tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14109700718745541102024-03-08T11:45:29.691-08:00Words few and savory, seasoned with GraceAt the time when little Mary Proude was writing her own prayers, George Fox, then unknown to her and born in the same year, already knew that his "words should be few and savoury,seasoned with Grace."
Elizabeth Gray Vining in The World in Tune.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-39082885300307807492011-01-05T21:56:00.000-08:002011-01-05T22:06:16.181-08:00<p class="MsoNormal">To those who follow this blog:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As FWCC (Friends World Committee for Consultation) staff, I originally set up this blog to publish information about Western Quaker Churches and Meetings, publishing short summaries of information I found in Newsletters, on the internet, and from other sources. As I am no longer doing this work, I will now use the blog for my own musings, both Quaker and otherwise.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For example, I have been pondering my own history. How did I get from a young girl, running free on Fox Island in the middle of South Puget Sound, Washington, to this older (hopefully wiser)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>60 ++ Quaker woman sitting in her bedroom with her computer in Portland, Oregon?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">An overview of my Quaker history:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It started on an Air Force base near Fairbanks, Alaska. I met a civilian who happened to be a Quaker, married him, and little-by-little became a Quaker myself.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">August 1968 I moved from Alaska to State College, Pennsylvania. I attended State College Meeting just a few times, but as it was my first Quaker Meeting, it remains in my heart.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">January 1969 we moved to suburban Virginia. I tried a couple of Meetings, then settled on Goose Creek Meeting in Lincoln, VA where I first became a member.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In 1972 we moved to the town of Harvard in Massachusetts and we attended Acton Meeting.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1973 we moved to Tucson, AZ where we attended Pima Meeting. ( I was very confused when I visited the Friends Church in Tucson. Not what I expected. I’ve learned so much since then. And prayers please for Northwest Friends Church, Tucson, AZ whose church recently burned due to arson.)</p> <p class="MsoNormal">1974 we moved to Bellevue, WA (Later Redmond, WA), attended and joined Eastside Meeting.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Things settled down for awhile and it wasn’t until 1987 when we moved to Corvallis, OR and joined Corvallis Meeting.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I now live in Portland, OR and am a member of Bridge City Meeting. </p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-20424869348489311552010-11-18T12:01:00.000-08:002010-11-18T12:05:22.393-08:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">News from Friends World Committee for Consultation</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The World Conference of Friends will happen April 17-25, 2010 at Kabarak University near Nakuru, Kenya with the theme </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Being salt and Light:</span></i></span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> <span class="apple-style-span">Friends living the Kingdom of God in a broken world</span></span>.</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">It has come to my attention that there is some confusion as to who goes to this conference. I found the following on the FWCC World website. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><a href="http://www.fwccworld.org/">http://www.fwccworld.org/</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">There are two ways you can apply to attend the World Conference:</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:black">1. As a delegate selected by your yearly meeting. A mailing has gone out to each yearly meeting (whether or not affiliated with FWCC) advising them of the number of delegates they are entitled to send. They have been asked to let the World Office know if they will use all these delegate spaces by the end of September 2010 and to provide the names of the delegates by December 2010. The World Office will send those delegates registration forms. Each yearly meeting determines how it will name its delegates.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />2. Via an Open Place. There will be 300 spaces reserved for Open Place applicants plus any spaces not used by yearly meetings. Applications are available from the World Office or you may fill in the online form.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">News of Friends Meetings and Churches<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Wyoming Friends Meeting</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> gathered in Sheridan, Wyoming, Nov. 5-7.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b> will host the Whittier Community Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, November 21. Friends will participate as hosts during this traditional event.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Rehearsals start soon at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> for the church’s informal "Christmas Choir." <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> The group will help lead music throughout December, with some simple but beautiful choral arrangements of seasonal carols -- some familiar, some unusual.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">For the message one Sunday at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> Mike Huber read Matthew 5:14-16, carved a pumpkin, and told a story about inward Light. The Light inside a jack-o-lantern can only keep burning if it has a way to “come out.”</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">The <span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Victoria Society of Friends Meeting House<i> </i></span>on Fern Street, where not only does the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Victoria Friends Meeting</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">(BC)</b> regularly meet for worship, business, and celebration, but where many Friends have been and will be married, supported, enlightened, celebrated, and mourned, will be one hundred years old in May, 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri">Vancouver Meeting (BC)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"> has had an on-going series of discussions in its Newsletter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Between Friends,</i> about Christianity and Universalism.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Every few years <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">University Friends (Seattle, WA)</b> have gathered for a workshop on concerns about Death & Dying. Friends gathered this November, to worship and share as well as to look at topics that arise when a family member or loved one ages or has a life-threatening disease. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook"">University Friends </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"">(Seattle, WA)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Schoolbook""> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Crafts Fair will be November 28<sup>th</sup>.<b> </b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"Century Schoolbook"; color:black">This simple yet fun and well loved annual event is a service to the Meeting and fee free for vendors. </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> will hold an After Thanksgiving Potluck on Sunday, November 28<sup>th</sup>. Friends are invited to bring their Thanksgiving leftovers, or anything else they wish to share.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Friends at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA)</b> are urged to bring family and friends to church and a Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner. Friends are reminded that the holidays are a time when non-church-goers are more likely to attend church.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Body" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">South Seattle Friends (WA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> plan to hold a celebration to thank University Friends Meeting for its support of South Seattle becoming a monthly meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Good Works of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Santa Fe Meeting (NM)</b> constitutes the monetary support (separate from individual and Meeting person power support) of organizations that provide services that are aligned with Quaker concerns. These organizations are local as well as regional, national and international. They are Quaker and non-Quaker.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Because October 31<sup>st</sup> was a fifth Sunday, there was sacred dancing before meeting for worship at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA).</b> As it was The</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Day of the Dead</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">in many cultures, the dances honored ancestors and others who no longer walk this earth whom Friends wanted to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> held a </span></span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">“</span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black; font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Peace & Social Order” Exploratory Gathering</span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">A Friend shared<i>, </i></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black">telling the group about some of the history of Peace and Social Order (P&SO) Committee work within the Santa Cruz Meeting, over a period of many years. The Peace and Social Order Liaison position was formed in January, 2007 and later shared by two Co-Liaisons. This is the Meeting’s present structure for P&SO work. Friends reflected their experiences, thoughts, and expectations in a deep, spirit-led way.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Santa Cruz Friends (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> noted the </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">need to be sure of the date, time, and purpose of <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">announcements after Meeting. It can be confusing to newcomers if those giving announcements are confused.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">Sandpoint Meeting (ID)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia"> is considering becoming a </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE1FC5670t00">Committee of the Whole which would t</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2147420t00">ake the place of Education Committee, Buildings & Grounds and Ministry.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE1FC5670t00"> The Committee would c</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2147420t00">onsider emerging, half-formed ideas and would be open to everyone to discuss topics, visions and different</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE1FC5670t00"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2147420t00">ways of solving problems. Committee of the Whole would make decisions and take Minutes on those</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE1FC5670t00"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2147420t00">decisions.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:TTE1FC5670t00"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">San Jose Friends (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia"> are invited to </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">enjoy an afternoon of worship-sharing and Quaker-style discussion on November 21st.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The theme will be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">125 Years And Beyond</i> – What is your vision for San Jose Friends Meeting?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This year the Meeting House is 125 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>How has San Jose Friends Meeting been led by Spirit and where is it going?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A vegetarian lunch will be provided immediately following Meeting for Worship.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book">San Francisco Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> approves sponsoring a cluster meeting of Friends in the Bay<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book">Area, to be hosted by Peace and Social Concerns, to address environmental queries from Friends World Committee for Consultation.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> will have a </span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Thanksgiving Eve Service on Wednesday, November 24, at 7:00 p.m.</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is a unique service that many people look forward to as their favorite church family gathering of the year. There will be times of thanksgiving, praise and worship through music, and shared testimonies. This year, Rose Drive will also be joined by our two daughter churches: Puente de Gracia (Spanish speaking) and Jesus' Friends Community Church (Korean speaking). The elements of communion will be made available for all to partake.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> is offering a seven-week series on Sunday mornings called </span><em><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Christian Caring as a Way of Life</span></em><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">. This class will help Friends if they have ever wanted to be used by God to touch others' lives, but didn't know what to do or say.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">At Friend Weekend</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Times"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">at </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""> Friends will experience great music and a message called "<i>Real Friends</i>." In addition to regular refreshments, the church will offer free soft serve ice cream after each service! Friends are invited to take the step to</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Times"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">pray and invite</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Times"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"">someone who doesn't know Christ yet or who doesn't have a home church, as it can have a huge impact.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;color:black">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;color:black"> held a Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, November 13<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:black">Musical opportunities at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>include: <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">The 8th annual sing along of Handel’s “Messiah” at 6:30 pm on December 5th. The Sing Along is open to anyone who would like to sing or just listen. The singing will be followed with fellowship and refreshments.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">On December 12, beginning at 6:30pm, Friends are invited to attend a Christmas play and concert presented by Reedwood children and adults including brass, bells, cello and choirs. Afterward all will move to the Friendship Center for holiday desserts. Bring neighbors, family, friends and a favorite dessert to share!</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Friends (Santa Rosa, CA)</b> </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">discuss the needs of all whose diminished hearing impedes full participation in worship. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Friends at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Redwood Forest Friends (Santa Rosa, CA)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> have the opportunity for solo vocal roles in a Sing-Along Messiah event. The Sing-Along will occur on Sunday, December 5<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Pa1" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Pima Friends (Tucson, AZ)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> are being asked to season the meeting’s budget. That is, they are asked to hold the budget in the Light, to pray for guidance and to listen to how Friends are being led by the Spirit. This decision is not just about each line item or a surplus or deficit; it is about what God is calling the Meeting to do. Friends are not voting with their checkbooks, they are asked to come to unity on how they are led as a meeting, as a community.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Ministry and Oversight of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Orange County Meeting (Irvine, CA)</b> is hosting informal 'Teas” on the first Wednesday of the month. The purpose is entirely social, and hopefully will provide members and attenders in the area an opportunity for conversation, fellowship and relaxation on a regular basis. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Roughly once a month, about a dozen young people from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Newberg Friends Church (OR) </b>drive in to downtown Portland. They crowd into a church and join nearly 200 others in singing simple choruses before heading to a spot under a nearby bridge, where they serve food, wash feet, hand out sleeping bags and clean socks, and listen to people’s stories.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">On Sunday, November 14, Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Newberg Friends Church (OR)</b> held one combined service for worship at Bauman Auditorium on the George Fox campus. They do this each year to have the whole church together and enjoy each other!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>On <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Sunday, November 7</span><sup>th</sup>, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) </b>honored its <i>Covenant of Caring </i>with the Amigas del Señor Monastery for Women in Honduras and held them in the Light. Amigas del Señor Monastery for Women is a monastery practicing in the forms of Methodists and Quakers, located in the foothills near the Caribbean Sea in Limón, Colón, Honduras. Sister Alegría, formerly known as Beth Blodgett, is a pediatrician who founded the monastery in 2006. She has been connected with Multnomah Monthly Meeting for twelve years. Their letters home can be read online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amigasdelsenor/.</span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">A midweek meeting for worship at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</b> is expected to start in November, to be held the first three Wednesdays of each month from 7PM to 8PM.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black; mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Friends in Unity with Nature</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";color:black;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"> of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Missoula Meeting (MT)</b></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black"> talked about how to combine inner and outer worlds when they talk about unity with nature. How does a person stay peaceful within--or less despairing-- no matter what is happening around that person?</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";color:black"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Missoula Friends (MT)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> approved supporting the Franklin School Fund this year and encouraged the school’s principal to bring special requests to the Meeting at any time of the year if specific students have particular, urgent needs.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMS">The “library geeks” of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">La Jolla Meeting (CA)</b> spent one afternoon cleaning and sorting in the Meeting’s library. Friends are asked to admire their handiwork and check out a book.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMS">Humboldt Meeting (Arcata, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMS"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">discussed the proposed Naval testing of weapons off the west coast and their concerns. A Friend wrote a first draft of a minute to present to Meeting for Business.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Martha Dugan of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Guatemala Monthly Meeting</b> spoke at Friends House in Santa Rosa, CA. She gave an update of the program including the new community service and ESL projects as well as an overview of economic/political times in Guatemala.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Eugene Meeting (OR) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">held its 10<sup>th</sup> Annual Quaker Holiday Gift Sale on</span><span class="A4"><b><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> </span></b></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Saturday Nov 13<sup>th</sup>. Friends had the opportunity</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> to enjoy, be amazed and purchase the w</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">onderful arts and crafts of their </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">o</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif"">wn Quaker Creatives. They found</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> ceramics, woodwork, needlework, paintings, jewelry, toys, clothes and much more, reasonably priced and served with smiles and hugs!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Davis Meeting (CA)</b> will hold an Anti-Semitism Program on Sunday, November 21<sup>st</sup>. </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">The announcement said </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">“</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Since most Quakers are relatively free of anti-Semitic feelings, we may be especially well suited to engage in productive conversations with Jews and Zionists, even about the hard issues in Israel-Palestine. But we need to be aware of any guilts and fears we still carry.” </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">A successful fall cleanup of the grounds at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Corvallis Meeting (OR)</b> has resulted in a spacious and well organized shed, new mulch on all the beds and 3 new blueberry plants.<span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">On December 5 <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Corvallis Meeting (OR)</b> Esther Schiedel will lead a discussion during the A.R.E. (Adult Religious Education) program exploring Quaker testimonies and practices and how these relate to—and may help guide—Friends as parents or as adults interacting with children. The discussion will be based on the book <i>Paths to Quaker Parenting.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"">Friends at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) </b>were given<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black">queries to think about before the Meeting’s threshing session: “(1) What do I like and dislike about Meeting and in what ways would I like to see Meeting grow and change? Why do I feel this way?</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> (</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black">2) How can we organize ourselves more simply?”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular">December 4<sup>th</sup> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</b> will hold a meeting, dedicated to right sharing of meeting funds. Friends are welcome to attend to make decisions about giving out funds for this year. If new organizations are being suggested, Friends are to bring background information, name and address of contact people.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">2nd Street Community Church (Newberg, OR</b>) is searching for a new, ¾ time Worship Arts Director, with a beginning date of January 1, 2011. 2nd Street Community Church is a casual church with a serious Mission … <i>Becoming More Like Jesus Christ By Loving God, Loving People, And Serving Our World</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>2<sup>nd</sup> Street’s worship style is a mixture of contemporary and classic, mixing ancient and modern songs and styles.</span></p> <h2><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">American Friends Service Committee, Los Angeles</b>, </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">invited local Friends for a Friends Peace Dialogue on urban gardens and the opening of AFSC’s "Cultivating Spirited Lands" Art Exhibit.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The next meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Christian Friends Conference</b> will be December 11, 2010 at Palo Alto Friends Meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book">College Park Quarterly Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> will gather January 15, 2011 at San Francisco Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Friends joined the Religious Studies Department at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">George Fox University</b> for Quaker Focus Week, November 8-10. Speakers included Howard Macy and Jamie Johnson; several students shared about their recent trip to Haverford College; and Colin Saxton spoke about diversity within the Quaker movement.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Montana Gathering of Friends</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> is in the process of transitioning from solely a Quarterly Meeting to serve as both the Quarterly Meeting for all Montana Friends and the Monthly Meeting for all the Worship Groups formerly under the care of the Heartland Monthly Meeting. This transition is intended to simplify procedures and conserve the energies of Montana’s dispersed Worship Groups, particularly since MGOF has served as the central organizing forum for the Heartland Worship Groups for many years. Once the transition is complete there will be three Monthly Meetings in Montana: Missoula, Billings, and MGOF.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Portland Area Gathering of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> was Saturday, November 13<sup>th</sup>. Friends worshipped with music; Nate Macy spoke on “Group Spiritual Discernment; there was a Discernment Exercise; and a Business Meeting. <span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Each year, the people of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> partner together in ministry through the generous support of the Thanksgiving Offering. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This year, the Thanksgiving Offering is staying close to home as Friends assist in the training and support of pastors serving local congregations. Training for future and current pastors will be enhanced as half of this year’s offering will go toward completing a Friends Center scholarship for graduate students at George Fox Evangelical Seminary. The other half of the Thanksgiving Offering will be dedicated to the Pastoral Assistance Fund under the care of the NWYM Board of Elders.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>The next <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</b> plans to meet in June 2012. The location is yet to be determined. For information and/or to be involved in planning contact Becky Ankeny <a href="mailto:rjt.ankeny@gmail.com">rjt.ankeny@gmail.com</a> and Nancy McLauchlan <a href="mailto:nancymaemc@gmail.com">nancymaemc@gmail.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">There is a proposal to change the name of <span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</b></span> to Cascade Regional Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">Pacific Yearly Meeting</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> Representative Committee</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> will meet at the San Francisco Meeting on the weekend of March 4-6, 2011.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Twin Rocks Friends Conference Center</b> has responded to coastal tsunami concerns by detailing camp tsunami emergency procedures and shoring up supplies.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">Berkeley Friends Church will host the annual meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Western Association of the Religious Society of Friends (WARSF) </b>on February 11-12, 2011. The Board of Oversight will meet on Friday evening, and then the general meeting of members the following afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Willamette Quarterly Meeting</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> will meet for its annual business meeting on Saturday, February 5<sup>th</sup> at Corvallis Friends Meeting.</span></span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-84556691720129703792010-10-28T20:41:00.000-07:002010-10-28T20:43:22.622-07:00<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">News of Friends Meetings and Churches</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</b> held a Threshing Session on “</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT">What do we want our meeting to be?”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: QuadraatOT-Regular">Beginning in January, 2011, a book study will be scheduled at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</b> for interested adults. The book is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">To Be Broken and Tender: A Quaker Theology for Today</i> by Margery Post Abbott.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular">Ministry and Counsel of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Bellingham Meeting (WA)</b> proposed </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">an emergency plan for closing down Meeting:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Key people will make the decision on whether or not to have Meeting due to weather. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Key person will call Friends on Ministry and Counsel and an e-mail message would be sent out. Friends would check their email first, if questions, call Ministry and Counsel.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">For the Children’s Program at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: QuadraatOT-Regular">Bellingham Meeting (WA)</span></b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">, a bound composition book will be used for sign-in and kept as a record. A</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif""> Child Registry form will be created for the purpose of identifying 1) allergies and 2) permission to pick up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Children's allergy information from Child Registry will be posted in kitchen near the food and snacks. </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Kathy Bergen, Program Coordinator for Friends International Center in Ramallah, Occupied Palestine, will be at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Berkeley Friends Church (CA)</b> on Wednesday November 10<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She will share her experiences as the Center works to support the Ramallah Friends Meeting and how the current political context affects their work.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Of special concern are access and movement, together with land confiscation and house demolition. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ChaparralPro-Regular">Friends have a long history of disdaining holidays as mere frivolities. Yet the Thanksgiving Day potluck dinner on Thanksgiving Day at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Berkeley Friends Meeting (CA)</b> is the best-attended event on the Meeting calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ChaparralPro-Regular">Boise Valley Meeting (ID</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ChaparralPro-Regular">) will hold a</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> <span class="apple-style-span">Workshop on Quaker Process and Conflict Resolution on October 30<sup>th</sup>, led by Ann Stever and Dorsey Greene.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ChaparralPro-Regular"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular">Canyon Hills Friends (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"> were </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">invited to a presentation of the 2011 budget and leadership at the church’s Annual Congregational Meeting. Dessert was served at the beginning of the meeting.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="A6"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif"">Chena Ridge Meeting (Fairbanks, AK)</span></b></span><span class="A6"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>is offering a Couple Enrichment Workshop in Fairbanks the weekend of November 5-7</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">Thursday November 11th at 7 PM, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Kathy Bergen, Ramallah Center Program Coordinator, will speak at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Chico Meeting (CA)</b> on supporting peace-building efforts between Israelis and<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">Palestinians. Everyone is welcome beforehand to join in a vegetarian potluck supper at 5:30 PM. Current conditions for Palestinians will emerge in Bergen’s talk, including restrictions on access and movement, and the continuing process of land confiscation and house demolitions. Quakers have been active in Ramallah since starting a school there in 1869; the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse was established in 1910.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Chico Meeting (CA)</b> will hold a </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRoman">Winnowing Session on time and money and how they represent our faith both as individuals and as members of a corporate body.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Starting November 10 and every 2nd Wednesday for the months following, after the 6-6:30 pm worship, there will be a worship sharing session at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Davis Meeting (CA)</b> about the Advices and Queries for that month. Every 4th Wednesday, at 6:30 pm after worship, and each 3rd Sunday at 8:30 am, Friends are gathering for "grab bag queries" focused on sharing of faith and practice.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Davis Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2E39CA8t00">contacted the manager of the next door apartment building about using their van-accessible parking space. The manager is willing to allow use of their disabled parking space on Sunday mornings. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>will celebrate Mildred Joyce’s 100<sup>th</sup> birthday on Sunday, November 21<sup>st</sup>. Happy Birthday, Mildred!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Bodytext" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">The International Day of Peace Celebration at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>brought together about sixty people – ages from 9 months to 99 years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The theme of the evening was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“Let Peace Begin with Me”</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After dessert, the Raging Grannies sang and children from the Meeting brought everyone into the Meeting room singing “All God’s Children Got a Place in the Choir”.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">A touching moment was when Jawad Khaki, of the IMAN Center in Kirkland remembered how after September 2001, Eastside Muslims were looking for a place to worship.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They approached several congregations – “Eastside Friends Meeting” he said, “was the first group to say Yes! You can worship here.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Even though they found another space for worship, he has not forgotten Eastside’s kindness and welcoming hospitality.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in;font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Doug Larzelier</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">has accepted the call from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Homedale Friends Community Church (ID)</b> to serve as interim pastor. Doug has been a longtime member and elder in the church. He recently returned from Albania, where he oversaw a building program for a mission agency.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">The Worship and Ministry Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Honolulu Meeting (HI)</b> sponsors Third Sunday discussions of Quaker Testimonies. The schedule includes Simplicity, October; Equality, November; Peace, December; and Community, January.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Honolulu Meeting (HI) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS">agreed to hold a discussion meeting on the Meeting’s peace and social justice witness and on the Meeting’s possible relationship to the future entity that will follow on from American Friends Service Committee whose office is leaving Honolulu.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS">Klamath Falls Friends Church (OR)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS"> has </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">at times partnered with the local elementary school to provide lunches for poor children during vacations when school is not in session.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">A </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">“Garden Camp,” sponsored by the extension office of OSU with its eight two-hour-long sessions, had used the garden which replaced part of the lawn at </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS">Klamath Falls Friends Church (OR)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">to help teach 30 children from the area about the essentials of growing vegetables.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO),</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> through the Quaker Quest Program, will examine as a Meeting what the Meeting believes and practices. They anticipate the program will take more than a year, possibly two or three. Friends will gather and explore the spiritual hunger many feel, the questions they don’t now know how to answer, the concerns where they lack agreement, the issues that cause tension, and – most importantly – what brings them together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Kathy Bergen, program coordinator at the <i>Friends International Center</i> in Ramallah, will visit <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</b> on Saturday, November 6<sup>th</sup>, at 7PM. She will provide a slide show and lead discussion about peace work of Friends in the conflicted land of Israel-Palestine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black"> will hold </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: PalatinoLinotype-Roman">an all-day Quaker Quest workshop on 29 January 2011, to help Friends learn more about Quaker Quest. This would be the beginning of a six-month “in-reach” process of discerning whether Friends want to undertake the full Quaker Quest program including outreach to the wider community.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">For several years, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Newberg Friends Church (OR)</b> has participated in Operation Christmas Child (OCC). Packing a shoe box full of gifts for a child in need around the world has been a fun way to make a difference in one child’s life. The goal at Newberg Friends Church, between the boxes packed and the cash or supply donations, is for 300 boxes.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">North Valley Friends Church (Newberg, OR)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> is looking for someone to serve as a half-time Administrative Assistant. The person will coordinate and carry out the office and administrative needs of the church.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span>Information: </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">(<a href="mailto:office@northvalleyfriends.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170">office@northvalleyfriends.org</span></a><wbr>)</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Brandon Baker is the new Interim Youth Pastor at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR).</b> He is originally from Arizona and a student at George Fox Evangelical Seminary studying spiritual direction.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">If Friends at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> are interested in playing Handbells they should give Marilyn Pruitt a call.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">At<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA</b></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">), </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">the<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> </b></span></span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Friends Serving Friends Men's Ministry</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#333333"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#333333">is a ministry that embraces the widowed, the single parents, and others in the church and community with long-term needs. This ministry is not project oriented but relationship focused, allowing Friends to make a practical and long lasting difference in the lives of those in need. Men of all ages who can commit to one Saturday a month for three hours of doing odd jobs and small projects are encouraged to participate. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">held a</span></span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-weight: normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Called Congregational Meeting</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">on October 17th in the Sanctuary. Childcare was available.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">The Finance Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sacramento Meeting (CA)</b> conducted a survey to gather Friends’ insights about managing the Meeting’s budget for donations, projects, and financial assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>By far the clearest message conveyed by survey responses is that Friends’ awareness of, commitment to, and involvement with activities is the most important guideline in managing Meeting contributions.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The new restrooms at the meetinghouse of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</b> are almost complete, and will certainly be by October 30. Buildings & Grounds asks Friends to gather at the Meeting House on that day to spiff the place up after the construction, which has dusted most surfaces upstairs and down, and to give the inside of the building a general thorough cleaning that it hasn't had for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">San Diego Meeting (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> has a new Meeting House with an organic garden with over 100 trees growing fruit for the homeless in the city.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> has approved co-sponsoring with the Resource Center</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> <span class="apple-style-span">for NonViolence an afternoon presentation by "La Vida Nueva"/ Zapotec</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Women's Weaving Collective (Oaxaca, Mexico) at the Meeting House,</span> <span class="apple-style-span">November 14. Local Oaxacan students will be performing their native dances</span> <span class="apple-style-span">in addition to there being many rugs for sale and on display. It</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">should be an afternoon filled with colorful weavings and costumes!</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">South Seattle Meeting (WA)</b> is in the process of hiring a teacher for the older children. The Education Committee made an offer to a Friend. If that Friend does not accept the position, the committee will consider her reservations as they shape the job description and the continuing search. When a teacher is hired, there will be one volunteer each meeting instead of two.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">South Seattle Meeting (WA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>will hold its third annual Meeting for Remembering on Saturday, November 6<sup>th</sup> (Saturday). At this Meeting Friends</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> honor those dear to them who died recently or long ago and remain in their hearts. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Spring Valley Friends Church (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> gathered for its 18<sup>th</sup> annual Love Fest. Twenty-three people joined in a time of worship, communion, singing and praise. During Raise His Praise some shared what God had impressed on them while others sat in thoughtful silence.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MyriadPro-Regular">Tigard Community Friends Church (OR)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MyriadPro-Regular"> strives to make an impact on its community. Most adults who live in this area go to work during the week. Though Friends share the same neighborhood, they did not know most of the neighbors. First they invited the neighbors to a barbeque and to participate in a community garden. Friends are also hosting a financial management class and have invited the neighborhood to join in this class. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Kathy Bergen, program coordinator at the <i>Friends International Center</i> in Ramallah, will visit <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends (Portland, OR)</b> on Sunday, November 7th at 11AM. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> She will provide a slide show and lead discussion about peace work of Friends in the conflicted land of Israel-Palestine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">West Hills Friends (Portland, OR)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> participated in </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:black">a labyrinth made from the food YOU have donated!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in;padding:0in;font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Mark Pratt-Russum</span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">i</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">s now youth pastor at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends (Portland, OR).</b> Both Mark and his wife Beth are graduates of Eastern University in Pennsylvania. They lived in Denver prior to accepting this call.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Quaker Quest will be presented by members of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b> on the subjects of Quakers and the Religious Experience, Quakers and Equality, and Quakers and Social Action. There will be six sessions in March and April, 2011.</span></p> <h2><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Alternatives to Violence Project</b> will present a Basic Community Workshop on November 5-7 at Salem Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Ben Lomond Quaker Center</b> announces an internship opportunity beginning in early 2011 for an individual who is led to service with the Religious Society of Friends and who hopes to<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">learn about nonprofit management and social justice work.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The next meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Christian Friends Conference</b> will be December 11, 2010 at Palo Alto Friends Meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friends Committee on Legislation</b> Annual Bay Area Dinner will be at the Hillside<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri">Club in, Berkeley, CA on Saturday, November 6.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Intermountain Yearly Meeting</b> Clerk is forming a task group to advise the Yearly Meeting about the direction it should take in assisting meetings with Quaker service. Each monthly meeting is asked to appoint a representative to the task group.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell">This is a year of evaluation of the new <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">North Pacific Yearly Meeting</b> structure, replacing the old Steering Committee with a Coordinating Committee. The major effect of the change is that more business is now handled at Annual Session.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">North Pacific Yearly Meeting</b> Coordinating Committee will meet on October 30<sup>th</sup> at the Multnomah Meetinghouse.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> will observe </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Peace Month in January 2011! Friends are asked you to participate by sending in submissions for the Daily Reader, a booklet with an entry for each day of the month of January. Information:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><a href="mailto:peaceeducation@nwfriends.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170">peaceeducation@nwfriends.org</span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>There </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">are two openings for pastoral positions in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b>. Crossroads Community Church in Astoria, Oregon, is looking for a bi-vocational lead pastor. <span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in; padding:0in"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Information:<a href="mailto:csaxton@nwfriends.org">csaxton@nwfriends.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">Each year, the people of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> partner together in ministry through the generous support of the Thanksgiving Offering. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This year, the Thanksgiving Offering is staying close to home as Friends assist in the training and support of pastors serving local congregations. Training for future and current pastors will be enhanced as half of this year’s offering will go toward completing a Friends Center scholarship for graduate students at George Fox Evangelical Seminary. The other half of the Thanksgiving Offering will be dedicated to the Pastoral Assistance Fund under the care of the NWYM Board of Elders.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Friends in the Portland-area of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> are invited to gather at Lynwood Friends on November 13. There will be a potluck at 5:00pm, followed by an opportunity to hear Nate Macy speak on discernment.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A">There is a proposal to change the name of </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A"> to Cascade Regional Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A">Pacific Yearly Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> Representative Committee will meet at the San Francisco Meeting on the weekend of March 4-6, 2011.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">The<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fall gathering of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Southern California Quarterly Meeting</b> will be at <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Temescal Canyon Conference Grounds, Pacific Palisades, CA.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nov 6-7</span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">. <span class="apple-style-span">The theme for this Fall Gathering, “<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Speaking Truth with Love: Transforming Conflict in Our Quaker Communities</span></i>,” has two points of origin. One is the prevalence of unresolved conflicts of various sorts within the monthly meetings as <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>reflected in the 2010 State of the Meeting reports. In some cases, these conflicts have resulted in lingering resentments and polarization within Meetings.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">The other point of origin for this theme is the idea, explored by George Lakey at Pacific Yearly Meeting, that Friends suffer from a pervading disposition toward conflict avoidance. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">Berkeley Friends Church will host the annual meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Western Association of the Religious Society of Friends (WARSF) </b>on February 11-12, 2011. The Board of Oversight will meet on Friday evening, and then the general meeting of members the following afternoon.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-29035355202302533542010-10-13T17:06:00.000-07:002010-10-13T17:12:57.846-07:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">News of Friends Meetings and Churches</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Pumpkin carving will be the activity in the Fellowship Hall of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b> on Saturday, October 30<sup>th</sup>. Friends will view a jack-o-lantern display on Sunday after Meeting for Worship.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Quaker Quest will be presented by members of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b> on the subjects of Quakers and the Religious Experience, Quakers and Equality, and Quakers and Social Action. There will be six sessions in March and April, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Tempe Friends (AZ) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif"">are j</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">oyously invited to a Dia de los Muertos celebration on October 31st. The Counsel & Oversight Committee invites Friends to prepare, and share, information helpful to the community at the time of death. (Documents are available on the Tempe Meeting website.) The Hospitality Committee invites Friends to participate in the creation of a Dia de los Muertos ofrenda and potluck. The First Day School will be learning about Dia de los Muertos and making traditional handcrafts to contribute to the ofrenda decoration, and will be accepting ofrenda items that Friends choose to contribute in honor of individual and communal ancestors.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">The Ministry and Oversight Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Tacoma Meeting (WA)</b> recognized the need for additional members for the Nominating Committee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ministry and Oversight also proposed that the Meeting consider laying down all formal committees except the Ministry and Oversight and Building and Grounds Committees, since membership has been dwindling and people are not available to serve on other committees.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Friends will continue the discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Facilities Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</b> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">rented a smaller storage space which reduced the cost considerably. The Facilities Committee intends to clarify what should and should not be stored and prepare guidelines for future storage.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Many Friends at the August 31st outdoor worship of </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">at Live Oak Park expressed how joyous it was to sit in silence surrounded by nature. Worship & Ministry Committee is considering whether and how more such outdoor/nature worship experiences might be offered. One suggestion was to occasionally set up chairs outdoors at the Berkeley Technology Academy.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">North Pacific Quarterly Meeting approved <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">South Seattle Friends Meeting</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">(WA)</b> for full monthly meeting status. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Those at South Seattle who are members of University Friends Meeting and would like to transfer their membership to South Seattle will be part of a one-time mass transfer of membership. </span></span><span class="A7"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="A7"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Clerks of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Santa Monica Meeting </b></span></span><span class="A7"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">(CA)</span></b></span><span class="A7"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> </span></span><span class="A7"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">are planning to </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">organize a welcoming potluck for the new clerks of committees to discuss Quaker process.<span class="A7"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">For many years, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA</b>) had a Peace and Social Order Committee. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">Then, in 2007, the Meeting created a Peace and Social Order Liaison position instead of a committee. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">At first one person served, then two people served as Co-Liaisons, holding this space open in the Meeting’s life. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Now those two people are ready to lay down their Liaison work as of the end of December, 2010, thus allowing others to pick up the work, perhaps in a new or different way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">The co-clerks of </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">) </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">have been considering changing the December Business Meeting to be a sharing on who Friends are as a meeting and what the Meeting is called to do in the coming year. In order to make the change to the normal agenda, committees will bring matters to either the November or January business meetings.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Santa Fe Friends (NM) </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">approved the proposal to offer Kathleen Burke, the current resident at the Meeting House, an optional fourth year, which would begin in September 2011. The normal term for resident is three years.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">After more discussion in the Ministry & Caring Committees, Friends at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica">San Jose Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">are dropping the idea of trying an extended meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Instead, Friends ask that the greeter, who breaks the meeting, try to pay less attention the clock and respond more to the sense of when meeting is over.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica">The Children’s Religious Education Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">San Francisco Meeting (CA)</b> is asking the Meeting to hire a First-Day School teacher for children 5-11 years old. The person would be</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> with the children on a regular</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: FranklinGothic-Book">basis each week and would lead the First Day School group on days in which no</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book">parent is able to attend.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Salem Meeting (OR)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> will host an Alternatives to Violence Project, Basic Community Workshop, on November 5-7.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>An Ault Elective class at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</b>,</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> called “It’s Your Serve!”is a seminar that will help Rose Drive Friends discover that God has given them spiritual gifts and a heart for serving Him. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The Singles Group at<span class="apple-style-span"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> meets the First Friday of every month for “Global Grazing.” Singles dine at various ethnic restaurants with other singles. Kathy Perry, missionary serving in Ireland, joined the group on October 1<sup>st</sup>.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:#CC3300"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#333333"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</b> and the Worship Groups under the care of the Meeting (Friends House WG, Lake County WG, and Ukiah WG) are invited to worship together at the Meeting House on the Fifth Sunday, October 31. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Worship will be followed by a light meal. All are invited to participate in a discussion, in the spirit of loving dialogue, on the relationship between Redwood Forest Meeting and the Worship Groups under its care. What does it mean for a Worship Group to be under the care of the Meeting?</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman">Nominating Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</b> has been working to draw a distinction between Representative and Liaison positions. Representatives would be entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses, while Liaisons would not. The committee proposes that Representative positions be those serving on governing bodies of the organizations to which they are sent.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Orange County Meeting (Irvine, CA)</b> is considering whether to change the Meeting’s annual retreat to a time other than Easter weekend. The original </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">idea was to get away from the consumerism and hyper-activity of the Easter holiday and to use the time in a way that would be quieter and more spiritually enriching and would strengthen the community. However, this excludes those who are involved with family celebrations at that time.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""> Peace and Social Concerns is offering to support a young Friend to attend the Friends Committee on National Legislation Annual Meeting Nov. 11-14.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO),</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> through the Quaker Quest Program, will examine as a Meeting what the Meeting believes and practices. They anticipate the program will take more than a year, possibly two or three. Friends will gather and explore the spiritual hunger many feel, the questions they don’t now know how to answer, the concerns where they lack agreement, the issues that cause tension, and – most importantly – what brings them together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Friends at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Missoula Meeting (MT)</b> were asked to bring a special object about which they had a personal story to tell, during a session on “Getting to know one another more deeply.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Ministry and Oversight of Santa Fe Friends (NM) made arrangements for Santa Fe Friends to visit <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Las Vegas Worship Group (NM)</b>.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">La Jolla Meeting (CA)</b> has plans for November. They hope to have a discussion on “Gracious Aging” and a </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;color:black">Talking meeting on inclusivity and place of LGBT people in Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Humboldt Meeting (CA)</b> asks </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">if they change the title of Peace and Social Concerns to Peace, <u>Earth Care</u>, and Social Concerns, how can they make it more than a name change?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">In response to the loss or extended leaves-of-absence of books from the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Grass Valley Meeting Library (Nevada City, CA),</b> the Library Committee drafted proposed language for signage that is expressed in the spirit of stewardship - the careful, responsible management of something entrusted to one. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">Fifth Sunday is a special time of Worship at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">. Sunday, October 31, will be an hourly combination of 20 minutes of singing, 20 minutes of magical storytelling (appropriate for both young and old), and 20 minutes of Silent Worship <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Fresno Meeting (CA</b>)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> expressed its satisfaction with its new Meeting place.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family:"MS Mincho";color:#3B3B3B"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho";mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho"">Tom Rawson </span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:windowtext">was at</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Eugene Meeting (OR)</b> for</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> the seventh annual “Close the School of the Americas” </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">concert. Friends raised money and had</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> a great time for a good cause. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"MS Mincho";mso-bidi-font-family:"MS Mincho";color:#3B3B3B">�</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family:"MS Mincho""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Children’s Religious Education Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Eugene Meeting (OR)</b> </span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">has</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:windowtext"> been</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> concerned about Junior Friends with only one or two visit</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">ing occasionally. The Committee hopes to</span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""> connect with Yearly and Quarterly </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Meeting Junior Friends and </span></span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">to form a new Junior Friend’s planning committee consisting of three adults and several junior friends. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"MS Mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family:"MS Mincho";color:#3B3B3B">�</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Corvallis Meeting (OR)</b> agreed to rent a table and print a banner for the Oregon State University Student Involvement Fair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Corvallis Meeting (OR</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">) will hold an Adult Education session on </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">“Being Single Within the Community”: What is the role and responsibility of the Meeting toward single adults? . . . of single adults in the Meeting? What are the unmet needs and struggles for single people? What does the single attender gain from the Meeting?<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">October 30 to 31, Friends Southwest Center in McNeal, AZ is hosting a 35th anniversary gathering. In addition to feasting and visiting, Friends hope to collect stories and history for the last 35 yrs of this ongoing experiment in intentional community. </span></span><span class="A6"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">FSC and members of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Cochise Worship Group (McNeal, AZ)</b> will offer hospitality for as many as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="A6"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Worship and Ministry Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Chico Meeting (CA)</b></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRoman;color:black"> is working on discernment about the worship life of the Meeting, in particular the post-worship announcement period, listening carefully and considering the requests and concerns regarding this period. It is also working on structuring Winnowing Sessions once a month as non-decision-making time to labor with some of the deeper questions the Meeting must consider as a whole.<span class="A6"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="A6"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Chena Ridge Meeting (Fairbanks, AK)</span></b></span><span class="A6"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>is offering a Couple Enrichment Workshop in Fairbanks the weekend of November 5-7</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</b> asked for prayer for its</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> team that went <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>to Juarez, Mexico . <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They drove to curb costs and to take materials. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</b> will hold its 5<sup>th</sup> Annual Canyon Carnival on Sunday evening, October 31<sup>st</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>At Friday night at the movies on October 22<sup>nd</sup> at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Berkeley Friends Church (CA),</b> Friends will view <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Lemon Tree</i>, a movie about a Palestinian widow who fights to keep her lemon grove from being uprooted by Israeli security forces.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Friends at Berkeley Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""> have the opportunity to discuss Parker Palmer’s book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">A Hidden Wholeness; the Journey toward an Undivided Life. </i></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Friends are asked to bring journals and will try to understand Palmer’s path through writing, poetry and sharing.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">Barbara Reynolds will give an illustrated talk at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Berkeley Friends Meeting (CA</b>). She volunteered with Friends Peace Teams under its African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI), and helped to build a meeting place for use by workshops to heal trauma.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular">Beginning in January, 2011, a book study will be scheduled at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</b> for interested adults. The book is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">To Be Broken and Tender: A Quaker Theology for Today</i> by Margery </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; ">Post Abbott.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular">Oversight and Counsel of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</b> has brought together </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; ">a group of Friends in a Care Circle, people who have offered to help other friends when a short-term need arises. Several volunteers are willing to take on limited yet important tasks such as driving friends to appointments, helping with shopping, doing laundry, reading, doing errands, writing notes and letters, overseeing bills, making phone calls, watering plants, house- or person-sitting, etc.</span></p> <h2 style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif"">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Alternatives to Violence Project</b> will present a Basic Community Workshop on November 5-7 at Salem Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">American Friends Service</b> cordially invites Friends Meetings to attend a one-day Peace-building workshop at the AFSC Community Office in downtown Los Angeles on October 23rd.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"> <span class="apple-style-span">This one-day workshop is designed to help build a renewed sense of community, a deeper connection to one</span> <span class="apple-style-span">another, and a shared vision and action plan for nonviolent peacemaking for tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Bold; color:#010202">Amigas del Señor Monastery for Women </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;color:#010202">is a monastery practicing in the forms of Methodists and Quakers, located in the foothills near the Caribbean Sea in Limón, Colón, Honduras. They seek other women to join them in a life of prayer and service. Sister Alegría, formerly known as Beth Blodge</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:#010202">tt</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman; color:#010202"> , is a pediatrician who founded the monastery in 2006. She has been connected with Multnomah Meeting for twelve years. Read letters from </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Bold;color:#010202;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Amigas del Señor</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman; color:#010202"> online at h</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#010202">tt</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: PalatinoLinotype-Roman;color:#010202">p://groups.yahoo.com/group/amigasdelsenor/. They are also on Facebook.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Ben Lomond Quaker Center</b> announces an internship opportunity beginning in early 2011 for an individual who is led to service with the Religious Society of Friends and who hopes to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; ">learn about nonprofit management and social justice work.</span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Casa de Los Amigos</b> in Mexico City now hosting daily Spanish classes for recently arrived refugees in Mexico City. The classes began in response to the June 2nd arrival of 198 additional Haitian earthquake refugees. Learning basic Spanish quickly is absolutely critical for refugee families to begin to rebuild their lives in Mexico City. </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">The free classes currently serve mostly Haitians but also Iranians, Nepalis, and people from several African nations (most of whom are current or former Casa guests).</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Times"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The quarterly meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Christian Friends Conference</b> was held on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at Berkeley Friends Church, with about 18 present, fairly evenly divided between Friends Meetings and Friends Churches. Following a brief period of worship, a reading was offered from Francis Howgil's 1665 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The True Rule and Guide of the true Church discovered</i>. Friends settled into waiting worship, to hear Bible readings. Following a period of fellowship over lunch, Friends gathered again for a round table discussion of the question, how does Truth prosper among you?</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> The </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">next session will be December 11, 2010 at Palo Alto Friends Meeting. A planned meeting of a Christian Friends Conference in Southern California was announced, organized by Kim Palmer.</span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:#333333">Colorado Regional Meeting</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333"> will gather October 22-24 in Estes Park. This year’s featured speaker is Mary Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";color:#333333">. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">Mary Lord worked professionally in the field of peace and security for thirty years, including as Assistant General Secretary for Peace and Conflict Resolution for AFSC and with the program on peaceful prevention of armed conflict for FCNL. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">She is the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><a href="https://www.pendlehill.org/residentprogram/admissions/scholarships" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;text-decoration:none;text-underline: none">Henry J. Cadbury scholar</span></a></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">at</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><a href="https://www.pendlehill.org/residentprogram/overview" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;text-decoration:none;text-underline: none">Pendle Hill</span></a> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">for 2009-2010.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friends Committee on Legislation</b> Annual Bay Area Dinner will be at the Hillside </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; ">Club in, Berkeley, CA on Saturday, November 6.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">October 30 to 31 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friends Southwest Center</b> in McNeal, AZ will host a 35th anniversary gathering. In addition to feasting and visiting, Friends hope to collect stories and history for the last 35 yrs of this ongoing experiment in intentional community. </span></span><span class="A6"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">FSC and members of Cochise Worship Group will offer hospitality for as many as possible.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Intermountain Yearly Meeting</b> approved </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif"">two minutes that concerns about conditions in our world and nation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The first was on Immigration, spurred by the passage of Arizona SB 1070.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The second was on the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Both minutes have been distributed to the Congressional delegations and governors from Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico and to the President of the United States, Barack Obama.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Intermountain Yearly Meeting</b> Clerk is forming a task group to advise the Yearly Meeting about the direction it should take in assisting meetings with Quaker service. Each monthly meeting is asked to appoint a representative to the task group.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">The Fall women's healing weekend of </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"">the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">, which will be on the weekend of October.22-24, Friday evening through Sunday noon, and held at Flathead Lake at the Methodist Church camp. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell">This is a year of evaluation of the new <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">North Pacific Yearly Meeting</b> structure, replacing the old Steering Committee with a Coordinating Committee. The major effect of the change is that more business is now handled at Annual Session.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma">With 204 quizzers, coaches, and officials (so far) from </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Rockwell">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma">, this weekend's Bible Quiz Meet at Newberg Friends looks to be the largest in more than a decade.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> will observe </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Peace Month in January 2011! Friends are asked you to participate by sending in submissions for the Daily Reader, a booklet with an entry for each day of the month of January. Information:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><a href="mailto:peaceeducation@nwfriends.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170">peaceeducation@nwfriends.org</span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>There </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black">are two openings for pastoral positions in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b>. Crossroads Community Church in Astoria, Oregon, is looking for a bi-vocational lead pastor. <span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in; padding:0in">Homedale Friends Church</span> in Homedale, Idaho, is looking for a full-time lead pastor. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Information:<a href="mailto:csaxton@nwfriends.org">csaxton@nwfriends.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"> is currently receiving applications from candidates to serve as Communication and Resource Coordinator. Information:<a href="mailto:csaxton@nwfriends.org">csaxton@nwfriends.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black">Friends in the Portland-area of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</b> are invited to gather at Lynwood Friends on November 13. There will be a potluck at 5:00pm, followed by an opportunity to hear Nate Macy speak on discernment.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A">There is a proposal to change the name of </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A"> to Cascade Regional Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A">Pacific Yearly Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book"> Representative Committee will meet at the San Francisco Meeting on the weekend of March 4-6, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT">For the first time, the eight Woolman Community Interns at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sierra Friends Center</b> arrived during the summer to help with the bountiful garden, and in turn, with feeding Sierra Friends Campers with vegetables straight from the garden. If Friends would like to get their hands in the garden, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial-BoldMT;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">they are invited to the Harvest Day Work and Celebration on Saturday, October 23<sup>rd</sup>.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">The<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fall gathering of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Southern California Quarterly Meeting</b> will be at <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">Temescal Canyon Conference Grounds, Pacific Palisades, CA.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nov 6-7</span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial">. <span class="apple-style-span">The theme for this Fall Gathering, “<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Speaking Truth with Love: Transforming Conflict in Our Quaker Communities</span></i>,” has two points of origin. One is the prevalence of unresolved conflicts of various sorts within the monthly meetings as <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>reflected in the 2010 State of the Meeting reports. In some cases, these conflicts have resulted in lingering resentments and polarization within Meetings.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">The other point of origin for this theme is the idea, explored by George Lakey at Pacific Yearly Meeting, that Friends suffer from a pervading disposition toward conflict avoidance. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Twin Rocks Friends Camp and Conference Center</b> <span class="apple-style-span">finds itself in immediate need of volunteer help to replace the old roads with sidewalks, shrubs, and grassy lawns before big winter rains arrive.</span> <strong><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Therefore, the camp is seeking people who can help rake dirt and conduct a number of other important tasks between now and the end of October.</span></strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Lisa Graham McMinn, author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Walking Gently on the Earth</i>, will lead the Seminar by the Sea at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Twin Rocks Friends Camp</b> on October 29-31.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">Berkeley Friends Church will host the annual meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Western Association of the Religious Society of Friends (WARSF) </b>on February 11-12, 2011. The Board of Oversight will meet on Friday evening, and then the general meeting of members the following afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; color:black">Western Half Yearly Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black"> of Canadian Yearly Meeting will meet this October at Camp Valaqua which is located an hour outside of Calgary, Alberta. At WHYM Friends will be reflecting on Global Change and have distributed queries as part of preparation for FWCC Kenya 2012.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-54398664643610489812010-10-03T20:24:00.000-07:002010-10-03T20:59:27.112-07:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black">News from Friends World Committee for Consultation</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas has begun its search for a new Executive Secretary.</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black">Margaret Fraser, Executive Secretary of FWCC Section of the Americas, has announced that after more than 8 years, she will be moving on to other work next spring. We will miss her enthusiasm, energy and Spirit-led creativity. Are YOU called to this amazing opportunity for service? Check out the position announcement at <a href="http://www.fwccamericas.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170">www.fwccamericas.org</span></a>. Do you think of others who should be considered? Talk to them! Have them check out the website and contact us! The Search Committee needs your prayers and your help. Lon Fendall of NWYM is on the committee and Ann Stever of NPYM is clerking it. Please be in touch with the committee at</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><a href="mailto:fwccsearch@aol.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170">fwccsearch@aol.com</span></a>. Application deadline December 1, 2010; position to start in Philadelphia, May 1, 2011.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">FWCC Cluster Gathering on Global Change </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; ">Sunday October 24</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; "></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) is asking Friends around the world to share how their lives have been touched by global change—environmental, climate, economic, and social. In order to hear and record our voices, FWCC has organized cluster gatherings for Friends to discuss ―how we have been affected by change, how our faith sustains us, and how our lives may be contributing to the causes of positive and adverse changes in the world today.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; color:black">‖</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> Following snacks on the fourth Sunday in October, the 24th, Robin Mohr from San Francisco Meeting and Ann Boone (Redwood Forest Meeting) (both PYM reps to FWCC) will conduct a cluster gathering at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Meetinghouse, Santa Rosa, CA.</b> Friends are invited to join together as we seek spiritual guidance in discerning our response to global change.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friends World Committee for Consultation</b> welcomes the news that the people of Kenya have approved their new Constitution. We pray that it will help Kenya to move forward in peace and harmony. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; ">One of the provisions of the new Constitution is that national elections could now be held as early as August 2012 rather than in December.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">It had originally been envisaged that the Sixth World Conference of Friends would be held in Kenya in August 2012. Since Kenyan Friends, who are hosting the World Conference, will naturally want to focus on the campaign if it is being conducted at that time, it has been decided that it would not be appropriate to plan to hold the World Conference in August.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black">However, we are pleased to announce that our proposed venue, Kabarak University, near Nakuru, is able to accommodate the World Conference in April 2012. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; ">Therefore, we are announcing new dates for the World Conference.<b> It will be held from 17 to 25 April 2012</b>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">News of Friends Meetings and Churches</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span">The responsibilities of the soup wranglers at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Missoula Meeting (MT)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"> include (1) making sure that two people have signed up for soup each week and (2) checking the status of kitchen staples.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Friends at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"> are gathering on Saturdays to consider “</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span">Racism and White Privilege: Turning to One Another.” Topics include: What's power got to do with it? White Privilege; Experiencing the Other; and Spiritual Discernment, Becoming Allies.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Marge </span>Abbott will lead a workshop on October 23rd at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"> on “</span><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Supporting & Grounding One Another in Our</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Ministries -</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></b></span><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span">Commi</span></span><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span">tt</span></span><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span">ees for Clearness and Support, Peer Groups, and Spiritual Friendship.” Friends today have several different ways of accompanying one another in our spiritual journeys and in the particular ministries that grow out of leadings of the Spirit.</span></span><b><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span></b><span style="color: rgb(35, 31, 32); "><span class="Apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span">Worship and Ministry Committee of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"> encourages visits to the worship groups under its care. In 2010-2011, the Meeting hopes to arrange a formal visit to each worship group at least once a quarter. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">10-10-10 Is The Date - </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span">The Global Coolers of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span"> are joining the worldwide effort led by 350.org (</span><a href="http://www.350oregon.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span">www.350oregon.org</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span"> to increase concern and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span">stimulate action </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span">against global warming.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Bold; color:#231F20">Newberg Friends Church (OR) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">invites Friends to explore their views of God and life using the book </span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: MinionPro-It">The Good and Beautiful Life </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular">by James Bryan Smith, an excellent tool for intentional spiritual growth.</span></p> <p class="Pa0" align="center" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Finance Committee of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> included an important message in the Meeting’s newsletter. Roses are red/Violets are blue/Pima Meeeting's income/Is depending on you.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Pa0" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="A7"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Adult Spiritual Development (ASD) Committee of</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="A7"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">will replace the Adult Education Committee and bring about greater consistency in programs. This new focus on spirituality will emphasize connecting with other members and attenders in new relationships through sharing of spiritual experiences in safe contexts for sharing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Everyone in </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> and the Worship Groups under the care of the Meeting (Friends House WG, Lake County WG, and Ukiah WG) is invited to worship together at 1647 Guerneville Road at 10 AM on the Fifth Sunday, October 31. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Worship will be followed by a substantial snack or light meal together Friends</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> from both the Meeting and the Worship Groups are invited to participate in a discussion, in the spirit of loving dialogue, on the relationship between Redwood Forest Meeting and the Worship Groups under its care. What does it mean for a Worship Group to be under the care of the Meeting?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The last Omelet Breakfast of the year at </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will be on Sunday October 10, to benefit the Internado, a student residence in Bolivia that gives rural indigenous students access to high school and support in preparing for college. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Friends recognize that life flows on and so will give a 6-month furlough to the breakfasts while examining whether the breakfasts should continue, or whether it may be time to lay them aside and move on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The new Sermons Series for the Fall at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is titled</span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#D64E2A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">REAL: </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Real Christianity, Real Problems, Real Comfort, Real Hope”</span></i><b><span style="color:#D64E2A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#333333"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Jim Le Shana speaking</span><span style="color:#333333"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-weight: normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">UPWARD BASKETBALL</span></span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is a developmental league for boys and girls in grades 1-6 where biblical principles are taught alongside basketball fundamentals.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Oversight Committee of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sacramento Meeting (CA</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">) has discussed the legalities and practicalities of scattering cremated remains on the grounds of the Meetinghouse. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Oversight has decided to only consider the scattering of ashes, and not the burial of ashes. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Salem Meeting (OR)</b> will host an Alternatives to Violence Project, Basic Community Workshop. on November 5-7.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To show what a</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">difference a small, dedicated local Quaker meeting can make on an</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">international scale, Shannon Frediani and Betty Devalcourt spoke to </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> about their visit</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to Jos, Nigeria. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">North Pacific Quarterly Meeting approved </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">South Seattle Friends Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">(WA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> for full monthly meeting status. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Members of University Friends Meeting who would like to transfer their membership to South Seattle will be part of a one-time mass transfer of membership. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Century;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">David Zarembka, Friends Peace Teams, will present “Healing And Rebuilding Community After Genocide And Violence: Lessons from Rwanda , Burundi , Kenya , Congo and Uganda with Friends Peace Teams and trauma healing in East Africa” at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> on October 15</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Century;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Junior Friends of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">University Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">(Seattle, WA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> are collecting books to send to Jamaica this winter. The youth were part of the North Pacific Yearly Meeting Junior Friends team who went to Petersfield, Jamaica last summer.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Visalia Meeting (CA)</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will host Fresno Meeting for the next 5</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sunday on November 28</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR), </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a Friend</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> reflected on an exercise that helped her overcome feelings of resentment with feelings of gratitude. Queries included:</span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Think of someone you judge and/or harbor resentment towards. Now write down at least 10 things that you genuinely like, appreciate or value about this person. Think about this person again. What differences do you notice?<o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Think of a situation or an area in which you judge yourself and/or dislike yourself. Now write down at least 10 things that you genuinely like, appreciate or value about yourself. Think about yourself again. What changes do you notice?<o:p></o:p></span></span></li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">West Hills Friends (Portland, OR) a</span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">re invited to enjoy one another’s company as they work on craft projects on Saturday, Oct. 9</span></span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">considered how the Meeting should be using email communication on its attender list.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Friends were of one mind that emails addressing substantive topics (such as assistance to immigrants, future directions for the Meeting, or visits from other Quakers, etc.)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are not a respectful way to listen to each other and be gathered in the spirit of Quaker dialogue.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> B</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">usiness meeting and other venues such as threshing sessions offer the spiritual space where Friends can speak their minds, listen to others doing the same and work toward resolution.</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The fall program for the </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Albuquerque Meeting (NM) </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatSansOT-Bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Children’s Program Committee</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">has begun with younger children working on a</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">puppet show “Elmer the Elephant,” and older young </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">friends working on “What is Meeting for Worship?” Friends may receive requests to be interviewed.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">John Calvi will lead a workshop at </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Albuquerque Meeting (NM) </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on Saturday October 9</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. John says “</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PrioriSansOT-Regular"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This workshop will be a relaxing exploration of our lives to see where a sense of our goodness is increased or obstructed. Not much will be asked of you and sharing any life stories will be only by choice. Mostly there will be some laughing and some deep quiet.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For quite a number of years </span></span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Albuquerque Meeting (NM) </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">has hoped to have a</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Quaker presence at the University of Northern Mexico. It appears that Friends now have a group</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ready to make that a reality.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Appleseed Meeting (Sebastapol, CA) </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a Friend will coordinate the collection of photos demonstrating what individual Friends are doing for the environment.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bellingham Friends (WA) </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";letter-spacing:-.15pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are asked to bring clean, good quality winter coats, hats, gloves and mittens to the worship services this month. Children’s coats are especially needed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Children’s Program committee</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bellingham Meeting (WA) </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">will ask parents to commit by Thursday if they plan to stay for second hour the following Sunday.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ann Stever and Dorsey Green</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">will lead a workshop concerning Quaker process with attention to conflict resolution at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Boise Valley Meeting (ID).</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Camas Friends Church (WA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is hosting a Spiritual Storytelling Workshop led by Kathy Hyzy on Saturday, October 9</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. Multnomah and West Hills Friends are also invited. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is a wonderful opportunity to practice deep listening,</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Rockwell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to learn how to share pieces of your spiritual life, and</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to make new friends!</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Reach team of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">) heads to Long Beach Friends Church the 2nd Sunday of every other month to feed homeless and under resourced people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">October 30 to 31 Friends Southwest Center in McNeal, AZ is hosting a 35th anniversary gathering. In addition to feasting and visiting, Friends hope to collect stories and history for the last 35 yrs of this ongoing experiment in intentional community. </span></span></span><span class="A6"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">FSC and members of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cochise Worship Group (McNeal, AZ)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will offer hospitality for as many as possible.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Religious Education Committee of</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Davis Meeting (CA) </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">has planned monthly themes for children for the school year based on the testimonies. Friends are asked to</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">thinks about their lives and what they might have to contribute based on the testimonies..<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRoman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Right Sharing</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">group of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Chico Meeting (CA), </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">offering support to those trying to alter lifestyles to reduce their ecological footprints, is working through the book </span></span><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:"TimesNewRoman\,Italic""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Radical Simplicity.</span></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRoman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRoman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The discussion group, </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Cambria"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Quakers Reflect on Aging and Dying, </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Chico Meeting (CA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will be meeting in the fall. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA) </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">continued the discussion of the Minute from Claremont Meeting on the signing of marriage licenses. Friends agreed to continue to hold this issue in the Light and continue examination in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After deliberating for several months, </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Durango Meeting (CO)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> has approved the following Minute. (Durango Meeting is indebted to Wilmington Friends Meeting of Wilmington, North Carolina, for much of the language of this minute.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.2in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.3in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; color: black; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Recognizing that of God in every person, we condemn the use of torture for every purpose. War and terrorism inspire fear, but retaliation and torture do not prevent war or fear, accomplish a positive end or yield accurate information. Torture, by any means, whether direct or by proxy, is immoral. Torture demeans the humanity of the tortured, the torturer and those who have knowledge of it. It offends the sanctity of life.</span></span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ministry and Worship Committee of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is helping to form Worship-Sharing and Worship-Discussion Groups. F/friends are asked to write a proposal, appoint a leader, and post a signup sheet on the EFM website and at the Meetinghouse<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA) </span></span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">notes that in regard to the ending FY 2009-10 budget, it seems likely for at least the second year in a row, income will not meet the goals set by the Meeting last year. It will again require dipping into past reserves to fully fund the current year’s commitments. The Finance Committee feels this cannot be done indefinitely, and ultimately the Meeting will have to reduce the size of the budget (probably in the area of “Outbound Donations”). </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:LucidaSansUnicode;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Honolulu Meeting (HI)</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:LucidaSansUnicode; mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will send out a press release to announce the sessions on the three testimonies that have been scheduled so far: Simplicity, Equality and Peace. The purpose of the release is to invite members of the public who may be interested in knowing about Friends. The Meeting has done this before for </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:LucidaSansUnicode;mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Quakerism 101 sessions.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:LucidaSansUnicode; mso-bidi-font-style:italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Deaths noted in Newsletters:</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Times;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Will Tranquilli</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Times"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> , Fresno Meeting</span></span></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; ">Karen Peacock, Honolulu Meeting</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; ">Leona Lee, Mountainview Meeting</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; ">Roscoe Knight, Newberg Friends Church</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; ">Rusty North, Port Townsend Meeting</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; ">Dick Votaw, West Chehalem Friends Church</span></li></ul><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <h2 style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif"">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Alternatives to Violence Project</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will present a Basic Community Workshop on November 5-7 at Salem Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">American Friends Service Committee</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will close its Hawaii office after 42 years of program work. The AFSC Pacific Southwest Region will continue to staff offices in Arizona, Los Angeles, New Mexico, and San Diego<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Bold; color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Amigas del Señor Monastery for Women </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is a monastery practicing in the forms of Methodists and Quakers, located in the foothills near the Caribbean Sea in Limón, Colón, Honduras. They seek other women to join them in a life of prayer and service. Sister Alegría, formerly known as Beth Blodge</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">tt</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> , is a pediatrician who founded the monastery in 2006. She has been connected with Multnomah Meeting for twelve years. Read letters from </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Bold;color:#010202;mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Amigas del Señor</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman; color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> online at h</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">tt</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: PalatinoLinotype-Roman;color:#010202"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">p://groups.yahoo.com/group/amigasdelsenor/. They are also on Facebook.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ben Lomond Quaker Center</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> announces an internship opportunity beginning in early 2011 for an individual who is led to service with the Religious Society of Friends and who hopes to</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: large; ">learn about nonprofit management and social justice work.</span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Casa de Los Amigos</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in Mexico City now hosting daily Spanish classes for recently arrived refugees in Mexico City. The classes began in response to the June 2nd arrival of 198 additional Haitian earthquake refugees. Learning basic Spanish quickly is absolutely critical for refugee families to begin to rebuild their lives in Mexico City. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The free classes currently serve mostly Haitians but also Iranians, Nepalis, and people from several African nations (most of whom are current or former Casa guests).</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Times"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>College Park Quarterly Meeting</b> will gather for its Fall Session, October 15-17, at Sierra Friends Center, Nevada City, CA. The theme will be: </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Inner Light—Finding It, Following It</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What do Friends mean when they talk about the Inner Light, Guide or Seed? How can we find it? Once we’ve found it, how do we follow it?</span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:#333333"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Colorado Regional Meeting</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will gather October 22-24 in Estes Park. This year’s featured speaker is Mary Lord</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";color:#333333"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mary Lord worked professionally in the field of peace and security for thirty years, including as Assistant General Secretary for Peace and Conflict Resolution for AFSC and with the program on peaceful prevention of armed conflict for FCNL. She is the</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><a href="https://www.pendlehill.org/residentprogram/admissions/scholarships" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#245C86;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Henry J. Cadbury scholar</span></span></a></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">at</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><a href="https://www.pendlehill.org/residentprogram/overview" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode";color:#245C86; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pendle Hill</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Sans Unicode"; color:#333333;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for 2009-2010.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This weekend's Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting at Lazy F near Ellensburg was an opportunity for Friends interested in </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy's</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Local Response to Global Challenges working group to meet face-to-face to discuss potential legislative issues for the 2011 session, as well as initiatives among Friends in the region and in local communities. At an Interest Group, Friends also had the opportunity to focus on the question: </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"</span></span></b></span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black; font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What can Friends in the Pacific Northwest do to prepare our states and local communities for the challenges of peak oil, climate change, overpopulation, and environmental sustainability?”</span></span></strong><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">October 30 to 31 </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Friends Southwest Center</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in McNeal, AZ will host a 35th anniversary gathering. In addition to feasting and visiting, Friends hope to collect stories and history for the last 35 yrs of this ongoing experiment in intentional community. </span></span></span><span class="A6"><span style="font-family: Garamond, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">FSC and members of Cochise Worship Group will offer hospitality for as many as possible.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Intermountain Yearly Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> approved </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">two minutes that concerns about conditions in our world and nation.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The first was on Immigration, spurred by the passage of Arizona SB 1070.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The second was on the wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Both minutes have been distributed to the Congressional delegations and governors from Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico and to the President of the United States, Barack Obama.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Intermountain Yearly Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Clerk is forming a task group to advise the Yearly Meeting about the direction it should take in assisting meetings with Quaker service. Each monthly meeting is asked to appoint a representative to the task group.</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The summer gathering of the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> was designed to be theme-less and simple because of the energy devoted to hosting North Pacific Yearly Meeting in Missoula. The MGOF gathering took place in Luccock Park, near Livingston, MT.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Fall women's healing weekend of </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, which will be on the weekend of October.22-24, Friday evening through Sunday noon, and held at Flathead Lake at the Methodist Church camp. </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Rockwell"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This is a year of evaluation of the new </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">North Pacific Yearly Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> structure, replacing the old Steering Committee with a Coordinating Committee. The major effect of the change is that more business is now handled at Annual Session.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are two openings for pastoral positions in </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. Crossroads Community Church in Astoria, Oregon, is looking for a bi-vocational lead pastor. </span><span style="border:none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Homedale Friends Church</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in Homedale, Idaho, is looking for a full-time lead pastor. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Information:</span><a href="mailto:csaxton@nwfriends.org"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">csaxton@nwfriends.org</span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There is a proposal to change the name of our </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:#2A2A2A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> to Cascade Regional.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For the first time, the eight Woolman Community Interns at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sierra Friends Center</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> arrived during the summer to help with the bountiful garden, and in turn, with feeding Sierra Friends Campers with vegetables straight from the garden. If Friends would like to get their hands in the garden, </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial-BoldMT;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">they are invited to the Harvest Day Work and Celebration on Saturday, October 23</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rd</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Fall gathering of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Southern California Quarterly Meeting</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> will be at </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Temescal Canyon Conference Grounds, Pacific Palisades, CA.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Nov 6-7</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The theme for this Fall Gathering, </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Speaking Truth with Love: Transforming Conflict in Our Quaker Communities</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">,</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Garamond"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">”</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> has two points of origin. One is the prevalence of unresolved conflicts of various sorts within our monthly meetings as </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">reflected in the 2010 State of the Meeting reports. In some cases, these conflicts have resulted in lingering resentments and polarization within Meetings.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The other point of origin for our theme is the idea, explored by George Lakey at Pacific Yearly Meeting, that Friends suffer from a pervading disposition toward conflict avoidance. Lakey sees the unwillingness to bring disagreements out into the open as a recipe for ongoing disunity, and he believes that Friends need to be open to the constructive potential of conflict.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Twin Rocks Friends Camp</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is offering a Couples Conference, October 15-17. </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Any couple married in 2009 or 2010 should </span><a href="mailto:friendscamp@twinrocks.org" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">register via email</span></span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to access a half-price discount!</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";color:white"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">e married i</span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lisa Graham McMinn, author of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Walking Gently on the Earth</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, will lead the Seminar by the sea at </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Twin Rocks Friends Camp</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> on October 29-31.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Berkeley Friends Church will host the annual meeting of the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Western Association of the Religious Society of Friends (WARSF) </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on February 11-12, 2011. The Board of Oversight will meet on Friday evening, and then the general meeting of members the following afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Western Half Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;color:black"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> of Canadian Yearly Meeting will meet this October at Camp Valaqua which is located an hour outside of Calgary, Alberta. At WHYM Friends will be reflecting on Global Change and have distributed queries as part of preparation for FWCC Kenya 2012.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-48616775035464465832010-08-05T21:37:00.000-07:002010-08-05T21:53:19.479-07:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Quaker Youth Pilgrimage in the NW</span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;">A funny thing happened on the way to the latest Newsletter Summary. I got very involved with the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, and not very involved in much else in my life. Thus, much of what you will find listed below is very dated and I missed reporting on many events such as yearly meetings which happened this summer.</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;">The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, a program of Friends World Committee for Consultation, is in the Northwest this summer. From July 15 to August 12<sup>th</sup>, 28 Quaker youth from Great Britain, Europe, Canada and the United States, age 16-18, and 4 <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>leaders are traveling in Oregon and Washington State. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;">They arrived in Seattle and gathered at Eastside Meeting; after homestays they went to Quaker Cove near Anacortes,WA. They stayed at <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>North Seattle Friends Church before taking AMTRAK to Portland where they stayed at Multnomah Meeting. They are now at Camp Magruder on the Oregon Coast. From there they go to Camas Friends and Anderson Lodge, Ariel, WA, before flying out of Sea-Tac on August 12th.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;">Many Friends have helped with the Pilgrimage. Special thanks go to cooks Patty Federighi (North Seattle Friends Church), Sea Gabriel (South Seattle Preparative Meeting), Pablo Stanfield (University Meeting), and Kathy Hyzy (Multnomah Meeting).</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Jon Maroni, George Fox University Graduate and George Fox Evangelical Seminary student, has joined the staff at</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 2</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">nd</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Street Community Church (Newberg, OR) </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">as youth pastor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Friends of</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">were welcomed to a Friends’ home on aWednesday evening for a quiet hour of worship. There was a lot of light in June: sky and water were illuminated by the evening sun.</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Albuquerque Friends (NM) </span></span></b><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">hosted a Benefit on behalf of the New Mexico Coalition</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">for Immigrant Justice. The Benefit </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">featured Patricia Morrison, a singer/songwriter from Tucson and Rachel Lazar from El Centro de Derechos y Igualdades</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">speaking on vital current immigration issues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bellingham Friends (WA)</span></span></b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and their families gathered for a Soup Supper and to hear recent travel tales from Friends Mimi Freshley, Bob Butterfield, and Annelise Pysanky.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Several Friends from </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bellingham Meeting (WA)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> came to Quaker Cove to worship with the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Berkeley Meeting (CA)</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> will hold a Melon Tasting Party as a fundraiser for the Meeting Renovation on </span></span></span><span style="font-family:MinionPro-Regular;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Saturday, August 14.</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-family:MinionPro-Regular;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Late summer is the height of melon season, with up to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">two dozen varieties available in the markets. But which one to choose? They are big and each one is a commitment. What if you do not like it? Friends are invited to a melon tasting party to taste about 15 varieties. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:MinionPro-Regular;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> brought supper to the Quake Youth Pilgrimage one night when the Pilgrims were at Multnomah Meeting.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage will spend a weekend at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Camas Friends Church (WA).<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> is offering a sport themed tutoring program called All Star Achievers. It is designed to give elementary school (1st-6th grade) students a safe and fun place to go during the summer where they can fellowship with other students and keep up their academic skills. Each session begins with a short devotional and includes time for academic lessons focused on reading comprehension and mathematics<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Dinner Clubs at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Citrus Heights Friends Church (CA)</b> are composed of 4-8 adults in each group with each group representing three households. Friends will share a meal at a different home in the group over a three-week period and do some special get-to-know-one-another activities during each meal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Ignite </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">is an alternative worship experience<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Citrus Heights Friends Church (CA)</b> designed to reach people who do not have a traditional church background, in other words, a church for people who don’t like church. It meets at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening and is designed for families with kids, and for 20’s-30-somethings, singles, and young adults.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">As part of the City of Claremont annual July 4th parade, there was an interfaith group marching in support of marriage equality. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Claremont Meeting (CA)</b> led a Quaker contingent in that group (Quaker banner and all!) , and they invited Orange Grove Meeting to join them.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Corvallis Meeting (OR)</b> are invited to a book group to read Marge Abbott's new book <i>To Be Broken and</i> <i>Tender: A Quaker Theology for Today. </i><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Worship and Ministry of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> Davis Meeting (CA) </b>invites Friends to<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> </b>continue spirituality queries during the summer, on the third Sundays, 8:30-9:30 a.m., before worship and on the fourth Wednesdays after worship and potluck.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Peace and Social Concerns Committee</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE41988D8t00;font-size:12.0pt;"> of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Davis Meeting (CA)</b> held a Meeting for Suffering for victims and survivors (e.g., fisherman,turtles) of the Gulf oil. Peace and Social Concerns arranged this and invite the public.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</b> </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">plans to visit with the Unitarian Fellowship in Sonora on the fourth First Day in either October or November.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Duncan Worship Group (BC)</b> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;">felt a need to provide a forum for deeper understanding of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Garamond, serif;">what they’re all about. They decided on four evening gatherings to share ideas on various topics, naming the process "Quaker Paths," deliberately plural to reflect the diversity of experiences and leadings. The format and content are designed to allow for meaningful reflection for seasoned and new Friends alike.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</b> was the first stop for the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage on Thursday, July 15. Friends welcomed youth age 16-18 from all over the world with lunch, supper, and hospitality. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="A4"><span style=" ;font-size:11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Eugene Meeting (OR) </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">held a concert for Guatemala in early July</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"> </span></b></span></span><span class="A4"><span style=" ;font-size:11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">with Patricia Morrison, Quaker singer/songwriter and Lilian Vega Ortiz, from Friends Peace Teams and Alternatives to Violence Project in Guatemala. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">T</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS;font-size:12.0pt;">o strengthen outreach and fellowship among Friends, there will be “pizza and more” on the third Friday evening of each month at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Honolulu (HI) Meetinghouse.</b></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0in;text-indent:-22.5pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; mso-hyphenate:none"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Goudy Old Style","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Goudy Old Style"; mso-bidi-Goudy Old Style"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Humboldt Meeting (Arcata, CA)</b> held a successful rummage sale on May 15 with many participating. The sale generated funds to support activities of the Meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in;mso-hyphenate:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Members of Ministry and Oversight have been in recent communication with a Friend concerning this Friend’s membership in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Humboldt Meeting (Arcata, CA).</b> The Friend indicates no intention of actively participating in the life of the meeting, but wants to retain connection to the wider community of Friends. After seasoning and consideration of this unique situation, Ministry and Oversight recommends that the membership status of this Friend be termed “inactive.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Don Lamm retired from active ministry with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Marion Friends Church (OR)</b> after 55 years in ministry, which included pasturing a church in California, serving as district superintendent of two Areas of Northwest Yearly Meeting, and pasturing seven Northwest Yearly Meeting churches.