Nonviolence

Nonviolence has always been the most paradoxical, counterintuitive and optimistic of Quaker ideals. Ever since Cain settled his conflict with Abel through premeditated murder, violence and the lust for dominance and revenge have been viewed as inevitable aspects of human relations. The ancient Greeks saw war as a natural state of affairs: ìAll things come into being and pass though strife,î Heraclitus wrote. And throughout time, nations, tribes and individuals have readily turned to weaponry to exert control or settle differences ó while their poets and balladeers celebrated war heroes and the glory of battle.

In the face of this history, the ideals of pacifism, loving forgiveness and nonviolence seem quixotic at best.
And yet Quakers have always referred to their ìpeace testimonyî as the spiritual heart of their belief and practice. For more than three hundred years, they have let their lives speak most clearly, unremittingly and effectively through their deeds to promote peace.

Where did Friends acquire the grand, even grandiose, notion that we must wage peace throughout the world, that violence must be met by nonviolence and hatred by love? Most cite the words of Jesus, who ó in the Sermon on the Mount, one of the most radical and passionate statements ever made ó instructed his
followers to extend love in place of the sword. ìÖwhosoever smites thee on thy right cheek, turn
to him the other also.î Jesusí innovative leap of faith
in the power of nonviolence has inspired pacifists ever since. George Fox added a Quaker twist to Jesusí words when he exhorted his followers to ìtake away the occasion of all wars.î He reasoned that since each person is endowed with a spark of the divine, violence against any person is violence against God.

But recognizing God in every person is only the
beginning. Nonviolence, for Quakers, is by no means
a passive or negative concept, a simple thou-shalt-not-kill prohibition. It is, rather, a springboard for action, an ideal that must be transformed into the active pursuit of peace and justice. In the broadest sense, the challenge to Friends is to become the worldís peacemakers. This positive, proactive view of nonviolence,
I believe, has been one of Quakerismís greatest contributions to society.

Robert Lawrence Smith

I never look at the masses,
I can only love one person at a time ó
So I begin, just one, one, one.
So you begin, I begin,
I picked up one person.
The whole work is only a drop in the ocean,
But if I didnít put the drop in,
The ocean would be one drop less ó
Same thing for you, same thing in your family,
Same thing in the meeting where you go ó

One,

One,

ONE.

Mother Teresa

Facing Bench for January
Harold and Louise Heritage

Coffee and Covered Dish for January
Childrenís Inclusion and Nominating Committees

Upcoming Events

January 11 ó Second Annual Quaker Educator Conference
9:30-2:30 p.m., Friends Center, Philadelphia. David Bourns, founding Principal of the Paul Cuffee Charter School in Providence, RI, will deliver the keynote address. Workshops and small group discussions will follow. To attend, please RSVP to Elke Muller by January 6th at 215-241-7223, or elkm@pym.org.

January 19, 7 p.m. ó Prayer Vigil for Peace
United Methodist Church, 29 Warwick Rd. The vigil will take place in conection with a Martin Luther King Day worship service.

December 2002 Monthly Meeting
for Business ó December 13, 2002

The Meeting opened with the clerk reading
Query #8 on Peace from Faith & Practice:

How does our Meeting act to advance peace, to oppose violence, and to support the constructive use of authority in our community, our nation, and the world?

What are we doing as a Meeting:

ó to free our nation from militarization, so evident in our society and in its economy?

ó to understand the causes of war and violence and to work for the development of the attitudes and institutions of peace?

ó to recognize and correct the causes of violence within our communities, and to work toward overcoming separations and restoring wholeness?

b to increase the understanding and use of nonviolent approaches for the resolution of conflicts?

Do I live in the power of that Life and Spirit that takes away the occasion of all wars?

How do I maintain Friendsí testimony that military training and all participation in war and its preparation are inconsistent with the teaching and the spirit of Christ?

Do I work for the establishment of alternative ways of settling disputes?

Am I aware that to build a world community requires that we all face our differences honestly, openly, and in trust?

Do I treat conflict as an opportunity for growth, and address it with careful attention? Do I seek to recognize and respect the Divine in those with whom I have a basic disagreement? Do I look for ways to reaffirm in action and attitude my love for the one with whom I am in conflict?

Clifton Smoot reported on FCNLís annual gathering, which he attended. He thanked the Meeting for sponsoring him. He said he received a lot of practical advice that will help him in his activist work.

