Friday, January 30, 2009

Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches in the West
The Alaska Friends Conference Spring Quarterly Meeting will be March 27-29, in Homer. The main theme will be an experiential workshop from the Alternative to Violence program.
The Christian Friends Conference Western Region will meet Saturday, March 14 at the Berkeley Friends Church.
Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy invites Washington State Friends to attend its first Quaker Lobby Day, which will focus on criminal justice issues. It will be held in Olympia on Monday, February 9 with the day beginning at the Olympia Friends Meeting House.
The Midwinter Gathering of Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns will take place February 14-16, 2009 at Camp Adams near Portland, Oregon with the theme “Faith Calls for Justice on the Same Terms.”
Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF) will meet February 6-8, 2009.
The 2009 New Mexico Spring Quaker Women’s Retreat will be March 27-29 in Las Cruces.
The Junior Friends (high-school age) of North Pacific Yearly Meeting will hold their Ski Trip February 13-16.
Northwest Yearly Meeting’s Mid-Year Boards will be held February 6-7, 2009.
The Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting Silent Retreat will be held January 30-February 1, 2009 at Camp Huston, Gold Bar, Washingon. This retreat offers an opportunity to reach more profound depths in the Silence of Quaker worship.
Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting will gather April 24-26 with the theme, “Clearing the Clutter and Caring for what Matters.” Bellingham Meeting and Lopez Island Worship Group are co-hosts.
Quaker Heritage Day of Berkeley Friends Church will be February 21, 2009. Dan Seeger, New York Yearly Meeting, will speak on: Commerce, Community and the Regulations of Universal Love; The Contemporary Relevance of John Woolman’s Witness on the Economy.
Southern California Quarterly Meeting approved the following Minute: - “As we are learning to respect the workings of the Spirit not only in ourselves but in all life, we acknowledge our special responsibility as humans in protecting and healing our planet. We encourage monthly meetings to continue the long process of discerning how care for the Earth can best be expressed in the lives of their members through discussion, action, and standing in the Light.”.
The Southern California Quarterly Meeting Spring Gathering will take place on Saturday, April 25th, 2009 at Santa Barbara Monthly Meeting.
Willamette Quarterly Meeting meets for Meeting for Worship for Business on February 7, 2009, at the Corvallis Friends Meeting House.
News of Friends Meetings and Churches
The Tempe Meeting (AZ) Women's Group meets monthly, alternating brown bag lunches with dinner potlucks at parks, the Meeting House, and homes. This provides an opportunity for all women both young and old to strengthen their friendships with others from the Meeting.
Tempe Meeting (AZ) recently hosted the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Western Friend. Friends had the opportunity to meet the Board and enjoy fellowship with them and among themselves through hosting a potluck.
Tacoma Meeting (WA) pays the City of Tacoma a payment in lieu of taxes. This amount is what they think is an appropriate share of the cost for police and fire protection.
The South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) has a Quaker 104 group which meets monthly. They read books and Pendle Hill Pamphlets. As the group has met for four years, any new members need a basic understanding of Quaker practice and principles.
Friends from South Mountain Meeting (Ashland, OR) do Sacred Circle Dancing after Meeting for Worship on the Second Sunday of the Month. The dances are simple and the music wonderful. All are invited to participate.
The South Santa Fe Worship Group (NM) is pleased that many Quaker events are taking place in their Quaker House, including a simple supper, Quakerism 101 class, and a Spiritual Formation group. The New Mexico Regional Meeting will meet there on April 18.
Friends at Sherwood Friends Church (OR) are being asked: Are you interested in helping/ministering in new ways? If so, where do your interest and gifts lie?
Members and attenders of Santa Monica Meeting (CA) are invited to write proposals for Alice Herman Sojourning Fellowships for sustained visits of a week or more in situations away from Santa Monica where recipients are led to deepen or refresh their Quaker commitment, and share it with others through their deeds, words, and lives.
The children of Sandpoint Meeting (ID) are studying the queries in advance of the adult discussion on a particular query so that the children can participate as well.
Friends at San Francisco Meeting (CA) have the opportunity to learn more about Quakerism after Meeting for Worship on February 15. This session, led by Ministry and Oversight Committee will cover broad topics of Quaker faith, practice and history. They will end by answering big questions such as, “Why?” and “So now what?”
Salt Lake Meeting (UT) Ministry and Counsel will hold a threshing meeting to discuss topics about membership. Questions include: -- What does an attender need to know about becoming a member of the Meeting? -- What questions do attenders have about becoming members?
Sacramento Friends (CA) considered a request to serve champagne at an upcoming wedding to be held at the meeting house. Concern was expressed for those who are sensitive to the presence of alcohol and the request was withdrawn.
Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) notes that its Meetinghouse was opened in February 1909. The Meeting wishes to honor this one hundred year anniversary with a celebration that would be simple, shared with the community in a simple manner and also help the building.
Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) has agreed on wording for a banner to hang at the front of the Meeting House. The words will be “Live Simply so that others may simply live. Ghandi” The words will be in English and Spanish.
Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA) will hold a talking meeting to receive input for the annual report sent to Southern California Quarterly Meeting. Participants in the talking meeting provide input on the past year in Meeting life and how they perceive their current state.
Carl Birky of Newberg Friends Church (OR) notes that when people are asked about grandchildren their voices become soft and they get out pictures. When asked about God, they become silent. Carl suggests we listen to God’s involvement in our lives with excitement, affirmation, and profound gratitude.
A Listening Life group at Newberg Friends Church (OR) suggests Friends set a timer at 30 or 60 minute intervals throughout the day. When the timer goes off, turn your thoughts to God for one minute. Dedicate your current task to God and open your mind and heart to God.
Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) Friends are invited to Come to The Hearth! -- The Meeting’s very own salon/ Quaker living room/joyning from on Saturday evenings at the Meeting House. All ages are invited for World/classical/jazz/folk/sixties music;. Poets, singers, musicians, dancers, storytellers welcome.
Missoula Meeting (MT) will have a intergenerational FUN (Friends in Unity with Nature) night with pizza, games, and a movie about climate change, “Oil and Water.”
Lopez Island Worship Group (WA) has come under the care of Bellingham Meeting. A joint committee of the two groups has been formed.
Gila Meeting (Silver City, NM) reports that there has been great activity and need for community action on hunger. The Meeting is contributing to two local funds.
Glendora Friends Church (CA) notes that the largest group in its congregation is single young adults, many of whom have active roles in the church’s ministry. Families with young children are a growing group in their midst. How can the church cooperate with the Holy Spirit to propel these Friends forward in ministry?
Delta Meeting (CA) provided funds for a Peace Essay Contest.
Davis, Delta, and Sacramento Meetings (CA) met together for worship, potluck and a presentation of Pacific Yearly Meeting’s proposed Youth Coordinator position.
Bob Adhikary spoke at Citrus Heights Friends Church (CA). Bob has more than a dozen churches in southern Nepal and has a special gift of evangelistic preaching.
Children’s Program Committee of Bellingham Meeting (WA) indicates that the children are involved in Worship Sharing during their program. If they finish in time, they will come into adult worship with the toddlers, if not, they will come in a little later.
Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) reads poetry on First Sundays. A Friend brings poems to read with copies for all. After they talk about the poems, they read them again.

More than one Meeting:
Many Meetings are considering involvement with the Quaker Quest Program.

PS. Personal note:
It’s cold! I repeat what I said to the long-distance truck-driving nephew, “Surprise, it’s winter.”
I’m usually pretty good about the cold; generally it doesn’t bother me that much. But I realized lately, I’ve just been COLD.
So, the other day, I vowed to take care of the situation. I wasn’t going to be cold. I was to pick up granddaughter Sophie, take her by bus to a local Mall to hang out for awhile, and then take her to her Mommy’s office to hand her over. I bundled up. And was I ever HOT! Seems as though you just can’t win!
But a very special plus was that Becky’s friend and co-worker, Sabrina Godfrey is a member of Multnomah Meeting. Sabrina and I ended up on the same bus going back home and had a nice visit. It’s a small world in a big city.

I occasionally force myself to do something that’s not me. It’s so easy to do what is normal and comfortable. But if I don’t take a leap every once in awhile, I’d be stuck in a horrible rut.
When I saw that Reedwood Friends Church was offering a Wednesday evening class on Spirituality and Creativity, I knew I had to take it. I am NOT an artsy person. I provide arts materials for my granddaughter but rarely do anything creative myself.
Melanie Weidner is leading the class, “Fill the Well.” She brings poetry, her own works of art to us, and we share our stories in words and with art. So far we’ve used clay and colored markers. I love it that Melanie doesn’t know what the theme of the evening will be until shortly before the class. We’re filling the spiritual well with art.

In Friendship,
Nancy

Friday, January 16, 2009

News of Friends Meetings and Churches
Nominating Committee of Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) has sent a nominating questionnaire to members via e-mail. Friends are to fill out the questionnaire and send it back to the committee.
Berkeley Friends Meeting (CA) Adult Education Committee is sponsoring a discussion series based on Elizabeth Watson’s book Guests of My Life where she writes to describe the solace she found in literature after the tragic death of her daughter. Discussion covers the book itself and selections from texts by the authors Watson writes about.
Boise Friends Church (ID) holds Wednesday Night Classes, preceded by a minimally-priced dinner, Adult classes include “Learning the Journey of Faith,” “Faith Lessons” (videos filmed on location in Israel, and “What does the Bible say about…?”
In order to transport members and attenders who need rides to and from Meeting and other activities, Boulder Meeting (CO) is setting up a central clearing-house of rides and riders on the Meetng’s website. A print-out of the current list is posted in the Meeting House for those without computer access to the website.
Bridge City and Multnomah Meetings (Portland, OR) cancelled Meeting for Worship for Business during December because of snow.
Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR) had its Intergenerational Winter Celebration cancelled because of snow. The gathering, to reflect on the meaning of Light and Darkness in our lives, has been rescheduled to February 1.
Cochise Friends Worship Group (McNeal, AZ) recently hosted students and staff from the Woolman Semester in Grass Valley, CA.
Corvallis Meeting (OR) is considering changing the time of Meeting for Worship, Meeting for Worship for Business and Adult Education. Starting in February, Meeting for Worship will be held before Adult Education or Meeting for Worship for Business.
Glendora Friends Church (CA) will host the Azusa Pacific University Players Drama, “Archie & Emma,” on January 18. The story is based on real people and events—a love story for the ages—20 years and 2000 miles later.
Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA) is planning an outreach event about Quakerism. They have invited Jacob and Gretta Stone from Quaker Center at Ben Lomond and expect folk dancing and a potluck.
Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) Friends are invited to Come to The Hearth! -- The Meeting’s very own salon/ Quaker living room/joyning from on Saturday evenings at the Meeting House. All ages are invited for World/classical/jazz/folk/sixties music;. Poets, singers, musicians, dancers, storytellers welcome
Newberg Friends Church (OR), on January 18 (6:00 p.m), will present Rich Swingle’s “A Clear Leading,” a one person play, based on incidents in the life of John Woolman who publicly spoke out against slavery.
Friends at Newberg Friends Church (OR) are becoming prayer partners with the girls, Bible College Students, and staff of Caring Hands Ministry in Dharwad, India. Prayer partners will receive pictures and personal prayer requests from their prayer partners and will send pictures, information about themselves, and prayer requests so the prayer partnership can go both ways.
Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) invites Friends for a Poetry Evening on Wednesday, January 21. Friends are to bring poetry, songs, or just ears to listen.
Ministry and Worship and Pastoral Care Committees of Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) will not form a joint committee. The committees will work with each other.
Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA) has determined that the barn on its property must come down as a step towards better stewardship of their property. Friends who have possessions stored in the barn are asked to remove them.
The Clerk of Sacramento Meeting (CA) reviewed with Friends traditions and guidelines regarding vocal ministry during Meeting for Worship.
Sandpoint Meeting (ID) is deepening its Quakerism. In January they will be delving into the Integrity Testimony. “Integrity is being all of a (one) piece.” Friends will explore further.
The Community Spiritual Life (CSL) committee of South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) has decided to sponsor a round of Friendly 8s, a potluck dinner with a chance to get together outside of Meeting to socialize and get to know each other better. Participants indicate interest and they will be randomly grouped with the host responsible for setting a date. Newer attenders are especially encouraged to participate.
Friends at Friends Community Church Spring Valley (CA) are reminded that Uncle Tom’s Cabin is a great read. In this novel the atrocity of slavery is clearly defined as well as the great love of Jesus Christ and his great power over it.
Tempe Meeting (AZ) has decided to cancel the Meeting retreat that had been planned for January, recognizing that the timing has been too tight.
The purpose of the Year of Discernment of University Meeting (Seattle, WA) is to discern “who the Meeting is” as a spirit-led community, what the Meeting is called to do, and what the Meeting has the capacity to do. In order to identify the many things the Meeting is already doing, short articles about its ministries are being included in the Meeting Newsletter.
Last Fall Vashon Friends Worship Group (WA) hosted representatives of Si a la Vida, a program for street kids in Nicaragua to which the Worship Group has sent monthly donations for years.
First Friends, Whittier (CA) has chosen a Clearness Committee to lead the process of transition, including affirming and completing the past, building a new identity for the future, and advising the Pastoral Search Community on the kind of pastoral leadership that will be needed for the future.

Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches
The Alaska Friends Conference Spring Quarterly Meeting will be March 27-29, in Homer. The main theme will be an experiential workshop from the Alternative to Violence program.
College Park Quarterly Meeting will gather January 17, 2009 at Palo Alto Meeting.
Evangelical Friends Church Southwest will hold its Annual Conference and Serve Day in three locations. In Southern California the Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner will be January 23, and the Serve Day, January 24, 2009. In Arizona/Nevada the Equipping Community Dinner will be February 6 and the Serve Day, February 7, 2009. In Northern California the Equipping Community Dinner will be February 20 and the Serve Day, February 21, 2009.
Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy invites Washington State Friends to attend its first Quaker Lobby Day, which will focus on criminal justice issues. It will be held in Olympia on Monday, February 9 with the day beginning at the Olympia Friends Meeting House.
The Midwinter Gathering of Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Concerns will take place February 14-16, 2009 at Camp Adams near Portland, Oregon with the theme “Faith Calls for Justice on the Same Terms.”
Each year, Intermountain Yearly Meeting sends queries to member Meetings and Worship Groups. This year’s queries relate to drug and alcohol use and spiritual storytelling and storytellers. Queries include the following: What are the beliefs and experiences of Friends in your Meeting concerning the proper place of alcohol or drug use in the home, in gatherings of Friends, or in everyday life? What benefits do Friends find from alcohol use? Could we be comfortable requesting that alcohol use be avoided at gatherings of Friends?. . . . Are there Friends whose spiritual stories you would particularly like to hear or Friends who would particularly like to learn to tell their story, including stories directed especially to children?
Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF) will meet February 6-8, 2009.
North Pacific Yearly Meeting Steering Committee meets January 24, 2009 at the Multnomah Meeting House (Portland, OR) This will be the last NPYM Steering Committee Meeting; the Yearly Meeting will switch to a Coordinating Committee status. Steering Committee had authority to act on its own with guidance from monthly meetings; with the new yearly meeting structure, much of the decision making goes back to the yearly meeting at annual session.
The Junior Friends (high-school age) of North Pacific Yearly Meeting will hold their Ski Trip February 13-16.
Northwest Yearly Meeting’s Midwinter High School Retreat will be held January 16-19, 2009 on the Oregon Coast at Twin Rocks Friends Camp. The theme will be “Where’s the Whole Gospel,” with Steve Sherwood, George Fox University, who will teach about relationships and service within the community.
Northwest Yearly Meeting’s Mid-Year Boards will be held February 6-7, 2009.
Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting Continuing Committee will meet Sunday, January 25, 2009, following a semi-potluck lunch.
The Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting Silent Retreat will be held January 30-February 1, 2009 at Camp Huston, Gold Bar, Washingon. This retreat offers an opportunity to reach more profound depths in the Silence of Quaker worship.
Quaker Heritage Day of Berkeley Friends Church will be February 21, 2009. Dan Seeger, New York Yearly Meeting, will speak on: Commerce, Community and the Regulations of Universal Love; The Contemporary Relevance of John Woolman’s Witness on the Economy. www.berkeleyfriendschurch.org
Utah Friends Fellowship will meet in Logan, UT, January 17-18, 2009.
The Walk with Earth Pilgrimage, for the beauty of the earth down the watersheds of the Americas, started March 2nd at San Francisco Meeting. Led by Rolene Walker, this pilgrimage ends in Chile in 2.5 years.
Willamette Quarterly Meeting meets for Meeting for Worship for Business on February 7, 2009, at the Corvallis Friends Meeting House.


PS. Personal note:
It’s been a quiet week here on Aspen Summit Drive. I’ve had a couple of meetings to go to and the usual errands and other things that keep ordinary life moving along. Praise God for ordinary life!
I live in a large apartment complex right beside the freeway. (My cats sometimes watch the cars going by.) However, the window I’m looking out now, as I sit at my desk, faces north, directly at Mt. St. Helens. The mountain is quiet now, glowing white with all the snow we’ve had lately. It’s nice and peaceful—sunshine, no snowstorm, no erupting mountain. It’s a quiet week.
In Friendship,
Nancy

