|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Meeting gathered at 2:45 on Sixth-day afternoon, Third Month 24, 2000 and settled into worship. Clerk was Arlene Kelly, alternate clerk Anne Moore and recording clerk Stephan de la Veaux.
- Minute 1: Welcome to Visitors
Clerk welcomed Friends, expressing delight at the growing numbers of Friends in each session. Clerk invited Friends from other Yearly Meetings to introduce themselves and their Meeting. Clerk welcomed Arthur Meyer Boyd, Associate Executive Secretary of FCNL and member of Baltimore Monthly Meeting at Stony Run (Baltimore Yearly Meeting).
- Minute 2: Introduction of Standing Committee
Douglas Meaker, Clerk of Support and Outreach Standing Committee, introduced himself and asked the members of the standing committee on the facing bench to introduce themselves. Sessions are not built around reports of the standing committees, but on the testimonies and leadings of the standing committees.
- Minute 3: Epistle
Mario Cavallini of the Epistle Project Group read the epistle from Northern Yearly Meeting, the theme of which was “E Pluribus Unum – Out of Many, One. How do we reach unity?” This theme was chosen as the Meeting was to approve the first chapter of their Faith and Practice; the chapter on decision making. The process leading to this started twenty years ago. Meeting held the chapter in its heart and reached unity on not agreeing. The epistle spoke of the “transforming power of the love of God, an exhilarating and joyful experience.”
- Minute 4: Celebrating our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings
Meeting then turned to the primary purpose of this session: to celebrate activities within the monthly and quarterly meetings. Thomas Jeavons, acting as moderator, began by thanking the regional coordinators for their help. There were three topics, each with examples of activities we can celebrate and learn from. An extensive set of handouts were available for those interested.
Not long after Thomas came to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Representative Meeting was struggling laying down the Ecumenical Committee. Did they need a committee to fulfill this purpose? During worship, Friends spoke how their meetings dealt with ecumenical issues. This revelation, that meetings have much to share with each other, is the focus of this session. There are many things happening at the monthly and quarterly meetings! We just don’t hear about them.
Pastoral Care and Inreach
Virginia Joyce of Harrisburg Meeting spoke on mentoring members. This started when the meeting realized that certain members were no longer attending Meeting. Why? They formed a committee which worked with overseers to match new Friends with volunteers. These mentored Friends are encouraged to attend courses and events to help them feel more comfortable with Quakerism. Many new Friends are young and can add substantial vitality to a monthly meeting.
Sondra Ball of Mickleton Meeting described the work of the Salem Quarter Care Committee in helping Friends who have suffered serious physical, emotional, spiritual or financial problems. The committee often directly assists, or helps find assistance. Most member problems can be resolved within the monthly meeting. When they cannot, the Salem Quarterly Care Committee can assist. Other quarterly meetings are starting similar committees to help members in need.
George Pickering of Middletown Meeting spoke of Intergenerational Worship Sharing. What does it mean? When Friends arrived at a Meeting devoted to this, both children and adults expressed puzzlement. They were to explore, together, “My experience of God.” After sharing, meeting ran out of time! George urged Friends to be organized and to try it out first at home. Selecting the theme for common searching is easy. How to develop it is the challenge, but a worthy one.
Clerk then offered Meeting to break into pairs and discuss the following questions:
- What themes, trends or dynamics do you hear in these stories?
- What does the hearing of these stories inspire in you? For yourself? Your Meeting?
Communication and Outreach
Willard Bowers of Falls Meeting noted that Bucks Quarterly Meeting has an Outreach Committee…with a budget! We are Seekers looking for other Seekers – we should make it is easy to find us. The committee meets regularly, working to coordinate common outreach goals among the monthly meetings. Why not advertise? Get your name in the papers often! Be active on the Internet. Be up front and hard to miss. The committee gets names of people moving into the area and sends them packets of information, including a brochure describing the Religious Society of Friends. Finally, they have a speakers’ bureau, with people ready and able to speak on matters Quaker.
Monique Begg of Moorestown Meeting described funds, raised from sales of a cookbook, which are used to fund a children's camp scholarship program. Many of these children need assistance and can greatly benefit from a camp experience. Sixty children over the past three years have benefited from this program. How do we define success? Some who have been in the program now assist in it. These children have learned that people outside their family care for them and can help them.
Helen Fields of West Chester Meeting asked all to relive when they were 11, 12, 13 or 14. How did we feel when we were that age? What help could we have used in those years? As adults, how do we relate with children of that age? Now imagine a room full of parents, learning from each other and hearing from those experienced with children. This is the Middle School Parents Class. Helen described the well-attended and appreciated program, which helps parents and Middle Schoolers stay connected.
Meeting then broke into pairs to discuss how these stories might inspire similar work.
Service and Witness
Meeting gathered to hear Gail Newbold of London Grove Meeting speak of the “Peacemakers Program.” She described how her daughter of eight arranged a committee meeting of her peers. These children wished a committee of their own, which eventually centered on children as peacemakers. The discipline for adults is to be facilitators, not leaders, to learn to listen and to learn how to say “yes.” Commitment means taking the time over time. Gail expressed hope that each child may be listened to in a safe place.
Margaret Wood of Towanda Meeting described her meeting, formed only two years ago. Having been formed, what were they doing for Outreach? As Individual Friends, they practiced outreach, but as a Meeting? They decided to have a party, inviting all who wished to come to bring a dish. They got nearly one hundred to attend, affirming and connecting with each other. They moved on to a “Stop Hate” party, keeping the organization decentralized and using heavily the Internet as a tool to connect across disparate groups. They are moving to a “Sportsmanship Program” and “Media Education” and support the Million-Mom March.
Sue Edwards of Swarthmore Meeting discussed the Chester Working Group. They seek to unite those involved in helping the City of Chester. They are active in supporting Chester Eastside activities. They have united with Chester Meeting on areas of common purpose and have lobbied in Harrisburg for more support for the City of Chester. They work on problems of manageable size and plan for the long run.
Clerk offered the Meeting to share, as a body, lessons learned from these accounts. How can we gather and carry forward these works? Friends spoke of the importance of quarterly or regional activities; concerns carried by several meetings when one meeting might feel inadequate. Other Friends spoke on the vision of Friends promoting peace through the media (which often glorifies violence), on interfaith groups working for common concerns, on the courage to start. A Friend urged us not to forget those meetings that are struggling. Sometimes one or two people involved in a meeting can make the difference. Can we help prepare such people? Clerk summarized the session, sensing common threads linking the sessions at Yearly Meeting.
- Minute 5: Session Recess
Minutes of the session were read, corrected and approved and announcements made. Friends adjourned, purposing to reconvene Sixth-day evening at 7:00, God willing.
Stephan de la Veaux, recording clerk
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM