Tuesday, May 22, 2012

May Announcements

June book discussion group:
June 8th 7pm at Betty Ford's (Heather Hills Retirement Community). We will be discussing Small is Beautiful - Economics as if people Mattered by E.F. Schumacher. This book was written in 1973 but is still timely today. It puts economics into a spiritual, wholistic and human realm. There are copies available at the library or if enough people would like we can order copies as well. Let Mark Post know.

Ministry & Nurture's focus for May is on better communication in order to better meet the needs of our members & attenders & the wider community.

Kaufman Interfaith Institute's upcoming opportunities. 

May Queries

Moderation / Humility

That no-one speak evil of another, neither judge one against another; but rather judge this, that none put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in his brother's way.
(Epistle from the Elders at Balby, 1656)

Friends, whatever ye are addicted to, the tempter will come in that thing; and when he can trouble you, then he gets advantage over you, and then you are gone. Stand still in that which is pure.
(George Fox, Journal, 1652)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

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!

Monday, April 9, 2012

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?

Thursday, March 8, 2012

March Announcements

  • Contribute to the vitality of the Meeting by serving on the Nominating Committee. This committee identifies members and attenders who will serve on the Meeting’s various standing committees for the coming year. Convener Kim Ranger invites you to contact her (kim.ranger@gmail.com) to help with this important task, which must be completed by the end of May.
  • Listen and learn about Quakerism on your computer or iPod. The Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Birmingham, UK, has sponsored a series of talks called “A Very Short Introduction to Quakerism” which are available free for you to listen to on your computer or iPod. The speaker was Ben Pink Dandelion, Woodbrooke’s Tutor in Postgraduate Quaker Studies. The series consists of seven 40-minute talks, each followed by a 20-minute Q&A, including “Who are the Quakers?”, “The History of Quakerism,” “Quaker Worship and Witness,” “What Quakers Believe,” “Quakers, Theology and Language,” “Quakers and Ecumenism,” and “The Future of Quakerism.” Go to http://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/news.php/6/a-very-short-introduction-to-quakerism.
  • Learn more about Being Salt and Light, the theme of the World Conference of Friends 2012, coming April 17-25 in Nakuru, Kenya. One thousand Friends will gather to celebrate Friends living the kingdom of God in a broken world. Delegates will come from around the world (many need support; you can help with a donation), as will many “open place” attendees—including you, if you’re interested! Full details are at www.saltandlight2012.org.
  • Broaden horizons at the Interfaith Speaker’s Series on Wednesdays, from 5:45-7:30 p.m. This series, part of the Kaufman Interfaith Institute’s ongoing 2012 Year of Interfaith Understanding, is held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1025 3 Mile Rd., NE, Grand Rapids. Dinner is served at 5:45; the program begins at 6:30. Childcare is available. The cost—including dinner!—is free, but please RSVP to Mike Fedewa mfedewa@sbcglobal.net. Upcoming presentations include:

Mar. 7: Baha’i (Michael Hampton)

Mar. 21: Islam (Elaine Wahab)

Mar. 28: Latter Day Saints (Garth Aarmodt)

Apr. 18: Christian Orthodox (Fr. Nick Marcus)

  • Save your canceled stamps and donate them to Right Sharing of World Resources, a Quaker program that supports grassroots projects for economic development in poor countries. It’s simple. Please go to http://www.rswr.org/ and click on Donors, Stamps Program for details.

Queries for March: Outreach

Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people and to them. (George Fox, Journal, p. 263)

How welcoming is our Meeting to newcomers? When they request information about Quakerism or about the Meeting, what resources do we share?

Do we reach out to the wider circle of Friends? Do we support and participate in Friends General Conference and Friends World Committee for Consultation, whose missions are to nurture the entire Religious Society of Friends?

Do we work gladly with other religious and social groups in the pursuit of common goals? While remaining faithful to Quaker insights, do we enter openly into the life and witness of other communities of faith, creating together the bonds of friendship?

Are we open to being a Meeting of people from different ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds who value and appreciate each other? Do we give sufficient time and effort to a mutual sharing with others about the experience and understanding of Quaker worship, service, and witness?