Jake McGlaughlin, who also attended the FCNL
gathering, presented the clerk with a letter requesting support for FCNLís building fund. The letter will be forwarded to Peace & Social Concerns Committee for their recommendations on the amount of support the Meeting could provide.

Ceil McFadden, for Nominating Committee, reported that David Smith had resigned as Representative to Interim Meeting. George Harrison has agreed to replace him. She also reported that the Insurance Committee is in place. Bob Turrin, Steve Senopolous, Gary Shivers and Stu Harris will make up this committee. Bob Brookes will serve as an ex officio member.

Joanne Heizer volunteered to check the messages on the Meeting answering machine.

The clerk read the annual report from the Graveyard & Memorial Committee and thanked its co-clerks, John and Kathy Donch, for their hard work.

Justin Loughery reported for Friends Transition Support Services. The project has been making steady progress. They have raised $45,000 and have been making presentations throughout the area. They have located possible office space in Camden. After much discussion, the Meeting authorized the clerk to sign the lease on this office space, providing the following steps are taken: the lease must be legally reviewed, insurance must be obtained, and FTSS must set aside enough money to cover the security deposit and the rent and insurance premiums for one year.

After a brief silence, the Meeting for Business closed.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL

ìIt Takes a Meeting to Raise a Friend.î
ìYe have no time but this present time.î G. Fox

Queries for Children

Developed by a childrenís class in South Bend Indiana

Queries for Family Life
Do you love your family?
Are you considerate of the feelings of others in
your family?
Do you cooperate with your family ?
Do you share your toys?
Do you do your chores cheerfully?
What do you do when someone hurts you or
wants to fight?

Queries for School and Playground
Do you play fair? Do you cheat at games or
schoolwork?
Do you include everyone?
Do you treat everyone as an equal?
Do you let others have a turn?
How do you feel and act when you donít win a game?
Do you stand up for someone who is wrongfully accused?
How do you feel when you hurt someone or
they hurt you?

Queries for Learning to Be Godís Child
Do you worship God?
Do you recognize everybody as Godís child
(i.e. ìthere is that of God in everyoneî)?
Do you always tell the truth?
Do you ask for help when you donít know what to do?
Do you reach for God?
Do you listen for Godís word?
Do you look for peaceful solutions?
Do you do and say what you believe is right,
no matter what?

Adult First Day School for January

The theme for this session is ìReplacing a war culture with a peace culture.î We are hosting a series of speakers who will share their experiences with us.

January 5 ó Bill Pierre, AFSC, will present an overview of the conflicts in the Middle East. Bill Pierre is director of the AFSC Middle East International Region within the International Programs Unit of AFSC. He is responsible for the overall management and direction of AFSCís programs in the Middle East.

January 12 ó Bruce Birchard, General Secretary of FGC, will speak on the spiritual basis for the Friendís peace testimony. Bruce started working for Friends in 1974, working for disarmament and peace conversion for the Peace Committee of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. He continued his peace work as National Coordinator of the Disarmament Program of AFSC from 1984 to 1992. He has served Friends General Conference as its General Secretary since 1992.

January 19 ó Sharon Mullally and Linda Hanna were part of the Quaker Christian Peacemaker Team that went to Israel and Palestine this past summer. They will share their experiences and illustrate them with photos, maps and video. Sharon Mullally, a Quaker, is a freelance documentary film and video producer. Her most recent production, ìRufus Jones: A Luminous Life,î
was broadcast on WHYY-TV 12. Linda Hanna, who is Syrian Orthodox, is an environmental scientist who has begun to focus on the environmental components of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

January 26 ó Alice Andrews of Medford Meeting
will talk about her recent visit to Afghanistan. Alice
is Program Coordinator for East Asia for AFSC.
She supervises three programs based in North Korea, China and Afghanistan.

A Friendís Bible Study Group:
A First Day School Happening

Submitted by Francie Pagell

Everyone is welcome to join a small group of Friends who meet together at least 2 times a month to study some portion of the Bible in detail. (Notice that Iím not being very specific about the time, but it meets during First Day School, generally on the 1st and 4th Sundays. Sometimes special programs and personal schedules make the meetings somewhat irregular, though frequent.) The group began as a mutual
interest in studying the Book of John, that some
have considered to be ìThe Quaker Gospel,î and to meet a need and interest to understand the Bible from a Quaker perspective. Presently the group is studying Genesis and exploring the text in detail, chapter by chapter and sometimes verse by verse.

