May Friends Book Discussion

Friends Book Discussion

Friday May 11th
7 pm

at Betty Ford's place (Heather Hills Retirement Center) Call Betty or Mark P. for directions if you need them!

We will be discussing the Pendle Hill Pamphlet Seeking Inner Peace - Presence, Pain, and Wholeness by Elizabeth De Sa
I handed out copies at meeting on Sunday, but we still have two copies left it you would like one.

Bring snacks and a drink if you would like. Hope to see everyone there. This is a very good pamphlet and brings up lots of discussion!

April Announcements

http://quakerinfo.org/quakerism/faithandpractice

Under Liberal Friends, there is our own Lake Erie Yearly Meeting (which has a Policies and Procedures manual), and Faith and Practice docs for North Pacific Yearly Meeting, Pacific Yearly Meeting, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Many of us have the North Pacific; some have Pacific; a few have Philadelphia; a couple have Britain Yearly Meeting's Faith & Practice, under Yearly Meetings Outside the United States.

Ministry and Nurture's focus for April is to provide a safe environment for people to express themselves and their concerns. This entails providing nurture through listening, in order to help Friends clarify their inner direction and discern spirit-led solutions.

On potluck Sundays, Friends are asked to consider that a number of people in our Meeting have food sensitivities, ranging from simple food allergies or sensitivities, to serious diet restrictions due to health issues or moral convictions. We would like the monthly potluck meals to be a time of community and sharing between Friends. There are several ways we can accomplish this:

• Leave “extras” out of your dish, and instead bring them in small serving containers. This way we can individually add items such as croutons, nuts, fried onion rings, salad dressings and sauces to soups and salads.
• When you have the option to make something vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free, please do so, and label it as such.
• Please regularly indicate on a 3x5 card the ingredients in your dish.
• If you are not a vegan, vegetarian, or person with food allergies, please allow others to eat the “special food” first.

Greeters are reminded that in the absense of a clerk, the greeter closes meeting for worship. About 10:25, announce that the time for worship is nearing an end; ask if there are further prayers or sharing; rise and join hands when appropriate; be seated, welcome any visitors, begin introductions, and then ask First Day School to report.

You can help Move to Amend-GR place the issue of whether corporations are person on the ballot in November by signing a petition or collecting signatures. Contact Judi Buchman for more info or to get petitions.

See Kaufman Interfaith Institute's Year of Interfaith Understanding Calendar for upcoming events.

You're invited to the Grand Rapids Justice Conference on Saturday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. at New Hope Baptist Church, 130 Delaware St. For more info, please see the conference website above or contact Laura Hoekstra.

April Queries

Family

It is in the home that Friends' principles first become practices. The home is founded upon love, which reaches farther than words and is understood long before words have meaning.

(Living with Oneself and Others, NEYM, 2001)

How do we make our homes places of love, hospitality, and spiritual growth? Is our home a place where all members of the family receive affection and understanding and where visitors are welcome?

Do we choose recreation and a manner of living that enriches the body, mind, and spirit and shows a high regard for family, community, and creation?

Do we take care that commitments outside the home do not encroach upon the time and loving attention that our family needs? Do we respect the needs for intimacy and separateness of those with whom we live?