October Announcements

October 28: Ann Wright will be in Muskegon this Thursday at Unity church. Follow signs from I 96 & US 31 to the Lake Ferry on Laketon Ave. She is a retired Colonel of the US Army and will be speaking on the Middle East and our foreign policy. She also participated in the Flotilla off the coast of Israel.

October 30: There will also be a non-violent training by the Michigan Peace Team (Jasiu Milanowski will facilitate) on Saturday in Muskegon. Participants are needed; contact Gloria Switzer at gswitzer12@comcast.net.

October 31: Laura Arcila Villa and Betty Ford will share information they learned while attending a program on Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

November 1: “Being Salt and Light: Friends living the Kingdom of God in a broken world.” Kalamazoo Friends Meeting (508 Denner St.) is hosting this event for Friends World Committee for Consultation on Monday evening, 11/1/2010. Anne Bennett of Britain Yearly Meeting will be speaking on a theme of living our faith in times of brokenness. The event starts at 6:30 pm with light refreshment; if anyone needs overnight hospitality, let Joseph Mills know. Advance registration is requested or contact Joseph & Linda Mills at millrae@juno.com.

November 3, Ann Arbor Friends Meeting will have a “Salt and Light” Program.October 17 program: "Basics of Quakerism" based on the book The Quaker Way.

November 1: We will welcome Laura Arcila Villa and Mark Hepper as members at the potluck following worship.

October 15: The Book Reading Group will meet on the 3rd Friday of October at 7:00 at the Scott Giese's. We are reading Seeking Truth
Together: Enabling the Poor and Saving the Planet in the Manner of Friends. We will read the first half of the book for the October meeting.

October 22: Steven Donahoe from Washington, D.C. will be in Fremont Friday to speak about national legislation priorities. He will be at 8885 W. 32nd St. for a potluck luncheon at 11:30 a.m. He will also be present at the IGE on Wealthy St. in Grand Rapids about 3:30.

October 23: The First Day School committee announces a potluck-picnic for Saturday noon in Johnson Park (at the log cabin) in Grand Rapids (corner of Wilson and Butterworth). If you’d like some exercise first, meet at the trailhead for Kent Trails (go past John Ball Park and turn left into the entry parking lot for the trail. There is plenty of parking, a rest room and shelter.) For more info, please contact Judi Buchman or Mark Post.

October 24: "Tearing Down the Walls: Christian & the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" on Saturday, 7-9 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational UCC Church, 4010 Kalamazoo SE.

“God in America,” a three-part series that “examines the potent and complex interaction between religion and democracy, the origins of the American concept of religious liberty, and the controversial evolution of that ideal in the nation's courts and political arena,” will air on PBS Monday through Wednesday, Oct. 11-13. The series is sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trust, the Fetzer Foundation and others, and features documentary footage, historical dramatization, and interviews with religious historians.

October Query

• Do we regard our time, talents, energy, money, material possessions and other resources as gifts from God to be held in trust and shared according to the light we are given?
• How do we express this conviction?
• What are we doing as individuals and as a Meeting to use and thereby perfect our gifts?
• How do we encourage others to use theirs?

August Queries & Announcements

Query:

• Are we charitable with each other? How careful are we of the reputation of others?
• Do we avoid hurtful criticism and gossip?
• Do we practice the art of listening to one another, even beyond words?
• How well are we able to love each other unconditionally?
• Are we sensitive to each other's personal needs and difficulties and do we assist in useful ways?

August 8: The Green Pastures Quarterly Meeting for Worship will take place on August 8th in Peace Park in Battle Creek, 11:00. Noon: picnic potluck.
Directions: Quaker Park is on Fremont and Groveland Streets, three blocks north of the YMCA. Google map.

August 13: Friends Book Group will meet Friday at 7:00 Friday at the home of Betty Ford.

August 16: Noon Meeting for Business; Financial Committee and Program Committee will report.

August 22 & 29: After worship, Fellowship followed by singing from Worship in Song.

September 18th: U.N. International Day of Peace Observance will happen on Saturday from 10:00 until 6:00. There will be a Peace Festival during the Eastown Fair. On Sunday, September 19th, there will be an Interfaith Peace Service in the Dominican Chapel on the Marywood Campus. This year's question is, "Tell us how your religious tradition reaches out to others to achieve World Peace."

Announcements & newsletter

Mike Holaday, mikeholaday@att.net, has volunteered to do announcements & help with the newsletter. Please email him with information for the announcements.

Written/emailed announcements avoid lengthy spoken announcements at the close of Meeting for Worship and aid in memory.

July/August newsletter: please email information to Betty Ford a.s.a.p.

June 13 Announcements

• Please give back to the Meeting by signing up for child care during July & August--contact Betty Ford. There is no curriculum during the summer. Also, we need a greeter for August 15--contact Kim Ranger.
• Peace & Social Action Committee will meet Sunday June 20 following Meeting for Worship in the Browne Center. All are welcome, especially to help plan the fundraiser below.
• There will be a fundraiser for Cathi Deyo's trip to Palestine to harvest olives this fall. The fundraiser will be a dinner at East Congregational United Church of Christ, 1005 Giddings SE, July 27th at 6:00 p.m. Set-up volunteers are needed.
• August 8 is the LEYM worship at Quaker Park in Battle Creek.
• The business meeting will be delayed until August 15 to accomodate the Aug 8 worship.
  
• There are still shares in Sandhill CSA: contact Scot Miller or Jenn Seif.

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.