Newtown Monthly Meeting had another busy year, with a strong, engaged community of talented and skilled members and attenders actively contributing to the life of our Meeting.
Membership Statistics (through June 2024)
Total Members: 343
Under 18 years of age: 24
Joined: 3 (new Quakers, no transfers or births)
Left: 3 (two transfers, one death)
On a typical First Day, we may have 60 attenders and a few more on Shared Meal days or when we have programs on topics or with speakers of high interest.
We have a joyful and busy Inreach/Outreach committee. They have a greeter at the door to welcome all who come for Sunday worship and organize hosts for the social hour after worship. It sponsors our Friendly 8s groups and a picnic at Core Creek Park each summer. This year, they also hosted an Open House during Market Day in Newtown. Visitors seem to enjoy seeing the Meetinghouse and reproductions of Edward Hicks Paintings and the Hicks gravesite.
Adult Religious Education (ARE) draws upon our own members as well as outside speakers who provide quality programs 3 times a month featuring diverse topics. We wisely utilize local news via The Advance, Herald and the Patch to reach out externally and have led many visitors to our Meetinghouse. Worship & Ministry may use some of our Adult Education slots for specific topics or purposes. They also hosted a Spiritual Formations group joined in by attendees from various local Meetings. As always, they faithfully coordinate Memorial Services as needed.
Our Children’s programs have teachers, babysitters, and leadership centered on keeping lessons and activities flowing. The children traditionally host a Simple Supper and Lasagna Dinner while also learning the process of discernment and philanthropy by choosing a charity and serving the dinner. This year, with a much smaller number of children attending, CRE will just be hosting one event. Others in our Meeting have offered to coordinate the second event to continue this custom. This embodies our community’s ways of working together regardless of committee traditions as our demographics change over the years.
Communication is essential for people to know about these activities. Internally, we have a visually appealing newsletter, This Week that captures it all. We are in the process of updating our website to be more user-friendly. We are appreciative of the efforts of many to keep tech effective for its intended purposes and the many meetings it hosts.
Building and Grounds is ever busy taking care of projects big and small. We strive to stay on top of aging trees. However, we were hit hard on July 8th when a tree fell on our Meetinghouse. We were fortunate to have astute volunteers and dedicated contractors as we were able to remove the tree off the roof and tarp it before another storm hit that evening. Our 2nd floor was off limits for a while as repairs were made to cracked beams in the attic, the roof and internal water damage. We received stellar service from our insurance broker, Parry Insurance and affiliated services. Sadly, we also had to cut down a majestic oak tree that may have been one of the oldest in Newtown. We will need to update our landscaping plans due to the recent loss of numerous trees.
Our finances are well managed, and we can handle our ongoing responsibilities to the building and membership and are also able to be generous to various charities and local agencies. We have a process in which anyone can make suggestions to Finance for where our donations go each year.
Care and Counsel continue their ongoing work by staying in touch with and supporting members near and far. This may entail visits, delivering healing quilts, membership, and sending personalized notes for various occurrences. C & C also hosts fellowship after Christmas Eve candlelight services and the distribution of Hicks prints of the Peaceable Kingdom to those turning 21 years of age.
We have a robust Nominating Committee that helps fill our many slots for various committees and are grateful for their work keeping our Meeting humming along in traditional and non-traditional ways.
The Newtown Friends School Committee added five new members this fall after three rotated off last spring. Thirteen members include four NMM members and two members of other Meetings. The Committee is engaging with a consultant to strengthen board governance. The pre-K-8th grade school has 269 students, a balanced budget, and a healthy endowment. Its HOS is in his 16th year; a new Clerk began his first term this fall. NFS is engaging in the Friends Council on Education Membership Renewal process this academic year.
Janet Braker, Clerk
