News from Western Quaker Newsletters
December 2009

News of Friends Meetings and Churches

Woodland Friends Church (ID), a congregation of 60 people in a farming community on a beautiful mesa in central Idaho, is looking for a pastor.
December will be the last month for Bill Peterson’s service as Pastor of First Friends, Whittier (CA). A farewell reception will be held on Sunday, December 27.
Friends at University Meeting (Seattle, WA) are invited let their contemplative and creative juices flow to make a personal vision collage On Sunday, January 3rd.
Tempe Meeting (AZ) will hold a retreat Jan 22-23 at the Tempe Meeting House. The guest speaker, Lucy Duncan of Friends General Conference, will lead on the topic of telling spiritual stories and the technique of deep listening to the stories of others.
The Care of the Meeting Committee of Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA) has concerns about the advices and queries on Personal Relationships. The Committee had concerns about reading the advices on sexual and other abuse during Meeting for Worship, particularly if children are attending. The Committee decided that the advices and queries on Home and Family of the 1985 edition of Faith and Practice were more appropriate for reading with children present. However, some on the Committee felt that the 1985 advices and queries were outdated in some respects. The Meeting asked the Committee to forward its reflections to the Pacific Yearly Meeting Discipline Committee with a cover letter explaining the meeting's particular concern.
Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA) will hold its Annual Candlelight Service and Musical, “Joy to the Word,” on Wednesday, December 23rd.
A member of South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) is working toward a gathering (probably in early 2010) of middle-schoolers from all the local Quaker meetings.
Fellowship Committee of Santa Monica Meeting (CA) has been approached by Friends about the presence of desserts/sweets at Fellowship. The Meeting expressed a desire to limit foods with sugar.
On the First First Day of each month Santa Cruz Meeting (CA) comes together to practice Holy Listening. In the center of the gathering, Friends place a bowl containing slips of paper with various short quotations. Each person takes one at random and reflects on the quotation until moved to speak.
A Friend from Santa Cruz Meeting (CA), noting that many Meetings have Young Friends groups and that Santa Cruz Meeting has an “Older Folks Group,” suggests that the Meeting form a self-identified group called Mid-Life Friends.
San Jose Meeting (CA) is Calling All Carolers to help bring good cheer and a bit of holiday music to others. Friends will meet on December 20 at 5 PM at Brinton House, and go to two or three selected homes to sing carols and share some time with friends. They will then go to Thomas and Emily Leo’s home for refreshments and tales of Christmases past and present.
Ruth Fraser of San Francisco Meeting (CA) hosts a Story Swap the first Sunday evening of each month at the San Francisco Meeting House, featuring different tellers each month. www.storysaac.org
Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) Sermon Series includes “Why Christmas:
A Time for Celebration (Jerry Costley); A Time for Salvation (Chris Steiger); A Time for Reconciliation (Jason Morones). The Wednesday Night Small Groups will discuss a three-part DVD lesson series: The Purpose of Christmas.
Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) welcomes Friends to a Primetime New Year’s Eve Party. At 9-12 p.m. Eastern Time. Thus, Friends are to come at 6:00 p.m. So many people came last year that the entire Plaza level of the Center Building has been reserved to have more elbow room. Friends are to bring a potluck dish and a “White Elephant” gift. They'll have fun games, including an electronic bowling contest (Nintendo Wii on big screens). A devotional and Communion time will complete the evening at 9 p.m.
The Ministry Committee of Reno Meeting (NV) is planning a Quaker 201 series that will likely be held periodically over a three year period and focus on topics like: Theism/non-theism/universalism/Christ-centeredness among Quakers; Leadings; Sense of the meeting; and Eldering.
The 2009 Dessert Auction at Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR) procured $4500 for summer 2010 camperships.
Christmas is happening at Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)with a Fellowship Meal and Church Decorating, a Sing-Along Messiah, an evening of Music and Holiday Desserts, an Evening with Friends Christmas Party and a Candlelight Christmas Eve Service.
Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) has gone through a discernment process regarding the American Friends Service Committee returning to the Meeting House. Seasoning occurred and the Meeting agreed that it is in unity with leasing two rooms to the AFSC.
Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) is offering Hospitality to the homeless three times in December-January.
When Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) approves an upgrade project, it will appoint a committee of two or three Friends responsible for soliciting funding for the project. Those who are enthusiastic about the project may wish to serve. The upgrade project will not begin until sufficient pledges have been obtained to fund the project. If sufficient pledges are not obtained, a report will be made to Meeting and the existing pledges will be canceled.
Newberg Friends Church (OR) has set aside December 20 for an evening of singing Christmas songs and tasting Christmas goodies. Friends will gather in the sanctuary for Christmas Evensong, a casual gathering to sing favorite Christmas songs together. Adults and children will lead and also sing prepared songs. Then they will enjoy the annual Taste of Christmas in the social hall. For those who choose, there will be caroling in the neighborhood.
Newberg Friends Church (OR) set up Advent Stations on December 14-17 that were open in the morning and in the evening. The doors were open and the candles were lit for Friends to find space to be with God for the amount of time appropriate for them.
Bradley Angle House is naming their women's shelter, the Bonnie Tinker Shelter, for a deceased member of Multnomah Monthly Meeting (Portland, OR). A virtual ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony was held at the Friends Meeting House and people had the opportunity to share stories of Bonnie, the shelter she founded, and to honor her memory.y–Thursday,
Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO) has a monthly Amnesty International letter writing group which writes letters to government officials supporting prisoners of conscience in other countries and persons on death row in the United States.
Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO) is in support of continuing the sale of grocery store gift cards to benefit the Colorado office of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).
Mountain View Friends Meeting (Denver, CO) is accepting designated contributions to the Paul and Lisa Motz-Storeys’ work in Arusha, Tanzania: the Selian Hospice and the continuing repairs being done at the Selian Lutheran hospital.
Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO) approved a minute of support for Bill and Genie Durlands’ participation in the Freedom March in Gaza.
The Library Committee of Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA) has assessed work done to date – categorization and organization. A principle statement has been drafted – “We strive to attain a library which speaks to Quaker faith and practice.” This is an important step forward and a guide for future acquisitions.
Midtown Friends (Sacramento, CA) had its Grand Opening Celebration on October 4th in Fremont Park in Midtown Sacramento, playing drums, creating art, tasting fair-trade coffee and chocolate, followed by their first official public worship service.
Fresno Meeting (CA) supports the Representative Committee handling more of the Yearly Meeting’s business. At present Fresno Friends Meeting is very small and is not able to commit to sending representatives to the Representative Committee.
The Florence Worship Group (OR) will meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays in Florence; on the 3rd Sunday at the Senior Center in Coos Bay; and the 5th Sunday in Deadwood. For more info, skdwr@oregonfast.net
Davis Meeting (CA) invites Friends to put Saturday March 13 in their datebook for the Meeting's all-day Quaker Quest workshop. Steve Chase, a gifted member of the Friends General Conference Quaker Quest Travel Team, will be leading the workshop, which is intended to help Friends develop "inreach and outreach".
The Adult Religious Education committee of Corvallis Meeting (OR) is tentatively planning a Retreat on “Preparing for Death.” The committee hopes to include such topics as legal documents, medical concerns, advance directives, physician aid-in-dying, and Hospice, etc.
Corvallis Meeting (OR) has learned that it may be eligible for $500 federal stimulus money for Meeting House maintenance. Friends discussed the implications of taking the money, and what the Meeting would do with the money. The issue is seasoning another month.
Joe Franco will come to Claremont Meeting (CA) as a guest speaker in on the Fourth Sunday in February.
Canyon Hills Friends (Yorba Linda, CA) experienced a musical Christmas celebration called, "When Hope Came..."
Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR) is once again planning a Christmas Eve celebration at the Multnomah Meeting House. There will be a short program and meeting for worship focused on the Christmas Story, followed by a social hour.
Berkeley Friends Church will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.
Children from Albuquerque Meeting (NM) took a field trip to Lucky Paws at Coronado Mall to deliver the toys & blankets they had made for animals in City Shelters. The children were given a tour of the facility and had a chance to visit with one of the dogs at the site.


Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches
Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House.
Friends Center at Azusa Pacific is offering a course on Friends Theology, Worship, and Leadership, taught by Kent Walkemeyer, Friends Center Director. kwalkemeyer@apu.edu
Ben Lomond Quaker Center and Western Friend announce their first collaborative program, Rightly-Ordered Financial Management for Friends' Meetings and Organizations. It will take place at Ben Lomond Quaker Center on March 5-7, 2010.
College Park Quarterly Meeting’s one-day Winter Quarter will be on Saturday, January 16, 2010, in Berkeley.
Evangelical Friends Church Southwest will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:
• Southern California – Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner, Friday January 29, 2010; Serve Day, Saturday, January 30, 2010.
• Arizona/Nevada – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.
• Northern California - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.
Friends are invited to join an Evangelical Friends Mission Vision Tour led by Chuck Mylander to Nepal, India, and Ireland, March 10-29, 2010. efm@friendsmission.com.
Continuing Committee of Intermountain Yearly Meeting will meet January 8-10, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Tempe Friends.
Neighbors East and West is planning a trip to Iran April-May 2010. N.E.W, a Citizen-Diplomacy Community Education Organization led by Sam and Ruth Neff, is based in Richmond, IN and Whitefish, MT. http://neighborseastandwest.org/
The North Pacific Yearly Meeting Youth Committee asks if Meetings, Worship Groups, or individuals would be able to send a one-time donation (or to add a line item in annual budgets) to support the NPYM Youth Opportunity Fund.
Each year, the churches and meetings of Northwest Yearly Meeting take a Thanksgiving offering to support special projects of local or global outreach. This year, NWYM hoped to raise $9,000 to assist Del and Suzanne Livingston (Olympic View Friends, Tacoma, WA) begin three biosand water filtration micro-businesses in Burundi. They raised much more than that!
Midwinter High School Camp of Northwest Yearly Meeting is a camp for youth and their friends in the middle of winter. It will be held at Quaker Hill (McCall, ID) from December 29, 2009 to January 1, 2010. It’s a chance for youth to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, worship, serve others, play games, and have a whole lot of fun. Information: rachelle@nwfriends.org
The Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting Silent Retreat will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.
Pacific Yearly Meeting seeks fulltime Youth Program Coordinator to enhance the spiritual development and nurture of our pre-teens through young adults. Coordinator provides program support and coordination of youth activities; assists Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in engaging and educating their young people; develops an infrastructure that brings Friends together as a faith community; and provides a role model experienced in Friends' worship and practices. Frequent travel required. Expenses reimbursed. $18 an hour plus overtime, starting with two-weeks' vacation, holidays, sick leave and benefits. Quaker meeting membership required. By January 12th email letters of interest and résumés to Lanny Jay at landbird@comcast.net.
Utah Friends Fellowship Mid Winter Gathering will be in Salt Lake January 16-17.
Western Young Friends New Year’s Gathering will take place at Cazadero Arts Camp in Northern California, December 28, 2009-January 2, 2010. www.newyearsgathering.org
Willamette Quarterly Meeting will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.