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><em><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in;padding:0in;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Bill and Faye Pruitt</span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">,</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> are taking over pastoral duties at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Marion Friends Church (OR),</b> upon the retirement of Don Lamm.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>At a threshing session at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Multomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</b> Friends recommended </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">strengthening the Meeting’s commitment to families and to building community, by returning to some of the Meeting’s traditions such as baby welcomings and family gatherings and intergenerational e</span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;">vents.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage stayed at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</b> for six days. Ann Dudley, Eddy Crouch, and Lew Scholls were the planning committee which produced breakfasts, lunches, and the Sunday evening supper.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Newberg Friends Church (OR)</b> hosted the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage for an evening supper. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;">Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">North Seattle Friends Church, Salmon Bay Meeting, South Seattle Preparative Meeting, and University Meeting</b> drove to Quaker Cove near Anacortes, WA to worship with the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, eat lunch with them and drive them back to Seattle.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage stayed at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">North Seattle Friends Church (WA)</b> for six days.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">North Valley Friends Church (Newberg, Oregon)</b> currently has a ¾ mile walking trail around the Church’s property. In an effort to build a culture of peace in the church and surrounding community Friends will be adding a variety of peace elements and stations to the trail. These additions would be a way of sharing who they are as a Quaker church and the value they place in our testimony of peace. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is to be a gift to our community by offering a sense of welcome and a space for reflection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Orange County Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</b> discovered it had extra money at the end of the fiscal year and the Finance Committee recommended putting the excess into the Building Fund. It was suggested that putting the money into the building fund would be fine, and that the Meeting trusts the Finance Committee to decide which fund should hold money not being spent.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Worship and Ministry Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</b> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">is planning a summer study series on Eldering. The three sessions will consider: (1)The role of elder to traveling ministers; (2) Role-playing eldering in day-to-day situations; and (3) Self-eldering.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Oversight Committee of </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">reported that the in the future the “new comers lunch” will be folded into the regular </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">fourth Sunday luncheon by having a separate table designation.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Wednesday Night Escapes is a weekly gathering of Young Adult Friends of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) </b>for worship, fellowship and dinner.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The treasurer of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</b> sends all committee clerks a monthly summary of their budget, and committee clerks are responsible for their committee’s spending.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Quincy Friends Church (WA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> invited all who have or have had ties to Quincy to join the church for a final Worship Service on August 1, 2010. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The decision to lay down the meeting has not been easy; however, the changing demographics of the community and the aging of the congregation have necessitated this decision.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The Property Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</b> evaluated four bids and recommends installing a grid-tied photovoltaic solar generation system which would generate about 20% more than the Meeting’s annual need for electric power.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Futures Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</b> asked Friends: </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Can you describe a specific experience in the life of the Meeting that made you come alive? Tell about a time when you felt really connected to the Meeting. What made that possible? What gifts do you bring to the Meeting?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">It’s barbeque time at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR).</b> Friends will join together on Wednesday evenings during the summer for food, play, and companionship.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage joined with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> for an evening barbeque. </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">A group of the Pilgrims worshipped with Reedwood Friends and had lunch with them.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Friends responded to the Oversight Committee survey of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Reno Meeting (NV)</b> about how to heal and build the Meeting. The option chosen most was “clearness committees”. Tied for second place were “ask for help from CPQM”, “study Faith and Practice” and ”study Pendle Hill pamphlet re Matthew 18”. Third place was a tie between “take Myers Briggs Personality Inventory” and “plan community events”.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">Starting the first weekend in July and running through Labor Day weekend, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA),</b> invites Friends to c</span></span><em><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi- font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">hoose their "Summer Blend." On Saturday evenings Casual Blend suggests Friends should come as they are and hear uplifting music. Sunday’s 9:00 a.m. service offers all the things Friends love in blended worship (including the choir, hymns, and worship songs). Sunday’s 10:45 a.m. service offers a unique experience combining energy and heart through vibrant worship in community</span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Middle School students of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</b> enjoy Poolside time—backyard Bible study and swimming events that take place Wednesday evenings during the summer. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Sacramento Meeting </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;">(CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"> approved holding Meetings for Business on the third Sunday of each month during the time of the current Clerk’s clerkship. The Meeting will reserve the second Sunday for whole meeting programs.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Sacramento Meeting </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;">(CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"> stands by its current policy. “</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:Helvetica-Oblique;font-size:12.0pt;">Sacramento Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) affirms that it will conduct marriages of</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:Helvetica-Oblique;font-size:12.0pt;">same-gender Quaker couples. Because of the laws of the State, these marriages do not have legal standing, but we</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:Helvetica-Oblique;font-size:12.0pt;">will continue to advocate that same-gender couples be given the rights of civil marriage, and all other privileges and</span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:Helvetica-Oblique;font-size:12.0pt;">responsibilities that opposite-gender couples now enjoy.”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;">A Friend spoke to </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Sacramento Meeting </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;">(CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"> about a leading to help undocumented students attend college. This leading emerges from both personal experience and an ongoing commitment to education. A number of Friends have been moved to join this Friend in exploring and seasoning this leading. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book;font-size:12.0pt;">Children’s Religious Education Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">San Francisco Meeting (CA) </b>reported: <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book;font-size:12.0pt;">A parents’ email list will be developed to help communication as well as a bulletin board. A list of books, snacks, art supplies, and other items are being developed to better capture the budget needs of the Committee. A curriculum structure is being developed with welcoming, salutation, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Garamond, serif;">snack, story, silent activity, discussion/questions, and closing circle. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">From the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</b> Newsletter: <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">To the angels who lovingly take the dirty dish towels, tablecloths, floor</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span">towels and mop-heads from the meeting house, wash them and return them</span> <span class="apple-style-span">clean and fresh, THANK YOU. You provide a tremendous service most us</span> <span class="apple-style-span">probably do not think about. We usually do not know who you are as it is a</span> <span class="apple-style-span">behind the scenes job. Consequently you probably never receive thanks for</span> <span class="apple-style-span">volunteering in this way. And, dear angels who have the dish towels... we</span> <span class="apple-style-span">need them back! We have about two towels left hanging out to dry in the</span> <span class="apple-style-span">kitchen!!!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;">Women from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Santa Fe Meeting (NM)</b> were invited to “Gather in the Garden” in early July for an evening pot luck. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Spokane Friends Church (WA)</b> approved a bid to replace the entire gabled roof of the Meeting House because of damage to the tiles in recent windstorms.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Quaker Men of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA)</b> sponsored the Annual Quaker Men Picnic. Friends descended upon Flinn Springs County Park to fellowship, eat good food, play fun outdoor games, and sing songs.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> will hold an <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Outdoor Meeting for Worship at </span>Live Oak Park on August 29. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Meeting for worship will be held simultaneously at the usual meeting place. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">A table is now in the center of the room for Meeting for Worship at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Tempe Meeting (AZ)</b> for the convenience of those using special microphones.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It has also become a repository for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Faith and Practice,</i> a Bible and a hymn book.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Care Committees started at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">University Friends Meeting (Seattle, WA)</b> over thirty years ago as Circles of Care. </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"font-family:";">Care Committees have formed around such issues as acute health problems, chronic health problems, important losses, impending difficulties, etc. Members or regular attenders who wish Care Committees should contact the clerk of the Sub-committee on Care,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;">Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (BC)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;"> is partnering with the United Church, the Anglican Church and Aboriginal Neighbors as they seek reconciliation and redress.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;">Victoria Friends (BC)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;"> noted that it is important to hold an event in the garden each summer in order to fully appreciate the garden. Friends were anticipating a garden strawberry social during the summer.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Sarah Hoggatt, one of ten editors who helped produce an anthology of essays <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">(Spirit Rising)</i> by young Friends, was a guest speaker at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR).</b> Sarah read the story of Samuel (who heard the voice of God as a young person), and reflected on the importance of bringing the voice of youth into our conversations as a church. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> approved the following minute: “The community endorses a recommendation from the Search Committee and WHF Elders to call Mark Pratt-Russum as our next youth pastor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Mike Huber, pastor of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR)</b> told the story of three angels who came to earth with gifts from above. The third angel carried the gift of Failure. Failure can be a gift if it opens one to something new. Friends were asked if accepting failure could open a new way forward in their lives?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR) </b>prepared supper for the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage while the Pilgrims were in Portland. A group of the Pilgrims worshipped with West Hills Friends and had lunch with them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>At Promotion Sunday at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b> teachers were honored for their work and students were recognized for their achievements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>“Peace Is in Our Hands” was the theme of the 15<sup>th</sup> annual Peace Camp at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b>. The aim of Peace Camp is to promote an understanding of peace and justice; respect for self and others; cooperation in group settings; management of conflict; and appreciation of our environment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>At the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Wyoming Friends Retreat</b>, Friends had the opportunity for relaxation, spiritual enrichment and of others and nature, with a few planned, creative activities, emphasizing enjoyment depth, and sharing with others which Friends were able to join in or not as they chose.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Deaths noted in Newsletters:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Jim Read, Boise Valley Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Susanna Blake Gabay, Eugene Meeting</span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Deb Miller, Eugene Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Terry Fieldhouse, Grass Valley Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Carl Bennett, Friends Community Church, Homedale<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Jane Kyle, Mission Valley Worship Group<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Gerhard Fritzsche, Pima Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Helene Fritzsche, Pima Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Monte Gregg Steadman, Redwood Forest Meeting<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Walter Kersey, Sacramento Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;">Janet Hawksley, Vancouver Island Meeting<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <h2 align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Arial","sans-serif";font-family:";font-size:7.5pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">After long, prayerful and careful seasoning, the Search Committee for the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">American Friends Service Committee </b>made a recommendation to the Board for the next General Secretary which was accepted. She is Shan Cretin, at present Regional Director of ASFC Pacific South West, based in Los Angeles. A member of Santa Monica Meeting, Shan has been very active with Pacific Yearly Meeting. She has served on many committees, been Treasurer, and for 2 years, served as Clerk of Yearly Meeting. Shan will be sorely missed locally, but AFSC has gained a truly competent and deeply spiritual leader. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Third National Quaker Conference on Torture & Accountability is scheduled for</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span">September 24-26, 2010 at</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Quaker Center, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Ben Lomond CA.</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.quakercenter.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;">http://www.quakercenter.org/</span></a></span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Two internationally known anti-torture activists will headline the</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Conference on Torture. Human rights attorney and</span> <span class="apple-style-span">investigator Scott Horton will be the keynote speaker. Father Roy</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Bourgeois, founder of SOA Watch, will also bring his unique</span> <span class="apple-style-span">perspective on the work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Canadian Yearly Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> meets in Winnipeg, Manitoba Aug. 13-20 at the Canadian<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Mennonite University.<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Christian Friends Conference of Northern California</b> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;">agreed to hold its next meeting at Berkeley Friends Church on Saturday, September 25<sup>th</sup>. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</b> is the Quaker group whose mission is to bring Friends' testimonies to public policy in the State of Washington. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">FCWPP seeks to fill the position of Legislative Advocate, i.e., lobbyist. This position is part-time; a Quaker is preferred. </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">For a complete job description, see www.fcwpp.org, or contact FCWPP Clerk Tom Ewell c/o fcwpp@quaker.org.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</b> is </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">requesting suggestions for the redesign of the FCWPP logo.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span">The current FCWPP logo now consists of a hint of the outline of the state, a small bird, an evergreen tree and a mountain. The Committee would like its logo to better represent Quaker identity, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>work in Olympia, and the mission of working for criminal reform, peace, and economic and environmental issues.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-Courier New";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Samuel Mahaffy of Spokane Friends Church (WA) is serving as the Coordinator for the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">FWCC Global Change Consultation.</b> Information: <a href="http://www.fwccglobalchange.org/">www.fwccglobalchange.org</a> or <a href="mailto:Samuel@fwccglobalchange.org">Samuel@fwccglobalchange.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12.0pt;">Lillian Vega Ortiz has worked with the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Guatemalan Alternatives to Violence Project</b> as a facilitator and Friend’s Peace Team’s “Peace Building en Las Americas” initiative in Central America.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She recently toured the Northwest and talked about </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">how the civil war and the resulting culture of violence have affected the culture and people of Guatemala. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She spoke to many Friends, including Bellingham Meeting (WA), Corvallis Meeting (OR) Eugene Meeting (OR), and Multnomah Meeting (OR).</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Los Altos History Museum</b> will present an exhibit about Frank and Josephine Duvenick, between January and June of 2011. The</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Duvenicks</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">were active in the Quaker Community and also with The American Friends Service Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>North Pacific Yearly Meeting </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">Junior Friends went on a Service Trip</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>to Petersfield Jamaica, July 25 to August 1, 2010. More information about the trip: <a href="http://www.databasezone.com/npymjf/">http://www.databasezone.com/npymjf/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Several <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting </b>churches are involved with community gardens this summer, providing opportunity to build relationships with their neighbors while meeting very real needs for nutritious food.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The Peace Education subcommittee of </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">is accepting submissions for January’s daily devotional focused on how NWYM members are walking in peace. The foundational query is: “In what ways have you felt called to live out the Friends peace testimony?”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Over Memorial Day weekend, 30 youth, representing 15 different churches of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Northwest Yearly Meeting,</b> came together at Camp Yamhill in Oregon. Samuel School II, a leadership camp for high school juniors and seniors, offered classes and activities designed to challenge the youth spiritually and stretch them outside their comfort zones.</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-65949164181948604212010-06-12T20:52:00.000-07:002010-06-12T21:04:19.635-07:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Albuquerque Friends (NM) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">will host a Benefit on behalf of the New Mexico Coalition for Immigrant Justice on June 19. The Benefit </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">will feature Patricia Morrison, a singer/songwriter from Tucson and Rachel Lazar from El Centro de Derechos y Igualdades</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">speaking on vital current immigration issues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Given that the majority of Friends living locally have not taken on current responsibilities on </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">committees within </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Albuquerque </span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">(NM)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">, Meeting requests that Worship and Ministry committee consider the matter.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Oversight and Counsel of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Albuquerque Friends (NM) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> proposes that the Meeting create a “Care List,” i.e. a list of the names of Friends who would sign up to help out on short notice, or as long as the case might be, in some particular way. The Committee does not intend long-term commitment, but thinks it might be a good idea, when a Friend is in particular need, to be able to contact someone who could manage that brief need.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">At Friday Night at the Movies, Friends at</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Berkeley Friends Church (CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">watched “Rabbit-Proof Fence.” (2002) In 1930's Australia, three aboriginal girls escape after being plucked from their homes to be trained as domestic staff and set off on a trek across the Outback.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camas-Friends-Church/215304225550"><b><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Camas Friends Church</span></span></span></b></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> (WA) has</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> 16 people signed up for its "Very Short Introduction to the Quakers" book group on Wednesdays at the meeting house! There’s still more room available; Friends need to RSVP.</span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">will </span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">continue its series, "Answering Life's Toughest Questions." by talking about "How Do I Face the Future?" In such an uncertain time in our nation's economy, this is a message Friends don't want to miss. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">celebrates its 20</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> anniversary on Sunday, June 13</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. Friends</span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> are combining three weekend services into one for this special celebration—a great morning connecting with the church family outdoors. Friends were invited to dress casual, arrive early, fellowship over coffee and get ready for an inspiring morning of music and message. </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Then they might enjoy visiting over lunch, provided on-site by a Carl's Jr. Truck and a Mexican Taco Truck, while the kids play on the bounce houses and play-ground.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This summer </span></span></span></span><b><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">is offering a sport themed tutoring program called All Star Achievers. It is designed to give elementary school (1st-6th grade) students a safe and fun place to go during the summer where they can fellowship with other students and keep up their academic skills. Each session begins with a short devotional and includes time for academic lessons focused on reading comprehension and mathematics.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Cherry Grove Friends Church (Battleground, WA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> annual Prairie High School Senior Tea was born in the spring of 1980. For over 30 years, various women in Cherry Grove’s congregation have given their hearts, hands, cream and sugar sets, and pounds of cheese to create a special event for the young high school women and their mothers. Members of Cherry Grove’s congregation provide the music, benediction, and kitchen help. Junior girls from the high school </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">volunteer to be servers and get a sneak peek at the event. One senior girl is chosen as a speaker in addition to a speaker selected by Cherry Grove.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Oversight and Fellowship Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Chico Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> shared the calendar policy developed by the committee with the understanding that it is the Meeting’s practice to avoid scheduling activities in conflict with Meetings for Worship (First Day and mid-week), Meetings for Business, and singing (First Day). </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Chico Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> minuted its acceptance of oversight of a grant that Chris Moore-Backman has received from the Clarence and Lilly Pickett Endowment for Quaker Leadership for his Operation Nonviolent Life</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">project. The committee will appoint a support committee for Chris and oversee disbursement of funds according to grant guidelines. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There is no named clerk for Ministry and Counsel of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Claremont Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> at this time. Clerking will rotate among members with one member serving as contact person to funnel information to the appropriate person. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Corvallis Friends (OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> will gather at Ona Beach for the Meeting’s annual worship on the beach on Sunday, June 20</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. As the date nears, Jim and Eileen Flory will advise Friends about the weather (their nearby house is the rain location) and directions for getting to the beach, which is about seven miles south of Newport.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">On Thursday, July 8: Lilian Vega Ortiz, Guatemalan Alternatives to Violence<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Project (AVP) facilitator, will speak to </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Corvallis Meeting (OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> on “Creating Hope: The Story of<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">a Peacemaker in Guatemala”. She has worked with Friends Peace Teams “Peacebuilding en Las Américas” initiative in Central America. In her talk, Lilian will tell how the civil war and the resulting culture of violence have affected the culture and people of Guatemala. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="A4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There will be a </span></span></span><span class="A4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Concert for Guatemala: Friday July 9 at 7 pm at</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Eugene Meeting (OR) </span></span></b></span><span class="A4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">with Patricia Morrison, Quaker singer/songwriter and Lilian Vega Ortiz, from Friends Peace Teams and Alternatives to Violence Project in Guatemala. </span></span></span><span class="A4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The ad hoc Fair Committee will be managing the Fair Booth at the 2010 Nevada County Fair as representing </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Grass Valley Friends Meeting (CA</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">). </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Honolulu Meeting (HI) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">recently published a special issue of its newsletter, Ka Makamaka, with basic information about Quakers, a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier, short essays on “How I became a Quaker,” an explanation of the Meeting’s regular events, a map, and a sample calendar of events.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Oversight and Counsel Committee </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Honolulu Meeting (HI) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">is considering a buddy system for people who seem to be at risk. There are various forms this could take. All are reminded this is a serious commitment to be considered only if one is able to assist. The committee will determine who is in need or at risk and welcomes requests for assistance as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">For the</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Klamath Falls Friends Church (OR) </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Seed Money Project</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">, Friends</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">have been given an amount of money to use as seed money for a giving project. Each adult was given $50.00 and each child $10.00.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The idea is to "grow" the money for the</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.kffriends.org/Kaimosi.htm"><span style=" text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Kaimosi University</span></span></span></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Scholarship project and/or for the community fund to help those who have special needs. The inspiration for this is the</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Parable of the Talents</span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">found in Matthew 25: 14-30. Friends will come together with a barbecue in September to celebrate the "giving back" and with stories of how they used the money.</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Mid Island Allowed Meeting (BC),</span></span></span></b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> a component of Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting, rotates the location of the Meeting for Business, thus, more of the group has been able to participate, especially when they are hosting. This has increased both comfort with and skill levels in Quaker ways of doing business.</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Discussion about the position of “Soup Wrangler” at </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Missoula Meeting (MT)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> ensued, particularly the role of ensuring the Meeting House and Fellowship Hall are clean and organized every week after soup. Friends agreed that those who bring soup should continue to be responsible for dish, kitchen, and eating area clean up before leaving. Friends requested that the “Soup Wrangler” make this role clear to Friends as they sign up for soup because the “common knowledge” is not very common. A Friend has compiled a check-list of weekly post-soup duties. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">June 6 was the last day of class for</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">and all children received a gift book to commemorate their year in the program. During the summer, all kids will go to Laurelhurst Park for unstructured play during Meeting each Sunday, with adult volunteers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> has a Covenant of Caring with the Senor del Amigas Monstery in Honduras. Letters from Sister Alegria (Beth Blodgett, an attender of the Meeting) and from Sister Confianza are posted on the MMM Bulletin Board in the Social Hall. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> On July 7, Lilian Vega Ortiz will speak on Creating Hope, the story of a Peacemaker in Guatemala,</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">at</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR). </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Lilian will talk about how the civil war and the resulting culture of violence have affected the culture and people of Guatemala.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A Friendly Visitor of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Newberg Friends Church (OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is one who schedules visits (one to four a month) with NFCers who can’t attend Sunday worship services. A Friendly Visitor is a friendly person who can visit with someone for ½-1 hour 1-4 times a month and feels compassion for those who desire a regular and personal connection to their church community. Friendly Visitors can be youth, family, single, or couple.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">cooks dinner at the Union Station homeless shelter every fifth Sunday of the month. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> It's a good time, cooking and chatting, and eating.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA) </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">has office space available to rent to a non-profit organization serving a good cause.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Interested parties should contact</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><u><span style="color:black;"><a href="mailto:residentfriend@ogmm.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">residentfriend@ogmm.org</span></span></span></a></span></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><u></u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First-Day School Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> sought input concerning how to discipline children who are interfering</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">with the learning of other children.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It was suggested that the older kids have a Meeting for Business to discuss it. This would include what positive things the kids want to work towards.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Mexico 2k10 High School Missions Team of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> will soon be leaving for Tijuana, Mexico to build a house for a family in need. The group decided to leave cell phones at home and is dealing with the concept of holding possessions lightly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Reno Meeting (NV)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is considering that that during the seasons when the weather is good perhaps they could also hold potluck birthdays outside. The meetinghouse borders on a nice park with picnic tables and if the First Day kids have their classes “al fresco” adults could walk from the meetinghouse during the last part of meeting to worship with the children outside. Adults would go to the kids instead of them coming inside to the adults.</span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">At</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA), </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">a recent</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Sunday featured a collection of some of the best musical offerings from the church’s Choir & Orchestra in the Annual Favorites Sunday. Featured songs include-</span></span></span></span><em><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Praise You</span></span></span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">with drum corps,</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><em><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I Will Follow Christ</span></span></span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">with the RDFC three young tenors from Easter Sunday—nine choir & orchestra songs in all! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Father Daughter Dinner at </span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">will be back again this year! Friends are asked to save the date of Friday, July 2 and enjoy a great catered meal and make lasting memories! They can take home a photo of the evening! This year Jay, Allison, and Sasha Bond will share on the theme</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><em><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">In My Father's Eyes.</span></span></span></em><i><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Sacramento Friends Community Church (CA)</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> has "waiting worship" on every fifth Sunday. Many in this small congregation bring the word of the Lord in these sessions.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">On a recent</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Sunday, several were moved to sing praises. One of the Kenyan members started by singing a familiar hymn in Swahili. Other Kenyans joined in and then many joined in English. The church also has an hour of unprogrammed worship every Sunday evening.</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> A Fund for Leadings will be set up at </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">San Francisco Friends Meeting (CA).</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> The purpose of this fund is to encourage Friends who feel "a sense of being called by God to undertake a specific course of action" to pursue their leadings. The fund would only exist until the original monies were<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">disbursed and then be laid down. Friends will hold a second hour meeting on discernment of leadings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The deed to the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">San Jose Meeting House (CA),</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> recorded in the 1950’s, is in the form of a Directors Deed harking back to a time when tax-exempt religious organizations couldn’t own property outright. </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The title for the Meeting House is held by five trustees on behalf of the College Park Association of Friends. </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Since all the trustees on the deed are deceased, the Meeting will need to petition the Superior Court to replace the trustees. </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There will be a legal filing fee of $355 and miscellaneous additional expenses. </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">These are included in the budget for the coming year. </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Santa Fe </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Friends (NM)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> considered and approved the creation of an Adult Education Committee to identify the role of the committee and make recommendations about adult education and return to business meeting with these recommendations. Others are encouraged to participate and volunteer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Santa Fe </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Friends (NM)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> agreed that the purpose of the Fellowship Committee would be changed to providing greeters before and after the 11 am meeting and to establish a separate Housekeeping Committee with responsibility for opening and closing the meetinghouse on First Days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Sandwich Making for the Homeless meets on fourth Sundays during Fellowship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">South Seattle Friends (WA) </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">will have an intimate conversation about the</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">origins and destinations of their money. </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">This Adult Religious Education session will be an inquiry into why people in general, and Friends in particular, have such a hard time talking about money. Friends will explore how a more honest relationship with how we came to our money and what to do with it could help us as Friends seeking to live according to our testimonies.</span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Spokane Friends (WA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> bring donations for the local food bank on the same Sunday as monthly meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Motors rumbled and chrome gleamed in the parking lot of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">when Friends held their car show. Fifteen classic cars, three modern cars and a BMW Motorcycle sidecar showed up to tell their stories.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">A revised policy on the Use of Time After the Rise of Meeting at </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is being seasoned. The document sets out guiding principles for scheduling events after Meeting for Worship. It also lists the kinds of events which<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">may be scheduled for each first day of the month. The Care of the Meeting Committee hopes the guidelines will encourage Friends to think creatively about time and be more flexible in using it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Each summer a Quaker fleet takes to the highways to and from the site of the North Pacific Yearly Meeting annual session. This year, in the interest of lowering NPYM's carbon footprint and implementing our 2008 NPYM Minute on Climate Change, if you have an available seat in your portion of the Friendly Fleet, please post your route and travel times as a comment on the RideSharing page at</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><a href="http://www.wallawallafriendsmeeting.org/" target="_blank" title="http://www.wallawallafriendsmeeting.org/ CTRL + Click to follow link"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">www.wallawallafriendsmeeting</span></span></span><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><wbr></span></span><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">org</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. In addition, if you need a seat so you can leave your own vehicle in the garage and save nearly 100% of your emissions, please also post that on the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Walla Walla Preparative Meeting (WA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> website.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Joe Sacco is a critically acclaimed graphic novelist, with a background in journalism. His books have portrayed what life is like for ordinary people in war-torn places like Bosnia and Palestine. As he lives in Portland, he agreed to visit </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">West Hills Friends Church(Portland, OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> where he reflected on his understanding of violence and his expertise as a story teller.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> for the first time will not be represented at the up-coming United Society of Friends Women International Triennial. The Triennial will be held in July in Mombasa, Kenya.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The writing class of</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">First Friends, Whittier (CA), </span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">now in its 18</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> year, is taking a summer break. It was noted that new members are always welcome and one doesn’t have to be old to join!</span></span></span></span></p> <h2 align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Alaska Friends Conference</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is partnering with Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting to host a Youth Service Camp in Ohio immediately before FGC Gathering this year. It's an exciting opportunity for Alaskan youth.</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Alaska Friends need to raise $3600 by June 23</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">rd</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Third National Quaker Conference on Torture & Accountability is scheduled for</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">September 24-26, 2010 at</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Quaker Center, </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Ben Lomond CA.</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.quakercenter.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://www.quakercenter.org/</span></span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Two internationally known anti-torture activists will headline the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Conference on Torture. Human rights attorney and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">investigator Scott Horton will be the keynote speaker. Father Roy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Bourgeois, founder of SOA Watch, will also bring his unique</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">perspective on the work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Canadian Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> meets in Winnipeg, Manitoba Aug. 13-20 at the Canadian </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Mennonite University.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Christian Friends Conference</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> of Northern California met on June 12th at Berkeley Friends Church. Keith Barton made a presentation on the Second Commandment.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is the Quaker group whose mission is to bring Friends' testimonies to public policy in the State of Washington. </span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FCWPP seeks to fill the position of Legislative Advocate, i.e., lobbyist. This position is part-time; a Quaker is preferred. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">For a complete job description, see www.fcwpp.org, or contact FCWPP Clerk Tom Ewell c/o fcwpp@quaker.org.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">requesting suggestions for the redesign of the FCWPP logo.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The current FCWPP logo now consists of a hint of the outline of the state, a small bird, an evergreen tree and a mountain. The Committee would like its logo to better represent Quaker identity, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">work in Olympia, and the mission of working for criminal reform, peace, and economic and environmental issues.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Samuel Mahaffy of Spokane Friends Church (WA) is serving as the Coordinator for the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">FWCC Global Change Consultation.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Information: </span></span><a href="http://www.fwccglobalchange.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">www.fwccglobalchange.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> or </span></span><a href="mailto:Samuel@fwccglobalchange.org"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Samuel@fwccglobalchange.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Los Altos History Museum</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> will present an exhibit about Frank and Josephine Duvenick, between January and June of 2011. The</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Duvenicks</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">were active in the Quaker Community and also with The American Friends Service Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> is in a six month process of laying down one of its Monthly Meetings, Heartland, and assuming the membership of those Friends. MGOF will now be both the Monthly Meeting for those Friends and the Quarterly Meeting for friends from the Missoula Meeting and elsewhere in the State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Registration is open at</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><a href="http://www.npym.org/as" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://www.npym.org/as</span></span></span></a></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">for </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">North Pacific Yearly Meeting’s</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> Annual Session, July 14-18 in Missoula, MT. The theme of this year’s gathering is “Practicing Hope: Living and Witnessing Our Testimonies”, with Friend-in-Residence Bridget Moix of FCNL. On Line Registration is available this year! Friends can also register as in previous years (download and mail in forms). <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Each summer a Quaker fleet takes to the highways to and from the site of the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">North Pacific Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> annual session. This year, in the interest of lowering NPYM's carbon footprint and implementing our 2008 NPYM Minute on Climate Change, if you have an available seat in your portion of the Friendly Fleet, please post your route and travel times as a comment on the RideSharing page at</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><a href="http://www.wallawallafriendsmeeting.org/" target="_blank" title="http://www.wallawallafriendsmeeting.org/ CTRL + Click to follow link"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">www.wallawallafriendsmeeting</span></span></span><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><wbr></span></span><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">org</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">. In addition, if you need a seat so you can leave your own vehicle in the garage and save nearly 100% of your emissions, please also post that on the Walla Walla Preparative Meeting (WA) website.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Please support the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">North Pacific Yearly Meeting Junior Friends Service Trip</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> to Petersfield Jamaica July 25 to August 1, 2010. More information about the trip: </span></span><a href="http://www.databasezone.com/npymjf/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://www.databasezone.com/npymjf/</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Several </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Northwest Yearly Meeting </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">churches are involved with community gardens this summer, providing opportunity to build relationships with their neighbors while meeting very real needs for nutritious food.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> will gather at George Fox University for worship, business, and visioning on July 25-29. The keynote address by Superintendent Colin Saxton will be on Sunday and the Outreach Rally will occur on Monday. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Scott Daniels, Senior Pastor at Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene, will speak Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights on the important questions the Church must always ask: What is God doing in the world? And what does the Church look like that understands what God is doing in the world? How can the Church hear these conversations so that it doesn’t miss out on what God is doing as he brings about the redemption of his creation? </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Go to </span></span><a href="http://nwfriends.org/yearly-meeting-sessions/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://nwfriends.org/yearly-meeting-sessions/</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> for information and to register on-line.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The Peace Education subcommittee of </span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">is accepting submissions for January’s daily devotional focused on how NWYM members are walking in peace. The foundational query is: “In what ways have you felt called to live out the Friends peace testimony?”</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Pacific Yearly Meeting’s</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> 64th gathering will be held at Claremont McKenna College, near Los Angeles, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">from July 26 to 31.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The theme, Engaging One</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Another in the Spirit, invites Friends to deepen their awareness of God and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">each other. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">George Lakey of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will be the keynote speaker, and there will be a return visit by Vanessa Julye of Friends General Conference’s Committee for Ministry on </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Racism. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Unity with Nature Committee is celebrating its 25th Anniversary and</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">has special events planned. </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/</span></span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"> </span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-20673175663503974352010-06-01T19:36:00.000-07:002010-06-01T19:46:36.487-07:00<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Quaker Youth Pilgrimage in the NW</span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">How would you like to get to know some “cool” Quaker teens? The Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, a program of Friends World Committee for Consultation, will be in the Northwest this summer. From July 15 to August 12</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, 28 young Friends from Great Britain, Europe, Canada and the United States, age 16-18, and 4 adult leaders will travel in Oregon and Washington State.</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They will arrive in Seattle on Thursday, July 15 and gather at Eastside Meeting; then disperse to Friends’ homes in groups of 2-4;</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">go to Quaker Cove near Anacortes, July 17-25; North Seattle Friends Church, July 25-30. On Friday, July 30, they will take AMTRAK to Portland.</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They will stay at Multnomah Meeting July 30-August 4; Camp Magruder on the Oregon Coast, August 4-7; Camas Friends Church, August 7-9; and Anderson Lodge, Ariel, WA, August 9-12.</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We need your help to make this experience the best ever for them. If you are in any of the above locations and would like to help, please contact me. </span></span><a href="mailto:nancymaemc@gmail.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">nancymaemc@gmail.com</span></span></a></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">First Friends, Whittier (CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">participated in the City of Whittier’s Founders day. The church’s presence included sharing about the Meeting with a computer slide show, selling cook books and crafts, and giving out water for those who thirst physically or for a spiritual home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The United Society of Friends Women of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> held a luncheon with a program which consisted of sharing stories from the Church’s Life Story Writing Group.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">With an eye to Peace Month, </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> decided to strengthen the bridge between WHF and Hispanic Friends. They invited Angel Diaz (the pastor of Newberg Hispanic Iglesia Amigos) to speak. Angel invited Gerardo Ibarra to join him. The two Friends described their experience moving to the United States and their perspective on the current controversies over immigration. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ministry and Counsel </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Victoria Meeting (BC)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> has decided to place books from Quaker and other faiths on the central table at Meeting for Worship for the use of those gathered.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (BC)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> has laid down the North Island Worship Group.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (BC)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">has considered the suggestion</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">to have “Coast Salish Traditional Territory</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> added to the address line for the Fern Street Meetinghouse. The Meeting does not feel ready to move forward on this suggestion at this time. Friends wish to engage in broader consideration of the most appropriate way to acknowledge their relationships with the First Nations People in our area. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Discussion of the Worship and Ministry Report of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">University Meeting (Seattle, WA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">included asking that the report reflect how verbal ministry can be problematic for one yet speak to the condition of another, and the need to be tender with eldering when a person is new to meeting. The report was accepted with thanks and appreciation for the hard work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">QuEST Coordinator: </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> seeks experienced administrator, program developer, trainer for established program providing six interns with year-long positions at local social change and service organizations. Half-time, salaried position. Quaker or active among Friends. Application deadline: June 1st, for July start. Please send a letter of interest and resume to the UFM Personnel Committee. </span></span><a href="mailto:UFMeeting@gmail.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">UFMeeting@gmail.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Building and Grounds Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tacoma Meeting (WA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">sees no end to its flooring project unless the Meeting can turn to the principle of “many hands make light work.” </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, the Committee decided to call for a large-group effort over Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 29, and Monday, May 31) to pull it all together, from the front door through the dining room—bringing it to completion. </span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At the Mother’s Day Breakfast at</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Friends Community Church, Spring Valley (CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">the men cooked and the women enjoyed the meal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Friends from </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> received </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">a letter from the Finance Committee requesting their financial pledge for the 2010-2011 budget year.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Friends were asked to give the request prayerful consideration and to respond as soon as possible.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">May 16 was Bike to Worship Day at </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA),</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> the last day of Bike to Work Week. Friends were also "officially" biking to work if they walked, roller skated, took a bus, skateboarded, jogged or rode an electric scooter. Once greeted at the door, they filled out a survey to be eligible for the grand prize of $1,000!</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Salt Lake Friends (UT)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> joined the Pima Meeting Minute regarding war and peace as set forth in the Fourth Month newsletter, and supported its adoption by IMYM at the annual gathering in June.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sacramento Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> includes in its newsletter descriptions of groups that use the Meeting House and descriptions of organizations to which the Meeting sends an annual contribution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><strong><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On Wednesday evening, June 2, Friends at </span></span></span></strong><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></span></b><strong><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> have the opportunity for a </span></span></span></strong><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">captivating and humorous look at the physical world and at human existence as body and spirit. They will watch a DVD which will help answers questions about how science coexists with spirituality.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><strong><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Friends at </span></span></span></strong><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">had the opportunity to attend an Adoption Seminar. Those whose lives were personally touched by the Miracle of Adoption</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> shared information on international adoption and domestic adoption through foster care </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Property Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> invites Friends to the Meeting property on Saturday, June 12 for all the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">PIZZA </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">they can eat. The occasion is celebrating the completed repair of the west fence. The only requirements are that one would arrive a little early—say, about 9 AM, wear old clothes and bring a paint brush. All will pretend to be Tom Sawyer, and paint the fence. And then—</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">PIZZA!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</span></span></span></b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">approved that the Archivist create and maintain an electronic archive of the Minutes of its Meetings for Business, in addition to continuing our paper archive of these minutes. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Phoenix Friends (AZ)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Peace and Social Concerns committee held the final in its series of immigration potlucks on May 23</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">rd</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. They discussed current issues and the role of Friends in events like an upcoming march. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Ad Hoc Committee on Building Use of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> met with the Director of Friends Nursery School which meets on the Meeting site. The Committee is united in the<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">belief that Friends Nursery School is engaged in a mission consistent with Quaker Values. Although the Nursery School’s governance is somewhat informally defined, it is based on a charge, instructional structure, and a mission in the community fully worthy of the Meeting’s continued support – in fact cooperation and partnership.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Thursday morning meditation group </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">meets in the New<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Meeting House. All are welcome, including those new to meditation or experienced. The facilitators draw on their backgrounds in both Buddhist meditation and Christian contemplative practices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Burial Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> presented several maps and photos depicting the location of the Meeting cemetery and its appearance, as well as several pictures showing possible signs to mark the entrance and the common plot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> noted that </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Faith and Practice</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> suggests term<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">limits, but does not mandate them. OGMM generally limits Nominating Committee members to four years and most other committee members to six years. If the Meeting decides to purchase insurance to cover directors and officers, that policy may set limits.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Orange County Meeting (Irvine, CA)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> moved to a ground floor suite with handicap access (They will not miss the</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">old elevator!).</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Friends are thrilled and relieved to be in their new place.</span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Newberg Friends Church (OR) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">holds a class “Exploring Friends,” in which the following queries are considered: </span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Are you interested in finding out more about Quakers? Do you ever wonder what values Friends hold or how Quakers began? Have you ever considered why we have open worship?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Program Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is sponsoring a fun benefit for Sisters of the Road at the Multnomah Meeting House on Saturday evening, June 5. For three decades, Sisters has been advocating for human rights & feeding people in poverty; come learn more! There will be a simple meal, plus music by young adults.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent:.5in"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">families have the opportunity to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">volunteer at the Oregon Food </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bank on Sat. June 19 from 9-11 a.m. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At this fun activity for ages 6 and up, Friends will work together in the Volunteer Action Center, repackaging/sorting bulk food.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It's time to start planning for the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Missoula Meeting (MT)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> summer potluck schedule.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The committee members felt that Wednesday at 6:30 pm worked well and was worth repeating.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Excluding the week of Annual Session, there are nine available Wednesdays between the Meeting In the Park on June 13 and Summer Montana Gathering of Friends in late August.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The tribal chair woman at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has declared a "state of emergency" for her people because of youth suicide, alcohol and drugs. There really is nothing there for them to look forward to, and housing in general is horrible, jobs are hard to find etc. </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Living Waters Ministry (</span></span></b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Plummer, ID)</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is planning to bring its youth group of 12 kids to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to help in any way they can.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Humboldt </span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Meeting (CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is holding a rummage sale to help support our annual budget.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="CTPpara" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:auto;punctuation-wrap:hanging;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; mso-vertical-align-alt:auto"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Clerk of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> hopes to convene a meeting of all committee clerks this summer, especially in light of the issues requiring coordinating tasks among committees.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">approved its proposed budget with the suggested amendments, acknowledging that further adjustment may be necessary later in the year as Friends learn what their new building-related costs really are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space: auto;text-indent:.5in;line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Outreach Committee of</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Davis Meeting (CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">discussed coming up with more information for new attendees to the Meeting, including the possibility of posting FGC or Pendle Hill pamphlets.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They also considered amending the Meeting’s information pamphlet to ask attendees if they’d like a phone call.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Network of Friends of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> needs four meals a week for a few families who could really use support right now. Specifically, the request is to prepare a "ready to heat" meal for a family of four (plan for 4 adults) that could be dropped off at church and placed in the refrigerator. An example would be a casserole and pack of cookies. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Berkeley Meeting (CA) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">invites Friends to participate in the next production of the Meeting's exciting Oral History Project. On June 12</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">th</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, Connie Jolly will share her memories, and respond to questions, in an afternoon of sharing and reflection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">John Helding, Lopez Island Worship Group, will be at </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bellingham Meeting (WA</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">) on June 20 to talk about the SPICES program. He will also lead a sample exercise so Friends can consider whether they would like to go forward with the complete program in the Fall.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Appleseed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> has </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">moved to a new location in downtown Sebastopol. Friends are getting themselves organized in Quaker time.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) </span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">has been inquiring regarding the legality of work with immigrants. They learned </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">that because Agate Passage Friends Meeting is not employing an illegal immigrant, although the Meeting might in the future make a donation to immigrants’ welfare, Friends are within the law and not breaking it when they house and aid a detainee who is released from the Northwest Detention Center. </span></span></span></span></p> <h2 align="center" style="text-align: left;"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"> </span></span>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Alaska Friends Conference</span></span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> is partnering with Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting to host a Youth Service Camp in Ohio immediately before FGC Gathering this year. It's an exciting opportunity for Alaskan youth.</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Alaska Friends need to raise $3600 by June 23</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">rd</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">American Friends Service Committee of Los Angeles</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> invites Friends to attend a special event to honor and commemorate the work of Quakers and AFSC in aiding the 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were forcibly removed from their homes and relocated in internment camps during the Second World War. The event, “Quakers: Friends of the Japanese American Community,” will take place on Saturday, June 5 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. The event is free, and there will be a reception following. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Third National Quaker Conference on Torture & Accountability is scheduled for</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">September 24-26, 2010 at</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Quaker Center, </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ben Lomond CA.</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.quakercenter.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.quakercenter.org/</span></span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Two internationally known anti-torture activists will headline the</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Conference on Torture. Human rights attorney and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">investigator Scott Horton will be the keynote speaker. Father Roy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bourgeois, founder of SOA Watch, will also bring his unique</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">perspective on the work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Christian Friends Conference</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> of Northern California will meet on Saturday, June 12, 2010 at Berkeley Friends Church. Keith Barton will be making a presentation on the 2nd Commandment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="color:#CC3300;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></strong><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The C.W. Perry Golf Tournament</span></span></strong><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> of Evangelical Friends Church Southwest will be Monday, June 7, at the Alta Vista Country Club in Placentia.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">To register or find more information on sponsorships, please visit</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:#333333;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103420888416&s=2122&e=001xwUh4gFrbeCkhv3xVPkOrcn8gtUlWhNIEPHZFldi5RrNURghGuqzRjB8mCpDzVlF2eEZ6yfxVVxZqCD3eG2EYjlZKHWFv1TMwvE6PuWG5JqyZdNIuAMFayeoibr2dkXRAaPN2TR59hrfs7j2v5GiJS0kaLEJB_b5" target="_blank"><span style="color:#6699CC;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">friendschurchsw.org</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> is the Quaker group whose mission is to bring Friends' testimonies to public policy in the State of Washington. </span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">FCWPP seeks to fill the position of Legislative Advocate, i.e., lobbyist. This position is part-time; a Quaker is preferred. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For a complete job description, see www.fcwpp.org, or contact FCWPP Clerk Tom Ewell c/o fcwpp@quaker.org.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">April 1, 2011, </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Friendsview Retirement Community</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> (Newberg, OR) will celebrate its 50th anniversary. A special anniversary book is being prepared for the occasion, and to record for future generations the way God has worked. Those preparing the book are looking for photos, recollections, stories that might add interest to the publication. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Please contact Betty Hockett at</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><a href="mailto:betty.hockett@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">betty.hockett@gmail.com</span></span></span></a></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">by June 1, 2010 regarding contributions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Samuel Mahaffy of Spokane Friends Church (WA) is serving as the Coordinator for the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">FWCC Global Change Consultation.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Information: </span></span><a href="http://www.fwccglobalchange.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">www.fwccglobalchange.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> or </span></span><a href="mailto:Samuel@fwccglobalchange.org"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Samuel@fwccglobalchange.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM) </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century." </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The registration material is posted at</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><a href="http://imym.org/2010annualgathering" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://imym.org/2010annualgathering</span></span></span></a></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Calling Friends young and old to the first annual Quaker summer camp by and for </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">InterMountain Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Friends! We are offering a summer camp experience June 13-20, the week following the annual gathering, in Gardner Colorado. A small group of SYF, YAF and OAF volunteer counselors will lead JYF campers in fellowship, fun and plork (play + work) as we experiment with living Quaker testimonies in harmony with nature. Only IMYM attenders will be able to join this year’s camp. </span></span><a href="http://imym.org/mtnfriendscamp"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">imym.org/mtnfriendscamp</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Los Altos History Museum</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> will present an exhibit about Frank and Josephine Duvenick, between January and June of 2011. The</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Duvenicks</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">were active in the Quaker Community and also with The American Friends Service Committee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> is in a six month process of laying down one of its Monthly Meetings, Heartland, and assuming the membership of those Friends. MGOF will now be both the Monthly Meeting for those Friends and the Quarterly Meeting for friends from the Missoula Meeting and elsewhere in the State.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Registration is now open at</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><a href="http://www.npym.org/as" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.npym.org/as</span></span></span></a></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">for </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">North Pacific Yearly Meeting’s</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Annual Session, July 14-18 in Missoula, MT. The theme of this year’s gathering is “Practicing Hope: Living and Witnessing Our Testimonies”, with Friend-in-Residence Bridget Moix of FCNL. On Line Registration is available this year! Friends can also register as in previous years (download and mail in forms). Register by May 31 and receive a 5% discount.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Please support the </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">North Pacific Yearly Meeting Junior Friends Service Trip</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> to Petersfield Jamaica July 25 to August 1, 2010. More information about the trip: </span></span><a href="http://www.databasezone.com/npymjf/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.databasezone.com/npymjf/</span></span></a><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Puget Sound Family Retreat of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> will be at Quaker Cove Friends Camp, May 28-31.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> will gather at George Fox University for worship, business, and visioning on July 25-29. The keynote address by Superintendent Colin Saxton will be on Sunday and the Outreach Rally will occur on Monday. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Scott Daniels, Senior Pastor at Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene, will speak Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights on the important questions the Church must always ask: What is God doing in the world? And what does the Church look like that understands what God is doing in the world? How can the Church hear these conversations so that it doesn’t miss out on what God is doing as he brings about the redemption of his creation?</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Go to </span></span><a href="http://nwfriends.org/yearly-meeting-sessions/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://nwfriends.org/yearly-meeting-sessions/</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> for information and to register on-line.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The </span></span><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">8th</span></span></strong><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at </span></span><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Seabeck Conference Center</span></span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Walk with Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. </span></span><a href="http://www.pnwquakerwomen.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">www.pnwquakerwomen.org</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Pacific Yearly Meeting’s</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> 64th gathering will be held at Claremont McKenna College, near Los Angeles, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">from July 26 to 31.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The theme, Engaging One</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Another in the Spirit, invites Friends to deepen their awareness of God and</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">each other. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">George Lakey of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will be the keynote speaker, and there will be a return visit by Vanessa Julye of Friends General Conference’s Committee for Ministry on </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Racism. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Unity with Nature Committee is celebrating its 25th Anniversary and</span></span></span></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">has special events planned. </span></span></span></span><a href="http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.pacificyearlymeeting.org/</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Latin America Concerns Committee of </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Pacific Yearly Meeting</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> announces its new web site, located at </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><u><span style="color:blue;"><a href="http://latinamerica.pacificyearlymeeting.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://LatinAmerica.pacificyearlymeeting.org</span></span></span></a></span></u></span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The site was developed to meet the committee's goal of sharing information about projects in Latin America related to the meetings in Pacific Yearly Meeting (PYM) and about other unprogrammed meetings. Hopefully, it will help Friends interested in working and worshiping in Latin America to be able to contact each other, both through information on the site and by linking with Friends World Committee on Consultation. It has a larger purpose of making public what the committee does in the world, in order to better serve people. To accomplish these goals, this is a bilingual site.</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-64156854542734379792010-04-22T20:29:00.000-07:002010-04-22T20:36:32.564-07:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches</span></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:MinionPro-Bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: -webkit-xxx-large;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;">Newberg Friends Church (OR) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">has an ongoing partnership with Caring Hands Ministry, centered in Dharwad, India. This ministry began with Arun and Shobha Massey’s calling to share Jesus Christ and hope with a group called the devadasi, women who serve as religious prostitutes throughout the state of Karnataka. There are now more than 70 girls, daughters of the devadasi, in the Joyful Children’s Home.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Verdana-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;">Each week<b> </b></span><b><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;">Newberg Friends Church (OR) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Verdana-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;">offers a children’s bulletin that follows along with the worship service. It includes questions from worship for Friends to discuss as a family after church. The children’s bulletins can be found on the small tables at the entry to the sanctuary.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">has posted a map in the Meeting House which shows where members and attenders live to facilitate carpooling to Meeting activities and other events.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Pima Monthly Meeting in Tucson Arizona recently approved its third minute against war. This is the first minute sent to the current administration. We are writing to request that the minute be placed on the agenda for the June gathering.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Friday, July 9th, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</b> will celebrate 15 years at our Meetinghouse. July 9th, 1995, was the first Meeting for Worship and first Meeting for Business in the Meeting Room.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Paul Anderson will be the Spring Scholar in Residence at the Center for Christian Studies at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR).</b> He will speak on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">The Riddles of the Fourth Gospel</i>. On Sundays, April 18- May 30, the theme will be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Reading John Again . . . for the First Time</i>. The Wednesday evening theme will be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Jesus, Christ and John</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Marcus Borg will join Paul Anderson on Wednesday, May 19.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Marcus Borg and Paul Anderson will hold a Public Symposium at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR) </b>on Saturday, May 22 with the theme, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Jesus in Bi-Optic Perspective: Latest Scholarship on the Synoptics and John. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">h</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">as received a “Recycle at Work Certified” award. This means the church has improved its certification practices and reduced the amount of waste it produces by implementing the City of Portland’s five recycling steps.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> Spring Softball League is open to those high school age and above who are Rose Drive regular attenders. Others can be invited to play if they have no church home and are willing to come to worship services twice a month. Games are Saturdays between 8:00 a.m. and noon; there is no cost to play.</span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> held a</span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span></b><strong><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Cook-off on Sunday, April 18. Friends drew</span></strong><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">teams from a hat, prepared two gourmet meals, and then determined<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>the best meal. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> will host a prayer event in the sanctuary on May 6<sup>th</sup>, 7:00 p.m. for National Day of Prayer. This is a church family and community event and the church is hoping for 200 people to come and pray for our country.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> is currently building a Short-term Missions Team that will travel to the eastern part of Congo (Africa) to assist in the restoration of various missionary homes and buildings alongside their Mission Aviation Fellowship Missionaries, Lary and Sheryl Streitzel. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:Helvetica-Oblique;font-size:12.0pt;">After experimenting with different approaches, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sacramento Meeting (CA)</b> settled on including the concept of holding people in the Light following worship as they introduce themselves. This allows an opportunity to pray for friends and relatives of those attending who are facing challenges or celebrations in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">The newsletter editorial team of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sacramento Meeting (CA</b>) conducted a brief survey of Friends’ participation in community service.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The survey was designed to learn about the many ways in which individual Friends reach out into the community. Twenty Friends responded to the survey. Eighty-five percent of them engage in community service in addition to their Meeting-related activities. Eleven of these Friends volunteer zero to 15 hours each month, seven give up to 60 hours, and one devotes well over 60 hours per month.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) is </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">now under the care of Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>has adopted these principles of corporate giving: Give with joy and lightness; Emphasize Quaker organizations while remaining open to other organizations as well; Give to organizations across the spectrum from local to global issues; Give to fewer organizations in order to make a larger gift to each, and; Be open to new ideas.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"> is sponsoring a 6-session course, Quakerism 101, on Monday evening in April and May, in the Berkeley Friends Meetinghouse. Each evening Friends will offer a talk and discussion, followed by worship-sharing and homework. Participants are asked to commit to attending all six evenings.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">After worship and announcements at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">, all are welcome to stay for refreshments. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold; mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Friends are asked to please bring their own reusable cup and utensils.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">A table is now in the center of the room for Meeting for Worship at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Tempe Meeting (AZ)</b> for the convenience of those using special microphones.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It has also become a repository for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Faith and Practice, </i>a Bible and a hymn book.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Tempe Meeting (AZ)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> will be holding Friendly 8 Dinners on the week-end of April 23/24. Eight adults (and children of those families) will gather for potluck dinners at four host homes.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">In the Spring of 2009 Meeting For Worship for Business, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (BC)</b> endorsed a BC Poverty Reduction Strategy along with many other groups and<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="CTPpara" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-layout-grid-align:auto;punctuation-wrap:hanging;text-autospace:ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; mso-vertical-align-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Garamond;font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Walla Walla Preparative Meeting (WA)</span></b><span style=" Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> recently celebrated its 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary as a preparative meeting under the care of Eastside Friends Meeting. They typically have 3 to 12 in attendance at Meeting for Worship and are very active in local environmental issues. One preparative meeting member, Barbara Clark, is currently mayor of the city of Walla Walla.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">First Friends, Whittier (CA) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">held an afternoon dedication service to introduce new pastor, Becky Memmelaar, to the larger Whittier community.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>First Friends, Whittier (CA) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">participated in the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebration of the Earlham School of Religion. On February 21, visitors from ESR officiated at Meeting for Worship and afterwards received recognition in a reception in Fellowship Hall.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Wyoming Friends Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> will gather in Laramie, WY on April 30-May 1 for Meeting for Business, sharing, discussion, worship, and fellowship.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-weight:normal; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><strong><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";mso-bidi-font-weight: normalfont-family:";">Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA) </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-weight:normalfont-family:";">Friends were asked to b</span></strong><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">ring their favorite rendering/version of the Bible to exchange ideas on Bible Study! </span></span><strong><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-weight:normalfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi- font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">In searching for ways to bring together Friends of different ages in the meeting, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Albuquerque Meeting (NM) </b>will have intergenerational <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>worship. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Children and adults will interact during Meeting, separating into small groups based on birthday months. The children will learn about the adults: where they were born, how many siblings they have, how they felt when they first began attending Meeting. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Meeting will close with 10 minutes of silent worship. Those adults who want a full hour of silent worship will be able to use the Library.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;">Bellingham Meeting (WA)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"> contributed Pysanky eggs to the Interfaith Coalition’s Spring Auction. This contributed to the success of Interfaith’s biggest fundraising event of the year.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Bellingham Meeting (WA)</b> is planning for its Annual Retreat, “Visioning the Future of </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Bellingham Friends Meeting,” which will be an opportunity to share visions for the future, how Friends worship, work together, and care for one another, and what Friends want most in worship and community.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:QuadraatOT-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:ACaslonPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Berkeley Meeting (CA)</b> is presenting an intensive eight week Quaker history series on </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:AGaramondPro-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;">Quakers in New England in</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ACaslonPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:AGaramondPro-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;">the Seventeenth Century.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ACaslonPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"> The last half of the seventeenth century in New England was one of drama for Quakers, with persecution and martyrdom; a bloody war with Native Americans which became a real-world tryout of the infant peace testimony in Rhode Island, where the government was in the hands of Quakers; and at the end of the century, Quakers were<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ACaslonPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">witness to the witchcraft hysteria in Salem, the location of the largest Quaker community in Massachusetts Colony.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Boise Valley Meeting (ID)</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">will view the National Religious Coalition Against Torture video as a Meeting, followed by a potluck. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">will present a </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Mother's Day Musical which is o</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">pen to ages 5-15 years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Davis Meeting (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> will have an open threshing/winnowing/listening session on the aesthetics/design of the current doors to the meetinghouse and how Friends might ensure architectural integrity in the future. Friends are to bring their concerns and be ready to listen to others. This will not be a decision making session but may be a step in that direction.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">has received an invitation from a local Unitarian Church, asking Friends to compare and contrast the difference between Meditation and Quaker Worship. Several Friends are interested but cannot commit to a date yet.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Fellowship Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</b> reminds everyone to welcome visitors and new attenders warmly, and not to let them stand alone during coffee time.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Fresno Meeting (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> approved not having business meeting in May, Mother’s Day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12.0pt;">On the 4th Sunday of every month, after refreshments after Meeting for Worship, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Grass Valley Friends (Nevada City, CA) </b>meets for Spiritual Formation, for about an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The purpose of Spiritual Formation is to support Friends in their spiritual seeking, in order to deepen the spiritual lives of individuals and of the Meeting. Friends do this by introducing spiritual practices, exploring individual and corporate spiritual themes, and worship-sharing around queries that stimulate spiritual seeking, questioning and exploration. <span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">In preparation for the Meeting’s State of Society Report, Friends from</span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";mso-bidi-font-weight: normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO), </span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">answered</span></strong><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> queries:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Do you believe God lives in everyone? When is that easy and when is that hard to believe?<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">How would you describe our Meeting here to [someone you know] who does not attend?<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">What would make this Meeting better for you?<o:p></o:p></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">What should the meeting be spending its money on?<o:p></o:p></span></li> </ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.25in"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO), </span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">held a</span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";mso-bidi-font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> </span></strong><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Called Meeting for Worship for Business on April 11 to consider the right use of MVFM assets and reserves.<strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight: normalfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Each year the </span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";mso-bidi-font-weight: normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</span></strong><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> Finance and Budget Committee awards educational scholarships. The budgeted amount for this year is a total of $3000.00. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Times;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span></span></b><span style="Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";">will hold<b> </b>Threshing Sessions on the future of First Day School<b>, </b>especially</span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> the needs of middle and high school students. How can the Meeting best serve the youth and encourage them to stay with the Meeting?</span></p> <h2 align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</span></span></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Alaska Friends Conference</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> Spring Retreat, Tending the Spiritual Taproot of our Yearly<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Meeting, Individually and Collectively, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">April 23 – 25, 2010, Susitna River Lodge</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Talkeetna, Alaska (<a href="http://www.susitna-river-lodging.com/" target="_blank">www.susitna-river-lodging.com</a>), with facilitator, Christine Hall.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Youth of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Alaska Friends Conference</b> are invited to gather at Nancy Lake State Park, July 28-30, paddling and hiking to Cabin #1. Each day is filled with spirit-led activities, games and arts and crafts. The menu is simple, cooked family style over a campfire. Each night Friends enjoy s’mores and good singing around the fire. Friends leave July 30 to join the Yearly Gathering of the Alaska Friends Conference. No age limit, kids from age 1 to 90 are welcome!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>Barclay Press</b> will celebrate 50 years of publishing ministry among Evangelical Friends in May.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Third National Quaker Conference on Torture & Accountability is scheduled for</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span">September 24-26, 2010 at</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Quaker Center, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Ben Lomond CA.</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.quakercenter.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;">http://www.quakercenter.org/</span></a></span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Two internationally known anti-torture activists will headline the</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Conference on Torture. Human rights attorney and</span> <span class="apple-style-span">investigator Scott Horton will be the keynote speaker. Father Roy</span> <span class="apple-style-span">Bourgeois, founder of SOA Watch, will also bring his unique</span> <span class="apple-style-span">perspective on the work.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>College<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Park Quarterly Meeting</b> will gather May 15-16 at Ben Lomond Quaker Center with the theme, “Listening to Each Other . . . Listening to God. Activities</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> will include a ‘speed listening fishbowl’ and a panel of Friends responding to queries about listening. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>Good News Associates</b> is presenting a 3-day “Leadership Institute for Group Discernment” May 17-20 at George Fox University, Newberg, OR. </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The Leadership Institute<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>is a four-day intensive experience to empower church leaders in group discernment. It will integrate theological, spiritual and practical organizational processes. Each participant is invited to bring both expertise to share and problems to be solved. Insitute Leadership includes Paul Anderson, Bruce Bishop, Chuck Conniry, Lon Fendall, and Jan Wood.<strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Joy of Clerking</i> is a</span></strong><em><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in; font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> one-day workshop for clerks or people considering being clerks, to provide training and support to help you fulfill this task with an eye on how God is stirring and moving your community. The workshop will be offered at George Fox University on Tuesday, May 18 and led by Lon Fendall and Jan Wood of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Good News Association</b>. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">This workshop is part of the larger “Leadership Institute for Group Discernment.”</span></span></em><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in; mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century." </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The registration material is posted at</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><a href="http://imym.org/2010annualgathering" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;">http://imym.org/2010annualgathering</span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">. <span class="apple-style-span">Registrations are due by April 20. Registrations post-marked after</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">April 20 may be accepted at the discretion of the Registrars, but</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">housing may not be available and IMYM will request a $25 late fee.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Calling Friends young and old to the first annual Quaker summer camp by and for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">InterMountain Yearly Meeting</b> Friends! We are offering a summer camp experience June 13-20, the week following the annual gathering, in Gardner Colorado. A small group of SYF, YAF and OAF volunteer counselors will lead JYF campers in fellowship, fun and plork (play + work) as we experiment with living Quaker testimonies in harmony with nature. Our time will be spent playing games, exploring the woods and streams around Camp, music and dance, making arts and crafts and poems and friends, plork, and in daily Quaker worship and worship sharing. Only IMYM attenders will be able to join this years camp. <a href="http://imym.org/mtnfriendscamp">imym.org/mtnfriendscamp</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Los Altos History Museum</b> will present an exhibit about Frank and Josephine Duvenick, between January and June of 2011. The</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Duvenicks</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">were active in the Quaker Community and also with The American Friends Service Committee.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>Northwest Yearly Meeting</b> will gather at George Fox University for worship, business, and visioning on July 25-29. The keynote address by Superintendent Colin Saxton will be on Sunday and the Outreach Rally will occur on Monday. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The <strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";">8th</span></strong><strong><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</span></strong> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at <strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normalfont-family:";">Seabeck Conference Center</span></strong> in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is <i>Walk With Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends</i>. <a href="http://www.pnwquakerwomen.org/" target="_blank">www.pnwquakerwomen.org</a>.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="Default"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Pacific NW Quarterly Meeting Spring Gathering</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"> is scheduled for April 23-25, 2010, at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg with the theme “Compassionate Listening:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Finding God in the Midst of Fear,” and </span><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:windowtext;">featuring a talk by Leah Green, founder of the Compassionate Listening Project. </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For more information, see </span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><a href="http://www.pnqm.org/"><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Arial;">http://www.pnqm.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;">.</span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BookmanOldStyle;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Pacific Yearly Meeting’s</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> 64th gathering will be held at Claremont McKenna College, near Los Angeles, </span><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">from July 26 to 31.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> George Lakey of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will be the keynote speaker, and there will be a return visit by Vanessa Julye of Friends General Conference’s Committee for Ministry on </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Racism.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pacific Yearly Meeting</b> has selected a Youth Coordinator who will start part time in April and be full time by May. She is Sarah Beutel, a member of Mountain View Monthly Meeting in Denver and Clerk of Intermountain Young Adult Friends. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</b> will gather at Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, April 24<sup>th</sup> u</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">nder the care of Ministry and Counsel, with the theme of "How has Truth prospered among us", we will be continuing to get to know one another through Worship Sharing around our State of the Meeting Reports.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Friends are invited to mark their calendars</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">for a delightful, family-friendly gathering at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Twin Rocks Friends Camp,</b> “Party by the Parkway” on Saturday, May 22, 2010. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Western Half Yearly Meeting (WHYM)</b> will meet Friday May 21-Monday May 24<sup>th</sup> at Sorrento Centre. Friends are invited to arrive at the Sorrento Centre on Thursday evening so they can join in the WHYM Retreat Day on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Western School of the Spirit</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">: </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">A dedicated group titled a “Western Program Start Up Committee,” has met several times in phone conference since the consultation. Western Friends will not be moving forward with the proposal for a full two-year program beginning in the fall of 2011 under the care of the School of the Spirit Ministries but are moving forward “in association with” School of the Spirit Ministries. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Willamette Quarterly Meeting</b> Spring Gathering will meet April 23-25 at Sky Camp, east of Eugene, Oregon. </span><span class="A4"><span style="mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The theme is “Living in Harmony: Body and Soul.”</span></span><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Garamond, serif;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-73456801997653684922010-03-12T20:59:00.000-08:002010-03-12T21:11:28.110-08:00<p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"> </p> <p class="MsoTitle" align="left" style="text-align:left;tab-stops:.25in 139.5pt"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:13.0pt;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Calibri\,Bold"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Wyoming Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-Calibri\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> approve the following proposed Minute to be sent to the Clerk of IMYM to be presented at Ghost Ranch in June 2010: <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Wyoming Friends Meeting requests continuation of the welcoming relationship with Intermountain Yearly Meeting that was initially established in 2007, with the same terms and conditions agreed upon at that year's session. Except, we wish to request this relationship be reviewed in five (5) years rather than the original three (3).<span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Gil and Louise George, former pastors at Boise Friends Church, have accepted a call to pastor the congregation at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Woodland Friends (ID)</b>. They hope to begin immediately, arriving for</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span">Easter Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> will hold a celebration to introduce their new pastor, Becky Rees Memmelaar, on Sunday, March 14.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The youth of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First Friends, Whittier (CA)</b> led the worship service on Valentine’s Day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">First Friends, Whittier (CA) </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">has added a hand-bell choir to its worship service. A group of five bell ringers performed Douglas Wagner’s “Prayer” for their first performance.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Walla Walla Preparative Meeting (WA)</b> is offering Friends “A Short Course on Quakerism, a 4-part series which includes </span><strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";color:black;">Quaker History, Quakers and Mysticism, Quakers & Social Action, and Friendly Structure.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Victoria Friends (BC) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">will hold an End of Life workshop on March 14<sup>th</sup> at the Fern Street Meeting House </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">with a finger-food potluck<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span>lunch beforehand. The first hour will cover the range<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> </span>of issues to consider in arranging one‘s End of Life<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span>affairs, followed by an hour of information on wills and related concerns.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (BC)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> will hold an <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Island Gathering, April 10<sup>th</sup> with the theme, “</span>Weaving new and old threads into the<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span>fabric of our Friendly island community” at the Cowichan Lake Education Centre.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span>Duncan Worship Group Friends will provide hospitality for<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span>those who need over-night accommodations.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The Public Sessions <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>of Quaker Quest will be held in April and May at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Vancouver (BC) Meeting House</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Quaker Quest public session is a varied and lively program that includes short presentations from three Quakers, a time of listening to seekers in small groups, a question period, a 30-minute meeting for worship, and hospitality.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The topics for the presentations are:</span><span style="Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Worship and the Inner Journey; Peace and Social Action; and Are Quakers Christian? </span><strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="Default" style="text-indent:.5in"><strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";">At </span></strong><strong><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">University Meeting (Seattle, WA) </span></strong><strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";">Adult Religious Education will focus on the Peace Testimony with sessions on</span></strong><strong><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";">Conflict and The Peace Testimony</span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook"font-family:";">, <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Conflict and Nonviolence at home</span>, and<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold; mso-bidi-font-style:italic">Nonviolence actions</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The final session will be a G<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">roup Response</span> where Friends find norms for safety at UFM.<strong><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Century Schoolbook";mso-bidi-font-weight: normalfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:3.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:3.0pt; margin-left:0in;text-indent:.5in;line-height:15.0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Tempe Meeting (AZ)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> investigated the requirements for accepting credit/debit card payments for donations, and determined that the costs outweigh the convenience. Friends are gathering information on the “bill pay” service offered by some banks to their checking-account holders, and will bring details to a forthcoming meeting for business.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Adult Religious Education Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</b> recommends that the Meeting lay down the Committee and return its responsibilities to the Worship and Ministry Committee effective as of June when the new term of committee memberships begin. It also proposes that Worship & Ministry Committee be expanded to eight members and that special project s such as Quakerism 101 be undertaken by ad hoc committees under the care of Worship and Ministry. The proposal is seasoning.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">The First Day School Committee<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</b> has decided that the best option for making the classrooms safe for the children is to continue to be vigilant in looking for broken glass or other dangers. Friends are asked to report anyone rummaging through the recycling bins as this may result in a hazard for the children.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"> is studying. The Young Adult Group is<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Experiencing God</i> by Henry & Richards Blackaby and Claude King. The Senior Adult Group is reading the pamphlet, “Growing Older and Wiser.” by Dale and Sandy Larsen. The Senior Group discussed how important it is to get advice from the most holy of people in one’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The newly formed regional "Central Friends" group (5th-8th graders) of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</b> is doing their first service project on Saturday, March 20. They will be involved with an Emergency Feeding Program - sorting and packaging food for the food bank.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Santa Fe Meeting (NM)</span></b><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> meets for Soup, Bread, and Friends on the third Wednesday of the month during the cooler months of the year. </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> The atmosphere</span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">is warm and the food is extraordinary. The main menu includes soup,</span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;color:black;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">bread and tea. Friends may contribute food, but contributions are not required.</span></span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;">Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;"> is considering sharing peace and social order concerns <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>after Meeting for Worship on Fourth Sundays.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Santa Cruz Friends (CA)</b> will gather one Sunday evening a month for “Sharing Spiritual Journeys.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The evening’s storyteller will speak for an hour and then Friends will have follow-up time for questions, light refreshments and visiting with the speaker and each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE23E5F90t00;font-size:12.0pt;">Sandpoint Meeting (ID)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE23E5F90t00;font-size:12.0pt;"> approved the suggestion that Greg Mortensen, author of Stones into Schools</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:TTE23E5F90t00;font-size:12.0pt;">(in Afghanistan and Pakistan) be nominated for the 2011 Peace Prize.</span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2811368t00;font-size:12.0pt;">How can <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Sandpoint Meeting (ID)</b> do something about Overpopulation as a Contributor to world problems such as global warming? Friends expressed concerns, will work on a minute, and will lead an Interest Group at NPYM.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TTE2811368t00;font-size:12.0pt;">The Caring Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">San Jose Meeting (CA)</b> has written a document entitled, “</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Suggestions for Couples Seeking a Quaker Wedding at San Jose Friends Meeting.” Copies of the document were distributed and included in the Meeting newsletter.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book;font-size:12.0pt;">A large part of the Ministry and Oversight Committee meeting of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">San Francisco Meeting (CA)</b> consisted of a worship-sharing time, “Listening to Meeting, Listening to Ourselves.” The committee concluded that it is listening to people’s concerns about its recent decision in a difficult situation with an individual. The committee is aware that there is not unity in the monthly meeting concerning the situation, and will continue to labor. The committee feels that it is important to set boundaries in difficult situations.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book;font-size:12.0pt;">After extended conversation, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">San Francisco Meeting (CA)</b> did not come to unity to begin the program of hosting a Food Bank. The Clerk asked if the Meeting had covered logistical concerns extensively enough, and if so, then as Friends continue their consideration, the Meeting needs to<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book;font-size:12.0pt;">discern more deeply if it is called to do this service.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:FranklinGothic-Book;font-size:12.0pt;">The </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Annual Quaker Fundraising Extravaganza at <b>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</b> will be Saturday March 13.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It will feature</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> musicians and poets from within the Quaker community and The Red Rock Hot Club, performing gypsy jazz.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">This year there will be a recession-friendly lowered admission in relation to previous years.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">At the start of each season, the young players from the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Rose Valley Friends Church (Kelso, WA)</b> basketball program concentrate on more than dribbling and slam dunks. The hoopsters also take time to raise food for charity. This year’s recipient was FISH of Cowlitz County.</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">This year the focus of the children's offering at </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">will be on Haiti - specifically the needs of the Friends churches in Haiti after the devastating earthquake. During the three week emphasis, the children will hear from special guest speakers who will be share their experiences in being missionaries. The curriculum will be from the book</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> </span></span><em><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">"I Can Share Too."</span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> offers mid-week electives including<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><em><span style="Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";color:black;">Alpha for ESOL</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;">(English Speakers of Other Languages). Topics covered are the same as Alpha Basics but in simple English, with potluck dinners with food from around the world.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="Garamond","serif"; font-family:";color:black;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The Easter Seals Society requested the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reno Friends Meeting (ID)</b> donate used clothing to their thrift store periodically during the year. Friends recently delivered clothing .<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Nominating Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Reno Meeting (NV)</b> labored to come to unity around the requests of two Friends that they be "reinstated" onto the Reno Meeting's Oversight Committee for the year 2010. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Nominating Committee came to a strong sense of unity that it is important to demonstrate to Reno Meeting that when people are nominated and then approved by the Meeting to be on a committee, they are supported by the Meeting. As Reno Meeting currently has an approved Oversight Committee that is working well with an adequate number of members, the Nominating Committee agreed it was important to support them in their work. The Meeting reached a painful sense of unity to accept the Nominating Committee’s recommendation, and agreed to reach out personally to all the people in the meeting who have been hurt by recent divisions. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Friday, July 9th, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</b> will celebrate 15 years at our Meetinghouse. July 9th, 1995, was the first Meeting for Worship and first Meeting for Business in the Meeting Room.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The Meaning of Membership workshop, addressing what it mean to be a member of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA),</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>was attended by twelve people who engaged in a lively Quaker dialog that covered aspects of the meeting’s social and spiritual community including social action as well as financial implications of membership. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;"> is concerned about the symptoms of stress and burn-out that the Meeting members, attenders, and children have been exhibiting. The Nominating process is beginning and Friends need to discern and act on Spirit-led priorities rather than just move people to fill gaps one place, only to create new gaps elsewhere. At Business Meeting, Friends will explore how to get more of what they want from the Meeting. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In preparation, Friends are to consider :<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">- What is the core of your positive experience of our Meeting?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">- Which aspects of Meeting delight you, support your persistence in living Quaker values, and/or are priorities for you?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArialMT;font-size:12.0pt;">- What opportunities do you want to retain, make better, and/or expand?</span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;tab-stops: 0in 2.0in 3.0in 4.0in 5.0in 6.0in"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</b> reminds Friends that e</span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">mail and telephone scams targeting Quakers have been reported. The perpetrators urge victims to send money to Friends who are overseas or injured and without adequate financial means. Please check with the clerks or Pastoral Care if similar email messages or telephone calls are received.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;tab-stops: 0in 2.0in 3.0in 4.0in 5.0in 6.0in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"> notes that t</span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">he courtyard renovation is underway. The bricks have been laid and the decomposed granite will be laid shortly. Actual costs are expected to be close to budgeted costs. Once the courtyard renovation is complete, the meetinghouse rug will be removed. </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">No decisions will be made until the type of flooring underneath is evaluated.</span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="Default"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</b> will begin meeting in Sky Park in Irvine, CA, located near John Wayne Airport, in April. Members approved the move at a Called Meeting on February 28. The new site is slightly smaller than the Meeting’s current location. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>OCFM has met at its current location for nearly 10 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">As Friends discussed the 2010 budget in a joint meeting between the elders and stewards of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Newberg Friends Church (OR),</b> there was a strong sense in that meeting to completely <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>eliminate the rest of the church debt in 2010—$33,000. Friends are being asked to consider this prayerfully as they plan their giving for 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The stewardship committee will create a designated fund in the budget this year titled “debt reduction.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Newberg Friends Church (OR),</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>who are in or near the realm of empty nests, aging parents, adult health issues, and grandparenting, are asked to consider joining “Time for ’Pause.” These Friends share together, pray for one another, and praise God as they see him working in their midst. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:16.55pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:PalatinoLinotype-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;"> Nominating Committee held a Volunteer Fair to present opportunities for meeting service. Each committee was invited to set up a table in order to present their committee’s work and job descriptions (and snacks!), and be available to answer questions. Friends were invited to take note of opportunities they might be interested in now or in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Based on recommendations from the Conflict Resolution Committee regarding Financial Matters, a Called Meeting for Worship for Business will take place at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:BellGothicBT-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</span></b><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> on April 11<sup>th</sup> to discuss adopting and following a spirit-led process for discerning ways to increase and use the Meeting financial assets. The called meeting will also begin a process to provide guidance to the Finance committee on the amount of reserves required to be kept and how quickly they should be replenished once spent.</span><span style="font-family:"MinionPro-Regular","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MinionPro-Regular;font-size:13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BellGothicBT-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">Quaker Quest Training will be held at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Mountain View Meeting House (Denver, CO)</b><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BellGothicBT-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">on Saturday, April 10, 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <h3 style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">Melba Friends (ID)</span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;"> has applied for a grant to build a community youth center. The Refinery Youth Center is a project that is sorely needed in all small town communities. Substance abuse and other high risk behaviors are temptations for youth in every town and city, small town youth have very few alternatives. The</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;"> </span></span><span class="textexposedshow"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;">Refinery Youth Center will provide a place that is fun and safe for the youth of our community.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:#333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MyriadPro-Light;font-size:12.0pt;">For several years <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Medford Friends Church (OR)</b> had a Wednesday night program thatincludes a simple meal, followed by activities and studies for all ages. The evening was designed to encourage families to participate, while expanding opportunities for fellowship and study. However, over the last couple of years the dynamics of these Wednesday nights began to change as more and more youth from the neighborhood and community began to join Friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BellGothicBT-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;">La Jolla Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BellGothicBT-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;"> will hold a Meeting “Garage Sale.” Friends are asked to “save their junk.” Proceeds will benefit the Pacific Yearly Meeting Youth Coordinator position.<span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:MyriadPro-Light;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BellGothicBT-Roman;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Humboldt Meeting (Arcata, CA)</b> participated in </span><span style="Goudy Old Style","serif"font-family:";">two workshops on The Gift of Anger.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Verdana;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-TrebuchetMS\,Italic"; mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">When <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Honolulu Meeting (HI)</b> receives a bequest of $5000 or more, without a specific condition on the use of the bequest, the Finance Committee puts the money in the General Invested Reserve. In the case of bequests of more than $1000 and less than $5000, the Finance Committee decides whether to put the money in the General Invested Reserve or to treat the money as current income to the General Fund. The same principles apply to the aggregate memorial gifts made in memory of a deceased person at the time of the person’s death.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TrebuchetMS;font-size:12.0pt;">It was suggested, and agreed by the Meeting Clerk of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Honolulu Meeting (HI), </b>that there be a specific bulletin board for the official business announcements of the meeting, at the moment to include the draft State of the Meeting Report, the Nominating Committee proposed slate, and the draft budget. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Florence Worship Group (OR) </span></b><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">will meet in Florence and Coos Bay during the month of March.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">A New Bike Parking Area<b> </b></span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">is coming to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Eugene Meeting House (OR).</b> It will be located at the back (west) wall of the Meetinghouse by the parking lot. There will be 16 spaces, steel loops and a higher roof. The existing bike area, tool shed, and compost area will be replaced to open up more space in the courtyard.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Meeting for Inquiry of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Eugene Meeting (OR)</b> will focus </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">“On Speaking in Meeting for Worship” </span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Who speaks? When? On what subject? These questions, put this way, cannot be answered by a people who have no dogma. What needs to be asked and must be answered is, “What is the nature of the Meeting?”</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">In keeping with the testimony of Mutual Care, the children of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</b> held a bake sale to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. The children brought treats and collected donations during fellowship time.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Quaker Quest workshop will be at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Davis Meeting (CA)</b> on March 13, led by Steve Chase. The FGC Quaker Quest travel team will help Friends develop "inreach and outreach".<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> held </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Church Serve Day</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">on Saturday, February 27th. Friends cleaned up the parking lot, trimmed trees and cleaned/fixed items inside. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Camas Friends Church (WA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"> has invited Friends from Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) to a shared worship at the Camas Church on April 11.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">After the church service Friends will meet to discuss the experience and / or what our form of worship means to us - how it was or is experienced.</span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> This will be f</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">ollowed by soup and bread and informal conversations.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-Times New Roman"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRoman;font-size:12.0pt;">“Desiring to be of service to God and the community, we, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Chico Friends Meeting (CA),</b> commit ourselves to make our property available for use by community groups whose work is consistent with our testimonies. We ask Building and Grounds Committee to oversee such use.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">The Discussion Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Claremont Meeting (CA)</b> will present the following<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>topic for Friends to discuss: </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Quaker Traditions and Practices: What Binds Friends Together When We’re So Diverse?</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The world of Quakers contains an amazingly diversity. What binds us together? Evangelicals have creeds, Jews have observance, Catholics have the papacy. Eastern Orthodoxy have the liturgy. We will explore how Quaker traditions and practice help Friends to navigate differences and to discover deep unity in worship, testimony, and activism (ministry).</span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;">The Peace and Social Concerns Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</b> recommended that the Meeting follow the policy established in 2007 of contributing 10% of our annual budget, to be equally allocated to Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends World Committee for Consultation, and the Oregon Food Bank.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Friends approved.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;">Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</span></b><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">has been told that the building where they normally meet for worship will be unavailable on Sunday, March 28. Friends are encouraged to visit other Friends Churches and Meetings in the Portland, OR area on that day.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">All members of the Meeting House Committee of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Boise Valley Meeting (Boise, ID)</b> are enthusiastic about the idea of having a Meeting House, but are mindful that others may have strong reservations. The committee came up with a set of queries for the rest of the Meeting having to do with values and vision for the Meeting in 5, 10 or 15 years. Would having a Meeting House help achieve that vision? Should Friends continue accepting contributions towards a Meeting House?</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;">Berkeley Friends Meeting (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:ArnoPro-Regular;font-size:12.0pt;"> invites Friends to a Long Range Planning Committee presentation after meeting on March 28 . Friends will review the history of the building renovation project, what decisions have been made to date, where they are now, what work remains before construction can start, and how Friends can participate.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Berkeley Meeting Friends (CA) </b>are invited to join in a celebration of the abundance of the local foodshed; Friends are asked to bring “Locavore” food gifts, to share on April 12th.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Berkeley Friends Church (CA)</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"> will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There will be three sessions: <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-TimesNewRoman\,Bold";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">“Early Quakerism: A Radical Holiness Movement”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:OfficinaSans-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-TimesNewRoman\,Bold";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">“19th Century Revivalism: Love It or Hate It?”</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:OfficinaSans-Bold;font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-bidi-TimesNewRoman\,Bold";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">“Holiness, Mysticism & Modernism: A 21st Century Synthesis” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">At </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Friday Night at the Movies at<b> Berkeley Friends Church (CA), </b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Friends will watch “</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">Real Women Have Curves,” which is a timely coming of age story about a first generation Latina who struggles to balance her family's culture with her own hopes and dreams. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">On April 13, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Berkeley Friends Church (CA)</b> will host Dr. Alexia Nibona, director of the Friends Women’s Association in Burundi. Dr. Nibona will reflect on growing up in Kamenge, Burundi---one of Burundi’s deadliest warzones—and her decision to pursue her medical degree so that she could return to work with women, HIV+people, and trauma survivors in her community. She will talk about how she helps people to heal from devastating violence and trauma, moving Burundi to a more peaceful future.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Apple Seed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>is changing its meeting location to t<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">he West County Community Services Building at the corner of Walker and Petaluma Ave. in Sebastopol.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">At <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</b>, concerns have been expressed regarding compliance with health and safety guidelines for food service. Thus a Third Sunday Social after meeting for worship will replace the potluck. The Meeting will provide snacks, coffee, tea, and juice. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="item" style="margin-left:0in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;tab-stops: 0in 48.0pt"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Because the regularly scheduled Meeting for Worship for Business at </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</span></b><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";mso-fareast-language:AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">falls on Easter, the April business meeting will be a called meeting on March 28 to finalize the State of the Meeting Report, with the next Meeting for Business to be held on May 2nd.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Friends from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, OR)</b> show interest but hesitation regarding possible Bible Study sessions. It seems that Bible Study might commence, but not immediately. Names of potential participants are being gathered.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:TrebuchetMS;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h2 align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:.25in"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:10.0pt;color:black;"><br /></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Youth of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Alaska Friends Conference</b> are invited to gather at Nancy Lake State Park, July 28-30, paddling and hiking to Cabin #1. Each day is filled with spirit-led activities, games and arts and crafts. The menu is simple, cooked family style over a campfire. Each night Friends enjoy s’mores and good singing around the fire. Friends leave July 30 to join the Yearly Gathering of the Alaska Friends Conference. No age limit, kids from age 1 to 90 are welcome!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi- font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Portland area Friends will meet at the Multnomah Meeting House with the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">American Friends Service Committee </b>staff and</span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <span class="apple-style-span">Executive Committee members to hear about current programs and</span> <span class="apple-style-span">dialogue about new developments at AFSC on Friday, March 12, 7:00 p.m.</span></span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</b> will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House with the theme, “Strengthening and Deepening the Work of our Committees.” </span><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Responding to input from individuals and Monthly Meetings, Friends changed the format of the spring AHYM session.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There will not be a guest speaker or the usual small-group worship/sharing .<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> </span>The afternoon sessions will focus on the needs and workings of Peace and Social Concerns committees, and Ministry and Oversight/Adult Education/Pastoral Care committees. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">On Saturday night, the Phoenix Meeting House will be transformed into a coffee house for acoustic folk music.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>Barclay Press</b> will celebrate 50 years of publishing ministry among Evangelical Friends in May.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The quarterly meeting of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Christian Friends Conference</b> will take place on Saturday, March 20 from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at Berkeley Friends Church. Lunch is brown bag. Beverages and bagels will be provided in the morning.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>College<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Park Quarterly Meeting</b> will gather May 15-16 at Ben Lomond Quaker Center.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>College Park Quarterly Meeting</b> Youth, 5<sup>th</sup> – 9<sup>th</sup> grades, are invited to a weekend retreat, March 19-21, in Palo Alto, CA.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Ministry and Oversight of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">College Park Quarterly Meeting</b> is eager to learn about persistent problems and best corrective practices from Meetings dealing with emotionally or mentally disturbed participants in worship and other Meeting events. </span></span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi- font-family:Times;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Colorado Regional Meeting</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Times;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> (CRM) of Friends Spring Gathering is an opportunity for shared spiritual growth, Quaker fellowship, and fun! Friends will meet on April 18, 2010 at the Fort Collins Meeting House for “</span><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">The Lighter Side of the Light.” </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:Times;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">and explore how lightening up can deepen our spirituality. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b>Good News Associates</b> is presenting a 3-day “Leadership Institute for Group Discernment” May 17-20 at George Fox University, Newberg, OR. </span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The Leadership Institute<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>is a four-day intensive experience to empower church leaders in group discernment. It will integrate theological, spiritual and practical organizational processes. Each participant is invited to bring both expertise to share and problems to be solved. Insitute Leadership includes Paul Anderson, Bruce Bishop, Chuck Conniry, Lon Fendall, and Jan Wood.<strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;tab-stops:.25in"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Joy of Clerking</i> is a</span></strong><em><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif";border:none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style: italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> one-day workshop for clerks or people considering being clerks, to provide training and support to help you fulfill this task with an eye on how God is stirring and moving your community. The workshop will be offered at George Fox University on Tuesday, May 18 and led by Lon Fendall and Jan Wood of the Good News Association.<o:p></o:p></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;tab-stops:.25in"><em><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">This workshop is part of the larger “Leadership Institute for Group Discernment.”<o:p></o:p></span></em></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:.25in"><em><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";border:none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold; font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Full details for the institute are available at</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><em><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; border:none windowtext 1.0pt;mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0in;padding:0in; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><a href="http://www.goodnewsassoc.org/leadershipinstitute"><span style="color:#214658;">www.goodnewsassoc.org/leadershipinstitute</span></a></span></em><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Friends Committee on Legislation of California</b> Education Fund invites Friends to a very special event on Friday, March 26, 2010, in Sacramento to benefit the FCL Education Fund and Death Penalty Focus. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The FCL third Capitol Awards Banquet will honor three outstanding activists for criminal justice reform and the abolition of the death penalty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Information: fclca.org<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">On Monday, February 15, Quaker Lobby Day, Friends descended on Olympia. With the help of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy,</b> Washington State Friends learned some of the latest developments in legislation about criminal justice reform. At noon they joined a rally of 6,500 people on the Capitol steps to call for education, health care and other human needs, not budget cuts and then visited with representatives and senators’ staff and had good discussions.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM) </span></b><span style="Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";">will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century." </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;">The registration material for </span></span><b><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM)</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;">Annual Gathering is posted at</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;"><a href="http://imym.org/2010annualgathering" target="_blank"><span style="color:#114170;">http://imym.org/2010annualgathering</span></a></span></span><span style="Garamond","serif";font-family:";color:black;">. <span class="apple-style-span">Registrations are due by April 20. Registrations post-marked after</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">April 20 may be accepted at the discretion of the Registrars, but</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">housing may not be available and IMYM will request a $25 late fee.</span></span><span style="Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Continuing Committee<b> </b>of <b>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</b> decided to remove the $24,000 budget item for the Joint Service Project and reduce the assessment to $35 per member. Continuing Committee could not come to unity on whether to include any support for service in the 2010 or 2011 budgets. It decided to propose that the Annual Gathering in June form a committee to investigate future Yearly Meeting service possibilities.</span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight: boldfont-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">The <b>New Mexico Quaker Women’s Spring Retreat</b> will be held April 3 to 5th at the<br />Norbertine Retreat Center in southwest Albuquerque. The theme will be “What do we bring to our communities and what do we get? How do we create and maintain this community?” </span><span style="mso-bidi- Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>Northwest Yearly Meeting</b> will gather at George Fox University for worship, business, and visioning on July 25-29. The keynote address by Superintendent Colin Saxton will be on Sunday and the Outreach Rally will occur on Monday. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-weight:normal; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></strong><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";font-weight:normal;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style: italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> has a Facebook page. It features daily postings from local church sites, as well as updates about NWYM ministries. Friends are invited to leave comments or join in the dialogue. </span></strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/NorthwestYearlyMeeting"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">www.facebook.com/NorthwestYearlyMeeting</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold;mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">February was the first annual Peace Month in </span></span><strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-style:italicfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Northwest Yearly Meeting</span></strong><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">. The subcommittee that put together resources for Peace Month is asking Churches about their experiences or lack thereof.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The subcommittee wants to know what Friends did and did not find useful and what they can do better next year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <h3 style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: Times;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"; font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/NorthwestYearlyMeeting?ref=nf"><b><span style="text-decoration:none;text-underline:nonecolor:windowtext;">Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church</span></b></a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande";font-weight:normalfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Junior High Jamboree, a retreat at Twin Rocks Friends Camp over Presidents’ Day weekend, had a record 58 attenders! Planned and directed by a group of high schoolers from the Portland and Newberg Areas, it also helps develop the leadership and ministry skills of our youth.<o:p></o:p></span></h3> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">The <strong><span style="Garamond","serif";font-weight:normal; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";">8th</span></strong><strong><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"> Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</span></strong> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at <strong><span style="Garamond","serif"; font-weight:normalfont-family:";">Seabeck Conference Center</span></strong> in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is <i>Walk With Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends</i>. </span><a href="http://www.pnwquakerwomen.org/" target="_blank"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">www.pnwquakerwomen.org</span></a><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";">.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-bidi- font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Pacific NW Quarterly Meeting Spring Gathering</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;"> is scheduled for April 23-25, 2010, at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg with the theme “Compassionate Listening:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Finding God in the Midst of Fear.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For more information, see </span><a href="http://www.pnqm.org/"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">http://www.pnqm.org</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:BookmanOldStyle;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Pacific Yearly Meeting</b> Representative Committee (RepComm) will meet on Saturday, March 5<sup>th</sup> at Orange Grove Meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</b> will gather at Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, April 24<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family:"Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Helvetica;font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">Friends are invited to mark their calendars</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"; font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;">for a delightful, family-friendly gathering at <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Twin Rocks Friends Camp,</b> “Party by the Parkway” on Saturday, May 22, 2010. </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Western Half Yearly Meeting (WHYM)</b> will meet Friday May 21-Monday May 24<sup>th</sup> at Sorrento Centre. Friends are invited to arrive at the Sorrento Centre on Thursday evening so they can join in the WHYM Retreat Day on Friday.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif";font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Willamette Quarterly Meeting</b> Spring Gathering will be April 23-25 at Sky Camp, east of Eugene, Oregon. </span><span class="A4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">The theme is “Living in Harmony: Body and Soul.”</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-Garamond","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Garamond","serif"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-42840364391312318422010-02-22T16:50:00.000-08:002010-02-22T17:24:28.342-08:00Western Quaker Newsletters February 2010<span style="font-weight:bold;">Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></span><br /><b> 2nd Street Community Church (Newberg, OR)</b> has helped create a city-wide program to support recovery of all kinds. Celebrate Recovery is a recovery plan based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.<br />Jack Parkinson is the interim Student Ministries Director at <b>2nd Street Community Church (Newberg, OR).</b><br />“Quaker Sojourns,” the first hour program of <b>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, OR)</b> is an opportunity to learn more about each other and to nourish conversation about how travel can nourish values and beliefs.<br /><b> Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</b> unites that it will make every attempt to keep the library door open and available from 10:00 – 10:30 and from rise of meeting to 12:00, on First days.<br /><b> Albuquerque Meeting (NM) </b>is holding a study group on Samuel Bownas. About eight people have indicated interest and the organizers would love to have more participants, especially among those relatively “young” to Quakerism.<br /><b>Anthem Friends (ID),</b> a church plant in the Hayden Lake area of North Idaho, was approved at Northwest Yearly Meeting 2009.<br /><b>Apple Seed Meeting (Sebastapol, CA)</b> plans to hold a threshing session on whether or not to look for other Meeting locations? Questions include: “What would the goals of any move be? What are the pros and cons of moving?”<br /><b>Berkeley Friends Church (CA) </b>will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism. There will be three sessions:<br />“Early Quakerism: A Radical Holiness Movement” “19th Century Revivalism: Love It or Hate It?” “Holiness, Mysticism & Modernism: A 21st Century Synthesis”<br /><b>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </b>has added new staff: half-time Equipping Pastor for Adult Ministries, Carlos Lopez; half-time Junior High Director, Calvin Sodestrom; Audio-visual Coordinator, Randy Castner; Nursery Coordinator, Katy Castner; Worship-Leader Assistants, Joyce Wheeler and Blake Mendenhall.<br /><b>Casa de los Amigos (Mexico City, Mexico)</b> has opened its doors to Haitian refugees including a family of four, a couple, and a family of three.<br />The <b>Coeur d’Alene (ID) Ministry Point </b>exists to build bridges to those who have walked away from traditional “church.” Bruce and Leann Williams provide leadership.<br />The Adult Religious Education Committee of <b>Corvallis Meeting (OR) </b>has heard a need from the Meeting to discuss how the Meeting connect to our greater community. This broad theme may incorporate modes of outreach, as well as other ways of connecting to, and defining ourselves to, our community.<br /><b>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</b> is seeking ways to allow interaction between adults and children, and to make children feel more involved in the meeting. They could create a poster, make planter boxes, garden and donate produce. Perhaps a first hour that includes children (Not silent!).<br /><b>Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</b> is organizing old records to put together a history of the Meeting. Friends would like to at least put together significant dates in the history of the Meeting, and track the movement from Tracy to Modesto to Stockton.<br />It was suggested to <b>Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</b> that with all the good cooks in the Meeting, they include a tab to post Recipes on their website.<br /><b>Fresno Meeting (CA)</b> has agreed to join the website gaychurch.org, a location for the gay and lesbian community to find religious connections where they are accepted.<br /><b>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</b> is considering a proposal to split Hospitality and Outreach Committee into two committees. Hospitality Committee is the Meeting host. The committee is responsible for the Meeting's Christmas Party, memorials, initiating and coordinating Friendly 8's, etc. Outreach/Greeters committee is focused on visitors to Meeting for Worship, essentially, making visitors feel welcome and offering Outreach to the community as it is indicated.<br />Young adults from <b>Hayden Lake Friends Church (ID)</b> traveled to Portland in January to work with Bridgetown Ministries to demonstrate Christ’s love by reaching out to the homeless. The trip created a sense of renewal and energized the young adults to serve in the Hayden Lake area.<br /><b>Iglesia Amigos El Altar en Boise (The Altar Friends Church) (ID)</b> is the newest church plant of Northwest Yearly Meeting. Jorge Sileoni is the pastor.<br /><b>La Jolla Meeting (CA) </b>notes: The Christmas Eve candle light worship was, as usual, wonderful. It's the only time of the year that most Friends actually use the front door!<br /><b>La Jolla Meeting (CA)</b> Adult Religious Ed has started a "women's meeting" with about 20 interested women.<br /><b>Lynwood Friends Church (Portland, OR) </b>hosts Friends Community Playgroup as a service to local Moms. The Playgroup has two goals, to increase learning and provide support. Moms have a chance to talk about various family related issues in a safe and supportive environment.<br />Quaker Quest Training will be held at the <b>Mountain View Meeting House (Denver, CO)</b><br />on Saturday, April 10, 2010.<br /><b>Mountain View Friends (Denver, CO)</b> will explore stories and ideas at an Introduction to Faith and Play Workshop on Saturday, February 27. Susan Bailey, who was trained in the Faith and Play stories and practice at Pendle Hill, will begin the morning with a story demonstration. The workshop will continue with issues ranging from creating an experience of wonder and awe to the nuts and bolts of teaching Faith and Play in the classroom.<br />Marge Abbot will lead a series on Quaker history and practice at <b>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</b> on three Sundays in February. Topics include: Quakers Over Time; Listening For The Still, Small Voice –in Meeting For Worship & In The Conduct Of Business; and Engaging With The World –Friends’ Witness –Equality, Peace, Truth, Simplicity, & Care for The Earth.<br /><b>Newberg Friends Church (OR) </b>will be the host site for Newberg’s first Adult Health Day. The social hall will become the “waiting room” as patients wait to see a doctor. A variety of health services will be offered for those without insurance coverage. Newberg Friends will brew/serve coffee, “host”/escort folks to their exam room, and pray. The NFC parish nursing team will do blood pressure checks and help facilitate the day.<br /><b>Newberg Friends Church (OR) </b>is reorganizing a Global Outreach Task Force with the goal of helping more people at the church connect the hand and the heart in support of the many ways that God is at work in the world.<br />David and ?Debbie Thomas who serve with Evangelical Friends Mission in Rwanda, will be at <b>Newberg Friends Church (OR) </b>late 2010/early 2011 as missionaries in residence.<br /><b>North Valley Friends Church (Newberg, OR) </b>has written a Minute on Immigration. It begins: “The community of faith known as North Valley Friends Church in Newberg, OR seeks to value and reach out to persons of all races, cultures, and social classes. …. We believe there is a need for reform of the current immigration system. We recognize the complexity of the issues surrounding immigration, the importance of national security, and the need for humane treatment of persons caught in the dilemmas of the lack of legal documentation. We see these as moral, as well as spiritual issues...”<br />The Clerk of <b>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA) </b>sends reminder notices each Wednesday for the upcoming Sunday's events, and adds any other announcements received.<br /><b> Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA) </b>notes that in the next two months, its major task will be to find a new meeting site. Friends are looking for a place to lease, or to share with a compatible group, and the whole meeting is asked to help in search. The Meeting is working with a real estate agent, and is hoping to locate in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Tustin or the general area.<br />The ad hoc Fundraising Committee of <b>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA) </b>plans to hold a garage sale to raise money for philanthropic causes the Meeting supports. Friends are asked to do their spring cleaning with an eye toward items that can be donated to the sale.<br />As a part of its proposed guidelines for extending financial help to members,<b> Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</b> has developed a Policy Document which says, “No member or regular attender of Orange County Friends Meeting will ever be prevented from full participation in Meeting activities because he or she cannot afford it.”<br />Minute approved: <b>“Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</b> asks that the Finance Committee define the purpose of our financial reserve, and the amount of the Meeting’s average operating expenses with details, and from this, suggest an amount for our financial reserve of about one year’s expenses.”<br /><b> Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) </b>agreed that there is a problem with noisy people, and that the Meeting needs to have standards set for the Meetings. The Ministry and Oversight suggestions, such as gathering the space by 9:50 a.m. for worship at 10:00 a.m. by closing the doors to the Meeting Room, were approved.<br />Parents who wish to dedicate their children at <b>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</b> are required to attend a Parenting Class before the dedication.<br /><b>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </b>will hold its Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, February 28. Jim LeShana will update Friends on the state of the church. Friends will have the opportunity to exercise their membership, get an inside view of future plans, and make decisions that will impact the life of RDFC, including approval of the annual budget and a review of committee and ministry reports.<br /><b>Sacramento Meeting (CA) </b>has developed a policy regarding earmarked donations. Policy: – Sacramento Meeting may receive earmarked donations supporting any line item in the Meeting’s current approved budget. Sacramento Meeting may also facilitate earmarked donations to causes or purposes that are not line items in Meeting’s budget, after these have been approved by Meeting or its Finance Committee. The goals and activities of approved recipients must be consistent with the corporate purposes of Sacramento Friends Meeting, and must be known to Friends active in the Meeting.<br />Each month, Finance Committee of <b>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</b> reports on one organization to which Meeting sends an annual contribution. This month, Jim Updegraff reported on Friends House Moscow.<br /><b> Salt Lake Meeting (UT) </b>has agreed to replace the floor in the Meeting House basement. This will happen sometime in April or later and will affect the children’s program, the kitchen and AFSC as everything will have to be moved out of the basement.<br />The Kitchen Remodel Subcommittee of <b>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</b> has scheduled a second hour worship sharing session. Friends will consider queries: “Whom do you envision using the kitchen and how are they using it? How does a kitchen create, support, and enrich the San Francisco Meeting Community?”<br /><b> San Jose Meeting (CA)</b> collects Newsletters from other Friends Meeting and places them in a binder which can be found on the coffee table in the Brinton House living room.<br />QuakerMen of <b>Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA)</b> gather once a month on Saturday mornings at 7:00 a.m. for grace, breakfast, devotionals, a financial report, and then chore lists and assignments. Doing the work of caring for the church themselves is a sacrifice of sweat and a time to God and saves the congregation some money as an added bonus.<br /><b> Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA) </b>recently held its annual Listening Meeting on the State of our Meeting with the query, “What have been the main strengths and shortcomings of Strawberry Creek during the past year, particularly in terms of our spiritual health as a Meeting and how well our committees and other activities have contributed to the life of the Meeting?”<br /><b> Tacoma Meeting (WA) i</b>s considering its committees. It was noted that while the name “Intellectual and Spiritual Pursuits Committee” may seem whimsical, it does reflect the intended work of the committee. The Meeting notes that the work of the Peace and Social Concerns Committee is important, but its membership has dwindled. The Meeting will hold a Second-Hour threshing session on the Peace and Social Concerns Committee.<br />The Finance Committee of <b>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</b> was looking for a report of the membership total, either from Counsel and Oversight Committee, or from the ad hoc committee (clerk, treasurer and the convenor of C&O) established by Meeting for Business to discuss how to determine actual participating membership. The need for the realistic count surfaced during the budget review process; assessments paid to both IMYM and AHYM are based on membership.<br /><b> Tempe Meeting (AZ) </b>has 57 members on record as of January 2010.<br />On Saturday evening February 27th at 7PM at <b>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</b> Rayahn Samati will lead a discussion and present information on the Woolman Semester (Nevada City, CA) for interested teens and their parents. The Woolman Semester is a program that is available for high school juniors, seniors or those in their “gap year” after high school to study peace activism, social justice and environmental sustainability.<br /><b>Whittier First Friends Church (CA)</b> hostrd Quaker Forum on February 20th. Earlham College Professor Tom Hamm spoke on “California Quakers: Community, Controversy, Connection.” Facilitators from Earlham School of Religion led a discussion on “Lessons from the Past; Insights for the Present.”<br />Joyce Ajlouny, Director of the Friends Schools in Ramallah, Palestine visited <b>Whittier First Friends Church (CA)</b> early in February.<br /><b>Whittier First Friends Church (CA)</b> has a new carpet in its Fellowship Hall because individuals and friends made special contributions to cover part of the cost.<br /><br /><b>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</b><br /><br />The <b>Alaska Friends Conference</b> Ministry and Nurture Committee has been tending a leading to offer a Spiritually Nurturing Retreat, Spring 2010, a weekend residential retreat. The current theme is “Tending the Spiritual Taproot of our Yearly Meeting individually and collectively.” Possible venues are in the Talkeetna area or the Wasilla or Chugiak area.<br /><b> Alaska Yearly Meeting</b> churches recognize the importance of ministering to youth in order to give them firm grounding in the faith and alternatives to drinking and suicide which are prevalent among native youth.<br /><b> Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting </b>will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House with the theme, “Strengthening and Deepening the Work of our Committees.” On Saturday night, the Phoenix Meeting House will be transformed into a coffee house for acoustic folk music.<br /><b> Barclay Press </b>will celebrate 50 years of publishing ministry among Evangelical Friends in May.<br /><b> Ben Lomond Quaker Center</b> and <b><i>Western Friend</i></b> 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.<br /><b> College Park Quarterly Meeting </b>will gather May 15-16 at Ben Lomond Quaker Center.<br /><b> College Park Quarterly Meeting</b> Youth, 5th – 9th grades, are invited to a weekend retreat, March 19-21, in Palo Alto, CA.<br /> The <b>Colorado Regional Meeting </b>will be Sunday, April 18 at Fort Collins Meeting, CO with the theme, “How Quakers Have Fun.”<br /><b> Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM) </b>will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century."<br />Continuing Committee of <b>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</b> decided to remove the $24,000 budget item for the Joint Service Project and reduce the assessment to $35 per member. Continuing Committee could not come to unity on whether to include any support for service in the 2010 or 2011 budgets. It decided to propose that the Annual Gathering in June form a committee to investigate future Yearly Meeting service possibilities.<br /><b>Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF) </b>will meet Feb. 19-21, 2010 in Great Falls, MT with the theme “Integrity.” At Business Meeting Friends will discuss “The Future of MGOF,” – considering the health of the meetings and the relationship with North Pacific Yearly Meeting. Information: jk8345@hotmail.com<br />The <b>New Mexico Quaker Women’s Spring Retreat </b>will be held April 3 to 5th at the<br />Norbertine Retreat Center in southwest Albuquerque. The theme will be “What do we bring to our communities and what do we get? How do we create and maintain this community?”<br /><b> Northwest Yearly Meeting</b> will gather at George Fox University for worship, business, and visioning on July 25-29. The keynote address by Superintendent Colin Saxton will be on Sunday and the Outreach Rally will occur on Monday.<br /><b> Northwest Yearly Meeting </b>has a Facebook page. It features daily postings from local church sites, as well as updates about NWYM ministries. Friends are invited to leave comments or join in the dialogue. www.facebook.com/NorthwestYearlyMeeting<br /><b>Northwest Yearly Meeting </b>Men’s Retreat will be February 19-21 at the Quaker Hill Conference Center, McCall, ID. Colin Saxton will speak on the theme “Living a Balanced Life.”.<br /><b> Northwest Yearly Meeting</b> Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28 at Twin Rocks Friends Camp with the theme, Living Purely in a Sex-Driven World. Speakers include Gar Mickelson, Marshall Snider, Dr. Terry Riske, and Jason Minnix.<br />The 8th <b>Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</b> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at Seabeck Conference Center in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is Walk With Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends. www.pnwquakerwomen.org.<br /><b> Pacific NW Quarterly Meeting </b>Spring Gathering is scheduled for April 23-25, 2010, at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg with the theme “Compassionate Listening: Finding God in the Midst of Fear.” For more information, see http://www.pnqm.org.<br /><b> Pacific Yearly Meeting</b> Representative Committee (RepComm) will meet on Saturday, March 5th at Orange Grove Meeting.<br /><b> Southern California Quarterly Meeting</b> will gather at Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, April 24th.<br />The <b>Western Association of the Religious Society of Friends (WARSF)</b> will meet February 20th following the afternoon sessions of Whittier First Friends Church’s Quaker Forum.<br />The <b>Willamette Quarterly Meeting </b>Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28 at Camp Myrtlewood near Myrtle Point, Oregon.<br /><b> Willamette Quarterly Meeting </b>Spring Gathering will be April 23-25 at Sky Camp, east of Eugene, Oregon.<br /><br /><b>FWCC Website</b><br />Look at www.fwccamericas.org for information about the Section of the Americas.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-6403972293916184672010-02-03T12:50:00.000-08:002010-02-03T13:07:18.189-08:00Western Quaker Newsletters<strong>Friends Churches and Meetings</strong><br />At its January business meeting, <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> appointed three new temporary committees to follow up on several of the Year of Discernment recommendations. The three groups are the Ad Hoc Retreat Committee, the Communications Task Force, and the Remodel Task Force.<br />The Friends in the Arts of <strong>Southside Quaker Meeting (Santa Fe, NM)</strong> will host Ira Progoff's Intensive Journal Program of Self Development with Paul Ilecki, EdD. This three part series “helps one to gain a foundation & perspective to realize the continuity and director of life, helps participants to build a solid basis for future decisions and offers a method to connect more deeply with personal relationships, career interests and one’s self.”<br /><strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> agreed to consider the question of becoming a monthly meeting as an agenda item in February.<br />The Faith in Action committee of <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> will help facilitate a worship sharing, discussion and discernment about our Quaker national lobby's legislative focus. Friends hope to end with up to five issues that South Seattle Friends Meeting can recommend to FCNL for their work with Congress in 2011-2012.<br />Vandals broke into <strong>South Salem Friends Church (OR),</strong> turned on all the lights, disconnected all audio-visual equipment, and put it outside.<br /><strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> will focus upon how Quakers learn together to be open to the Divine with sessions on “Constructing Our Discernment of God Together.” Friends will explore the face of the Divine in its many different guises and pray that each one can make his/her own doorways into that sacred space.<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> are invited to join a discussion group on the article by Heidi Hart entitled “Quakerism and the Passionate Life” (FJ 09/2008). Copies are available next to the birdhouse in the library.<br />Finance and Good Works Committees of <strong>Santa Fe Meeting (NM)</strong> learned about a reduction<br />in the IMYM assessment for 2010 which would result in a projected budget surplus. The Good Works committee recommended that part of that money be sent immediately to AFSC earmarked for disaster relief in Haiti. Meeting approved a donation of $250 to AFSC for disaster relief in Haiti.<br />“Mid-Life Friends” of <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> are sponsoring a community-building potluck on February 6 to which all are invited (including children).<br /><strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA) </strong>is again experimenting with extended worship which will begin at 10:30 and continue as led. The sense of Worship and Ministry is that worship might continue up to or beyond two hours. Those who need to leave after an hour will exit with the children.<br />As part of the clerk’s report at <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA),</strong> the clerk asks a minister among them to speak of his/her work.<br />Peace and Social Concerns Committee of <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> is sponsoring a program, beginning Sunday February 7, called ENGAGE – From Violence to Wholeness. This twelve-part program on the spirituality and practice of non-violence will be led by David Hartsough.<br />The Kitchen Remodel Subcommittee of <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> is, as its first step, asking Friends, “What is your understanding how the kitchen works?”<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> will hold its Annual Quaker Fundraising Extravaganza on Saturday, March 13 at the Meetinghouse. The evening will start with a social then proceed to the Community Showcase which features musicians and poets from within the Quaker community. The Red Rock Hot Club, a quartet of musicians which performs gypsy jazz, will be back by popular demand. There will also be a silent auction and Friends are asked to contribute.<br />On a recent Sunday after Meeting for Worship and time for Hospitality, Ministry and Counsel of <strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> convened an open discussion on the Quaker Testimony of Equality.<br />Friends from <strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> took home baby bottles during Sanctity of Life weekend. They will fill the bottles with spare change and return them to the church.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> is planning Mexicali, 2010. During this annual Spring Break mission trip to Mexico, Friends will partner with the churches of the Mexicali Valley through Vacation Bible School, playing with kids, service projects, and other projects.<br />At the next meeting of the Prayer Book Potluck Group of <strong>Reno Meeting (NV),</strong> Friends will discuss “Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan” by Greg Mortenson.<br />The Center for Christian Education at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> is offering The Parables of Jesus: Stories that await your conclusion, half-hour videos by guest teacher Dr. Kenneth Bailey. Moderators of the class are John Wilkin and Kara Newell.<br />Worship and Ministry Committee of <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> presented an updated version of the Meeting’s Newcomer’s pamphlet. Friends appreciated the work, but did not have unity on approving the proposed text.<br /><strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> Worship and Ministry Committee asked about including the queries in Meeting for Worship. A variety of responses and ideas arose from the ensuing worship. Friends generally like the queries and returned the matter to the committee for discernment and implementation<br /><strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> has developed a document called Advices and Queries on the Right Sharing of Resources: “. . . (W)we seek to fulfill the vision developed by the Meeting from our Quaker testimonies and principles. Our vision has interconnected components that reflect how the Meeting is to nurture, support, utilize and grow the Meeting itself, make use of our various resources and engage with our surrounding community. All of these components are cultivated in our worship and radiate throughout the Meeting’s vision.”<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> is offering a four-week group that will deal with grief and grieving. During those weeks, discussion will focus around the topics of: What does grief look like? What helps? The big questions that grief brings into our lives? Hope, where does it come from?<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> has begun an alternative worship service at 5 pm, which will meet every other week before eventually becoming a weekly community. Recognizing that the gap between those who go to church and those who don’t gets wider and wider all the time, this service is one way Newberg Friends hope to worship and serve as a community, intentionally striving to be open to those who are not a part of a church currently.<br />Youth of <strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> have invited Friends to an afternoon of festivities as the seniors (65 and older) and youth (middle and high school students) of its community compete against each other in “The Price is Right” to see which generation knows the most about the other. There is a twist, though, because not only will questions be asked about prices, but about occurrences, memories, sayings, technology, and objects from each side’s time period.<br />Marge Abbot will lead a series on Quaker history and practice at <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> on three Sundays in February. Topics include: Quakers Over Time; Listening For The Still, Small Voice –in Meeting For Worship & In The Conduct Of Business; and Engaging With The World –Friends’ Witness –Equality, Peace, Truth, Simplicity, & Care for The Earth.<br />Young Adult Friends of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> gather on second Sundays each month at 6:00 pm for discussion, potluck, song & silence; and on fourth Sundays for lunch about 12:30; locations vary. mmm-yf@yahoogroups.com<br />Quaker Quest Training will be held at the <strong>Mountain View Meeting House (Denver, CO)<br /></strong>on Saturday, April 10, 2010.<br /><strong>Missoula Friends (MT)</strong> got together for a Friday games and pizza night. Pizza was provided and Friends brought games.<br />Ministry and Oversight of <strong>Missoula Meeting (MT)</strong> collected, filled, and delivered holiday gift baskets and bulbs to various Friends.<br />Ministry and Worship of <strong>Honolulu Meeting (HI)</strong> will sponsor a workshop on Quaker process. Stratton Jaquette, who grew up in Honolulu Friends Meeting and has served as Clerk of various committees and Meetings, including Clerk of Pacific Yearly Meeting, will present a workshop on good Quaker process after Meeting on Sunday, February 7. Among other topics, he will address the question of an understanding of Quaker unity and Quaker etiquette.<br /><strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)</strong> approved the recommendation to establish a standing committee for the purpose of making recom¬mended donations to the meeting.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> invites Friends to save the date, Saturday March 13, for the Meeting's Quaker Quest workshop. Steve Chase, from the Friends General Conference Quaker Quest Travel Team, will lead the workshop, which is intended to help Friends develop "inreach and outreach".<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> is holding three Wednesday evening gatherings of Quaker dialogue on the subject of Engaging Quaker Practice—Friendly Spirituality: Personal Queries, Corporate Exploration, Opportunity to Reflect. Topics are: (1) Queries on how we apply our time & talent; (2) Queries on sharing our treasure & tenderness; and (3) What lies behind the choices we make?<br /><strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> is involved in an on-going discussion of the conduct of marriage by the Meeting relating to the current inequalities in the availability of civil marriage for all people. A threshing session will be scheduled by Ministry and Counsel for consideration of this concern.<br /><strong>Chico Meeting (CA)</strong> holds monthly gatherings at a Friends’ home which offer a time to explore less-familiar songs in Friends Hymnal as well as more time to enjoy favorites, accompanied by piano and flute.<br />The Meetinghouse of <strong>Chico Meeting (CA)</strong> has Open Hours every Wednesday, 4-6 pm. Friends are welcome to use the library, work in the office, do cleaning or other tasks, or have quiet time in the Meetinghouse during these hours each week.<br /><strong>Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> will participate in FCNL’s “Policy Priorities Process.” Friends will meet at the Stark Street Meeting House for potluck dinner and worship sharing. Younger Friends are especially invited to join in this process. In preparation for this meeting, Friends are asked to consider their Quaker values and their personal beliefs about where our nation needs to focus its attention and resources.<br />Ministry and Oversight Committee of <strong>Boise Valley Meeting (ID)</strong> will be working on nominations to fill Meeting positions for the next year. Friends are encouraged to “let us know where your great talent will meet our great need!”<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Meeting (CA)</strong> will sponsor a Red Cross Blood Drive on Saturday, February 13 at a nearby Later Day Saints Church. As this will be an interfaith event, other local churches will be asked to participate.<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Church (CA)</strong> will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.<br />The ad hoc library committee of <strong>Bellingham Meeting (WA)</strong> met and discussed criteria for the Meeting’s library and proposed guidelines for what acquisitions to keep or discard:<br />a. Keep books about Quakers, fiction or non-fiction, including hymnals.<br />b. Keep Bible and Bible study books.<br />c. Books on theology, Christianity and other religions can be endless and can be found elsewhere, so the committee proposes to limit them.<br /><strong>Bellingham Meeting (WA)</strong> will sponsor one member or attender each year to go to the Gathering of Friends sponsored by Friends General Conference. The Nominating Committee shall give some preference to Friends who have never attended the Gathering, or who have not done so for a long time. The selected Friend may be either an adult or a high-school-age Friend. The Committee's nominee shall be presented to the Meeting for Business in March.<br />Christa Brelsford, daughter of Taylor and Terry Brelsford of <strong>Anchorage Meeting (AK),</strong> was injured in the earthquake in Haiti. She continues to heal and will soon return to Arizona where she is a college student.<br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</strong><br /><br />The <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> Ministry and Nurture Committee has been tending a leading to offer a Spiritually Nurturing Retreat, Spring 2010, a weekend residential retreat. The current theme is “Tending the Spiritual Taproot of our Yearly Meeting individually and collectively.” Possible venues are in the Talkeetna area or the Wasilla or Chugiak area.<br />Lowell Sage is the new Superintendent of <strong>Alaska Yearly Meeting</strong>. Lowell and his wife Mary live in Kivalina, AK where he co-pastors Kivalina Friends Church.<br /><strong>Alaska Yearly Meeting</strong> churches recognize the importance of ministering to youth in order to give them firm grounding in the faith and alternatives to drinking and suicide which are prevalent among native youth.<br /><strong>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House.<br />Friends Center at <strong>Azusa Pacific</strong> is offering a course on Friends Theology, Worship, and Leadership, taught by Kent Walkemeyer, Friends Center Director. kwalkemeyer@apu.edu<br /><strong>Barclay Press</strong> will celebrate 50 years of publishing ministry among Evangelical Friends in May.<br /><strong>Ben Lomond Quaker Center</strong> and <strong>Western Friend</strong> 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.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather May 15-16 at Ben Lomond Quaker Center.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting</strong> Youth, 5th – 9th grades, are invited to a weekend retreat, March 19-21, in Palo Alto, CA.<br />The <strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> will be Sunday, April 18 at Fort Collins Meeting, CO with the theme, “How Quakers Have Fun.”<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:<br />• Arizona/Nevada – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.<br />• Northern California - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.<br />The second annual Quaker Lobby Day of <strong>Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy, </strong>which will focus on criminal justice issues, will be held in Olympia on Monday, February 15. Help express Quaker voices in Olympia.<br /><strong>George Fox University (Newberg, OR</strong>) will hold its Woolman Peacemaking Forum, February 10-11, with the theme, “Are We Achieving Racial Justice and Reconciliation?” John M. Perkins, founder of the John M Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development and one of the leading evangelical voices to come out of the American Civil Rights movement will be the featured speaker.<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM)</strong> will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century."<br />Continuing Committee of <strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> decided to remove the $24,000 budget item for the Joint Service Project and reduce the assessment to $35 per member. Continuing Committee could not come to unity on whether to include any support for service in the 2010 or 2011 budgets. It decided to propose that the Annual Gathering in June form a committee to investigate future Yearly Meeting service possibilities.<br /><strong>Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</strong> will meet Feb. 19-21, 2010 in Great Falls, MT with the theme “Integrity.” At Business Meeting Friends will discuss “The Future of MGOF,” – considering the health of the meetings and the relationship with North Pacific Yearly Meeting. Information: jk8345@hotmail.com<br />The <strong>New Mexico Quaker Women’s Spring Retreat</strong> will be held April 3 to 5th at the<br />Norbertine Retreat Center in southwest Albuquerque. The theme will be “What do we bring to our communities and what do we get? How do we create and maintain this community?”