prvided. Nancy died n Octber 16, She is survived by a niece, Liz N. 3. Ministry and Wrship (M&W): Patty R presented M&W s prpsed guidelines (attached t these Minutes) and a fund descriptin as t Embraced Ministries and leadings. One Friend raised the cncern that the Guidelines fr leadings may be t restrictive r elitist per Quaker traditin, but she std aside. Fr M&W, Patty pinted ut that there may be flexibility, cmmittee cntingency funds available fr leadings, and future review if the guidelines prve t restrictive. Friends blessed the new guidelines and apprved the fund descriptin. 4. CREC: Kimberly B reprted that AFM s Ad Hc Hmeschling Cmmittee successfully cmpleted schl year versight fr the educatinal experiences f eight families and 15 students in tw Maryland cunties (Anne Arundel and Prince Gerge s) during the 2013/2014 academic year. Oversight fr the current year will cntinue fr the same eight families. The number f children has expanded t six (6) families and 19 children as yunger siblings have entered the prgram and has gained vlunteer supprt frm a parent wh nce wrked with the Calvert hmeschling prgram. (A cmplete reprt is attached t these Minutes.) The Cmmittee welcmes assistance frm thers t imprve scheduling, revise frms, and rganize pprtunities fr grup interactin. Friends expressed their appreciatin t the Cmmittee fr all its wrk and its amazing prgress. 5. Outreach: Pat S presented sme ideas fr Friends cnsideratin and future discussin: 1) T help build cmmunity after First Days when there is n ptluck, Friends might meet at the Whle Fds café after Meetings as this lcatin has gd fd and flexible seating. 2) Rather than ur current welcme fr visitrs t meet in the crner, we might add a Quaker Quest-type questin each First Day fr discussin such as If yu dn t have a minister, hw d Friends get anything dne? Outreach invites Friends cmments n these prpsals. 6. Nminating Cmmittee: Barb T presented a 2nd reading, fr apprval, f AFM s 2015 slate f fficers, cmmittees, clerks, and liaisns t Quaker-related rganizatins with tw r three changes frm the 2st reading. She nted that every cmmittee als may welcme additinal members thrughut the year. Sme liaisn psitins are unfilled, but will be cvered by the related cmmittees. Barb als nted that attenders are welcme n all cmmittees but that ur by-laws require that Trustees, clerks f Meeting, Ministry & Wrship, and Pastral Care all be members f the Religius Sciety f Friends. She nted that ur incming clerk f Ministry and Wrship, Jel R, is in the prcess f becming a member and asked fr an exceptin s that his service as clerk might begin Jan. 1. Friends apprved. Nminating als requested a secnd exceptin fr ur c-clerks f Children s Religius Educatin Cmmittee, Kimberly B and Janna T, t cntinue fr a third 2-year term. This is nt a by-law requirement and has never been passed as a frmal AFM minute, but clerks custmarily have been urged t rtate after tw terms. Thus, Nminating seeks the blessing f Meeting t supprt ur CREC c-clerks thrugh a third term. Friends apprved. Per ur by-laws, members f ther Friends Meeting, as recgnized sjurners with us may serve in clerking rles: Martha B as assistant clerk f Meeting and Dtty D as clerk f Pastral Care wish, at this time, t maintain their memberships in their hme Meetings while they cntinue t wrship and serve with Annaplis Friends. Dt and Martha will supply sjurning letters frm their hme meetings. Meeting apprved the slate. 6

7 Clerks f cmmittees are asked t reach ut t their new members, welcme them, let them knw abut meetings, and explre with them their interests and gifts. In additin, she encuraged clerks t use this rientatin as an pprtunity t review cmmittee descriptins n AFM s website and t update these as apprpriate. 7. Stewardship and Finance: Karen presented the secnd reading f the 2015 AFM budget. (A cpy is attached t these minutes.) She nted, as tw lng-time renters recently have left, using f ur 2014 surplus and replenishing ther funds will be cnsidered later. Friends apprved the budget. 8. Peace and Scial Cncerns (PSC): Carl B reprted as t the 10% f unrestricted cntributins that Annaplis Friends Meeting traditinally sets aside fr cntributins t Quaker causes. This year $882 will g t the Emergent Scial Cncerns Fund and $1000 will g t the Lighthuse Shelter. PSC has allcated the remaining $2530 t a dzen ther causes (see attached). 9. Peace & Justice Center (PJC): Phil C reprted that PJC wuld like permissin t use AFM s street address fr the website f its Maryland Alliance f Justice Refrm (MAJR) prject. He suggested this will nt cnstitute use f a substantial prtin f AFM s resurces in partisan plitical r lbbying activities as PJC has spent less than $25 n MAJR in 2014 cmpared t AFM s apprximately $60,000 per year ttal budget; MAJR als has used less than 4 hurs per mnth f Meeting Huse time, and invlves active wrk f less than 10 as cmpared t AFM s ttal f apprximately 100 members and attenders. Friends apprved this request and agreed t study the issue further (including bylaws particular restrictin against supprting particular items f legislatin), recalling that Friends traditinally have made exceptins supprt certain legislative cncerns. The clerk f Trustees als agreed t make a recrd f this. Friends apprved PJC s request. 10. Friends minute ur enthusiastic thanks t Elise A as she cncludes clerking her last Meeting fr Business. Clsing: These minutes were read and apprved during Meeting fr Wrship with Attentin t Business. Meeting clsed with silent wrship. Respectfully Submitted, Elise A, Clerk, and Phil C, Recrding Clerk. HOW TO SUBMIT NEWSLETTER ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Please submit items fr the calendar and brief descriptins f events by the 20 th f the mnth. Beth M is the editr f the Annaplis Friends Newsletter. Please send any items fr inclusin in the newsletter t annaplisfriendsmeeting@gmail.cm. Friends als are asked t watch yur fr annuncements f meetings and t listen fr annuncements at the rise f meeting. Event and activity rganizers, please als pst yur annuncements n the bulletin bard fr thse wh d nt use electrnic mail! Annunce List: annunce@annaplis.quaker.rg; Discuss List: discuss@annaplis.quaker.rg CONTACT INFORMATION ANNAPOLIS FRIENDS MEETING Address: 351 DuBis Rad, Annaplis, MD Telephne: Website: Clerk: Elise A (e.albert1656@gmail.cm) Building Use Crdinatr: Minette CS (minette3@cs.cm r ) Newsletter Editr: Beth M (annaplisfriendsmeeting@gmail.cm) 7