June Query & Announcements

Query:

• Are our Meetings for Business held in the spirit of a Meeting for Worship in which we seek divine guidance for our actions in love and mutual forbearance?
• How well do our Meetings for Business lead to a corporate search for and revelation of God's truth?
• As difficult problems arise, are we careful to meet them in a spirit of love and humility with minds open for creative solutions?
• Do we avoid pressure of time, neither unnecessarily prolonging or unduly curtailing full discussion?
• Do we recognize that the search for unity may require us to accept with good grace a decision of the Meeting with which we are not entirely in agreement?
• Are younger Friends, new members, and attenders given appropriate responsibility in the Meeting?

Announcements:

• June 3 The Sewing Group will meet at Roberta’s home on Thursday, June 3rd at 7:00
• June 5th Paul Emery will be performing this Saturday at 6:45 at the Outer Fringe (next to the Federal Building & Swing) at the GR Art Festival. Randall Gornowich will have his photos on display thoughout the event as well.
• June 6 9:00 Advancement Committee at Browne Center
• June 6th: Bring your calendars to Meeting to sign up to be a Greeter and/or for child care (no First Day School formal lessons) in July or August
• June 6th Open house to celebrate Katie Pliml’s graduation from High School from 2:00 until 6:00 at the Pliml’s.
• June 11 Friends Book Group will continue to discuss Ram Doss and his philosophy at 7:00 at the home of Mark Post.
• June 17 The Sewing Group will meet Thursday, June 17th at 7:00.

The State of the Meeting Report (Needed: Committee Reports sent to catherine.deyo@gmail.com) and the Statistics Report (Needed: Conveners of Committees sent to Betty bford24@comcast.net) are due by the end of June.

During the summer months we will need a volunteer each Sunday to take the children out of the Meeting for Worship for a walk or some activity. Let Betty know if you will volunteer during July and August.

May Query

• Do we each take an active part in the life of our Meeting?
• How do we recognize the varied skills and spiritual gifts of our members and attenders? How do we nurture their use and growth?
• In what ways are we bringing together members and attenders, young and old, in love and community?
• Do we visit one another in our homes and keep in touch with distant members?
• How are strangers made to feel welcome in our midst?
• How do we encourage attenders to share in Meeting activities and responsibilities?

Announcements:

• May 14: GRFM Book Group, 7:00 p.m. at Betty Ford's.
  
• May 15: Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting, MI Friends Center at Friends Lake. Call for volunteers: GRFM + Holland will put on the children's program--contact Betty Ford. Also on the agenda: Friends School in Detroit, AFSC.
• May 16 program: Transportation alternatives in GR & Bike workshop by Mark Post.

Red Cedar Friends Meeting Open House

Announcement and Invitation

RED CEDAR FRIENDS MEETING OPEN HOUSE
In the spirit of peace and joy, Red Cedar Friends Quaker Meeting invite you to celebrate with us the opening of our new meetinghouse on Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The meetinghouse is located at 1400 Turner Street in Lansing, Michigan. Barrier-free spaces are available in the meetinghouse parking lot. The # 14 CATA bus stops nearby.

Out of town guests who need assistance with accommodations, call Nancy at (517) 372-8680.

Information about Red Cedar Friends Meeting is available at http://www.redcedarfriends.org

Please call (517) 371-1047 with questions.

April Query & Announcements

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?

Announcements:
The Book Group will meet at 7:00 on April 9th at Dixie Rosendall's to watch a dvd about Ram Doss.

Sewing Circle will meet April 6th at 7:00 at Roberta Rossi's and on April 15th at 7:00 at Fran’s home.

March Query & Announcements

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?

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Have you checked the priorities for FCNL? Let Mark know what you think.

Hosted dinners: please let Betty know if you are willing to host. The Host/s will prepare the meal. The dates for the dinners will be on Friday and Saturday evenings of the first two weekends in May. A sign-up sheet for guests will be at Meeting on the first Sunday in April.

February Query & Announcements

Query:

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 minds?

Is this inspiration carried over into our daily living?

Announcements:

• Winterfest at Michigan Friends Center on February 7 will feature the duo Gemini, Laz and San Slomovits, presenting a family concert. They are donating their talents, so this will be a benefit concert for Michigan Friends Center and a fun afternoon for families. 1:00 Snowperson building; 2:00 mulled cider & treats; 3:00 concert
• Feb. 7 Noon: Souper Sunday Potluck: we will make a collection and enjoy any soups that might come our way as well as other Potluck items.
• Feb. 21: Abby Geluso will do a slide show about her trip to China last summer. Our Meeting with the IGE did a Chinese Dinner Fundraiser for her.
• Feb. 28: Fremont Worship Group will visit our Meeting. Following Meeting we will have a simple snack and then at Noon we will go to Marywood to see the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Exhibit of Paintings created after the Atom Bomb was dropped. At Noon a taped interview of Glenn Hymer who was in Nagasaki after the Bomb was dropped will be shown.
• Midwinter Gathering, Saturday. February 27th in Detroit: The Gathering will start at the Detroit Friends Meeting House at 9:00 with Meeting for Worship and a talk about what is happening in Detroit and the Meeting House. Then we’ll have a tour of Detroit ending at Friends School. Lunch and then an opportunity to hear about how the School is doing and we will help the School with some projects. More information will follow in a later announcement.
• Coming the first part of May our 5,6,7,8 or 9’s dinners will happen: We will need several hosts to volunteer. In March sign-up will begin. The dates for the actual dinners will be the first or second weekend in May. More details will follow.

January Query & Announcements

Query:

• 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 and all of our members and attenders?
• Do we provide our children and young adults with a framework for active, ongoing participation in Meeting?

Jan. 17: Program on Judaism by Diane Baum
Jan. 21: Sewing Circle at Jenn Seif's
Jan. 24: Program on Worship by Scot Miller: what does it mean to us; what are we getting out of it?
Jan. 31: Meeting House of our own? (post-worship meeting); Peace & Social Action Committee will meet following worship: FCNL priorities & project for GRFM.

Friends' Book Group is reading What God Wants by Neil Walsh.

Scot & Jenn are offering shares in Sandhill CSA, 2010 season.