<br />The <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> Junior Friends Ski Trip will be the weekend of February 13th.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Friends Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28 at Twin Rocks Friends Camp with the theme, Living Purely in a Sex-Driven World. Speakers include Gar Mickelson, Marshall Snider, Dr. Terry Riske, and Jason Minnix.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> and <strong>George Fox University</strong> sponsored A New Abolitionists Conference (October 2009) to promote awareness and stimulate action to abolish sex trafficking and forced prostitution in the Portland area.<br />The 8th <strong>Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</strong> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at Seabeck Conference Center in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is Walk With Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends. www.pnwquakerwomen.org.<br /><br /><strong>Pacific NW Quarterly Meeting</strong> Spring Gathering is scheduled for April 23-25, 2010, at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg with the theme “Compassionate Listening: Finding God in the Midst of Fear.” For more information, see http://www.pnqm.org.<br />The Religious Education Committee for Children of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will schedule a workshop day for First Day School teachers, hosted by Palo Alto Meeting.<br /><strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather at Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, April 24th.<br /><strong>WESTERN FRIEND MAGAZINE</strong> Subscribe today to receive 8 issues jam-packed with articles, art, photos and stories by and about Friends you know. editor@westernfriend.org<br />The <strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28 at Camp Myrtlewood near Myrtle Point, Oregon.<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> Spring Gathering will be April 23-25 at Sky Camp, east of Eugene, Oregon.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-24437896497599975792010-01-25T17:55:00.000-08:002010-01-25T18:18:36.918-08:00News from Western Quaker NewslettersSocial Concerns Committee of <strong>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> is considering how it could follow up on the recent community panel and discussion about the detention and treatment of unregistered immigrants.<br />The Building Planning Committee of <strong>Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</strong> invited Friends to review the site program of the Meeting: what do Friends need and want from their site now and in the future along with practical ideas for addressing the amount and quality of space needed for those activities.<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Church (CA)</strong> will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.<br />Ministry and Oversight Committee of <strong>Boise Valley Meeting (ID)</strong> will be working on nominations to fill Meeting positions for the next year. Friends are encouraged to “let us know where your great talent will meet our great need!”<br /><strong>Bridge City Friends Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> seasoned 16 revised job descriptions for a month.<br />Steve Smith of <strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> will lead two workshops at Pendle Hill:<br />February 7-11 – Eastern Light: Buddhist and Quaker Spirituality;<br />February 12-14 – The Joy of Quaker Communities: Clerking and Working with Spirit.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> invites Friends to save the date, Saturday March 13, for the Meeting's Quaker Quest workshop. Steve Chase, from the Friends General Conference Quaker Quest Travel Team, will lead the workshop, which is intended to help Friends develop "inreach and outreach".<br />The Worship and Ministry Committee of <strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> considered dogs in the Meetinghouse. In discussion Friends noted a difference between service animal and companion animal and also, noted the distinction between dogs in the social room vs. dogs in worship room during a Meeting for Worship. The Meetinghouse Use Committee is discussing this and will take the lead in considering policy.<br />Due to poor weather <strong>Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</strong> cancelled December’s Livermore Peace Witness for the first time in history.<br /><strong>Fresno Meeting (CA)</strong> held a Meeting for Worship in the hospital room of a Friend who was hospitalized. Friends are considering doing it again.<br />It was suggested that <strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> consider changing the time of Meeting for Worship to a later time to encourage younger people to attend. A Friend noted that an FGC workshop on encouraging younger members suggested having Meeting at a time when young people are likely to attend.<br /><strong>Homedale Friends Community Church (ID)</strong> organized near downtown Homedale, Idaho in 1939 with the understanding that all denominations could participate. Six groups were initially represented. This tradition continues, with many of the most active members not being official “members.”<br /><strong>Kivalina Friends Church (AK)</strong> recently began a series on healing. Friends are learning more about healing in their own lives and ways to help others around them to heal.<br />Millie Stalker is co-pastor of <strong>Kivalina Friends Church (AK).</strong> She came from Kotzebue this winter where she served as Assistant Pastor. Millie Hawkins is working with youth in Kivalina.<br />Quaker Quest Training will be held at the <strong>Mountain View Meeting House (Denver, CO)</strong><br />on Saturday, April 10, 2010.<br />Marge Abbot will lead a series on Quaker history and practice at <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> on three Sundays in February. Topics include: <em>Quakers Over Time; Listening For The Still, Small Voice –in Meeting For Worship & In The Conduct Of Business; and Engaging With The World –Friends’ Witness –Equality, Peace, Truth, Simplicity, & Care for The Earth.</em><br /><strong>Noatak Friends Church (AK)</strong> welcomes Brent Hostetter as youth minister. A graduate of Bethel College, he worked for two years at Alaska Christian College in Soldotna.<br />Teens from <strong>Northwest Friends Church (Arvada, CO)</strong> and <strong>First Denver Friends (CO)</strong> traveled to Aquascalientes, Mexico last summer to help with Vacation Bible School.<br />Property Committee of <strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> presented its report. It was noted that expenditures from the reserve and maintenance accounts were markedly higher this year than in previous years. The reasons for this primarily stem from the fact that many tasks have been put off from year to year. Property Committee encourages members and attenders to donate extra funds this year to enable them to continue their work.<br /><strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> has a burial ground adjacent to Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena. The common plot where some Friends’ ashes are buried is unmarked. Friends asked if there should be some sort of identification on it as the Common Plot of Orange Grove Friends Meeting? Many Friends seemed to agree that recognition and simplicity are not in conflict and that there may be a way of marking that preserves the natural beauty of the place. Friends seem to agree in principle that they’d like to mark the cemetery and common plot.<br />March 19 -21 <strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> has scheduled a middle school retreat which<br />will be open to neighboring meetings.<br />The House Committee of <strong>Pima Meeting (AZ)</strong> has spent its budget for the year. They have hired a handyperson to do repairs in a timely fashion and are trying to fix the meetinghouse before small repairs become large projects. Friends are reminded the Meeting must bear the expense of a new roof, coolers, and a possible water heater.<br />The Center for Christian Education at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> is offering The Parables of Jesus: Stories that await your conclusion, half-hour videos by guest teacher Dr. Kenneth Bailey. Moderators of the class are John Wilkin and Kara Newell.<br />The Prayer Book Potluck Group of <strong>Reno Meeting (NV)</strong> is discussing <em>Practical Mystic: Religion, Science, and A. S. Eddington</em> by Mathew Stanley. Practical Mystic uses the figure of Eddington to show how religious and scientific values can interact and overlap without compromising the integrity of either. By examining this intersection between liberal religion and astrophysics, <em>Practical Mystic</em> questions many common assumptions about the relationship between science and spirituality.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> is hosting a Super Game Day Party on Sunday, February 7th in a family friendly environment. The gym will be open, and there will other games available as well. Admission is free; food will be sold during the game.<br />Teens from <strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will participate in a High School Red Eye “Night of Awesomeness” which will last until midnight. Teens are invited to hang out late night and enjoy a concert with twentyfour64, a Wii tournament, and delicious treats!<br /><strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> will show Brother Outsider on Saturday Jan 23rd. This is the story of Bayard Rustin, Quaker, black and gay rights activist.<br /><strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> sent a letter to the mosque in West Sacramento, and the two synagogues in the Sacramento area deploring the vandalism they had recently received, offering spiritual support and a donation to each congregation.<br />Rolene Walker of <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> has ended her Walk with the Earth with six months in Santiago, Chile where she did five workshops on how to make solar ovens, four on how to do wall gardening, made a zen garden at Conspirando, did Joana Macy’s work with three groups, gave talks to four classes, and 8 other groups.<br />A gathering at <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> will explore questions related to mid-life. Friends were to consider, “If you see yourself as in mid-life, and if you would like to explore what this means to you and to other Friends – and if you would like to consider ways in which mid-life Friends can seek greater clarity around their concerns and/or support each other, please come to this first exploratory meeting.”<br />Anthony Manousos of <strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> traveled among Friends in Australia in December 2009. He attended the Parliament of the World's Religion in Melbourne as a representative of American Friends who have a concern for interfaith peacemaking. Anthony serves on the Christian Interfaith Relations Committee of Friends General Conference. After the gathering, he visited Australian Friends in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, where he attended Yearly Meeting and gave a Report on Interfaith Work at Australia Yearly Meeting.<br />The church building of <strong>Selawik Friends Church (AK)</strong> was destroyed by fire in 2007. The new building is nearly complete with the structure enclosed; workers can continue in the sub-zero temperatures. Soon, electrical work, wall panels, and a porch will be completed.<br />Women of <strong>Spring Valley Friends Church (CA)</strong> heard about “Ornaments of Grace” at a tea. Ornaments were displayed to illustrate stories of Christmas’ past and family traditions. A big red broken ornament was displayed to remind the women that God can take the most broken person and make them beautiful.<br />Two Friends from <strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> will have 90-something birthdays in January. Julius Jahn will be 96 years of age; George Kenny will be 91.<br />The Nominating Committee of <strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> recommends not chosing anyone for the Peace and Social Concerns Committee until the meeting as a whole has had a chance to reflect on and discuss the roles of the committee and the potential relationship between the committee and the meeting as a whole.<br /><strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> has scheduled a special discussion session for Second Hour around Friends’ sense of commitment to participation in peace and social concerns activities. The questions include: How do Friends see themselves, individually and as a group, with respect to peace and social concerns activism?<br /><strong>Tempe Friends (AZ)</strong> held a web site meeting at the meetinghouse. It was noted that the Meeting sign-in sheet data shows that 2/3s of those who come to meeting as new visitors and sign-in found the meeting through the Meeting’s web site.<br /><strong>Tempe Friends (AZ)</strong> asked an ad hoc committee to consider whether there are any Friends who might benefit from the Meeting raising the question of their intention for future relationship with, or membership in, Tempe Monthly Meeting.<br /><strong>Wyoming Friends Meeting</strong> Gathering will be in Jackson, WY on Jan. 22-24. jeanj@bresnan.net.<br /><strong>Wyoming Friends Meeting (WFM)</strong> has made a commitment to offer financial support to its members and attenders as they, consistent with the WFM Mission Statement, seek to “engage with the broader Society of Friends,” and “seek to show greater spiritual hospitality.”<br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /><br /></strong>The <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> Ministry and Nurture Committee has been tending a leading to offer a Spiritually Nurturing Retreat, Spring 2010, a weekend residential retreat. The current theme is “Tending the Spiritual Taproot of our Yearly Meeting individually and collectively.” Possible venues are in the Talkeetna area or the Wasilla or Chugiak area.<br />Lowell Sage is the new Superintendent of <strong>Alaska Yearly Meeting</strong>. Lowell and his wife Mary live in Kivalina, AK where he co-pastors Kivalina Friends Church.<br /><strong>Alaska Yearly Meeting</strong> churches recognize the importance of ministering to youth in order to give them firm grounding in the faith and alternatives to drinking and suicide which are prevalent among native youth.<br /><strong>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House.<br />Friends Center at <strong>Azusa Pacific</strong> is offering a course on Friends Theology, Worship, and Leadership, taught by Kent Walkemeyer, Friends Center Director. kwalkemeyer@apu.edu<br /><strong>Barclay Press</strong> will celebrate 50 years of publishing ministry among Evangelical Friends in May.<br /><strong>Ben Lomond Quaker Center</strong> and <strong>Western Friend</strong> 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.<br />The <strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> will be Sunday, April 18 at Fort Collins Meeting, CO with the theme, “How Quakers Have Fun.”<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:<br />• Southern California – Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner, Friday January 29, 2010; Serve Day, Saturday, January 30, 2010.<br />• Arizona/Nevada – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.<br />• Northern California - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.<br />The second annual Quaker Lobby Day of <strong>Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</strong>, which will focus on criminal justice issues, will be held in Olympia on Monday, February 15. Help express Quaker voices in Olympia.<br />On January 29-30, the Friends Center at <strong>George Fox Evangelical Seminary</strong> will host a one-credit seminar on the use of drama in ministry. Rich Swingle (GFU, '91) will share from his 15 years of experience in 18 nations as a full-time dramatist, highlighting a number of different forms of drama, including sketches, monologues, mime, sociodrama, enacted prayer, and others. After a summary, Rich will focus on sketch development, showing a hands-on approach to writing, casting, directing and acting.<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM)</strong> will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century."<br /><strong>Montana Gathering of Friends (MGOF)</strong> will meet Feb. 19-21, 2010 in Great Falls, MT.<br /><strong>Neighbors East and West</strong> 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/<br />The <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> Junior Friends Ski Trip will be the weekend of February 13th.<br />The <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Friends Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28 at Twin Rocks Friends Camp with the theme, Living Purely in a Sex-Driven World. Speakers include Gar Mickelson, Marshall Snider, Dr. Terry Riske, and Jason Minnix.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> and George Fox University sponsored A New Abolitionists Conference (October 2009) to promote awareness and stimulate action to abolish sex trafficking and forced prostitution in the Portland area.<br />The 8th <strong>Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</strong> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at Seabeck Conference Center in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is Walk With Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends. For more information and to register online, see www.pnwquakerwomen.org.<br />The <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> Silent Retreat will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.<br /><strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> Spring Gathering is scheduled for April 23-25, 2010, at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg. The theme for the gathering is “Compassionate Listening: Finding God in the Midst of Fear.” For more information, see http://www.pnqm.org.<br />The Religious Education Committee for Children of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will schedule a workshop day for First Day School teachers, hosted by Palo Alto Meeting.<br /><strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather at Orange Grove Meeting in Pasadena, CA on Saturday, April 24th.<br /><strong>WESTERN FRIEND MAGAZINE</strong> Subscribe today to receive 8 issues jam-packed with articles, art, photos and stories by and about Friends you know. editor@westernfriend.org<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.<br />The <strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28 at Camp Myrtlewood, near Myrtle Point, OR.<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> Spring gathering will be April 23-25 at Sky Camp, east of Eugene, OR.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-85800226387804418132010-01-08T22:18:00.000-08:002010-01-08T22:51:27.607-08:00<strong>WESTERN QUAKER NEWSLETTERS </strong><br /><strong>DECEMBER 2009-JANUARY 2010</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches</strong><br /><br />Marge Abbot will lead a series on Quaker history and practice at <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> on three Sundays in February. Topics include: Quakers Over Time; Listening For The Still, Small Voice –in Meeting For Worship & In The Conduct Of Business; and Engaging With The World –Friends’ Witness –Equality, Peace, Truth, Simplicity, & Care for The Earth.<br />Finance Committee of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> requests that new activities proposed for the Meeting which require expenditure of money, go first to an appropriate committee (Peace and Social Concerns, Social, etc.) before they are sent to Finance Committee.<br /><strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> is considering making a donation to the City of Portland is lieu of property taxes.<br />The food ministry at <strong>New Life Friends (Vancouver, WA)</strong> recently picked up 10,000 pounds of food from the annual Walk and Knock. Last month the volunteers served 2,700 people a meal; they hand out groceries to 250 to 350 families every Friday;. and run a soup kitchen four days a week. New Life Friends cares for “the least of these.”<br />The Finance Committee of <strong>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</strong> is looking for ideas from Friends to help raise money for the Meeting’s philanthropic budget. People have suggested holding a rummage sale, a service auction, a bake sale, and a talent show. Friends may have other ideas about how they might raise the funds needed to help make a difference in the lives of others.<br /><strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> has decided that its newsletter will be posted on its new website. Therefore, they will no longer print full Directory corrections in the newsletter, only the names of those whose information has changed.<br />March 19 -21 <strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA) </strong>has scheduled a middle school retreat which<br />will be open to neighboring meetings.<br />A Friend applied for membership at <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA).</strong> He noted that he cannot say that he is an absolute pacifist because he does not know what he would do in every possible situation… Another Friend expressed her core tenets: “…to me there is that of God in everyone. Our faith also demands that we love God. So when we love God, we should love our fellows. If we kill, we kill something of God. Therefore, whatever the reason, there can be no justification in taking other life.” Oversight organized a focused and worshipful discussion on the meaning of Peace to Quakers. The two Friends issued a joint statement: “In our different ways, we see and value how each of us seeks and works for Peace. We respect and value each other’s points of view and differing understandings of Quaker values.” The Meeting approved the Friend’s membership.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA) </strong>is offering Health classes for the new year: Matter of Balance, Healthier Living with Chronic Conditions, Aqua Exercises (warm weather or indoor), and Effective Living with Hearing Impairment. Each class is 6-8 weeks in length.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will sponsor Financial Peace University, a biblically-based video discussion series with Dave Ramsey that will help Friends learn how to beat debt, build savings, and give like never before. Imagine what the people of God could do for the Kingdom of God if they lived by God's money principles.<br />Friends at <strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> will participate in a Journal Review as a time to reflect upon the year past and prepare for the new year. Friends who do not journal are welcome to create their own style of review. Friends will gather with their journals from the past year and together, in silence, will re-read their year -- quietly reflecting, present to one’s own "on-going revelation" or movement of the Holy. What difference has this year made? What gifts want to come forward into 2010? .<br />John Helding from FGC is coming to <strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> to lead a Quaker Quest Training Workshop on Sunday, January 17th. Everyone from the meeting is invited – attendance is required for Core Team, Speakers, and Facilitators. Lunch will be provided.<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> learned that the format adopted by Religious Education is working reasonably well. Older youth are now separated from the young kids and participate in a more age-appropriate program. Finding a space for the older children is still being explored.<br /><strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> is going through the process of establishing a Food Pantry for homeless people at the Meeting House.<br /><strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> has been notified that it will be receiving a bequest from the estate of Betty Bates, for which the Meeting is grateful. As far as they know, there was no request that the money be spent in any particular way. Members and attenders are asked to take a moment to reflect and to let the Meeting know how they think the money might be spent.<br /><strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> is considering the issue of flowers on the table during worship. If Friends feel that flowers are important they are to team with a member of Ministry and Oversight to provide flowers. This will be like a “flower potluck.”<br />The Library Committee of <strong>Santa Fe Meeting (NM)</strong> will sponsor the Meeting's First Quaker Talent Show on Saturday 27th. Friends are asked if they sing, dance, write, play the ukulele, or impersonate Barack Obama?<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> agree to incorporate and to adopt the December 20, 2009 draft of<br />the bylaws with the changes noted during the discussion regarding the purpose of the corporation, membership in the corporation, and the wording of Bylaw 13. The Meeting acknowledges the need to deal with the issues concerning Olive Rush's bequest identified during the discussion.<br /><strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> will hold Adult Education Sessions, using the worship sharing format, on “Constructing our Discernment of God Together.” Friends will focus on how Quakers learn together to be open to the Divine. They will explore the face of the Divine in its many different guises.<br />Amy Watson is the new youth minister at <strong>Sherwood Friends Church (OR).<br />South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> will hold another brief teacher orientation. This ten-fifteen minute meeting will give potential teachers the basics of how First Day School is run. (Here's the quick summary: curriculum is provided, the Friend team-teaches with another adult, and is encouraged to sign up for two consecutive Sundays so the kids have more consistency.)<br />The Community and Spiritual Life Committee of <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> has been thinking of ways to help the Meeting grow spiritually, and help individuals in their search for a better understanding of themselves, the world and the nature of God.<br />A. Spiritual Sharing Group: An opportunity to deepen one’s spiritual journey through personal reflection and dialogue with others, with the possible use of Parker Palmer's Circle of Trust model.<br />B. Spiritual Reading and Discussion Group: Quaker and other religious writings will spark discussion and exploration of spirituality and deepening of spiritual lives, beginning with Patricia Loring's <em>Spiritual Listening.<br /></em><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> 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.<br />Friends at <strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> are organizing a monthly sewing gathering where Friends will bring their own projects or join another’s.<br />Gathering on Life, the Universe, and Quakers will be held at <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> on January 24. Friends are invited to a worshipful sharing of thoughts on scientific understandings of the 14 billion year history of the universe (Deep Time) and the evolutionary development of life (the Tree of Life). How does new knowledge which has been acquired in the last half century about the universe and life affect our view of ourselves as Quakers? Does this knowledge affect our experience of the divine in our lives?<br /><br />Queries from the Year of Discernment from <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA):<br /></strong>Is thinking differently about our existing work seen as a means to an end, or as an end in itself? Does Meeting still see the ultimate goal of the process as a shift back to thinking in terms of “doing different work” (and if so, what)?<br />For ongoing discernment related to our current ministries: What has life? What should we lay down? How are we supporting our individual and corporate ministries?<br />How does prophetic witness fit with the four essentials we identified in the meeting (worship, community, stewardship, and service)?<br />What is our understanding of discernment now and how should we continue the work after the Year of Discernment?<br />In doing outreach, <strong>Vancouver Meeting (BC)</strong> was reminded behavior in meeting needs to be conducive to encouraging newcomers to return. Quaker Quest Committee and Ministry and Counsel could brainstorm together to implement additional changes to ensure meeting is welcoming and supportive of newcomers. Meeting approves undertaking the Quaker Quest and the committee going forward with the proposal outlined in its report.<br />Shan Cretin, Pacific Southwest Regional Director of the American Friends Service Committee, will speak Wednesday, January 13, at <strong>First Friends Whittier (CA).</strong> Shan will present an overview of AFSC’s international and domestic work and program details.<br />The youth groups of <strong>First Friends Whittier (CA)</strong> gathered to cook, stir, dip and mold the ingredients necessary to make tootsie rolls, divinity, caramel turtles, fudge, peanut butter balls and cups for the Christmas dinner candy sale. The proceeds, $852, were divided between the Heifer Project International and the Youth Travel Fund.<br />The <strong>Wyoming Friends Meeting</strong> gathering is to be held in Jackson January 22-24.<br /><br /><strong>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> hosted a Breaking Bread and Barriers potluck with the goal of raising awareness in the community about immigration policies pertaining to undocumented workers.<br />A Friend is donating $2,000 to <strong>Bellingham Meeting (WA)</strong> for the purpose of enabling Meeting participants to attend the Friends General Conference Annual Gathering of Friends in the future, as she herself had done for the first time earlier this year. She also indicated that she would be very likely to donate additional money for the same purpose in subsequent years. Friends are considering that an ad hoc Committee develop a process by which recipients of grants for this purpose could be recruited, selected, and awarded funds in order to attend the Gathering.<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Church (CA)</strong> will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.<br />The Oral History Project of <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> is looking for a computer-savvy<br />member or attender to convert its old audio recordings of Oral Histories to CDs, for storing digitally. They have about 21 tapes of elders telling their stories.<br />Eric Moon and Laura Magnani of <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> will facilitate an informational session on Quaker decision-making process, what unity is and how the work of committees<br />helps the Meeting function on Sunday Jan 31.<br />Ministry and Oversight of <strong>Boise Valley Meeting (ID)</strong> reviewed the process for becoming a member of Meeting, in response to inquiries. It was noted that a prospective member may request a Clearness Committed to discern one’s readiness for membership without firmly committing oneself to requesting membership.<br /><strong>Camas Friends Church (WA)</strong> used the Northwest Yearly Meeting Peace Trunks for the church’s third annual Peace Playhouse for children in the 4th-6th grades. The overall goals were to teach the children peace-making and conflict resolution skills and to send them as peace ambassadors into the community.<br /><strong>Chico Meeting (CA)</strong> asks all committee clerks to send electronic versions of their committee reports to the Assistant Clerk who will have electronic copies of the minutes and all attachments available by the day of Business Meeting. The Assistant Clerk is to post a note in the newsletter that the minutes and reports are available upon request by email or postal service.<br />The Peace, Justice, and the Environment Committee and its Homelessness Subcommittee of <strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> proposes that each member or attender of the Meeting consider hiring, or financing the hiring of, a homeless person for three days a year under the auspices of the Homeless Employment Launching Project (HELP)<br />At <strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> a person took a copy of the Meeting Directory and has misrepresented himself to several members asking for money. It was suggested that from now on the Directory be handed to people and not left on the public table.<br />The Discussion Committee of <strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> presents Philip Clayton, speaking on Why There is not a Quaker Theology: Exploring Ways that Friends Connect Beliefs and Practices. Philip is a second-generation Quaker and a well-known Christian theologian. How can a person be both? How can Quakers sort out what they do and don’t believe about God and other central religious questions?<br />Steve Smith of <strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> will lead two workshops at Pendle Hill:<br />February 7-11 – Eastern Light: Buddhist and Quaker Spirituality;<br />February 12-14 – The Joy of Quaker Communities: Clerking and Working with Spirit.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> needs a few mugs. Friends are asked to check their cupboards for lonely ones that would enjoy the warmth and conviviality of coffee and tea with me and thee.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> Friends have been told that if they are planning to serve a treat and a knife will be needed to accomplish this, they should bring one with them. The huge assortment of knives formerly in the Meeting House kitchen have been removed and are being stored off-site until a better storage situation can be arranged. This is for the safety of little children and other visitors.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA) </strong>heard a concern from the Interfaith Rotating Winter Shelter (IRWS) organization. Can IRWS accommodate pets? So far, none of the participating congregations have agreed to this. In the next month, one or more of the congregations providing shelter may agree to accept dogs, in which case, Davis Meeting (which serves as the intake site each night) would need to allow dogs during the intake process. The committee suggests that guests be allowed to bring their dogs on to the Meetinghouse grounds but not inside the Meetinghouse.<br />A Community Building Social Hour hosted by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee will gather on Sunday, January 17th at <strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)</strong> Friends are invited to share a cup of tea or coffee and a discussion of actions on peace and social concerns.<br />An Ad Hoc Committee has met several times to discern the ways in which the Spirit is leading <strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)</strong> to contribute to its communities locally, worldwide and in between. The committee’s recommendation is in two parts: I. a policy proposal and II. a proposed guideline for the Committee on Meeting Donations to Others.<br />Mike Gray, a member of <strong>Fort Collins Meeting (CO),</strong> has received a leading to conduct a ministry of work camps among the indigenous people including the Oglala people on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and other communities, especially in Mexico, where he has on-going relationships. He has requested Fort Collins Friends Meeting to release him for this ministry. The Meeting believes that Mike Gray has a gift and a calling for leading such work camps, and embraces his ministry under the care of the Meeting. Mike has been in discussion with William Penn House of Washington DC which currently oversees and delivers dozens of work camps annually through Washington Quaker Work Camps.<br />The <strong>Green Plow Ministry Point (Redmond, OR)</strong> coffee house is transforming extra space into a meeting room. One exciting possibility is an interactive conversational worship group hosted by several churches.<br />A group of <strong>Honolulu Meeting (HI)</strong> Friends met to discuss the issues of attendance<br />and Friends' participation in First Day School. Like many other Quaker Meetings, the Meeting has an aging membership and few children attending. Friends asked themselves, "Why are we not attracting more new members, and young families?" "What is it about our First Day School program that discourages our existing member families from attending?"<br /><strong>Live Oak Preparative Meeting (Salinas, CA)</strong> was recognized as a Monthly Meeting by College Park Quarterly Meeting in October 2009.<br /><strong>Living Waters Ministry (Plummer, ID)</strong> recently held a “Spirit Jam” dance and music outreach.<br /><strong>Lower Columbia Worship Group (Seaview, WA)</strong> is now meeting every Sunday, at 3 p.m. at the Peninsula Church Center .<br /><br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</strong><br /><br />The <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> Ministry and Nurture Committee has been tending a leading to offer a Spiritually Nurturing Retreat, Spring 2010, a weekend residential retreat. The current theme is “Tending the Spiritual Taproot of our Yearly Meeting individually and collectively.” Possible venues are in the Talkeetna area or the Wasilla or Chugiak area.<br /><strong>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House.<br />Friends Center at <strong>Azusa Pacific</strong> is offering a course on Friends Theology, Worship, and Leadership, taught by Kent Walkemeyer, Friends Center Director. kwalkemeyer@apu.edu<br /><strong>Ben Lomond Quaker Center</strong> and <strong><em>Western Friend</em></strong> 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.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting’s</strong> one-day Winter Quarter will be on Saturday, January 16, 2010, in Berkeley with the theme, “Cleaning out our Attics. –to find the stored-away records of the history of our Monthly Meetings and Worship Groups, and bring them into the light of day; --to examine the dusty old beliefs and practices hidden away within us; bring them into the Light, and if they are still useful, keep them, otherwise let them go. Do you have the right tools for the spiritual work you are now doing?”<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:<br />• Southern California – Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner, Friday January 29, 2010; Serve Day, Saturday, January 30, 2010.<br />• Arizona/Nevada – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.<br />• Northern California - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.<br />Friends are invited to join an <strong>Evangelical Friends Mission</strong> Vision Tour led by Chuck Mylander to Nepal, India, and Ireland, March 10-29, 2010. efm@friendsmission.com.<br /><strong>Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</strong> Steering and Legislative Committee will meet on Saturday, January 9, at the Tacoma Friends Meetinghouse.<br />The second annual Quaker Lobby Day of <strong>Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy</strong>, which will focus on criminal justice issues, will be held in Olympia on Monday, February 15. Help express Quaker voices in Olympia.<br />For one week in October <strong>George Fox University (Newberg, OR)</strong> students were encouraged to live lightly as they observed: Skip a Shower Day, Bring Your Own Mug Day, A Day Unplugged, Ride Your Bike or Walk to School Day, and Eat a Vegetarian Meal Day.<br />Tempe Meeting will host the <strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM)</strong> Continuing Committee from January 8th to the 10th.<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting (IMYM)</strong> will be held June 9-13, 2010, at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, with early program days on June 6-9 The theme will be "Quaker Service in the 21st Century."<br /><strong>Neighbors East and West</strong> 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/<br />The <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> has labeled January as "Peace Month," and has prepared and sent to churches materials that can be used for the peace emphasis. Other Friends are welcome to join with in this peace ministry.<br />Purpose: We recognize that the communities in NWYM represent a variety of beliefs, practices and education levels regarding the Friends peace testimony. We hope Peace Month will provide each congregation space to begin or continue discussions regarding peace and social justice issues in ways that are helpful to them. Our main goal is to create a safe setting where people in your meeting can openly discuss this issue, no matter where their opinions fall along the belief spectrum. Each meeting is encouraged to host one event each week during January related to the peace testimony.<br />A delegation from <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> has gone to Bolivia Yearly Meeting’s annual business sessions to celebrate their history of working together and to explore the future of their relationship. The delegation includes Hal Thomas (North Valley), Quentin Nordyke (Newberg), Kevin Nordyke, and Dan Cammack (Tigard).<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Midyear Boards, the gathering for all board members and representatives, will be January 29-30.<br />Youth Challenged to Expand their Worldview (YCEW) of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will travel to Aquascalientes, Mexico, June 30-July 19. Information - nwfriends.org/youth.<br />Friends Men’s Retreats of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will be held February 19-21 at Quaker Hill and February 26-28 at Twin Rocks. Information: nwfriends.org/friends-men<br />The 8th <strong>Pacific Northwest Quaker Women’s Theology Conference</strong> will take place June 16-20, 2010, at Seabeck Conference Center in Seabeck, Washington. The theme is Walk With Me: Mentors, Elders, and Friends. For more information and to register online, see www.pnwquakerwomen.org.<br />The <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> Silent Retreat will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.<br />The Religious Education Committee for Children of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will be putting on a workshop day for First Day School teachers, hosted by Palo Alto Meeting.<br />The Annual <strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> Retreat at Joshua Tree is coming up on Jan 15-18 (Martin Luther King Weekend). Joshua Tree is fun (but occasionally cold) camping in the high desert.<br /><strong>Utah Friends Fellowship</strong> Mid Winter Gathering will be in Salt Lake January 16-17. Julia Halaby will present on her work with Compassionate Listening in Palestine.<br /><strong><em>WESTERN FRIEND MAGAZINE</em></strong> Subscribe today to receive 8 issues jam-packed with articles, art, photos and stories by and about Friends you know. editor@westernfriend.org<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.<br />The <strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> Men’s Retreat will be February 26-28, at Camp Myrtlewood, near Myrtle Point, OR.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-69149389021805067962009-12-16T20:01:00.000-08:002009-12-16T20:18:09.826-08:00<strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />December 2009<br /></strong><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></strong><br /><strong>Woodland Friends Church (ID),</strong> a congregation of 60 people in a farming community on a beautiful mesa in central Idaho, is looking for a pastor.<br />December will be the last month for Bill Peterson’s service as Pastor of <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA).</strong> A farewell reception will be held on Sunday, December 27.<br />Friends at <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> are invited let their contemplative and creative juices flow to make a personal vision collage On Sunday, January 3rd.<br /><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> 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.<br />The Care of the Meeting Committee of <strong>Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</strong> 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 <em>Faith and Practice</em> 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.<br /><strong>Spring Valley Friends Community Church (CA)</strong> will hold its Annual Candlelight Service and Musical, “Joy to the Word,” on Wednesday, December 23rd.<br />A member of <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> is working toward a gathering (probably in early 2010) of middle-schoolers from all the local Quaker meetings.<br />Fellowship Committee of <strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> has been approached by Friends about the presence of desserts/sweets at Fellowship. The Meeting expressed a desire to limit foods with sugar.<br />On the First First Day of each month <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> 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.<br />A Friend from <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA),</strong> 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.<br /><strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> 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.<br />Ruth Fraser of <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> 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<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> Sermon Series includes “Why Christmas:<br />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.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> 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.<br />The Ministry Committee of <strong>Reno Meeting (NV)</strong> 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.<br />The 2009 Dessert Auction at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> procured $4500 for summer 2010 camperships.<br />Christmas is happening at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong>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.<br /><strong>Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ)</strong> is offering Hospitality to the homeless three times in December-January.<br />When <strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> 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.<br />Bradley Angle House is naming their women's shelter, the Bonnie Tinker Shelter, for a deceased member of <strong>Multnomah Monthly Meeting (Portland, OR).</strong> 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,<br /><strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> is in support of continuing the sale of grocery store gift cards to benefit the Colorado office of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).<br /><strong>Mountain View Friends Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> approved a minute of support for Bill and Genie Durlands’ participation in the Freedom March in Gaza.<br />The Library Committee of <strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Midtown Friends (Sacramento, CA)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Fresno Meeting (CA)</strong> 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.<br />The <strong>Florence Worship Group (OR)</strong> 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<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> 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".<br />The Adult Religious Education committee of <strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> 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.<br />Joe Franco will come to <strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> as a guest speaker in on the Fourth Sunday in February.<br /><strong>Canyon Hills Friends (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> experienced a musical Christmas celebration called, "When Hope Came..."<br /><strong>Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Church</strong> will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.<br />Children from <strong>Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</strong> 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.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br />Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold its Spring gathering March 27, 2010 at the Phoenix Meeting House.<br />Friends Center at <strong>Azusa Pacific</strong> is offering a course on Friends Theology, Worship, and Leadership, taught by Kent Walkemeyer, Friends Center Director. kwalkemeyer@apu.edu<br /><strong>Ben Lomond Quaker Center</strong> and <strong><em>Western Friend</em></strong> 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.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting’s</strong> one-day Winter Quarter will be on Saturday, January 16, 2010, in Berkeley.<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:<br />• Southern California – Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner, Friday January 29, 2010; Serve Day, Saturday, January 30, 2010.<br />• Arizona/Nevada – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.<br />• Northern California - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.<br />Friends are invited to join an <strong>Evangelical Friends Mission</strong> Vision Tour led by Chuck Mylander to Nepal, India, and Ireland, March 10-29, 2010. efm@friendsmission.com.<br />Continuing Committee of <strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet January 8-10, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Tempe Friends.<br /><strong>Neighbors East and West</strong> 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/<br />The <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> 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.<br />Each year, the churches and meetings of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> 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!<br />Midwinter High School Camp of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> 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<br />The <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> Silent Retreat will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> 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.<br /><strong>Utah Friends Fellowship</strong> Mid Winter Gathering will be in Salt Lake January 16-17.<br /><strong>Western Young Friends New Year’s Gathering</strong> will take place at Cazadero Arts Camp in Northern California, December 28, 2009-January 2, 2010. www.newyearsgathering.org<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-50163979129193271512009-12-07T14:07:00.000-08:002009-12-07T14:22:23.223-08:00<strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches</strong><br /><br /><strong>Apple Seed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</strong> held a Threshing Session on its 2010 budget. Friends responded to the query, “What is our corporate witness as Friends?” Friends indicated they can still make a corporate witness in 2010, but they may have to do it more smartly and perhaps with less funding.<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Church</strong> will hold its 2010 Quaker Heritage Day on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.<br />In celebration of Santa Lucia Day and as a celebration of Light, Catya deNeergaard and Ingrid Hogle of <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> will lead a sunrise walk on December 13th at Cordonices Park.<br />The City of Berkeley Zoning Adjustment Board put the request from <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> for a permit regarding the Meeting’s renovation plans on the Consent Calendar and passed it without hearing arguments or engaging in discussion!<br /><strong>Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> is once again planning a Christmas Eve celebration at Multnomah Meeting House. There will be a short program and meeting for worship focused on the Christmas Story, followed by a social hour.<br /><strong>Bridge City Friends (Portland, OR) </strong>are collecting hats and scarves, socks and gloves for the women who daily deal with cold, rain, and deprivation. The Salvation Army Female Emergency Shelter asks, “Could you expand your generosity to include journals and pens, books and Bibles, chocolate and hand sanitizers to be used as Christmas gifts?”<br /><strong>Chico Meeting (CA)</strong> takes on the responsibility of providing a meal monthly for homeless guests of the Torres Shelter. Oversight and Fellowship will coordinate this work and Finance Committee will include a line item in the 2010 budget.<br />Nominating Committee of <strong>Chico Meeting (CA)</strong> did not get the sense that anyone felt led to serve on Peace and Social Order committee so they will consider a proposal for the means by which to do this work.<br />Joe Franco will come to <strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> as a guest speaker in on the Fourth Sunday in February.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> 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".<br />As part of examining its decision making process, <strong>Davis Meeting Friends (CA)</strong> are participating in an exercise to help them express a concern and hear someone else's. Friends were to think of an unresolved issue, a concern, or something that feels it is still in process regarding the Friend and his/her participation in meeting. It could be as simple as not enough time to eat before Business Meeting or something systemic and deeply troubling.<br /><strong>Duncan Worship Group (BC)</strong> meets at Providence Farm in the “garden house” where on third Sundays the Meeting stages “Soup and Stories” – breakfast potluck and stories from Friends’ history and insights, starting with Betty Polster and then Linda Scheiber.<br />The Property and Building Committees of <strong>Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</strong> will hold an open meeting with Norlin Joyce, the contractor, for a progress report, walk-through of the new spaces, and question-and-answer about the building remodel project.<br /><strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)</strong> will hold a discussion about angels in Friends’ lives.<br />The <strong>Florence Worship Group (OR)</strong> 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<br />At <strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> attendees that are not members are also being asked if they wish to consider membership. Ministry and Oversight is considering that a letter would be sent to these attendees to inquire into their possible formal membership in the Meeting. A possible “Seeker’s Meeting” may also take place to allow people to explore Quakerism as a spiritual and life path.<br />House and Grounds Committee of <strong>Honolulu Meeting (HI)</strong> notes that instead of urging all “memtenders” to get out for the Meeting’s monthly Work Day, the committee will urge each to come for at least ONE workday each year! With helping hands added to those of regular monthly stalwarts, more could be accomplished, and Friends could enjoy the satisfaction of work and fellowship.<br /><strong>Honolulu Meeting (HI)</strong> notes that fewer people are attending Meeting for Worship on Sundays. The Meeting is planning outreach efforts which may stimulate more interest. As a first step, Friends are asked to consider the following questions: 1) How did you first hear about Quaker Meetings? 2) What prompted you to attend your first Quaker Meeting? 3) What is it about Meeting that keeps you coming back?<br />The Program Committee of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> urges Friends to come make Christmas crafts. Friends will bring their talents and supplies for a fun intergenerational event on Saturday, December 12th.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> will hold a Service of Consolation, December 6th, 4:00 p.m.<br />Eric Muhr will begin serving Newberg Friends Church (OR) as fulltime youth pastor on January 1, 2010.<br /><strong>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</strong> participates in SOS's Adopt-a-Family for Christmas program. This year, Friends have agreed to adopt one or two families and up to eight children. They will provide two wrapped gifts for each child in the family and the makings of a Christmas feast, plus clothing, if funds allow.<br /><strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> will schedule a time outside of business meetings to discuss the philosophy of authority.<br /><strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> notes that its buildings are heavily used. No week end time is available for continuing groups. The committee is suggesting that no Saturday events for outside groups be confirmed as scheduled more than 4 weeks in advance. This would make it difficult for a group to schedule a public one day event. Unity was not found, so the matter was laid over.<br />Oversight Committee of <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> is unable to shoulder the burdens of hosting Quarterly Meeting when it next comes to Santa Rosa. Several Friends volunteered to serve on an ad hoc committee, and a short note will be put in the newsletter asking for additional help. The ad-hoc committee will determine whether there is enough strength in RFFM to hold the winter Quarter here when it is next scheduled to be in Santa Rosa.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> presented this year's music/drama Christmas presentation, A Christmas Prayer-a story of reconciliation and love, featuring the Sanctuary choir, orchestra, drama cast, and several soloists. A journey of restoring family relationships was woven together with a journey of faith in this moving and meaningful presentation.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will offer <em>Financial Peace University</em>, a biblically-based video discussion series that will help Friends learn how to beat debt, build savings, and give like never before. Imagine what the people of God could do for the Kingdom of God if they lived by God's money principles. Previews in December; the class starts in January.<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> Finance Committee, is changed to Budget and Fundraising Committee. The Committee shall monitor the financial condition of the Meeting -- consulting, assisting and advising the Treasurer in matters pertaining to the Meeting's financial health, and in consultation with the Treasurer, reporting to Business Meeting from time to time at its discretion, but regularly every March and October, on the financial condition, needs, and prospects of the Meeting. When appropriate and approved by Business Meeting, the Committee shall oversee or consult on fund raising activities from within the Meeting and from third party donors.<br />The Peace and Social Concerns Committee of <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> will sponsor a program called <em>From Violence to Wholeness</em>, starting in February.<br />Worship & Ministry of <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> experimented with extended worship on November 29. Friends ended worship when they sensed that it was done, not when the clock said stop.<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> had a lengthy discussion of the revision of the draft bylaws as they were posted online. Friends agreed that the issues boiled down to six major areas where the Meeting is called upon to make additional revisions for the purpose of clarity.<br />A member of <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> is working toward a gathering (probably in early 2010) of middle-schoolers from all the local Quaker meetings.<br />Adult Religious Education (A.R.E.) of <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> led a discussion on “The Soul.” What is the soul? What are Quaker views of the soul? What do you experience as the soul? Part of the time will be spent watching a section of a Parker Palmer video on "Circles of Trust" where he discusses the soul and an approach to it.<br /><strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> held a Called Meeting for Business to consider if the Meeting should move ahead to seek Monthly Meeting Status.<br /><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> is finalizing plans for Friendly 8 dinners which will be held on Dec. 18 (Friday) and Dec. 19 (Saturday).<br />Friends at <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> are invited let their contemplative and creative juices flow to make a personal vision collage On Sunday, January 3rd.<br />The fourth Meeting-wide retreat in its Year of Discernment was held at <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA) </strong>on Saturday, October 24. Over 50 people gathered for worship, work on the building, an enormous potluck lunch, thoughtful discussion about the nature and meaning of community, and interest groups on three major UFM issues (building decisions, youth programs, and integration of worship and social action).<br /><strong>Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting</strong> of the Canadian Religious Society of Friends fully endorses the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted by the UN General Assembly on 13 December 2007<br /><strong>Victoria Meeting (BC)</strong> is considering acknowledging Coast Salish Traditional Territory as part of the Meeting House address.<br /><strong>Woodland Friends Church (ID),</strong> a congregation of 60 people in a farming community on a beautiful mesa in central Idaho, is looking for a pastor.<br /><br /> <strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</strong><br /><br /><strong>Christian Friends Conference</strong> will meet next on Dec. 12, 2009 at Berkeley Friends Church.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting’s</strong> one-day Winter Quarter will be on Saturday, January 16, 2010, in Berkeley.<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:<br />• Southern California – Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner, Friday January 29, 2010; Serve Day, Saturday, January 30, 2010.<br />• Arizona/Nevada – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.<br />• Northern California - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.<br />Friends are invited to join an <strong>Evangelical Friends Mission</strong> Vision Tour led by Chuck Mylander to Nepal, India, and Ireland, March 10-29, 2010. efm@friendsmission.com.<br />Continuing Committee of <strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet January 8-10, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Tempe Friends.<br />The <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> 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.<br />Each year, the churches and meetings of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> 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!<br />Midwinter High School Camp of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> 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<br />Angel Diaz, Latino Ministry Coordinator for <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>, reports attendance at the yearly meeting’s Latino Ministry Points: 60 Newberg, 30 Greenleaf, 50 Caldwell, 30 Lynwood, 30 Vancouver First, 40 Reedwood, 25 McMinnville, 20 North Valley Church, 10 Salem, 5 in Clackamas Park -- 300 people together.<br />The <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting Silent Retreat</strong> will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> 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.<br />The Proposal for revitalizing <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> Representative Committee and strengthening the voice of Monthly Meeting through their representatives includes the proposal that the Representative Committee (REPCOM) of the yearly meeting assume responsibility for acting on more of the business of the yearly meeting.<br /><strong>Utah Friends Fellowship</strong> Mid Winter Gathering will be in Salt Lake January 16-17.<br />Quaker Book Release Party - December 12 in San Francisco: Friends are invited to come to the Bay Area celebration of <strong><em>Western Friend</em></strong> magazine’s recent publication of Enlivened by the Mystery: Quakers and God, an anthology of work by Friends from Pacific, North Pacific and Intermountain Yearly Meetings and beyond!<br /><strong>Western Young Friends New Year’s Gathering</strong> will take place at Cazadero Arts Camp in Northern California, December 28, 2009-January 2, 2010. www.newyearsgathering.org<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.<br />The Fall 2009 <strong>Woolman Semester</strong> Graduation Celebration will be on Saturday, December 19 at the Woolman Campus at Sierra Friends Center with the theme, “What Makes You Come Alive?”Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-22293574060442942842009-11-19T10:36:00.000-08:002009-11-19T10:54:39.427-08:00<strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />November 2009</strong><br /><br />During the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, a program of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), Quaker youth (16-18) from all over the world form an intentional community and travel together for a month. This journey will happen in the Pacific Northwest next summer. The cost is $1300 and the application deadline is November 30th.<br />Is there a young person in your church or meeting who should have this life-changing experience? Contact me- nancym@fwccamericas.org, Bill Schoder-Ehri - bschodereheri@gmail.com, or the FWCC website, fwccamericas.org, for more information.<br /><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /><br />Meridian Friends Church (ID)</strong> will host a Coffee Cup Coaching Seminar. Dr. Tony Wheeler from the Center for Strong Families will teach on how to offer encouragement to struggling families.<br /><strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO):</strong> “The purpose of the School of the Spirit is to provide Friends with a weekend experience designed to broaden our understanding of Quakerism, and enhance the spirituality of our Meeting. It provides an opportunity to bring seasoned Quakers from other parts of the country, thus connecting us to the broader Quaker community. The School of the Spirit Committee attempts to discern the needs of the Meeting as well as its interests when selecting programs.”<br />The CALM committee (Children and the Life of the Meeting) of <strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> incorporated strategies to protect the community from child abuse: “1) teachers are required to attend the Meeting for a year before teaching in our First Day School; thereby giving all of us a chance to get to know them and 2) two adults are to be present with the children during any First Day School classroom activity.”<br />All are welcome to join <strong>Multnomah Meeting’s (Portland, OR)</strong> ongoing Energy Circle, continuing the practices introduced by John Calvi, Thursdays at the Meeting House.<br /><strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> now has a Medical Library housed in the basement that contains the following items available for check-out: a wheel chair, a knee brace, a lower arm brace, 2 pair of crutches, a mobile bed pan.