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

News of Friends Meetings and Churches in the West

Pastor Andy Koomen of West Community Friends Church (Corona, CA) suggests that rather than make New Year’s resolutions based that something Friends should or would like to do, that Friends make this a year of prayer. He suggests taking five minutes more each day than one normally does to pray.
First Friends Vancouver (WA) in January will meet people interested in becoming pastors at First Friends.
University Meeting (Seattle, WA) has approved re-opening a homeless shelter in its facilities. The shelter will be for both men and women, with separate sleeping spaces.
Tempe Meeting (AZ) notes that "Undie Sundays" are NOT times to appear at TFM in one’s underwear!! They are, instead, opportunities to collect new underwear and socks for Tempe's homeless population.
Friends at Friends Community Church Spring Valley (CA) are invited to join the church’s prayer e-chain. Friends then pray for requests as they receive them.
Friends Community Church Spring Valley (CA) has had a rash of graffiti vandalism recently. Friends are urged to be on the lookout when they pass the church facility and let Pastor Ken know if they see suspicious activity.
South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) will hold an Adult Education session on raising a family as Quakers, and in the Quaker faith. The Neff family will share their experiences.
South Mountain Meeting (Ashland, OR) will use Fourth Sundays to address the new chapters in NPYM’s Faith and Practice. Friends will discuss one chapter per month.
Sherwood Community Friends Church (OR) had a New Year’s Eve party planned by the youth leadership team.
Sherwood Community Friends Church (OR) will celebrate Faith Sunday on January 11. The morning speaker will be Bob Adhikary from Nepal and the afternoon speakers are Lee and Elsa Jane Weislogel who will share about their recent trip to Africa.
A Meeting for Healing is held by the Visitation Committee of Santa Monica Meeting (CA) every first and third Wednesday with prayers for healing, worship, and gratitude.
Santa Fe Meeting (NM) is, upon the advice of its lawyer, creating a "title-holding trust" to receive the title to land which is being donated to the Meeting. The trust will hold the title on behalf of the Meeting.
San Jose Meeting (CA) will hold a threshing session on “Does the practice of reading deepen our experience of worship?” Some individuals feel that reading inspirational texts such as the Bible or other Quaker literature deepens their experience of worship. Others believe that a Quaker Meeting for Worship consists of expectant waiting, and that reading is not quite the same as waiting expectantly for divine instruction. Is it ever appropriate to use an electronic device during meeting for worship, such as to read Bible verses?
San Francisco Meeting (CA) has been on record since 1971 as being willing to marry a same gender couple under its care. The Meeting recently received its first application.
Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) received a report from Juan Pascoe S. on the status of his ongoing work with the Mexican and U.S. Governments on the issue of Mexicans seeking work in the U.S.
Worship and Ministry Committee of Palo Alto Meeting (CA) is discussing how to help parents with vocal young children and babies in Meeting for Worship to preserve the quality and spirit of silent worship while insuring that young families feel welcome and supported by the Meeting.
Orange County Meeting (CA) is considering moving from their current rental location. They looked at a site near the Orange County Airport. While the facilities were good, Friends were concerned about airplane noise. Friends will continue looking. They find that they are too small for real estate agents and are searching on their own.
North Seattle Friends Church (WA) is holding a Friday night Movie Night. Friends will watch To Kill a Mocking Bird.
Newberg Friends Church (OR) is building a Children’s Discernment Team composed of a “parental representative” from each Sunday School class. The team will work to shape Children’s Ministries into a place that leads children to the love of Jesus and builds a foundation of faith.
Discussion continued at Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO) about whether or not to do background checks for people interested in working with children. While all are in unity that safety of the children in paramount, there is a growing sense that background checks cannot substitute for knowledge of the community, vigilance, and active shared responsibility for children's activities and whereabouts.
Fresno Meeting (CA) is considering that the Meeting terminate membership for three people who the Meeting has not had contact with for many years, nor do they have current addresses.
Chico Meeting (CA) holds Meeting for Worship for Business after Meeting for Worship on Sunday. Clerks meet together on that morning before worship.
To deepen Friends’ understandings of the work of the Meeting Committees, Boulder Meeting (CO) is offering a series of Program Hours in which the committees are to respond to: “How does the work of your committee relate to the essence or magic of Quaker Meeting, to Quaker spiritual roots. What is the forefront in your area and how are you addressing it?”
Boise Friends Church (ID) donated 49 shoe boxes to Operation Christmas Child.
A message to Boise Friends Church (ID) is that the really good thing about Christmas is that it lasts all year. What doesn’t go away is the Christ of Christmas. He stays all year.
Berkeley Meeting (CA) has placed signs outside the Meeting House, notifying the community of the Meeting’s plans to renovate its buildings. This was a first step in seeking permission from the city of Berkeley.

More than one Church/Meeting:
Meetings and Churches are hosting homeless shelters.

Personal note:
The snow is gone, the holidays are over and life is back to normal. At first I say to myself, “whatever that is,” but then I acknowledge that “normal” is rain in the northwest; communications with Friends—both with local Friends and with FWCC; and, for this year, logistical preparations for the Annual Meeting of the Section of the Americas. Normal is good.
I haven’t really made any resolutions this year. (I like the idea of praying more.) I’d like to be/do better and hear better. (Hear God, of course)
I hope your holidays were the way you wanted them to be and that you have a happy and joyous 2009.
In Friendship,
Nancy