Having grown up in the Bible Belt and sometimes cringing from concrete interpretations, a group like this would ordinarily not readily draw my enthusiasm. However, this group should be talked about for the following reasons:

1. The process of study so clearly exemplifies the ideas and philosophies that Tony Prete recently presented during a First Day School series on the Bible, for instance, the subtle difference between the Bible as
the ìWord of Godî vs the ìword through which God speaks.î An open interpretation of the text offers an opportunity for understanding of Biblical metaphor
on a deeply spiritual level.

2. Historical context and cultural traditions are
presented to heighten understanding and clarity.

3. Facilitation and guidance are provided by Keith Wallace, who encourages and achieves a group process that is stimulating, enthusiastic and diverse in opinions and interpretations. Everyoneís point of view is heard and valued.

There are presently about six regular members of
the Friendís Bible Study Group, and they all would encourage those who are interested to join in the discussions. During coffee time after meeting, ask Gary Smith, Harold Heritage or Francie Pagell about the next meeting as well as their own experiences with
the study. Weíll also put a note on the announcement board each Sunday that the Group is going to meet as a reminder.

If you are looking for a meaningful exploration of the Bible from a Quaker perspective, join us for a First Day School Happening.

Quaker Storytelling for Peace & Joy!

On January 24, from 10 am to noon, the Quaker Peace & Joy Storytelling Group is having an organizational meeting at Kennett Meetinghouse. All interested Quaker Storytellers are invited to attend. The group will be planning the agenda for their first Peace & Joy Storytelling Festival to be held on March 3rd at Swarthmore Meetinghouse.

That evening, Reading Friends Meeting will host a covered dish meal at 6 p.m. The meal will be followed by a storytelling program with Leo and Carole Baggerly from 7 until 9 p.m. Reading Meeting is extending a special invitation to other meetings in Caln Quarter as well as local peace groups. All ages are welcome.

Whatís Happening at HFS

On Monday morning, November 25th, twenty seven very excited fifth graders departed for our annual camping trip to Mt. Misery. Our first stop was Whitesbog, where we spent the day learning about the Cranberry industry and also what life was like in a ìcompanyî town. The children did chores such as washing clothes using a washboard, beating rugs with a stick, ironing clothes with an iron heated on the wood stove, and emptying the chamber pot, which gave them a new appreciation for the luxuries that they take for granted.

After leaving Whitesbog, we went to Mt. Misery, unpacked and settled in. Teacher Bonnie came out after dinner and took us on a night hike. We returned from the hike to find a wonderful bonfire and sat around it while telling stories and eating símores.

Tuesday was another beautiful day and we had another day-long lesson on Pine Barrens and fire ecology. The children learned how to test water and soil samples, the differences between acids and bases, and also the many different habitats that can be found in the Pine Barrens.

After our lesson, we visited Pasadena, which is an old clay factory. The underground tunnels are still intact and climbing and crawling in them is always a highlight of our trip.

After dinner, Tr. Bonnie returned to take us on another night hike, but this time with no flashlights! The children were a little apprehensive at first but gradually got the hang of it.

After Breakfast on Wednesday, we packed up and cleaned the cabins and then set out for a tour of
Mt. Misery, stopping first at the Green Cathedral for Meeting for Worship. By the time we returned, there was only time for a quick tether ball challenge before parents began to arrive.

The children were very well-behaved throughout the entire trip and we received many wonderful compliments from all of our instructors. It was certainly a very memorable trip and we all hated to see it end.

Teacher Bernadette and Teacher Tony

Activist Editor Jim Wallis Speaking to
PYM March 29

Christian peace activist Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine, will be the Saturday evening speaker at Philadelphia Yearly Meetingís sessions on March 29, 2003, at the Fourth and Arch Street Meetinghouse.

Reflecting on our theme for Yearly Meeting sessions this year, ìFinding the Power to Make Peace in Every Aspect of Our Lives,î the agenda planning group thought about persons who might be best equipped to speak to this topic. They wanted to have a spiritually grounded perspective, and one that looks at how we can find the guidance and strength to be peacemakers in many settings ó in our homes, workplaces, and communities, as well as on the national and international level. We are fortunate that Jim Wallis has accepted our invitation.