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> will hold a Service of Consolation, December 6th, 4:00 p.m.<br /><strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> agreed to schedule a time in a future business meeting to discuss the issues of the needs of persons appearing at Meeting asking for help (food, money, cooking facilities).<br />The <strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> Book Club held an engaging and illuminating discussion of WALDEN, by Henry David Thoreau.<br />The <strong>Phoenix Friends (AZ)</strong> Peace and Social Concerns committee invites <strong>Tempe Friends (AZ)</strong> to join in a potluck on November 22 following meeting for worship. Friends will be sharing food, watching a documentary, and discussing the AFSC recommendation for immigration reform number 1: Create Justice with Humane Economic Policies, from their list of seven recommendations for immigration reform.<br />On Wednesday evening, November 25th, <strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will hold its annual Thanksgiving Eve Service. Many people look forward to this unique service as their favorite church family gathering of the year. There will be times of thanksgiving, praise and worship through music, and shared testimonies. The elements of communion will be made available.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will offer a three-part DVD lessons series, “The Purpose of Christmas,” at Wednesday night small groups. Friends are invited for lively conversation as they get to know new people and prepare to celebrate Jesus' birth.<br />Seven students in Nairobi, Kenya are currently attending school because they receive tuition and school supplies from Friends in Sacramento. <strong>Sacramento Friends Meeting (CA)</strong> funds one student, individual Friends support four students, and <strong>Sacramento Friends Church (CA)</strong> two students.<br /><strong>Sacramento Friends Meeting (CA)</strong> has started a fan page on Facebook as part of its Quaker Quest outreach.<br />Oversight Committee of <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> hosted a get-acquainted hour, centered around the queries: "What drew you to the Quakers?" "What concerns or questions do you have?" It was noted that the session was for anyone interested in attending, no matter how long they’d been part of the Quaker world.<br />Meeting for Remembering at <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA) </strong>will take place on Saturday November 21, 2009 in the late afternoon at the Senior Center with a potluck to follow.<br /><strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> will hold a special called meeting for business to decide whether to begin the process of becoming a monthly meeting.<br />During Second Hour at the rise of Meeting for Worship, November 15, a <strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> member shared about the experience of simplicity and Quaker faith and practice. The presentation was in the style of the presentations done as part of Quaker Quest and a continuation of the Meeting’s work toward deciding if it wants to present Quaker Quest for the community.<br /><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> asks that the Finance Committee send out another request to Friends to pledge donations for next year, and Friends are asked to return their coupons stating their intended donations for 2010 as soon as possible, and revisit the budget for final approval during Eleventh Month.<br /><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> continues to consider the question of hosting homeless people at the Meeting. At business meeting, a heated discussion with some emotional outbursts ensued. Some were hurt by the meeting’s process, others frustrated or disillusioned; some may have left with a sense of relief that genuine concerns previously unspoken had been shared. Friends agreed to hold a threshing session for the entire membership and attenders at the rise of Meeting for Worship the following First Day, preceded by a potluck lunch.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> is seeking vendors and shoppers for its Crafts Fair. This simple yet fun and well loved annual event will be held Sunday Nov. 29 from 10:30am until 1 pm.<br /><strong>Visalia Meeting (CA)</strong> will host <strong>Fresno Meeting (CA)</strong> the Fifth Sunday in November.<br />Becky Memmelaar from North Carolina has accepted the call from <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> to be their pastor. She will assume the ministry on January 1, 2010.<br />The Friends Choir of <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> will present The Creation (A Rock Cantata) by David Bobrowitz and Stephen Porter. This piece is a musical expression of the seven days of creation.<br /><strong>Wyoming Friends Meeting</strong> will gather in Lander, WY November 20-22nd.<br /><br />Due to concerns about personal privacy and security <strong>Agate Passage Friends (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> agree that their minutes will not be posted on the web.<br /><strong>Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</strong> has created a new budget category called “Friends in Need” as distinct from “Sufferings” which has traditionally been used for a need resulting from a spiritual leading. The new category is intended for a variety of personal needs as they come up.<br /><strong>Bellingham Meeting (WA) </strong>gathers in rented facilities. Their library was removed without warning, packed in boxes and locked away, inaccessible to the Meeting for several weeks. Some of the library has reappeared on an old bookshelf. There are missing books.<br />Naming Committee of <strong>Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</strong> asked for clear communication if someone was going to be turned down for a nomination.<br /><strong>Berkeley Friends Church</strong> will hold its <strong>2010 Quaker Heritage Day</strong> on Saturday April 10, 2010. Carol Spencer will speak on Holiness: The Soul of Quakerism.<br /><strong>Boise Valley Meeting (ID)</strong> is making arrangements with a professional tutor to work with a Friend’s grandchildren to bring them up to grade level in school subjects.<br /><strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> held a Child Dedication time during the three weekend services, November 14th & 15th.<br />Sergio Cardona, pastor of <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church’s (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> sister-church, Ministerio de Restauración Mahanaim, in Juárez, Mexico, recently spoke in all (3) Weekend Services. This Christmas, Canyon Hills will partner with this sister church to be a part of bringing real change into people's lives. Friends can help be a part of blessing the lives of the less fortunate families in Juárez this Christmas by signing up to sponsor a family.<br />The Student Ministries and Family Pastor of <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> works with junior and senior high youth. As well as working with the youth, he leads PUM – Parents Unite Meetings to talk about what is going on in the student's ministry and some hot topic issues that are relevant to the parents’ relationships with their students.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> 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".<br />The <strong>Florence Worship Group (OR)</strong> 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<br /><strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> will have a “Hot Chocolate Day” after Meeting on Dec. 13th. Friends are to invite any kids and parents they know that might be interested in Meeting.<br /><strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> has altered Fifth Sundays. Songs will be geared a bit more toward children, with movements. Coloring will be available during the silence – “Color Your Prayer.” Adults are welcome to participate in the coloring!<br /><strong>Living Water Ministries, (Plummer, ID)</strong> a ministry point of NWYM, serves the people of the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Plummer, Idaho. They recently held a “Spirit Jam” dance and music outreach.<br /><strong>Lower Columbia Worship Group (Seaview, WA)</strong> has scheduled a called meeting for business to discuss whether or not to join the Community of Welcoming Congregations and how that social justice witness might be carried out in the community.<br /><br /><strong>More than one Meeting:<br /></strong>Several Meetings including Albuquerque Meeting (NM), Berkeley Meeting (CA), Eugene Meeting (OR), Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR), Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA) San Jose Meeting, University Meeting (Seattle, WA) are inviting Friends to dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Many other churches and meetings will have Thanksgiving events surrounding the holiday.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /></strong><br /><strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> will hold Fall Quarterly in Anchorage from November 27 – 29, Thanksgiving weekend.<br />After the success of this year's Spirit Camp, where teens from Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting gathered with Alaskan teen Friends in Alaska, Ohio Valley wishes to return the invitation. At business meeting during the Fall quarterly gathering of <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong>, Friends will discuss whether to take OVYM up on its generous offer to host Alaska teens in 2010.<br /><strong>Christian Friends Conference</strong> will meet next on Dec. 12, 2009 at Berkeley Friends Church.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting’s</strong> one-day Winter Quarter will be on Saturday, January 16, 2010, in Berkeley.<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> will hold Annual Conference and Serve Day:<br />• <strong>Southern California</strong> – Representative Session and Equipping Community Dinner, Friday January 29, 2010; Serve Day, Saturday, January 30, 2010.<br />• <strong>Arizona/Nevada</strong> – Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 13, 2010.<br />• <strong>Northern California</strong> - Serve Day and Celebration Banquet, Saturday February 20, 2010.<br />Continuing Committee of <strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet January 8-10, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Tempe Friends.<br />Midwinter High School Camp of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> 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<br />Angel Diaz, Latino Ministry Coordinator for <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>, reports attendance at the yearly meeting’s Latino Ministry Points: 60 Newberg, 30 Greenleaf, 50 Caldwell, 30 Lynwood, 30 Vancouver First, 40 Reedwood, 25 Mcminnville, 20 North Valley Church, 10 Salem, 5 in Clackamas Park -- 300 people together.<br />The Immigration Ministry Team Update from <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> includes the following vision: “We envision the ability of our citizen congregations in partnership with our growing number of Latino congregations to be able to provide the necessary and current information and trustworthy counsel about existing immigration laws and processes to pastors, church leaders, and those in the congregations, including their wider social networks, who are affected by US immigration policy.”<br />Meeting for Business of <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> agreed to an increase in the Quarterly Meeting assessment, beginning in 2010. The Meeting also agreed to continue the pay-what-you-can fee policy, including for those who register late. It was understood that the Continuing Committee, at its meeting in January 2010, will decide upon the amount of increase in Quarterly Meeting assessment for 2010, subject to review by Meeting for Business in April 2010.<br />The <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting Silent Retreat</strong> will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> seeks fulltime <strong>Youth Program Coordinator</strong> 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.<br />The Proposal for revitalizing <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting Representative Committee</strong> and strengthening the voice of Monthly Meeting through their representatives includes the proposal that the Representative Committee (REPCOM) of the yearly meeting assume responsibility for acting on more of the business of the yearly meeting.<br /><strong><em>Western Friend</em></strong> will hold a BOOK PARTY at the Multnomah Meeting House (Portland, OR) on Sunday, November 22, 5-7 p.m. to celebrate the recent publication of <em>Enlivened by the Mystery: Quakers and God.<br /></em><strong>Western Young Friends New Year’s Gathering</strong> will take place at Cazadero Arts Camp in Northern California, December 28, 2009-January 2, 2010. www.newyearsgathering.org<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.<br /><br /><strong>FWCC Website<br /></strong>Look at www.fwccamericas.org for information about the Section of the Americas.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-90295651221978252812009-11-09T11:08:00.000-08:002009-11-09T11:25:26.035-08:00<strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />October-November 2009</strong><br /><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches</strong><br /><strong>Wyoming Friends Meeting</strong> will gather in Lander, WY November 20-22nd.<br /><strong>Wyoming Friends Meeting</strong> has developed a Mission Statement that begins with the following paragraph: “The Wyoming Friends Meeting is unique in its geographic and demographic characteristics. Our meeting is made up of various small Quaker communities that are isolated by vast distances and often severe weather. We recognize that these unique characteristics place special stresses and strains on our worship communities and the meeting as a whole. We accept as our primary mission the creation of an environment within our meeting that energizes and<br />strengthens the spiritual growth and physical well being of each member/attender. Furthermore, this primary mission will direct the management of the meeting’s human, spiritual, and financial resources.”<br />Becky Memmelaar from North Carolina has accepted the call from <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> to be their pastor. She will assume the ministry on January 1, 2010.<br />The Friends Choir of <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> will present <em>The Creation</em> (A Rock Cantata) by David Bobrowitz and Stephen Porter. This piece is a musical expression of the seven days of creation.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> is seeking vendors and shoppers for its Crafts Fair. This simple yet fun and well loved annual event will be held Sunday Nov. 29 from 10:30am until 1 pm.<br />The <strong>Ukiah Friends Worship Group (CA)</strong> held a session on “Lest We Forget Iraq.” Friends heard poems and a short film and then discussed what they could do.<br /><strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> was visited by <strong>Vashon Friends.</strong> All joined in a potluck meal.<br /><strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> brainstormed a number of ideas for short, midrange and long-term goals for improving the Meeting House. Subsequently the list was organized into categories. Meeting for Business was to consider prioritization, further seasoning opportunities, immediate action, delegation etc.<br />Worship & Ministry Committee of <strong>Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</strong> developed a brochure on Vocal Ministry Practices; the brochure has now been added to those brochures now available on the Meeting’s Materials Table.<br />The Sunday School class of <strong>Friends Community Church, Spring Valley (CA)</strong> has been looking at nursery rhymes like “Jack and Jill, “Humpty Dumpty,” and “Old King Cole.” Each nursery rhyme has a story about a situation in the Bible.<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> were invited to join a Threshing-Session type discussion on a Sunday during pot luck to share their opinions about how the Meeting should proceed with distribution of funds toward organizations which do good work in their community.<br />The Quaker Study Group of <strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> meets the first Sunday of the month at 5:30 pm for potluck, with discussion of the month's readings from 6:00 to 7:30. They are now reading <em>Light to Live</em> by Rex Ambler.<br /><strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> considered the topic of service in a World Café format. For about an hour, Friends considered a series of queries in four rotating groups of 4-6 people each. Queries included: “What is my experience of service? And how have I been served? Have I experienced service as a form of worship? Or worship as a form of service? In what ways have I experienced service as transformational? What issues or activities would I like to get involved in? Or see the Meeting get involved in? What could I personally contribute to such activity?”<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> has revived its newsletter. Also, the Meeting website includes a section for Friends' writings with a introduction explaining that Quakers have no creed and no one person speaks for all of us.<br />Ministry and Counsel of <strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> developed plans to facilitate discussions on the Quaker testimonies of Community and Equality in the near future. The session on Community will be November 15, 2009 with the session on Equality, January 17, 2010, to round out the series on Friends' testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, and Equality ('SPICE').<br /><strong>Salem Meeting (OR)</strong> hosted an Alternatives to Violence Project Basic Community Workship on November 6-8 at the Salem Meeting House.<br />A one-day, Sunday afternoon Pastor's Class was offered at <strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> on November 8th. This class, a prerequisite for membership, is open to anyone who is interested in knowing what Rose Drive Friends believe and why.<br />The Prayer Book Potluck Group of <strong>Reno Meeting (NV)</strong> will meet on Friday December 4th to discuss the book <em>“Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time” </em>by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.<br /><strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> is having a clothing, books, CDs, infant supplies, and toy exchange on Saturday, November 14. This is a great opportunity to reuse and recycle and a greater opportunity for fellowship.<br /><strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> is co-sponsoring the visit of Os Guinness, Christian writer, lecturer, and social scientist, to Portland on November 20th. He will speak on “Impossible People –facing up to the challenges of faith in the advanced modern era.”<br />At <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA),</strong> action on a clearness committee report recommending a Friend’s membership was delayed to allow exploration of a member’s concern about faithfulness to the Peace Testimony. The Meeting approved the Friend’s membership, with one Friend standing aside.<br /><strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> Visiting and Caring Committee, has asked to revert to its original name – the Visiting Committee – because its current charge is very broad .The two members want their committee to have a charge limited enough that it can be faithfully carried out. The Meeting was asked how it wants to assure care for one another, given that the Meeting’s needs for caring exceed the capability of a small committee, and yet these needs may not be well met unless they are accepted by specific people.<br /><strong>Pima Meeting (Tucson, AZ) </strong>asks Friends to not be offended if someone prefers to not shake hands or hug. They may have found a different way to show they care.<br />The <strong>Phoenix Friends (AZ)</strong> Peace and Social Concerns committee invites Tempe Friends (AZ) to join in a potluck on November 22 following meeting for worship. Friends will be sharing food, watching a documentary, and discussing the AFSC recommendation for immigration reform number 1: Create Justice with Humane Economic Policies, from their list of seven recommendations for immigration reform.<br />Peace and Social Concerns Committee of <strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> plans to host a discussion on race based upon President Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends (OR)</strong> Church Retreat will be November 13-15 with the theme, “Celebrate God Together.”<br /><strong>Newberg Friends (OR)</strong> are being invited to focus on God through prayer. Friends are invited to give “just one week” to pray for one another, to have this be a wide-based opportunity to experience prayer and the value of supporting one another in this way.<br />Worship and Ministry Committee of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR),</strong> hoping to encourage visits to its Worship Groups, has posted information sheets which Friends may sign to indicate their wish to visit Worship Groups and whether they will need transportation or be able to provide it.<br />Before taking more steps to cut its energy consumption, <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR),</strong> wants Friends to calculate their usage for the year. They will find sheets labeled “Carbon Footprint Data” will be in the 1-2-3 box outside the meeting room door.<br /><strong>Honolulu Meeting (HI)</strong> has decided to revert to the former Meeting parking arrangement of "theater parking" on the lawn, one behind the other in rows pointing mauka, leaving enough clearance along the hedge so that cars can turn along the fence toward the road, then exit into the road nose first.<br />The <strong>Florence Worship Group (OR)</strong> 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<br /><strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)</strong> will hold a Creative Quaker Arts and Crafts Sale on Saturday November 14th from 10 to 2 at the Meeting¬house. Once more there will be glorious scarves, raku ceramics, jewelry, art cards, toys, books, beads and bath balms. Bonus this year—live music!<br />Friends from <strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)</strong> hold a meeting for worship at the time of the full moon each month. This is a special time for Friends who experience the Sacred through Nature, the Earth, the Divine Feminine, the Gods, etc.<br /><strong>Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</strong> has an offer of a $100,000 loan from a Friend with terms of 4% for 15 year –interest-only for the first several years (during the time the Meeting is paying off the Friends Meetinghouse Fund loan, which is at 7%). It will require a note acknowledging the property as collateral, and therefore constitutes a lien on the property.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> invited Friends to bring a dish to share and come to a Fall Brunch at the rise of Meeting. This event was to be a time to just socialize with no business, no decisions, just friendly visiting over good food.<br /><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> 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".<br />The Peace, Justice and Environment Committee of <strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> recommends that the Support group called Friends and Family of the Homeless, for people who work with the homeless, be allowed to meet at the Meetinghouse, twice a month for a six-month trial period, to have training and to have access to counselors. Confidentiality would be stressed. Concerns were expressed but Meeting united with the idea of the support group. Friends will determine what will be needed.<br />The Discussion Committee of <strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> chose the topic, “Testimonies and Money Matters,” for discussion. Queries to be used included: How has this economic down-turn affected Friends’ actions on Simplicity? How does the integrity testimony shape our response to economic challenges? Which testimonies guide us in making household monetary choices and how?<br /><strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> invited Friends to an informational meeting for anyone interested in finding out more about the Christmas Musical.<br />The Reach team of <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> heads to <strong>Long Beach Friends Church </strong>on the 2nd Sunday of every other month to feed homeless and under-resourced people.<br />Taking its cue from the popularity of the “Reader’s Share” program held last year, <strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> again asks Friends to bring books, pamphlets, articles or poems that have inspired or informed them and that may speak to others as well. Friends are invited to read aloud a paragraph or poem or just talk about what the reading has meant to them.<br />The managing editor of PeaceWays, the newsletter of Friends Peace Teams, is Ann Dusseau, <strong>Boise Valley Meeting (ID).<br /></strong>On Saturday November 14 <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> will hold an art and crafts sale to benefit the building fund. There will be an array of paintings (work by Margret Bowman, Biliana Stremska, Mary Lou Goertzen and others), collages (by Elanie Amoruso), tote bags by Birgit Gehr, woven and knitted items, pottery, jewelry, and many other items by various artists and craftspeople.<br />After 4 years and 3 months, the Bible reading group of <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> has<br />completed that endeavor, with a slight detour to read some of the Apocrypha and the Gospel of Thomas!<br /><strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> is considering the creation of a “genealogical chart” showing who brought members to the Meeting and, if members came on their own, who was their most important initial contact within the Meeting.<br /><strong>Appleseed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</strong> is exploring the possibility of having a mid-week Meeting for Worship via conference call for distant Friends. What defines membership may be the central question. Friends need more information on the cost and how these technologically assisted Meetings for Worship would work. Ministry and Oversight Committee will investigate further.<br /><strong>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> has scheduled Sunday morning programs for the year: First Sunday: Poetry; Second Sunday: Quaker Sojourns; and Fourth Sunday: Singing.<br /><br /><strong>More than one Meeting:<br /></strong>Several Meetings including Berkeley Meeting (CA), Eugene Meeting (OR), Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR), Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA) San Jose Meeting, University Meeting (Seattle, WA) are inviting Friends to dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Many other churches and meetings will have Thanksgiving events surrounding the holiday.<br /><br /><strong>Deaths noted in Newsletters:<br /></strong>Dot Leland, Eugene Meeting<br />Amy Mazza, Reno Meeting<br />Roberta Amott, Umpqua Worship Group, Eugene Meeting<br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br />Alaska Friends Conference</strong> will hold Fall Quarterly in Anchorage from November 27 – 29, Thanksgiving weekend.<br /><strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting’s</strong> one-day Winter Quarter will be on Saturday, January 16, 2010, in Berkeley.<br /><strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> was November 6th - 8th at the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center in Estes Park bordering Rocky Mountain National Park. This year’s theme, “Deepening Our Spiritual Life in Community,” was led by Nancy Bieber, a member of Lancaster (PA) Monthly Meeting and a psychotherapist, spiritual director and retreat leader.<br />The <strong>Greenleaf Friends Academy</strong> Auction was Nov 6-7. The proceeds from the auction go to the general budget The enrollment at GFA is currently down by 50 students for a total enrollment of 175. This is a considerable drop from previous years and leaves the school with a budget shortfall.<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> discovered that Ghost Ranch has scheduled the 2010-2012 Annual Gatherings during the first full week of June instead of the traditional second week, which affects meetings where school is still in session. The Executive Committee agreed that the Meeting has no option for 2010, but IMYM should explore other options for the future.<br />Continuing Committee of <strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet January 8-10, 2010 in Tempe, Arizona, hosted by Tempe Friends.<br /><strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> Coordinating Committee met for a day-long meeting, November 7th, at Multnomah Meeting House, Portland, OR.<br />The <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Youthworkers Training Conference was held November 6-8 at the Hood River Inn, Hood River OR. Dr. Doreen Dodgen-Magee of Tigard Friends Church will speak to the theme, “Plugged In: Engaging the Media Culture Surrounding Youth.”<br />Meeting for Business of <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> agreed to an increase in the Quarterly Meeting assessment, beginning in 2010. The Meeting also agreed to continue the pay-what-you-can fee policy, including for those who register late. It was understood that the Continuing Committee, at its meeting in January 2010, will decide upon the amount of increase in Quarterly Meeting assessment for 2010, subject to review by Meeting for Business in April 2010.<br />The <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> Silent Retreat will be January 29-31, 2010 at Camp Huston in Gold Bar, Washington.<br />The <strong>Portland Area Gathering of Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will be November 13 at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church</strong> with the theme, “Immigration and Spiritual Discernment.”<br /><strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> was held November 7-8 at Temescal Canyon. Steve Smith, Claremont Meeting spoke to the theme: "Finding Joy In Committee Work: Knitting The Meeting Together In Community" Time was dedicated to meeting together in groups according to the committee in which Friends are called to serve, or would like to serve, in their Monthly Meetings.<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather for its annual business meeting on February 6, 2010 at the Corvallis Meeting House.<br />***<br />From <em>Friend to Friend</em>, the Newsletter of<br /><strong>Friends Community Church, Spring Valley (CA):<br />The Debate</strong><br />God is sitting in heaven when a scientist prays to Him. “God, we don’t need You anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing – in other words, we can now do what You did in the beginning.” “Oh, is that so? Tell me,” replies God. “Well,” says the scientist. “We can take dirt and form it into the likeness of You and breathe life into it, thus creating man.” “Well, that’s very interesting. Show Me.” So, the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the soil into the shape of a man. “No, no, no,” interrupts God. “Get your own dirt.”<br /><br /><strong>FWCC Website</strong><br />Look at <em>www.fwccamericas.org</em> for information about the Section of the Americas.<br /><br /><em>Nancy McLauchlan<br />for FWCC </em>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-3838997253981543892009-10-13T11:32:00.000-07:002009-10-13T11:43:39.957-07:00<strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />October 2009</strong><br /><br />Did you know that the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage, a program of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) will be in the Pacific Northwest next summer? Young friends, ages 16-18, will arrive in Seattle on July 16 and travel together for a month. Who in your church or meeting would be right for this life-changing experience? Contact me- nancym@fwccamericas.org, Bill Schoder-Ehri - bschodereheri@gmail.com, or the FWCC website, fwccamericas.org, for more information.<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></span>Apple Seed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</strong> is concerned about its relationship with its landlord and problems encountered using the building. The Meeting may need to reinvestigate a larger meeting space in the near future. It was suggested that a committee gather to review the situation.<br /><strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> is proposing a new committee, Outreach and Nurture. The committee will be responsible for: nametags, attention to newcomers and those returning after an absence, Introduction of Quakerism for Newcomers, newcomer breakfasts or lunches, Meeting retreat, friendly dinners, worship-sharing series, final affairs workshop, etc. The committee would communicate with Ministry & Oversight regarding individual needs as they arrive.<br /><strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> approved two Friends, and others who may volunteer, to provide pre-registration services for Pacific Yearly meeting’s 2010 and 2011 summer gatherings, with the understanding that net proceeds would go to support the Berkeley Meeting building renovation and no funds would benefit individuals.<br /><strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> Friends are asked to bring fall foliage to meeting each Sunday in order to create an ongoing fall mantel decoration.<br /><strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> has scheduled a panel discussion on preparing for death. What can Friends do to be ready to die? How can the meeting help? Panelists will have legal expertise, medical knowledge and experience in hospice work along with some practical knowledge about low-cost funerals and good planning practices.<br /><strong>Honolulu Meeting (HI)</strong> notes that the issue of whether the Meeting should join an existing quarterly meeting, probably in California, has been discussed before. There is not enough interest and not enough business in common with the two Pacific Yearly Meeting quarterlies to justify it.<br />Tom Rawson is coming to <strong>Eugene Meeting (OR)!</strong> The Meeting’s favorite Quaker folksinger and humorist is coming to Eugene to give a benefit con¬cert for the SOA Watch at the Meetinghouse on October 17th at 7 pm.<br /><strong>Humboldt Meeting (Arcata, CA)</strong> discussed the need for pamphlets to be available on Sundays. Pendle Hill online and the FGC bookstore will be checked for possibilities.<br />This summer <strong>Klamath Falls Friends (OR)</strong> partnered with the OSU Extension Agency to sponsor a Garden Camp. Friends own a lot next to the church where they have grown vegetables for the last few years, which they shared with the neighborhood and donated to the food bank and the mission. This was the first year for the garden camp, and it was a great success. The number varied but there was a core of seven or eight boys and girls who came every week, only two of whom were from the meeting, so this was a wonderful outreach project.<br /><strong>Lower Columbia Worship Group (Seaview, WA)</strong> held their first-ever potluck.<br />Marloma Long Beach Meeting (CA) approved a Minute of concern regarding the execution of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.<br /><strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> scheduled two all clerks meetings to keep communications flowing among committees, provide an opportunity to consider issues that cross committees, and support community building among the Meeting leadership.<br /><strong>Multnomah Meeting Friends (Portland, OR)</strong> have the opportunity to learn how to help those in their Meeting who are struggling in times of economic need and stress on Saturday, October 24th. The morning session will address the issues of housing and mental health. The afternoon session will explore referrals to agencies and dealing with secondary stress. The program will conclude with a presentation/discussion about the roles Meeting committees play in addressing needs of those in the Quaker community.<br />The Pastor of Children & Family Ministries of <strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> is dreaming of a “sponsorship program” for each of the rooms that have toys. She’d love to see a<br />family, couple, or individual pledge to clean the toys and wipe down surfaces at least once per month in each of these classrooms.<br />David Niyonzima from Burundi will be at <strong>North Seattle Friends Church (WA)</strong> on Saturday morning, October 24. Both David and Patty Federighi will share about their work in Burundi and in Congo. The meeting with David and Patty will be followed by a carry-in community meal and Friends are invited to bring food to share. The Meeting for Business for the Area Gathering will take place during the afternoon.<br /><strong>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</strong> is considering having a fund-raising event to raise enough money for the Meeting to make its intended charitable contributions for the year.<br />An attender at Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA) posted a query on the Meeting’s listserv, noting that what he saw on the listserv (and probably heard in announcements) had to do with business, but he wondered whether Friends ever talk about spiritual issues and what they believe. The question itself drew wonderful answers from others in the meeting. Friends asked if perhaps this year they can find more explicit ways to talk about their spiritual core, and to let others know what goes on in the silence.<br /><strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> agreed to host the Pacific Yearly Meeting Representative Committee meeting in March 2010.<br />Palo Alto Meeting (CA) will hold its Annual Retreat on the theme: "Beyond Words: Plain and Joyful Expressions of the Spirit." Friends will explore non-verbal means of expression in ways that are usually associated with the arts and the senses.<br />The Oversight Committee of <strong>Reno Meeting (NV)</strong> called all of the members and attenders of the meeting to see how they are doing. Additionally, a letter explaining the financial state of our meeting was also sent to each member of the meeting.<br />Early this year, at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> when conversations were centered around the economy and what could be done to help struggling families both in the community and beyond, the idea of a community garden took root. This was one idea that quickly bore fruit (puns intended!). The church has another property that includes a large courtyard area. One goal—other than growing vegetables—was to build bridges with others living in the immediate community who did not yet have a connection with Reedwood.<br />The Center for Christian Studies at <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> is focusing on The Ancient Future Church: Perspectives from Contemporary Historians. Classes meet Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.<br />How can we “be like Jesus”? What would it look like to demonstrate God’s love and truth (as in John 4) in southwest Portland? These were the questions that <strong>RiversWay Community</strong>, a ministry point of NWYM, was discerning in spring 2008. At the same time they were developing relationships with a group of people without homes in Tigard. They offered shower and laundry services once a month, at first we renting hotel rooms and shuttling a few at a time for showers. They bought sandwiches and ate with those who waited at the laundromat while their clothes were drying. New relationships deepened as Friends listened to stories, shared a meal, and helped with showers and laundry.<br />The Newcomers’ BBQ at <strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will be held Sunday, October 18 The BBQ gives newcomers a chance to meet some of the church leadership and others who have recently started coming to the church.<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> accepted Ministry and Counsel’s recommendation that the Meeting not use name tags. Friends are encouraged to be friendly and welcoming to all.<br />The book group at <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> is reading the book, <em>Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship,</em> by Vanessa Julye and Donna McDaniel.<br /><strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> will hold its annual retreat, sponsored by Ministry and Worship and Caring Committees, on October 24th, on the Meeting property.<br />The theme for <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting’s (CA)</strong> Autumn Meeting Retreat is Experimenting with Worship. Friends will spend the morning trying out different ways of preparing for worship. Some examples of the activities planned are reading poetry, singing and bible study. After lunch Friends will sit down for extended worship (silent meeting until it is discerned that the worship is truly finished). Extended worship tends to yield both deep silence and well seasoned ministry.<br /><strong>Santa Fe Meeting (CA)</strong> agreed to hold over a discussion of the purposes of a Ministry &<br />Oversight Committee until next month.<br /><strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> holds a Meeting for Healing every first and third Wednesday at the Meeting House with prayers for healing, worship, and gratitude.<br /><strong>Friends Community Church Spring Valley (CA)</strong> will hold its annual Rummage Sale on November 7th.<br />On September 15th <strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> held the long awaited “dorm event” at ASU but Friends were very disappointed as only one student participated. It was felt that CORA (The Council of Religious Advisors) had given us a hard to find, out of the way location. The committee would like to do this again with more than one student!<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> will hold a retreat at the Meeting House on October 24th, Friends will share in small groups what community means to each of them and what they want in a community. Friends will be invited to talk about passions, leadings and gifts and what they might have to do with community. Friends will share a potluck lunch, work together in intergenerational work parties, and then reconvene in small groups to focus on how best to use the gifts and resources the Meeting has at this time.<br />The next Peace Café at <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> will be November 21st. Friends are invited to an evening full of music, poems, art and fellowship.<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /></span></strong><br />The Fall gathering of <strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be October 16-18 at Sierra Friends Center, Nevada City, CA with the theme "Recognizing and deepening our Quaker Faith."<br /><strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> will be held November 6th - 8th at the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center in Estes Park bordering Rocky Mountain National Park. This year’s theme is “Deepening Our Spiritual Life in Community” and will be led by Nancy Bieber, a member of Lancaster (PA) Monthly Meeting and a psychotherapist, spiritual director and retreat leader.<br />to be a time for sharing, games, considering ideas, and food (pizza and ice cream).<br /><strong>George Fox University and Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> are jointly sponsoring a day-long conference to work toward abolishing sex trafficking and forced prostitution in Portland. "The New Abolitionists" conference will occur October 24, 9 a.m to 4 p.m. at George Fox University. http://www.georgefox.edu/newabolitionists/index.html<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> discovered that Ghost Ranch has scheduled the 2010-2012 Annual Gatherings during the first full week of June instead of the traditional second week, which affects meetings where school is still in session. The Executive Committee agreed that the Meeting has no option for 2010, but IMYM should explore other options for the future.<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> asks that Meetings consider the following queries :<br />I. Does your Monthly Meeting support a renewed service program at the Yearly Meeting level?<br />II. Would your Meeting support an increase in IMYM assessments to support Yearly Meeting’s operations.? If you are unable to support an increase, where would you choose to cut the budget? What disposition should be made of the current budget line item of $24, 000 previously entered for the Joint Service Project?<br />III. Would your meeting support a change in the date of the Annual Gathering from the first or second week in June, to the first partial week in August?<br />The <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Youthworkers Training Conference will be November 6-8 at the Hood River Inn, Hood River OR. Dr. Doreen Dodgen-Magee of Tigard Friends Church will speak to the theme, “Plugged In: Engaging the Media Culture Surrounding Youth.”<br />Retha McCutchen of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will lead a trip to Israel/Palestine in January 2010. Along with visits to historical sites, the group will also connect with ministries related to NWYM--including the work the Neiferts are doing in Haifa. Retha's email: <a href="mailto:retha@marafiki.us">retha@marafiki.us</a><br /><br />"In keeping with our Testimonies on Equality and Community, those of us gathered at <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> in 2009 believe that access to health care must be universal and affordable for every individual in this land. There is support among Friends for a single-payer health insurance plan, and we support the right of states to adopt the single-payer option. We encourage further study and action by monthly meetings”<br /><strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be November 7-8 at Temescal Canyon. Steve Smith, Claremont Meeting will speak to the theme: "Finding Joy In Committee Work: Knitting The Meeting Together In Community" Time has been dedicated to meeting together in groups according to the committee in which Friends are called to serve, or would like to serve, in their Monthly Meetings.<br /><br /><strong>FWCC Website</strong><br />Look at www.fwccamericas.org for information about the Section of the Americas.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-13728274394747105332009-09-30T11:37:00.000-07:002009-09-30T11:51:09.001-07:00<div align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />September-October 2009</strong><br /></span><br /><em>Dear Friends,<br /><br />I have three items I’d like to bring to your attention today.<br />I do realize that John Calvi has been traveling among Friends in California and I did not highlight those events. However, in the realm of “better late than never,” here’s what I know of his time in Oregon:<br /></em><br />1. (From the <strong><em>Multnomah Meeting Bulletin</em></strong>, September 27)<br />John Calvi, released Friend from Putney VT. with a ministry in trauma healing, was our Friend in Residence at NPYM this year and will be Multnomah's and Bridge City’s Friend in Residence.<br /><strong>Wednesday, Sept. 30,</strong> 7:00-9:00 pm at Multnomah Meeting John will be speaking about choosing our work, caring for ourselves, and each other.<br /><strong>Thursday, Oct. 1</strong>, 10am - 2pm John will return to Multnomah Meeting and we'll practice gentle hands on techniques and energy work; bring brown bag lunch.<br />Thursday evening at West Hills Friends Church, 7pm – 9pm, John will speak on the Quaker Initiative to End Torture, and being a Welcoming Congregation.<br /><strong>WILLAMETTE QUARTERLY MEETING: OCTOBER 2-4<br /></strong>At Multnomah Meeting & Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp<br />WQM will begin at the Multnomah Meetinghouse on Friday evening, October 2, then continues at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp on Saturday & Sunday. John Calvi will be with us on Friday evening, and he will be featured in the program on Saturday.<br /><br />2. Did you know that the <strong>Quaker Youth Pilgrimage</strong>, a program of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) will be in the Pacific Northwest next summer? Young friends, ages 16-18, will arrive in Seattle on July 16 and travel together for a month. Who in your church or meeting would be right for this life-changing experience? Contact <a href="mailto:me-nancym@fwccamericas.org">me-nancym@fwccamericas.org</a>, Bill Schoder-Ehri bschodereheri@gmail.com,<br />or the FWCC website, <strong>fwccamericas.org,</strong> for more information.<br /><br />3. John Irving Ocol, a member of the <strong>Philippines Friends Church</strong>, has alerted us to the scale of the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana. At the height of the flash floods, he wrote: <em>"All Friends Churches in Pasig and nearby town are under flood. All members of the Friends church are affected. We are in great need. We need food, medicine, water, blanket, etc. We do not have any resources to buy all the things we need. All our properties and appliances are totally destroyed by the water. On behalf of my yearly meeting, I am asking a help from your good heart. Members of the church are praying for the help especially to us living in Pasig because we are the most affected."<br /></em>The FWCC Asia West Pacific Section is accepting donations to relieve immediate need. Those wishing to contribute can do so via the Section of the Americas. Please reference "Philippines."<br />(This is from the FWCC, Section of the Americas, eNewsletter. If you’d like to receive it, write to Americas@fwccamericas.org.)<br />Friends may also donate through Evangelical Friends Mission: EFM, PO Box 525, Arvada CO, 80001. Note your contribution to "Emergency Fund."<br /><br /><em>In Friendship,<br />Nancy<br /></em><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">News of Friends Meetings and Churches</span></strong><br /><br />John Calvi will speak at <strong>West Hills Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> on the Quaker Initiative To End Torture on Thursday, October 1st. He will also discuss issues related to being a Welcoming Congregation.<br /><strong>Visalia Meeting (CA)</strong> is affiliating with Friends General Conference. Davis and Sacramento Meetings are also affiliated with FGC. (Pacific Yearly Meeting)<br /><strong>Ukiah Worship Group (CA)</strong> will host a public meeting featuring Ukiah poet and peace activist David Smith-Ferri the first week of November.<br /><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> Adult Religious Education Committee is sponsoring a five-session course, “Quakerism: The Stable Core: The Light Within.” Friends will meet on Sunday afternoons from October to April.<br /><strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> will hold a “called meeting” for thoughtful consideration of monthly meeting status. A part of that meeting will be worship sharing on what it means to Friends individually to move forward to monthly meeting;<br /><strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> held a threshing session. Friends began with the following queries: (1) In our work together as a Meeting, are we holding true to our testimonies of Simplicity & Integrity? (2) Do we, as a Meeting, keep our collective life uncluttered with things and activities, avoiding commitments beyond our collective light and strength? (3) Is the life of our Meeting so ordered that it helps us work from our spiritual center, within our light and strength?<br />On Sunday, September 27, <strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> unveiled this year's Christmas musical. Friends interested in singing in the choir, playing in the orchestra, auditioning for a drama role, participating in the liturgical dance, helping with sound or lights, or constructing sets were to attend an organizing meeting.<br />Members and attenders of <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> are invited to an evening of Worship Sharing regarding the Peace Testimony of Friends, on September 29, at the Meetinghouse. Queries, drawn from <em>Living in Virtue</em> by Steve Smith, will be offered. A simple soup supper will be available preceding the gathering.<br />The Future of Meeting Committee of <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> will hold up a mirror to the meeting so Friends can have a shared and detailed understanding of who they are and what their values are, and to help Meeting discern its future. The process is expected to take approximately 18 months, after which the committee will be laid down.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> is planning monthly Adoptive Families Gathering. Friends will have a potluck with families and, following dinner, children will be excused to play, with supervised care, while parents talk together about their ideas for how best they might provide adoption support and discussion, and about how they might celebrate their children, and their children’s cultures together.<br />John Calvi, released Friend from Putney VT with a ministry in trauma healing, will be Friend in Residence for <strong>Multnomah and Bridge City Meetings (Portland, OR)</strong> on Wednesday, Sept. 30th. On Thursday, Oct. 1, John will return to Multnomah Meeting and Friends will practice gentle hands-on techniques and “energy work.”<br /><strong>Lopez Island Worship Group (WA)</strong> has asked to become a preparative meeting under the care of Bellingham Meeting. The request has been approved.<br />At <strong>Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</strong> concern has been raised that committees try to meet on first Sundays, but many individuals have multiple committee assignments. The clerk suggested that a person on multiple committees should contact the committee clerks and ask them to contact each other and try to find ways around the impasse of simultaneous meetings.<br /><br />The Reading Group of <strong>Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</strong> is reading Rufus Jones’ <em>The Luminous Trail.<br /></em><strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> held a special Threshing Session about the process and plans for replacing the doors to the meeting house.<br />Friends at <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> learned they can be a part of helping people in need right in their own community. Box of Love (Canning Hunger) is a great way to share God’s love by feeding those in need physically and spiritually.<br />Ministry and Oversight Committee of <strong>Boise Valley Meeting (ID)</strong> discussed ways of engaging young people in the life of the Meeting and also discussed the difficulties for parents attending Meeting when we have no ongoing First Day program<br /><strong>Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> will continue with intergenerational worship one Sunday per month on an every other month basis beginning in October. Children’s Program Committee will plan the theme for these Meetings for Worship with accompanying crafts or activities, and a representative from Ministry and Oversight will assist with promoting and shepherding the events.<br /><strong>Bellingham Meeting (WA)</strong> has approved giving financial support for a Palestinian refugee family who will be arriving in Vancouver, BC. This family of three, with a child in great need of healthcare, is solely dependent upon the private sponsorship of the Unitarians and Quakers of Vancouver for an entire year.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /></span></strong><br />The Fall gathering of <strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be October 16-18 at Sierra Friends Center, Nevada City, CA with the theme "Recognizing and deepening our Quaker Faith."<br /><strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> will be held November 6th - 8th at the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center in Estes Park bordering Rocky Mountain National Park. This year’s theme is “Deepening Our Spiritual Life in Community” and will be led by Nancy Bieber, a member of Lancaster (PA) Monthly Meeting and a psychotherapist, spiritual director and retreat leader.<br />to be a time for sharing, games, considering ideas, and food (pizza and ice cream).<br /><strong>George Fox University and Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> are jointly sponsoring a day-long conference to work toward abolishing sex trafficking and forced prostitution in Portland. "The New Abolitionists" conference will occur October 24, 9 a.m to 4 p.m. at George Fox University. http://www.georgefox.edu/newabolitionists/index.html<br />Several short-term missionaries are going to Rwanda as Rwanda has decreed that all school teachers be able to teach in English. EFM has begun to address the situation in Friends Schools. The five teachers who are going to Rwanda are from <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>.<br />The <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Youthworkers Training Conference will be November 6-8 at the Hood River Inn, Hood River OR. Dr. Doreen Dodgen-Magee of Tigard Friends Church will speak to the theme, “Plugged In: Engaging the Media Culture Surrounding Youth.”<br /><br />Retha McCutcheon of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will lead a trip to Israel/Palestine in January 2010. Along with visits to historical sites, the group will also connect with ministries related to NWYM--including the work the Neiferts are doing in Haifa. Retha's email: retha@marafiki.us<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> united in moving forward with hiring a Youth Program Coordinator. As part of this significant development, PYM Nominating Committee is in the process of identifying individuals to serve on a Supervisory Committee, which would implement and oversee the hiring and supervision of this employee.<br /><strong>Quaker Earthcare Witness</strong> will hold its Annual Meeting and Gathering in Bellingham, WA, October 8-12 with the theme, “Wisdom Stories for a Resilient Future: Bible Stories, Native Stories, Quaker Stories.” Kathy Hyzy of Multnomah Meeting and editor of Western Friend will present the keynote address. www.quakerearthcare.org<br /><strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be November 7-8 at Temescal Canyon. Steve Smith, Claremont Meeting will speak to the theme: "Finding Joy In Committee Work: Knitting The Meeting Together In Community" Time has been dedicated to meeting together in groups according to the committee in which Friends are called to serve, or would like to serve, in their Monthly Meetings.<br /><strong><em>Western Friend</em></strong> celebrated the publication of the book, <em>Enlivened by the Spirit</em>, at University Meeting in Seattle. The book is a compilation of nearly fifty Friends’ responses to the query, “How have you experienced God or the Divine?” with art, song, poetry, fiction, and essays. </div>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-83914852664025379662009-09-18T15:01:00.000-07:002009-09-18T15:34:54.254-07:00<div align="left"><strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />September 2009 </strong><br /><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></strong><br /><strong>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> is planning a new first hour program: “Quaker Sojourns”, an opportunity to learn more about one another and to encourage conversation about how travel can nourish values and beliefs. Each second Sunday Friends will hear a different travel story and discuss the ideas that spin off from it.<br /><strong>Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</strong> will celebrate its 60th anniversary on Saturday, October 17 with an afternoon of worship-sharing, reminiscences, creativity, a photo display, stories, fun and music, followed by a light supper and evening of Friendship.<br />The Community Group Hosts of <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> think it so important that Friends join a community group this fall that they decided to call everyone in the church and give them a personal invitation to be part of a group. The entire church through the weekend messages and the Community Groups will be studying an exciting new series called "One Month to Live", Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life.<br />The theme for the Women’s Conference, October 9-10 at <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will be "Who's that Woman in the Mirror? - Finding a Healthy Self-Image." Women are told: “What you think about yourself makes a difference in how you live your life. Learn the way to experience all God intended you to be and to accept and love the truth that's there when you look in the mirror. Explore your self-image and enjoy a fun and life-changing time.”<br /><strong>Chico Meeting (CA)</strong> will hold an open house on October 4th. CFM is celebrating the second year in their meetinghouse, now one hundred years old!<br />The Quaker Studies session for <strong>Lower Columbia Worship Group (Seaview, WA)</strong> will focus on Sandra Cronk’s description of spiritual nurture in the Society of Friends.<br />Adult Religious Education Committee of Corvallis Meeting (OR) has considered the possibility of a meeting-wide retreat and decided that there is not enough clarity on a need for it or what it should focus on, so will not undertake to plan one for this fall.<br /><strong>Fresno Meeting (CA) </strong>supports the concept of universal healthcare for all to end the disgrace of having almost 50 million uninsured in this country.<br />The Library Committee of <strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> has a plan to inventory what materials are in the GVFM Library and to organize materials in a manner of both Mr. Dewey’s decimal classifications and Friends.<br /><strong>Midtown Friends (Sacramento, CA)</strong> held a peace fair at a midtown park in July. Their hope was to raise awareness and have good conversations about peace – not necessarily national peace but on the deeper nature of peace.<br />The Community and Fellowship Committee of <strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> was newly established this year to help the meeting become a more welcoming and inclusive meeting and to provide opportunities for people to get together, forming community. The Committee is making plans for greeters and hopes no one again goes away without making contact with at least one person in the meeting;<br />Friends at <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> are making plans to train interested Friends in methods of Helping Others in Times of Economic Stress. Topics to be covered include housing, mental health, referrals to agencies, and helping the helpers.<br />The mission trip to Mexico of <strong>Netarts Friends Church (OR)</strong> is an intergenerational highlight every year. It started as a trip primarily for the youth of the church, but over the years it has become a “come one, come all” event. In 2009 a record number of 29 people went on the trip, and many had only attended NFC a few times before going. Now most are regular attenders!<br />Unprogrammed worship is starting at <strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR).</strong> Friends are excited that God is birthing something new in their midst. Each Sunday morning a group will meet for a time of waiting and listening to Christ together as a chance to see what God has in store as they worship with silence and no program or plan. Friends will simply start with a scripture and then wait expectantly for the Spirit to move among them.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> is having a Josh Reid Appreciation Gathering to celebrate Josh Reid’s seven years of service as youth pastor.<br /><strong>North Seattle Friends Church (WA)</strong> went kayaking. Those interested met at a rowing club for a guided tour around Lake Union. Experience was not required.<br />Patty Federighi, <strong>North Seattle Friends Church (WA)</strong> went to Burundi and the Congo to work with Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services of Burundi (www.THARS.org) on a project that teaches quilt making as a tool of trauma healing.<br />Delonna Halliday, <strong>Olympic View Friends Church (Tacoma, WA)</strong> is a Love and Logic Facilitator who facilitates parenting training at Friends Churches. Love and Logic provides simple and practical techniques to help teachers and parent experience less stress and more fun while raising responsible children.<br /><strong>Orange County Friends Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</strong> has decided to give up its conventional phone line, which is expensive and used very little, and replace it with a Skype phone account. This number can be reached from any phone; Friends do not need to use Skype or a computer.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> scheduled a baptism class in the Fireside Room. The class is a prerequisite to water baptism at the church.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> noted that with a church its size it is important to be intentional about getting to know people and Small Groups are the main way they connect people. These groups are normally 8-14 people who meet once a week for about 90 minutes. At a Small Group Friends can meet new people in a relaxed atmosphere, ask questions about the Bible, and share concerns they would like people to pray about.<br />Worship and Ministry (W&M) Committee of <strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> wants Friends to know W&M is constantly trying to improve the quality of worship and ministry. When issues or concerns arise, W&M tries to resolve them as quickly as possible. W&M reminds Friends that if they have any concerns or possible ways to make the quality of worship and ministry better to please let someone on the committee know.<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> is hosting “Faith and the Land: a Call for Wilderness Stewardship,” on Sunday, September 27th.<br /><strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> considered whether Friends would ask the city for a refund for Open Preserve taxes paid. The Meeting is in unity to not ask for a refund from the Santa Clara County Open Preserve as the Meeting supports the preservation of open spaces.<br /><strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> endorsed a traveling minute for Friend Diego Navarro who has a deeply-held concern for young adults in poverty, a concern that led him to create the Digital Bridge Academy.<br /><strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA),</strong> noting that the Quaker decision-making process has sometimes stopped the Meeting from taking a formal part in certain community activities, asks how to allow for Meeting approval in less than the usual time frame? Friends will hold a Threshing Session.<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> have formed a local group called Friends in the Arts which meets monthly and is affiliated with the Fellowship of Quakers in the Arts, an international group.