April Query

Do we center our lives in the awareness of the presence of God so that all things take their rightful place? Do we keep our lives uncluttered with things and activities and avoid comments beyond our strength and light? Is the life of the Meeting so ordered that it helps us simplify our personal lives? Do we order our individual lives so as to nourish our spiritual growth?

GR Fair Trade City Fundraiser

Place: Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE, GR
Time: 11:30 a.m. -
Cost: $7.00 ?
Events: 12:00 Mark Handler--Tibetan singing bowl performer; 1:30 film Black Gold about the fair trade movement in Ethiopia.

There will be a variety of locally-roasted fair trade & direct-trade coffee available for sampling, along with other fair-trade crafts & activities.

For more info, contact Sujen Diveney, Sdiviney@grmc.org.

David Zarembka from Kenya

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Date: March 9, 2009
Contact: Betty Ford,
Phone: (616) 942-4713 or 454-1642

Sponsors: Grand Rapids Friends Meeting with the Institute for Global Education

David Zarembka from Kenya, Coordinator of the African Great Lakes Initative of the
Friends Peace Teams

On Wednesday, March 11, 2009, at 7:00, David Zarembka will be speaking about nations in the African Great Lakes Region focusing on "What the New Administration Can Do to Solve the Conflicts in East and Central Africa" He will begin with a brief analysis of United States involvement in Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The emphasis on a military solution to these conflicts is not working and will only prolong them. Alternative strategies for promoting peace and development in this potentially very rich region will be described.

David will be speaking in the back Studio of the Wealthy Theater Annex, 1110 Wealthy SE just west of the Wealthy Theater.

Greeter schedule

The greeters for first day Meetings for Worship are now posted on the GRFM Calendar (http://www.grandrapidsfriends.org/ and click on Calendar in the upper right corner or on Events Calendar on the left blue menu). We have plenty of openings for Friends to sign up: contact Kim Ranger at kim.ranger@gmail.com .

Query for March

*Do we live the virtue of that life and power which takes away the occasion of all war?

*Do we refrain from taking part in war as inconsistent with the spirit of Christ?

*What are we doing to remove the causes of war and to bring about the conditions of Peace?

Where there are hatred, division and strife, how are we instruments of reconciliation and love?

*As we work for peace in the world, are we nourished by peace within ourselves?

QUERY FOR FEBRUARY

*How do we prepare our hearts and minds for worship?

*Do we meet in expectant waiting for the prompting of the Divine Spirit?

*Is there a living silence in which we are drawn together by the power of God in our midst?

*Is this inspiration carried over into our daily living?

QUERY FOR JANUARY

*In what ways has the Living Presence awakened my faith and turned me around?

*As a Meeting how do we support each other in being faithful?

*In what ways does our Meeting help to develop the spiritual lives of our children?

*Do we provide our children and adults with a framework for active on going participation in Meeting?