Jim Wallis was a founder of the Sojourners community in Washington, D.C., one of the best known progressive activist Christian communities in the United States. (www.sojo.net) He is also the editor of Sojourners
magazine, which has been a powerful voice for peace and justice in the wider Christian community for more than 25 years. Jim is a preacher, teacher, activist and author who is in demand as a speaker all over the world. He was the keynote speaker at the Pendle Hill weekend conference on Friends Testimonies and Social Witness in May 2001. Those who heard him know that Jim Wallis operates out of a deep faith commitment, and he is a remarkably energizing and engaging speaker.

Annual Sessions planners believe we could not have found anyone better to inform and stimulate Friendsí reflections on how better to connect our faith with our work for peace and justice. Please join us on March 29 for what we expect to be a remarkable evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. (Come a little early, because we expect many people from beyond the Friends community will want to join us to hear Jim!)

Pendle Hill Monday Night Forum

The Pendle Hill lecture series, Racial Justice: Speak Truth to Power, continues its eight-month-long conversation about racial justice.

January 6 at Arch Street Meetinghouse, Rev. Irene Monroe, an African-American feminist theologian, will speak on Broadening the Dialogue: Religion, Race and Gender.

January 20 at Pendle Hill, Bernice Warren, a pastor and director of Chester East Side Ministries, will give
a talk on Justice in the Local Community.

Both talks begin at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free. For more information about the Monday Night Forumor any other events at Pendle Hill, visit their web site, www.pendlehill.org.

Pen Pals Wanted for Death Row Prisoners

The Peace & Service Committee of Haverford
Meeting has received a list of prisoners on death row
in Pennsylvania. We are asking for volunteers to be pen pals to one of these prisoners and start a regular correspondence. As a seasoned writer told me, it is one of the most meaningful tasks she performs. Donít miss this chance to bring just a little ray of light to the darkness of death row isolation. Correspondence can be a form of visiting, but much simpler. When you sign up you will be given a list of guidelines to follow. Please contact Anna Colosi for a pen pal or more information by email at acolosi@aamco.com.

Poems Old and New

Lullaby

By Alexandra McKinney

How can some people be so picky about what they eat?
Knowing that some, like me, may not eat at all?
My stomach grumbles as I walk home.
Pondering how Iím supposed to live through the winter.
I shiver as I try to force my too small jacket over my naked wrists.
How can some people buy gigantic houses in the
country?
Knowing the closest I will come is a house-decorating magazine?
I ask as I reach the door of the building I call home
I can not convey the stench of this place
I do my homework and go to bed
Why do I live this way? I ask
The train rushes passed my window
A gun is fired somewhere in the distance
The noise reaches its crescendo as a car alarm goes off
This is my lullaby.

Alexandra is Howard & Floraís granddaughter ó
she wrote this poem as part of a social studies project
as a 12-year-old seventh grader.

Among Friends

Several local Friends traveled to Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 10 to attend a service and burial for Rick Honeywell, husband of former attender Chris (Bower) Honeywell. Rick died on November 4 following eight months of illness in Texas. Chris and Rick are both members at Lubbock Meeting. We joined Friends from South Carolina and many family, friends and
fellow Air Force service people for a very meaningful ceremony. Rick was honored by a full military honors service, complete with an honor guard, grey horses drawing his casket to the burial site, a gun salute, taps, and a rich Quaker silence. Condolence notes to Chris and her children, Megan and Daniel, can be sent to her parents at Chris Honeywell c/o Bowers, 2576 Cape Horn Road, Red Lion, PA 17356.

Mark Markham, husband of Mary Markham, died on December 11, 2002. A memorial service was held on December 14.

ìI told themÖwait upon God to feel his power, to gather together, to feel his presence and power therein, to wait upon him.î

George Fox

Come to Meeting for Worship, sit down, open your hearts and soul, and freely allow your depths to rise into your consciousness. Feel the powerful and the sacred that we experience together through our silent worship. Hold yourself in the light, and in that light become aware of the joy, and of the world; stupendous, awesome, mysterious and unfathomable. You must convince yourself to assume responsibility for being here, and make every effort count. You are only going to be here for a short time, too short to witness the marvels of it.

Harold Heritage