<br /><strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> held an orientation for potential First Day School teachers noting that “Everyone is encouraged to teach, even if you are only available twice in the next few months. The job's a breeze: curriculum is provided, and teachers always work in pairs. The job's rewarding: the kids are a lot of fun, they're thrilled to see new faces, and conversations during class are always interesting and often charming.”<br /><strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> is co-sponsoring a Peace Walk on September 20th. "Peace in the Neighborhood, Peace in the World." to celebrate the U.N. International Day of Peace, to join in community with other neighborhood groups to make a statement for peace, and to help their fellow Seattle residents by bringing food for the St. Mary's food bank.<br />Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA) is experiencing a baby boom; four babies are/were due in a two-month period.<br />Stephen Matchett will visit <strong>Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley, CA)</strong> to speak on "Going to the Well". He will share some of his favorite passages from William Penn's Primitive Christianity Revived. The thrust of the message will be personal and experiential, not scholarly, and he will offer his own life story as a way of communicating why these writings are meaningful to him.<br /><strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> is hosting a Quaker Quest workshop on Saturday, September 19th.<br />Outreach Committee of Tempe Meeting (AZ) suggests that its official purpose would be:<br />“It is the purpose of the Outreach Committee to make the larger community aware of the existence of our Quaker Meeting and for our Meeting community to know of our activities.”<br /><strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> is considering the possibility of hosting a homeless program in the Meeting House twice a month. Tempe Meeting has been reluctant to house homeless guests because of disapproval by neighbors in 2005 and because of earlier assurances of limitations of use of the Meeting House at the time it was built.<br /><strong>Vancouver Monthly Meeting (BC)</strong> is looking forward to Fun’ Raising. The Fun nights: Games Night, Movie Night, and Quaker Sing A Long – Hootenany will be brought to Friends by the Ad Hoc Refugee Committee who will ask Friends for donations to contribute to the sponsorship of a young refugee family, now caught in the no-man’s land between Iraq and Syria.<br />The Pastoral Search Committee of <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> has announced that a pastoral candidate will visit the church in September.<br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches</strong><br /><br /><strong>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> will take place from Friday, September 25, to Sunday, September 27 at Emmanuel Pines Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Prescott, AZ with the theme, Strengthening Our Ties in Nature. Suggested readings include <em>Earthcare for Friends</em> by Louis Cox and <em>Be Ye Perfect: The Quaker Call to Wholeness</em> by Lisa Lofland-Gould.<br /><strong>Ben Lomond Quaker Center</strong> in California is considering offering a program for smaller meetings and worship groups in Pacific Yearly Meeting. Smaller meetings and worship groups are being asked whether Ben Lomond should offer the program and how it might be planned to meet their needs.<br /><br />The quarterly meeting of the <strong>Christian Friends Conference</strong> will take place on Saturday, September 19th at Berkeley with brown bag lunch and beverages and bagels provided in the morning.<br />The Fall gathering of <strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be October 16-18 at Sierra Friends Center, Nevada City, CA.<br /><strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> will be held November 6th - 8th at the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center in Estes Park bordering Rocky Mountain National Park. This year’s theme is “Deepening Our Spiritual Life in Community” and will be led by Nancy Bieber, a member of Lancaster (PA) Monthly Meeting and a psychotherapist, spiritual director and retreat leader.<br />The Steering Committee of the <strong>Friends Committee on Washington Public Policy (FCWPP)</strong> will meet during Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting in the Dining Hall at Lazy F Camp & Retreat Center near Ellensburg at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25th.<br /><strong>Northern California Teens</strong> (8th-12th grades) in and near the Silicon Valley were invite to gather at the Palo Alto Meetinghouse for an exploratory meeting to consider who the group is and what it might do in the coming year. There was to be a time for sharing, games, considering ideas, and food (pizza and ice cream).<br />Several short-term missionaries are going to Rwanda as Rwanda has decreed that all school teachers be able to teach in English. EFM has begun to address the situation in Friends Schools. The five teachers who are going to Rwanda are from <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>.<br />The Peace Education Sub-committee (a sub-committee of the NWYM Christian Education and Discipleship Committee of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> is focusing on two items for the immediate future - needs assessment and a NWYM Peace Month. This year the Peace Month will be January with the theme "What is Peace?" The sub-committee hopes to facilitate a discussion in the local meetings and provide teaching tools on Quaker history and why Friends have a peace testimony.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> has ministry openings among its churches. Sherwood Friends is looking for a half-time youth pastor; Newberg Friends is looking for a full-time youth pastor; 2nd Street Community Church, a ministry of Friends in Newberg, is looking for a Middle School Intern and Director of Equipping and Serving; Olympic View Friends are looking for a pastor; Twin Rocks Friends Camp needs an Assistant Food Director; and Barclay Press has a 30-hour office position.<br />The Friends Women Retreat, a combined retreat of Friends both east and west of the Cascades, of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>, will be held at Twin Rocks Friends Camp, October 1-4.<br />Retha McCutcheon of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will lead a trip to Israel/Palestine in January 2010. Along with visits to historical sites, the group will also connect with ministries related to NWYM--including the work the Neiferts are doing in Haifa. Retha's email: retha@marafiki.us<br /><strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> will meet September 25-27, 2009, at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg. Port Townsend Monthly Meeting will lead the program with the theme, “Wild Earth, Wild Mind, Wild Heart.” Friends are invited to “Engage their minds and creativity; express their grief over our planet in peril; find hope for our future as an interdependent earth community; and gain courage to live out the Quaker testimony of care for the natural world.<br />The Continuing Committee of <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> has begun a discussion of financial options that may be needed in order for PNQM to continue its current policy of "pay what you can" for those who attend QM sessions. There was a very substantial deficit from our Spring 2009 in spite of a large attendance. Even with financial reserves, such deficits are not sustainable and must be prevented or greatly reduced beginning not later than spring 2010.<br />The Religious Education Committee of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> circulates an e-Newsletter. The latest issue focuses on outreach to families with the concern that most smaller meetings feel a need for more families and children.<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> united in moving forward with hiring a Youth Program Coordinator. As part of this significant development, PYM Nominating Committee is in the process of identifying individuals to serve on a Supervisory Committee, which would implement and oversee the hiring and supervision of this employee.<br /><strong>Quaker Earthcare Witness</strong> will hold its Annual Meeting and Gathering in Bellingham, WA, October 8-12 with the theme, “Wisdom Stories for a Resilient Future: Bible Stories, Native Stories, Quaker Stories.” Kathy Hyzy of Multnomah Meeting and editor of Western Friend will present the keynote address. www.quakerearthcare.org<br /><strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be November 7-8 at Temescal Canyon.<br /><em><strong>Western Friend</strong></em> celebrated the publication of the book, <em>Enlivened by the Spirit</em>, at University Meeting in Seattle. The book is a compilation of nearly fifty Friends’ responses to the query, “How have you experienced God or the Divine?” with art, song, poetry, fiction, and essays.<br /><strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> will gather October 3-4, 2009 at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp near Rhododendron, OR.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><strong></strong>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-6053775103893125412009-09-04T17:53:00.000-07:002009-09-04T20:20:15.741-07:00News from Western Quaker Newsletters<strong>Mid-August 2009</strong><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches</strong></div><br /><strong>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> is considering Peace and Social Concerns options for the coming year. Friends might work with immigrants detained at the Tacoma Detention Center. Friends are considering more direct and personal contacts with detainees by working with an interfaith effort based in Tacoma. Peace and Social Concerns Committee is also considering sponsoring an Alternatives to Violence workshop.<br /><strong>Appleseed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</strong> is considering a proposed minute on Meeting attendance which suggests that Friends arriving on time sit along the side (away from the doors), leaving seating available for latecomers at the back of the room. Friends were encouraged to come to Meeting for Worship prepared and on time.<br />The treasurer of <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> noted that while the Peace and Social Order Committee has the authority to host events without seeking approval from the Meeting, if an event requires insurance, such as the recent Helen Caldicott event, then it should be sponsored by the Meeting and not just by the Committee.<br /><strong>Bridge City Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> is considering whether or not to continue its experiment with Intergenerational Worship. The Meeting held Intergenerational Worship once a month for three months. Friends were given a query for responses. The children gathered in the center of the circle of adults and did art projects.<br />Opportunities to get together with Friends at <strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> include: Women's Tuesday Morning Bible Study on chapter 11 of Hebrews "Hall of Faith;" "Women's Serve Day where women will assemble "no sew" blankets for abused and abandoned children; and KidQuest Wednesday Night Bible Study -- Crocodile Dock.<br /><strong>Citrus Heights Friends Church (CA)</strong> is beginning a new Sunday night worship service called "Ignite," with the hope that Ignite will become the happening gathering place for people of all ages in their area.<br /><strong>Claremont Friends (CA)</strong> are invited by Discussion Committee to a fun and thought-provoking video regarding gay, lesbian, and queer issues. The Committee predicts a lively discussion will follow.<br />Friends from <strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> are participating in a Prayer Meeting for World Peace. Queries used will include: What am I doing to contribute to world peace? What am I doing to be at peace within myself?<br />Children's Meeting of <strong>Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA)</strong> discussed the suggestion that children need to know it is OK for them to stay in Meeting for Worship -- and that it is OK for them to leave when they need to do so. This is especially important for older children and teens who may want to try being in Meeting for a while longer than the first 15 minutes that younger children attend.<br /><strong>Eugene Friends (OR)</strong> have the opportunity to participate in a Labor Day Apple Squeeze. Friends are to bring clean jars and boxes of apples or pears.<br /><strong>Honolulu Friends Meeting (HI)</strong> is hosting its annual streetwide gathering, "For the Love of Gardens," September 11-13 on the Meeting House grounds. Members and attenders from Honolulu and neighbor islands will be there.<br /><strong>Midtown Friends (Sacramento, CA)</strong> held a peace fair at a midtown park in July. Their hope was to raise awareness and have good conversations about peace -- not necessarily national peace but on the deeper nature of peace.<br />Friends of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> are making plans to train interested Friends in methods of Helping Others in Times of Economic Stress. Topics to be covered include housing, mental health, referrals to agencies, and helping the helpers.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Women (OR)</strong> are invited to the Margaret Fell Friends Women's Fall Kick-off Potluck Picnic at Jaquith Park. Ron and Carolyn Stansell will share on "Where in the World is God Working?"<br />A six-week <em>Vecina, Vecino</em> small group is being offered in the Fall at <strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> to those interested in reaching out to the immigrant community.<br /><strong>North Seattle Friends Church (WA)</strong> went kayaking. Those interested met at a rowing club for a guided tour around Lake Union. Experience was not required.<br /><strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> is committed to cooking a dinner meal for the homeless every fifth Sunday of the month. In August they cooked at the Union Station homeless shelter. Friends have a good time cooking and chatting.<br />At <strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> every Wednesday following Meeting for Worship, worship sharing or worship discussion is held on topics announced each month in the Newsletter. This is an open opportunity for individuals to discuss or explore spiritual matters, theological ideas, social witness related to Quaker Meeting, and other Quaker and Meeting-related topics. Anyone in the Meeting may propose a topic and lead the session.<br /><strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> plans a Fun Night to welcome home the Meeting Resident with a potluck and a movie. Friends will watch <em>Monty Python & the Holy Grail,</em> a silly romp through the legend of King Arthur. Friends are to come as their favorite moose.<br />The Fall sessions of the Center for Christian Studies, <strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR)</strong> will be led by four historians who will teach on different topics on the history of Christianity. Each lesson will provide insight and application for the church today.<br />The 7 and Up First Day School of <strong>Reno Meeting (NV)</strong> invites adults in the Meeting to share with them their experiences and knowledge of other religions besides Quakerism. Friends are invited to get to know younger Quakers and to delve into their own and others understanding of many religions from all over the globe.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> took part in a summer funn food event the weekend of August 15-16. They ate pancakes (buttermilk, blueberry, and chocolate chip) and connected with old and new friends for dinner on Saturday or brunch on Sunday.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> scheduled a baptism class in the Fireside Room. The class is a prerequisite to water baptism at the church.<br /><strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> adopted the following minute: The recording clerk is charged to inform Friends in their service capacity with SLMM of any action or decision of the Business Meeting that affects the Friend's activities or assignments if that Friend is not in attendance at thre Meeting in which the action or decision was adopted.<br /><strong>San Francisco Friends (CA)</strong> are invited to participate in a new approach to Quakerism - Quaker Jeopardy. They are invited to bring friends, family, and thinking caps to a new way to learn about Quaker faith and practice. Round one is on Quakerism: Beginnings to 1800. Are Friends ready with their "final answer?"<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> formed a local group called Friends in the Arts which meets monthly and is affiliated with the Fellowship of Quakers in the Arts, an international group.<br />The members of the Board of Directors of the <em>Western Friend</em> joined <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> for worship and a potluck lunch.<br /><strong>Sky Valley Worship Group (Sultan, WA)</strong> hosted Eastside Meeting (Bellevue, WA) on August 30th.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> sent a letter to the president of the University of Washington regretting the University's decision to not host Tent City (housing for homeless people).<br />In September, Adult Religious Education sessions of <strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> will focus on the role of women in the Religious Society of Friends, beginning an occasional series of investigations into how we live the Testimony of Equality. Topics will include Women in the Society of Friends Today, women's meetings, mothers of Quakerism, and Quaker Women and Social Change 1800-1950.<br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meetings/Churches</strong></div><strong>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> will take place September 25-27 at Emmanuel Pines Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Prescott, AZ with the theme, "Strengthening Our Ties in Nature." Suggested readings include <em>Earthcare for Friends</em> by Louis Cox and <em>Be Ye Perfect: The Quaker Call to Wholeness</em> by Lisa Lofland-Gould.<br /><strong>Ben Lomond Quaker Center</strong> in California is considering offering a program for smaller meetings and worship groups in Pacific Yearly Meeting. Smaller meetings and worship groups are being asked whether Ben Lomand should offer the program and how it might be planned to meet their needs.<br />The Quarterly Meeting of the <strong>Christian Friends Conference</strong> will take place on Saturday, September 19th at Berkeley Friends Church with brown bag lunch and beverages and bagels provided in the morning.<br /><strong>Colorado Regional Meeting</strong> will be held November 6th-8th at the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center in Estes Park bordering Rocky Mountain National Park. This year's theme is "Deepening Our Spiritual Life in Community" and will be led by Nancy Bieber, a member of Lancaster (PA) Monthly Meeting and a psychotherapist, spiritual director and retreat leader.<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> is forming a Medical Short Term missions trip to Cambodia in January.<br /><strong>Evangelical Friends Church Southwest</strong> is reducing its staff, thus Larry Kinser's position as Director of Church Growth and Health has been cut.<br /><strong>Northern California Teens (Pacific Yearly Meeting)</strong> -- 8th-12th grades -- in and near the Silicon Valley were invited to gather at the Palo Alto Meetinghouse for an exploratory meeting to consider who the group is and what it might do in the coming year. There was to be a time for sharing, games, considering ideas, and food (pizza and ice cream).<br />Colin Saxton's keynote address to <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>, delivered on July 27th, is now available at the NWYM website. <a href="http://www.newfriends.org/">http://www.newfriends.org/</a> His challenge, as superintendent of NWYM, was for Friends to go "deeper" as a people of God, corporately and individually.<br />The Peace Education Subcommittee of Northwest Yearly Meeting is focusing on two items for the immediate future - needs assessment and a NWYM Peace Month. This year the Peace Month will be January with the theme "What is Peace?" The subcommittee hopes to facilitate a discussion in the local meetings and provide teaching tools on Quaker history and why Friends have a peace testimony.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> has ministry openings among its churches. Sherwood Friends is looking for a half-time youth pastor; Newberg Friends is looking for a full-time youth pastor; 2nd Street Community Church, a ministry of Friends in Newberg, is looking for a Middle School Intern and Director of Equipping and Serving; Olympic View Friends are looking for a pastor; Twin Rocks Friends Camp needs an Assistant Food Director; and Barclay Press has a 30-hour office position open.<br />The Friends Women Retreat, a combined retreat of Friends both east and west of the Cascades, of <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong>, will be held at Twin Rocks Friends Camp, October 1-4.<br />The Religious Education Committee of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> circulates an e-Newsletter. The latest issue focuses on outreach to families with the concern that most smaller meetings feel a need for more families and children.<br /><strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> will meet September 25-27 at Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg, WA. Port Townsend Meeting will lead the program with the theme, "Wild Earth, Wild Mind, Wild Heart." Friends are invited to "Engage minds and creativity; express grief over our planet in peril; find hope for our future as an interdependent earth community; and gain courage to live out the Quaker testimony of care for the natural world.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-14903347472611369692009-07-20T20:32:00.000-07:002009-07-20T20:44:36.705-07:00News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br />June 27- July 20, 2009<br /><br /><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></strong><br />Several Friends from <strong>Agate Passage Meeting (Poulsbo, WA)</strong> will volunteer as a group at the Native American annual Canoe Journey days. They hope to become more familiar with tribal ways as well as to make themselves useful in ways that fit their energy.<br />After consideration of the various options presented by the ad hoc committee on building options, <strong>Albuquerque Meeting (NM)</strong> is led to remain in the building Friends now occupy, to give priority to addressing accessibility issues, to improve the space for children and to address environmental concerns.<br />From the <strong>Apple Seed Meeting (Sebastopol, CA)</strong> Newsletter: Our meeting could be deeper and more meaningful for all if we would devote a full hour to Meeting. Please consider how you might organize your time so you can arrive at 10 or earlier. Let’s strive together for a “gathered meeting” by gathering on time.<br /><strong>Canyon Hills Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> held its Celebration Weekend July 11-12 with water baptisms after every service, a courtyard dedication, and the church’s annual picnic in the park. They celebrated the 19th Birthday of the church and dedicated their new Gathering Area to the Lord. The celebration included hearing how the church family is "being the church" and "bringing real change" into people's lives.<br /><strong>Claremont Meeting (CA)</strong> approved that the Meeting not post Meeting for Business minutes on its website.<br /><strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> Nominating Committee noted that “This meeting appears to have moved away from committees that take responsibility to (individuals taking on) short-term tasks that are done once or infrequently.”<br />Friends from <strong>Delta Meeting (Stockton, CA)</strong> organized newsletters and periodicals that had been collecting in the Meeting Room. There is now a file cabinet with labeled folders so items can easily be found.<br />Adam Bradbury will be full-time associate pastor at <strong>Greenleaf Friends Church (ID).</strong> He has been a member at Rose Valley Friends.<br />Ministry and Oversight Committee of <strong>Humboldt Meeting (Arcata, CA),</strong> in planning for the Meeting Retreat, noted that as Friends were not responsive generally to request to register ahead, the best practice for next year will be for them to call regular attenders.<br />Chris Tiner is the new high school youth coordinator at <strong>Meridian Friends Church (ID).<br /></strong>Mountain View Meeting <strong>(Denver, CO)</strong> has approved moving forward with bringing Quaker Quest to the Meeting.<br />William Alsup of <strong>Mountain View Meeting (Denver, CO)</strong> will be traveling (by bicycle) with a leading to visit distant meetings for the purpose of listening and to get better acquainted with Friends outside of Intermountain Yearly Meeting.<br /><strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> has deliberated how to help persons not from within the Meeting Community who come to the Meeting for help. Oversight Committee recommends that a few Friends be trained to direct these people to other resources that might be available.<br /><br />Bonnie Tinker, a member of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> and <em>Love Makes a Family, </em>was killed in an accident while attending Friends General Conference. Bonnie will be missed.<br />Peace and Social Concerns and Property Committees of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR) </strong>invited Friends to discuss what signage they feel led to have on their building. Under consideration are guidelines for what banners or signs should be on display and what should be permanent and what may have a particular time frame.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends (OR)</strong> are reminded to bike/walk/carpool to church on July 26 as that date will be Newberg’s Old Fashioned Festival as well as Northwest Yearly Meeting.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends (OR)</strong> are planning an All Comers Choir to lead worship on July 26 to kick off Yearly Meeting week.<br />The Computer Committee of <strong>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</strong> was asked to evaluate the needs of the Meeting for computerized/on-line tools, and has developed a set of principles for the Meeting to consider, including that materials that should be available to all of the community must be readable on all of the main computer operating systems and/or browsers.<br /><strong>Orange Grove Friends (Pasadena, CA) </strong>are invited to the meeting house on a Wednesday evening for Poetry evening. All are asked to bring a poem or a song to share--either one of their own or a favorite by another author or songwriter.<br />Finance Committee of <strong>Orange Grove Friends (Pasadena, CA)</strong> recommends that Meeting discontinue acting as fiscal sponsor for any foreign-based organization that is unable to comply with a set of guidelines that it developed based on IRS fiscal sponsorship requirements. The sense of the Meeting is that the Meeting has a moral responsibility to understand how money that it collects is spent, that it is desirable that the Meeting be intimately involved in the workings of the foreign-based organizations to which it offers fiscal sponsorship, and that the suggested guidelines are simple and transparent.<br /><strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> approved that, in order to best support Friends lobbying groups nationally and locally, this year the proceeds from the Harvest Festival to be held on September 26, 2009 will be evenly divided between Friends Committee on Legislation of California and Friends Committee on National Legislation. Traditionally the proceeds have gone to FCL.<br />Robert Broz, Field Director for the El Salvador Projects (oversight by Palo Alto Meeting), will speak at <strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> on Sunday, July 26th. The mission of the El Salvador Projects is to raise the level of education for the young people of the poorest communities in El Salvador.<br /><strong>Rose Drive Friends Church (Yorba Linda, CA)</strong> will offer a special summer schedule that features a sermon series in the book of Hebrews titled, “Better than Anything.” Friends will be inspired as they see why Jesus is better than anything and that nothing can compare to following him.<br /><strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> and the San Jose Buddhist Meditation Group are sponsoring a Women's Interfaith Dialogue. The theme for this dialogue is "What place does silence, meditation, and contemplation hold in our spiritual practices."<br /><strong>Santa Fe Meeting (NM)</strong> is attempting to spread the word regarding the existence of the Meeting’s Guest Apartment. Friends have updated the Meeting web page and placed advertisements in <em>Western Friend</em> and <em>Friends Journal.<br /></em><br />Nominating Committee of <strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> notes: “As we have no nominee for treasurer nominating committee has requested a call to all members and prospective members to consider taking up the office of treasurer.”<br />Jim Pike began service at <strong>South Salem Friends Church (OR)</strong> on July 1.<br />Bob Adams, long-time pastor of <strong>Sprague River Friends (OR),</strong> has retired. Bob continues to serve a Methodist congregation in Southern Oregon. Tim Henry, who has been co-pastor at Sprague River, now assumes the role of solo pastor.<br /><strong>Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkley, CA) </strong>will hold a series of Listening Meetings to consider the development of a written Quaker testimony on Friends' concerns for Earth.<br /><strong>Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkley, CA)</strong> notes regarding Meeting for Business that attendance is expected for members and encouraged for attenders<br />At the request of Young Friends (YFs), and after seasoning within both the Children’s Religious Education Committee and the Worship and Ministry Committee, <strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> spent eight weeks experimenting with the practice of asking Young Friends to join Meeting for Worship at the beginning of Worship rather than at the end. Young Friends reported that they would like to resume their prior practice of YFs joining Meeting for Worship at the end of Worship. They found they had a lack of clarity on what they were looking for from the change in practice, and noticed that they felt more centered when joining Worship at the end rather than at the beginning.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> held a Meeting for grieving and healing that included all kinds of losses, not just losses of loved persons. Friends gathered around a central table that held candles to be lit, paper cranes, sheets to write on, and a bowl to put the writing in.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> is planning to hold its first ever outdoor movie in the UFM parking lot. Friends are to bring chairs, blankets and snacks.<br /><br /><em>If the vigor of a Meeting lives in its young people and the wisdom of the Meeting lives in its elders, then the strength of the Meeting lies in interaction between the two.<br /></em>Todd Swanson, 2005, from IMYM <em>Faith and Practice</em>, as found in the Mountain View Friends Meeting 2009 Newsletter.<br /><br /><strong>More than one:<br /></strong>Many Friends Churches and Meetings are including some sort of “classified advertisements” in their newsletters to help Friends find work or sell unneeded items.<br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /></strong>The 2009 Annual Session of <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> will be held Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26 at Dickerson Friends Center in Wasilla, Alaska with the theme, “Vitality and Diversity in our Meetings.”<br />This summer, <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> is hosting a youth exchange/Spirit Camp with Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. The group of 14 teenagers from AFC and OVYM will gather at the Dickerson Friends Center in Wasilla, AK, go to Eklutna Lake for a week of camping in the wilderness, join younger friends at Nancy Lake, and return to Wasilla for AFC Annual Sessions.<br /><strong>Barclay Press</strong> in Newberg, Oregon is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Ray Carter, Jack Willcutts, Harlow Ankeny, Dick Eichenberger, and Dan McCracken have provided primary editorial and managerial leadership over the years. The current Barclay Press publisher, Dan McCracken, was first hired to do Linotype typesetting.<br /><strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> gathered July 15-19 in Missoula, MT with John Calvi as Friend in Residence. John Calvi, a Quaker healer and teacher specializing in trauma and caregiver burnout, spoke on the theme: "Experiencing Light in Hard Times - How Do We Stay Faithful in Times of Trouble?"<br />Kim Felton (from North Valley Friends Church, Newberg, OR) is being added to the <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Office staff in the newly redesigned half-time Administrative Assistant position. Bruce Bishop’s position as Communications Director becomes full-time. This reorganization is partly related to the retirement of Terri Bowen who is irreplaceable. Rachelle Staley moves from an "interim" role to full-time Associate Superintendent of Youth and Young Adults.<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold Yearly Meeting Sessions at George Fox University, Newberg, OR, Sunday July 26-Thursday July 30 with the theme, “We are Witnesses.” The Outreach Rally will take place Sunday evening, following the Men’s and Women’s Missionary Banquets. Colin Saxton will give the keynote address Monday evening and Bob Adhikary, missionary to Nepal, will speak Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.<br />The next gathering of the <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be September 25-27, 2009, at the Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg. Port Townsend Monthly Meeting will lead the program with the theme, “Wild Earth, Wild Mind, Wild Heart.”<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet July 27-August 1, 2009 at Walker Creek Ranch, Petaluma, CA.<br />Joe Franko, clerk of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong>, reminds Friends “that we gather in faith and hope that the Spirit will guide us to make Spirit-led decisions. The process is as it has always been. . . The Youth Proposal has been especially seasoned by Meetings and by Representative Committee . . .Remember that in our Plenaries we come together to Worship on the Occasion of Business. In worship, we assume that it is not the Friend who speaks, but the Spirit who speaks through that Friend.”<br />Members of the Unity with Nature Committee of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> are concerned about ways of greening their yearly gathering and urge Friends to try being at least part-time vegetarians. They’ve worked with both the Arrangements Committee and the Walker Ranch cooks to make tasty vegetarian food more available to everyone, not confined to the kitchen. Also they plan one "simple meal," e.g. rice and beans, to be in greater solidarity with poor people everywhere.Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-48843743132158587972009-06-27T13:30:00.000-07:002009-06-27T13:41:51.370-07:00<strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters</strong> <strong>June 2009<br /></strong> <br /> This will be my last Newsletter Summary as FWCC staff. However, I will continue to produce this Newsletter Summary and a few other tasks for FWCC on a contract basis.<br />Please keep those newsletters coming. <br /> What I send to you is a reflection of some of the activities that I am aware of in our Friends churches and meetings throughout the western United States. But you might ask, what’s exciting about FWCC? What’s exciting right now?<br /> Here are a few things that I can think of:<br /><br />· We held the Annual Meeting of the Section of the Americas in Oregon last March;<br />· Central Executive Committee members from all over the world attended our Annual Meeting;<br />· The 2010 Quaker Youth Pilgrimage will be in Oregon and Washington State;<br />· The Historic Peace Church consultation will take place in the Dominican Republic in 2010 with representation from Brethren, Mennonites, and Quakers from Latin America;<br />· There will be a global change consultation in 2010-11 at the world level;<br />· The next World Conference of Friends will be in 2012 in Kenya;<br />· Wider Quaker Fellowship is changing into an international web-based portal to Friends;<br />· North American Hispanic Friends are becoming more involved with FWCC.<br /><br /> This work happens with a lot of volunteer time and some staff assistance. I can think of (and visualize) Nancy Irving, General Secretary in the FWCC World Office, leading us in the refrain “God is Good – All the Time. All the time –God is good.”<br /> With God helping us in this work, it is good.<br /><br />In Friendship,<br />Nancy<br /><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></strong> The <strong>Bellingham Meeting (WA)</strong> <em>Metamorphosis </em>says: Friends don’t let Friends over consume. Friends in need of items they may not use often are encouraged to consider borrowing the item instead of buying. Friends are encouraged to make announcements regarding their requests at the rise of Meeting.<br /> The Accessibility and Inclusiveness subcommittee of <strong>Berkeley Friends Meeting (CA)</strong> feels that it has fulfilled its charge and asks to be laid down. The group has been very affective in raising the Meeting’s awareness of physical accessibility and hearing needs, and created a sense of inclusiveness by planning Meeting retreats. It also began the Meeting’s use of wearing nametags, arranged for a listener for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender concerns, and encouraged Friends to list food ingredients for pot luck meals.<br /> <strong> Citrus Heights Friends Church (CA)</strong> surveyed Friends to help evaluate Sunday worship Experiences. Friends liked the environment of the church, the friendliness of the people, and the preaching/teaching. 47% of those at Friends Church, 0-10 years, accepted Christ at the Church. The median age at the church is 40-49 years old.<br /> For the past several summers <strong>Corvallis Meeting (OR)</strong> has gathered for Sunday potluck suppers hosted by volunteers in the homes and yards of Friends or local parks. The meager response last summer leads Friends to ask the meeting how it wishes to proceed on this for the coming summer.<br /> <strong>Davis Meeting (CA)</strong> is considering a meetinghouse expansion. The ad-hoc Meeting House Committee will hold an open meeting to discuss the repair items under consideration and the finance committee has determined a process for identifying funding sources.<br /> <strong>Fresno Meeting (CA)</strong> is considering a barn as a possible Meeting site.<br /> <strong> Glendora Friends Church (CA)</strong> has a garden outreach ministry. Most of this season’s garden has been planted in pumpkins, but about 1/5th of the garden has been divided into six plots, each to be gardened by teams of two. Friends are gardening to advance the good news of Jesus Christ in their community.<br /> <strong>Grass Valley Meeting (Nevada City, CA)</strong> approved accepting earmarked donations for the purchase of one or more landmine detectors.<br /> <strong>Honolulu Friends (HI)</strong> were asked to be conscious of other Friends who might need help because of illness or other matters and to report needs quickly to Oversight and Counsel when appropriate so that no one falls through the cracks.<br /> A Friend from <strong>Kaua’i Worship Group (HI),</strong> inspired by attendance at an FCNL Meeting in Washington, DC, organized a “Peacemakers Reunion” in honor of those she believed help demonstrate peace work on the island.<br /> <strong>Live Oak Preparative Meeting (Salinas, CA)</strong> has requested full Monthly Meeting status. Ministry and Oversight Committee of College Park Quarterly Meeting will send visitors to the Preparative Meeting.<br /> Peace and Social Concerns Committee of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> surveyed Friends; the results showed that volunteering at a local meal site for homeless people as a close 4th among 10 social concerns. Friends are now asked to become active with the project.<br /> Peace and Social Concerns Committee of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> sponsored the Meeting’s First Annual Peaceful Games night, including “The Immigration Visa Limbo Loop,” "The Open-Minded Critical Thinking Toothpick Puzzle," "The Peanut Perception Game," non-competitive “New Games,” and AVP Peace Games.<br /> On Monday mornings, women from <strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> gather at the church to read prayer requests and pray for those in the congregation who have shared their concerns. The prayer requests are then passed on to church staff and other groups who pray for them confidentially.<br /> <strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> will hold a Service on Consolation on July 12 for Friends who have lost jobs, received life-changing health news, separated from a spouse, or simply had a desert experience. Friends are invited to attend and also to invite friends who have experienced loss.<br /> <strong>Orange Grove Friends (Pasadena, CA)</strong> will participate in a “fishbowl” with their children. There will be an inner circle of children facing an outer circle of adults. The children will share their concerns about their journey and will hear from the adults.<br /> Finance Committee of <strong>Orange Grove Meeting (Pasadena, CA)</strong> prepared an analysis of financial giving for 2008, including the average contributions of both members and attenders, the percentage of giving from attenders, and the number of Friends who gave nothing. It was noted that contributions had increased since 2007 and that a small number of Friends are giving a large part of the Meeting’s support.<br /> <strong> Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> will brainstorm about clerking with Eric Moon on July 16. This session is for those new to clerking, retired clerks, aspiring clerks, and those who would like to better understand the process.<br /> The Library Committee of <strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> has removed books from the library that are duplicates, outdated, or may not be relevant to the Meeting. These books have been placed in a bookshelf in the Meeting foyer. Friends may take them home (with the option of contributing towards new books for the library) or request that a specific book be put back in the library.<br /> <strong>Sacramento Meeting (CA)</strong> held a Taste of Quaker Quest program with 40 attending from Sacramento and 12 from other Meetings and Churches. Friends learned that Quaker Quest is a way of inward searching about Quaker spirituality and also a way of sharing experiences with the outer community. The Meeting has formed a Quaker Quest interest group under the care of Worship and Ministry to explore what it would mean for the Meeting to go forward with public sessions.<br /> <strong>Salem Meeting (OR)</strong> has consulted with an architect regarding ADA access for the meeting house who recommends that the Meeting install an elevator or get out of the building.<br /> <strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> is considering setting aside one First Day each month for a teenage discussion group to be held at the same time as Meeting for Worship. A Friend has volunteered for this responsibility and will send out emails to teens associated with the Meeting inviting them to participate.<br /> <strong>Salt Lake Meeting (UT)</strong> has asked the Nominating Committee to reinstate the Finance Committee which will be charged with starting a campaign to raise specific funds for building improvements working together with Buildings and Grounds Committee.<br /> Ministry and Oversight Meeting of <strong>San Francisco Meeting (CA)</strong> came to no unity about a clerk for the committee and members will rotate responsibilities.<br /> On second Sundays at <strong>San Jose Meeting (CA)</strong> worship will flow directly into business meeting. On those days Friends are to write 2 copies of their announcements, no more than 3 sentences, and the greeter will read them at the end of business meeting.<br /> <strong>Santa Cruz Meeting (CA)</strong> wrote a letter to President Obama and Vice-President Biden, suggesting alternatives to the administration’s present course of action in Afghanistan and Pakistan.<br /> <strong>Spokane Friends Church (WA)</strong> held a vegetable gardening 101 workshop presented by a master gardener. Friends learned about watering, herbicides and fertilizers and left with plants to start their own gardens.<br /> The first Quaker Quest workshop for <strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> has been scheduled officially by Friends General Conference (FGC) for September 19, 2009. It will be an all-day workshop led by two facilitators from FGC. <br /> The Finance Committee of <strong>Tempe Meeting (AZ)</strong> realizes the Meeting will not know until year end how much the national economy has affected its members. Therefore, the committee decided to send two letters requesting donations this year. The first letter will be sent during the summer, with the follow-up letter in the fall.<br /> Because of <strong>Tempe Meeting’s (AZ)</strong> association with CORA (Council of Religious Advisors), the Meeting has been given the opportunity to conduct an Arizona State University dorm event interaction. A member of the Meeting’s Outreach Committee is organizing the four speakers, and will coordinate with Peace and Social Concerns<br /><br /> <strong>Thoughts for all:<br /></strong>Many Friends report that they are having difficulty hearing messages in Meeting. If at all possible, STAND UP and remember to speak up as well. In the “olden days” anyone with a message always stood (or knelt if it was a prayer). It would be so kind of you to help everyone. <br />(from <strong>La Jolla Meeting (CA)</strong> <em>Just Among Friends</em>)<br /><br /> <br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /></strong> The 2009 Annual Session of <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> will be held Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26 at Dickerson Friends Center in Wasilla, Alaska with the theme, “Vitality and Diversity in our Meetings.”<br /> This summer, <strong>Alaska Friends Conference</strong> is hosting a youth exchange/Spirit Camp with Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. The group of 14 teenagers from AFC and OVYM will gather at the Dickerson Friends Center in Wasilla, AK, go to Eklutna Lake for a week of camping in the wilderness, join younger friends at Nancy Lake, and return to Wasilla for AFC Annual Sessions.<br /> <strong>Christian Friends Conference of Northern California</strong> will meet Saturday, June 27th at Berkeley Friends Church. Along with silent waiting worship in the manner of Conservative Friends and silent waiting worship upon the Lord, Paul Smith will lead a discussion on the Ten Commandments.<br /> <strong>College Park Quarterly Meeting</strong> approved the following minute: “We have labored on the question of our youth and programs… We confess our own shortcomings on this issue as a Quarterly Meeting. We yearn for a vibrant, intergenerational Society of Friends. We ask Monthly Meetings to labor on this issue in advance of Pacific Yearly Meeting annual sessions. We pray for divine guidance in this matter.”<br /> <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will gather July 15-19 in Missoula, MT with John Calvi as Friend in Residence. John Calvi, a Quaker healer and teacher specializing in trauma and caregiver burnout, will speak on the theme: "Experiencing Light in Hard Times - How Do We Stay Faithful in Times of Trouble?"<br /> Helen Dart, Presiding Clerk of <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong>, wrote to Friends who might have financial difficulty in attending NPYM: “I want to suggest to Friends that accepting needed scholarship help is a service to the Yearly Meeting. Our strength and power at Annual Session flows from our members coming together, and every one of us is important. By accepting the gift of scholarship funds, we give the gift of our presence to the Annual Session.”<br /> <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold Yearly Meeting Sessions at George Fox University, Newberg, OR, Sunday July 26-Thursday July 30 with the theme, “We are Witnesses.” The Outreach Rally will take place Sunday evening, following the Men’s and Women’s Missionary Banquets. Colin Saxton will give the keynote address Monday evening and Bob Adhikary, missionary to Nepal, will speak Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.<br /> Kim Felton (from North Valley Friends Church, Newberg, OR) is being added to the <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Office staff in the newly redesigned half-time Administrative Assistant position. Bruce Butler’s position as Communications Director becomes full-time. This reorganization is partly related to the retirement of Terri Bowen who is irreplaceable. Rachelle Staley moves from an "interim" role to full-time Associate Superintendent of Youth and Young Adults.<br />The next gathering of the <strong>Pacific Northwest Quarterly Meeting</strong> will be September 25-27, 2009, at the Lazy F Ranch near Ellensburg. Port Townsend Monthly Meeting will lead the program with the theme, “Wild Earth, Wild Mind, Wild Heart.”<br /> <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet July 27-August 1, 2009 at Walker Creek Ranch, Petaluma, CA.<br /> Joe Franko, clerk of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong>, reminds Friends “that we gather in faith and hope that the Spirit will guide us to make Spirit-led decisions. The process is as it has always been. . . The Youth Proposal has been especially seasoned by Meetings and by Representative Committee . . .Remember that in our Plenaries we come together to Worship on the Occasion of Business. In worship, we assume that it is not the Friend who speaks, but the Spirit who speaks through that Friend.”<br /> Members of the Unity with Nature Committee of <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> are concerned about ways of greening their yearly gathering and urge Friends to try being at least a part-time vegetarian. They’ve worked with both the Arrangements Committee and the Walker Ranch cooks to make tasty vegetarian food more available to everyone, not confined to the kitchen. Also they plan one "simple meal," e.g. rice and beans, to be in greater solidarity with poor people everywhere.<br /><br /><strong><em>PS. Personal note:<br /></em></strong><br /> Dear FWCC Friends:<br /> Sometime in the mid-1980’s I was asked by my yearly meeting if I would like to be a representative to FWCC. I honestly didn’t know what was involved, but thought I would give it a try. Next thing I knew, I was in Greensboro, North Carolina worshipping with Friends quite different from me.<br /> I also went to Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada; Indianapolis, IN; and Des Moines, IO. I served on Executive Committee so I also had the opportunity to visit with Friends in other locations<br /> With that wonderful experience behind me, I felt called to respond in 2001 when I became aware that the Western Field Staff position was available. I started with FWCC in September 2001 and have been blessed by every moment of this work.<br /> When I first joined Friends, I was told that I was joining the Religious Society of Friends. I understood this intellectually but it took my time with FWCC for me to really “get” it. FWCC is the glue that holds the Religious Society of Friends together.<br /> At the beginning I was told that part of my work was to talk about the diversity of Friends. I have done that. And I have had wonderful times with many types of Friends. Somewhere along the way, though, I lost the diversity. Now, I don’t mean to make light our differences because they are real, but as I moved among Friends, I found them – you – to be just that, Friends.<br /> I recently participated in a worshipful time with other Friends where we shared what our ministry is today. It is clear to me that in this time of transition, my ministry is to be a faithful Friend at my monthly meeting, Bridge City Meeting. But I know that as an individual I will always be part of the wider world of Friends. I am glad that this is so.<br /> I will continue to do some work for FWCC on a very limited contract basis. I will continue to publish my Newsletter Summary on-line and for the next year, I will help with the Quaker Youth Pilgrimage. And, of course, like many Friends in the Northwest, I will volunteer to help with the planning of our FWCC Regional Gatherings.<br /><br /> In Friendship,<br /> <em>Nancy<br /></em>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1410970071874554110.post-62519325957343887982009-06-04T12:22:00.000-07:002009-06-04T12:33:46.007-07:00<strong>News from Western Quaker Newsletters<br /></strong><br /><strong>Late May, Early June, 2009<br /></strong>Dear Friends,<br /><br />Most people in the world think of summer in terms of vacation, the beach, etc. But, not us Quakers! We know that summer means Yearly Meeting. (Apologies to those Friends who hold yearly meetings at other times of the year; I’m sure you look forward to your own yearly meeting season as well.)<br />For most of the past 20 years, I have, by wearing one Quaker hat or another, attended multiple yearly meetings or the equivalent in the western part of the United States. It has been my pleasure to be with all of these wonderful Friends who have become my friends. I have learned so much and I have grown spiritually in this time.<br />In this summer of my new beginnings, I will attend my own yearly meeting, North Pacific Yearly Meeting and perhaps visit Northwest Yearly Meeting. This feels so right for now.<br /><br />I find most of the information for this Newsletter Summary in church and meeting newsletters. Many are sent to me by postal mail; others by e-mail. Until fairly recently I had a PMB – Personal Mail Box – in Vancouver, WA. I have now closed that PMB box. Mail may or may not be forwarded from that address.<br />If you are the person who sends your church or meeting Newsletter to me by postal mail, would you consider sending it to me as an e-mail attachment? If that is not possible, send me an e-mail so I can send you my new address.<br /><br />In Friendship,<br /><em>Nancy<br /></em><br /><strong>News of Friends Meetings and Churches<br /></strong><br /><strong>Meridian Friends Church (ID)</strong> is holding its Vacation Bible School with the theme, “Operation Space – A close encounter with God’s word.”<br /><strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> Friends are being asked, “Are we still a dangerous people? What might your answer say about the work of the Spirit in your heart?” Friends will meet Saturday, June 13 with facilitators Marge Abbott and Peggy Parsons to explore the spiritual qualities which once caused Quakers to be thrown in prison and legislated against as a danger to the realm.<br />The report of the Children’s Program Committee of <strong>Multnomah Meeting (Portland, OR)</strong> stated that 25 children and 25 adults participated in the program in the past year. All children who participated in the program were presented with an age-appropriate book at the end of the year.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends (OR)</strong> will have the opportunity to participate in “Listen to Christ” retreats.” On May 30 Friends will be “Experiencing God in Creation.” This will be a chance to learn, practice, and experiment with tools of listening, such as silence, journaling, confession, and meditation.<br /><strong>Newberg Friends Church (OR)</strong> is considering implementing a “voluntary gas tax” to provide funds for weatherization projects in the church building and in the homes of neighbors.<br />A Quaker Literature Group of <strong>Orange County Meeting (Santa Ana, CA)</strong> is reading Founding Faith by Stephen Waldman which is about the faith of people who founded the United States.<br />Friends at <strong>Palo Alto Meeting (CA)</strong> will participate in worship sharing on “outsiders and insiders.” Being inclusive means more than bringing many diverse people together; it is about how we experience and engage each other. Identity is a complex construction and outsiders and insiders are not always easily distinguished.<br /><strong>Redwood Forest Meeting (Santa Rosa, CA)</strong> has had Junior Membership for about 25 years, partly as a way to keep in touch with teens and college age children. The practice appears to be in name only as Pacific Yearly Meeting does not honor Junior Membership. Oversight has recommended discontinuing this practice. Friends are seasoning this request.<br /><strong>Reedwood Friends Church (Portland, OR) </strong>will hold Science Camp for children June 22-24 which will include three days of exploration as well as crafts, bible lessons and demonstrations.<br /><strong>Santa Fe Friends (NM)</strong> considered whether or not the Meeting's Care Committee should be laid down. Friends decided instead to appoint a liaison on Ministry and Oversight for care issues<br />The editor of the Newsletter for Santa Monica Meeting (CA) informs Friends of the Queries for the next month. Friends are encouraged to submit poems, quotations, or personal ministries related to the up-coming query.<br />Nominating Committee of <strong>Santa Monica Meeting (CA)</strong> is planning to act in accordance with the Pacific Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice suggestion to be bold in its thinking. Friends will be given an opportunity to try out committees that they have not served on before. Some Friends expressed some alarm at the idea of committees being “shaken up”, and discussed the idea. Friends expressed hope that Nominating Committee will be considerate of maintaining a balance between continuity and fluidity and growth.<br /><strong>South Mountain Friends (Ashland, OR)</strong> participated in a winnowing session on clerking with the queries: “What actions, skills, or qualities do you want in a clerk?” “What would you be willing to settle for?” “How can the Meeting support the growth of future clerks?” This session was then to be followed up with a workshop on clerking, a “home-grown” workshop led by two former clerks of South Mountain Meeting.<br />Jim Pike will begin ministry at <strong>South Salem Friends (OR)</strong> on July 1.<br />The Faith in Action working group of <strong>South Seattle Preparative Meeting (WA)</strong> is gathering ideas for working locally and will bring them to business meeting. The group will attempt to make a vision statement.<br /><strong>Friends Community Church, Spring Valley (CA)</strong> hosted young men from the Teen Challenge men’s facility, including the Teen Challenge Choir. In this residence young men are taught job skills, basic cooking skills and anger management during days of devotion, dedication and discovery.<br />The first Quaker Quest workshop for <strong>Tacoma Meeting (WA)</strong> has been scheduled officially by Friends General Conference (FGC) for September 19, 2009. It will be an all-day workshop led by two facilitators from FGC.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA) </strong>is seeking a coordinator for its QUEST program. UFM seeks experienced administrator, program developer, trainer for established program providing six interns with year-long positions at local social change and service organizations. This is a half-time, salaried position. Application deadline: June 15 for August start. Contact Personnel Committee: <a href="http://webmail.multnomahfriends.org/src/compose.php?send_to=UFMeeting%40gmail.com">http://webmail.multnomahfriends.org/src/compose.php?send_to=UFMeeting%40gmail.com</a> or call 360-668-9370.<br /><strong>University Meeting (Seattle, WA)</strong> recently held a potluck with the Shelter Group that uses its building. Friends were invited to “enjoy a meal and fellowship with the men and women who sleep in our worship room each night.”<br />Intergenerational summer Sunday School at <strong>First Friends, Whittier (CA)</strong> will focus on the works of Dr. Seuss.<br />When the pastor, Bill Peterson, of <strong>First Friends, Whittier, (CA)</strong> was stuck in a Denver airport and couldn’t get back to give the message for Sunday worship, his wife, Gail Benson, filled in for him, speaking on “All Will be Well.”<br />The schedule at <strong>Boulder Meeting (CO)</strong> for the time after Meeting for Worship for Business and fellowship is: First Sunday – spiritual journey; Second Sunday – Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business; Third Sunday – topical programs suggested by individuals and committees; Fourth Sunday –adult education curriculum; and Fifth Sunday – singing.<br />To help Friends get to know one another, <strong>Boise Friends Church (ID)</strong> will establish a picture board with pictures and names of people from each church household.<br />Friends from <strong>Berkeley Meeting (CA)</strong> are meeting with members of the Berkeley Ward of the Later Day Saints Church to organize a neighborhood emergency preparedness event which will take place August 15th.<br />Adam Bradbury begins July 1 at <strong>Greenleaf Friends (ID)</strong> as their full-time associate pastor.<br /><br /><strong>From many Meetings:<br /></strong><em>The following is a report from one monthly meeting but the general sense of it comes from many meetings as they work on their nominating processes.<br /></em>Nominating committee: A lot of difficulty was reported in getting people to serve: some wish to take a break from being on a committee; others did not respond at all; others agree to serve and then don't attend meetings. The Nominating Committee itself needs more members.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Beyond the Monthly Meeting/Churches<br /></strong><br />Continuing Committee of <strong>Arizona Half-Yearly Meeting</strong> has recommended that the Meeting change its format to a Fall retreat weekend at Emmanuel Pines Camp in Prescott and a spring gathering in Phoenix or Tucson for a one-day meeting for worship for business and focus meetings for particular committees.<br /><strong>Christian Friends Conference of Northern California</strong> will meet Saturday, June 27th at Berkeley Friends Church. Along with silent waiting worship in the manner of Conservative Friends and silent waiting worship upon the Lord, Paul Smith will lead a discussion on the Ten Commandments.<br /><strong>Intermountain Yearly Meeting</strong> will gather June 8-14 at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico with the theme, “Telling our Stories: Where is God in All This.” Lucy Duncan, FGC staff and storyteller, will be the guest.<br /><strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will gather July 15-19 in Missoula, MT with John Calvi as Friend in Residence. John Calvi, a Quaker healer and teacher specializing in trauma and caregiver burnout, will speak on the theme: "Experiencing Light in Hard Times - How Do We Stay Faithful in Times of Trouble?"<br />Helen Dart, Presiding Clerk of <strong>North Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong>, wrote to Friends who might have financial difficulty in attending NPYM: “I want to suggest to Friends that accepting needed scholarship help is a service to the Yearly Meeting. Our strength and power at Annual Session flows from our members coming together, and every one of us is important. By accepting the gift of scholarship funds, we give the gift of our presence to the Annual Session.”<br /><strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> will hold Yearly Meeting Sessions at George Fox University, Newberg, OR, Sunday July 26-Thursday July 30 with the theme, “We are Witnesses.” The Outreach Rally will take place Sunday evening, following the Men’s and Women’s Missionary Banquets. Colin Saxton will give the keynote address Monday evening and Bob Adhikary, missionary to Nepal, will speak Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.<br />Kim Felton (from North Valley Friends Church, Newberg, OR) is being added to the <strong>Northwest Yearly Meeting</strong> Office staff in the newly redesigned half-time Administrative Assistant position. Bruce Butler’s position as Communications Director becomes full-time. This reorganization is partly related to the retirement of Terri Bowen who is irreplaceable. Rachelle Staley moves from an "interim" role to full-time Associate Superintendent of Youth and Young Adults.<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> will meet July 27-August 1, 2009 at Walker Creek Ranch, Petaluma, CA.<br /><strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting Representative Committee</strong> considered, but did not come to unity on, a proposal to hire a Youth Coordinator as a regular employee. The issue will go back to committees and to the Annual Session of PYM. Other issues: The 2008 Annual Session incurred a significant loss. An increase in fees or change in pricing structure is being considered. PYM is having difficulty finding a site in Southern California for the 2010 and 2011 sessions.<br />Meetings in <strong>Pacific Yearly Meeting</strong> may apply for a grant from the “San Fernando Valley Meetinghouse Proceeds Trust,” for “religious or charitable purposes, such as to assist Quaker meetings in the acquisition of meeting houses." Applications and inquiries should be sent to the Pacific Yearly Meeting Holding Corporation clerk, Lanny Jay.<br />Attendance at <strong>Southern California Quarterly Meeting</strong> was higher than anticipated, which was heartening as Friends have been struggling to keep the Quarterly Meeting’s committees filled.<br />Friends at <strong>Willamette Quarterly Meeting</strong> expressed concerns about the viability of this Quarterly Meeting, given the low attendance of recent years and the lack of people willing to plan the sessions. Friends agreed to query all the Meetings and Worship Groups to get a sense of their take on the future of Willamette Quarterly Meeting.<br /><br /><strong>PS. Personal note:<br /></strong><br />I’m moving again. While it’s not my favorite thing to do, I’m almost getting good at it. And, of course, I’ve had a tremendous amount of help from Friends and relatives, including daughter Becky and Nephew Rick.<br />I’ll miss the trees and the sense of being in the country at my old apartment, but I won’t miss the freeway noise that comes with it. My new apartment is closer in to the city and on a good bus route. The most important thing is that it is about 12 blocks from my granddaughter’s house!<br /><br />In Friendship,<br /><strong>Nancy<br /></strong>Nancy McLauchlanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898638318531795836noreply@blogger.com0