Newsletter for May 2008
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links within the May Newsletter:
Queries on Integrity and Simplicity
Addressed to
the Meeting:
-
What does our
Meeting understand to be the meaning and implication of our testimonies on
simplicity and integrity?
-
How do our
Meeting's actions demonstrate this understanding?
-
As a Meeting,
what are we doing to encourage members to embody integrity and simplicity
in their everyday lives?
Addressed to
the individual:
-
How do I strive
to maintain the integrity of my inner and outer lives -- in my spiritual
journey, my work, and my family responsibilities?
-
How do I manage
my commitments so that over-commitment, worry, and stress do not diminish
my integrity?
-
Am I temperate
in all things? Am I open to counsel and advice on overindulgence and
addictive behavior, such as gambling?
-
Do I take
seriously the hazards associated with addictive and mind-altering
substances?
-
Am I careful to
speak truth as I know it and am I open to truth spoken to me?
-
Am I mindful
that judicial oaths imply a double standard of truth?
-
Do I refrain
from membership in organizations whose purposes and methods compromise our
testimonies?
From Faith and Practice of
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 2002, page 214
Draft
Minutes of
Swarthmore Monthly Meeting for Business held Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Meeting opened with a period of
silent worship. Lynne Piersol, Clerk, presided. The following Friends and
attenders recorded their presence by signing in: Lisa Heath Dainton,
Christine DeGrado, Bevier Hasbrouck, Leslie Keighton, Andrea Knox, Steven
Olshewsky, Mary Lou Parker, Lynne Piersol, Sally Shane, Johanna Sibbett,
Betsy Wray, and Paul Joyce Collins Williams (13).
The Meeting opened, after a brief
period of silent worship, with Lynne Piersol, Clerk, presiding. The Query
on Stewardship was read, considered, and spoken to: Meeting involvement in
Cooking for the Homeless over the last 18 years, and investment in
low-income housing and other socially responsible investments via our
participation in the Friends Fiduciary Fund were mentioned; as well as the
use of Whittier House by such groups as Alcoholics Anonymous. The Minutes
from Meeting for Business on March 9, 2008, were perused and approved.
Steve Olshewsky reported for Peace and
Social Concerns Committee. Because of lack of people to handle them, the
Peace Page and the Environmental Working Group are dormant. There is
also a need for a third person to help Paul Greene with the Discretionary
Fund project. The Committee wonders about guidelines for posting on the
Meeting website. Approval was given for The Nonviolent Peace Force
to use Rushmore Room and the kitchen next October 10 and 11, 2008.
The Meeting Secretary will see that it gets on the calendar. Steve
presented a revised version of the Minute of Support for the Peace Tax Fund
which appears to need new phrasing concerning action steps. The Meeting
approved this new minute which will be sent up through Chester Quarter. The
text follows: "Swarthmore Friends Meeting unites with: Baltimore Yearly
Meeting, Illinois Yearly Meeting, Intermountain Yearly Meeting, Lake Erie
Yearly Meeting, Northern Yearly Meeting, Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, Pacific
Yearly Meeting, South Central Yearly Meeting, Southeastern Yearly Meeting,
Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting and endorses the Religious Freedom Peace
Tax Fund Act (currently HR 1921), and ask both Chester Quarter and
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to similarly unite with Quakers in the USA.
The Peace Tax Fund allows conscientious objectors
(CO) to register with the Treasury so when the COs pay their taxes as
normal, the money is diverted away from military spending.
Andrea Know
reported for Budget and Finance Committee. She noted that 41% of our budget
goes to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) Covenant. How is the money
spent? Arthur Larrabee, General Secretary of PYM, is scheduled to visit
Swarthmore Meeting on September 28, 2008, to speak on this topic during a
forum.
The Budget
and Finance Committee supports a proposal that rental fees should be
examined and possible increased, and that policy needs to be written as to
the use of the Meetinghouse or Whittier House by members and attenders.
There are currently no guidelines for the use of the Meeting Secretary when
dealing with members and attenders who wish to use parts of Whittier House
for free. The College sets policy for the Meetinghouse, which it owns, and
we cannot charge rent for it. The Committee also suggests that ads be
placed periodically to promote rentals of Whittier House. The use of
advertising to promote rentals was approved by Swarthmore Meeting. As
regards the recent need for the Nursery School to pay extra for cleaning-up
after a weekend event attributed to a group using Whittier House to
celebrate the Chinese New Year, the situation has been thoroughly
investigated and no guilty party can be determined. The Committee is against
the proposal arising out of this that renting groups should be asked to make
a deposit to cover the need for additional clean-up. It is felt that this
would place a further burden on the Meeting Secretary to oversee this. The
Committee feels that over the past years, groups renting the facilities have
been responsible and cooperative and that the recent incident is an
aberration. It was decided that House and Property Committee will reimburse
the Nursery School $60 for the additional costs charged by their cleaning
service. There was considerable discussion on who should or should not pay
rent for use of Whittier House. It was stressed that College groups, such
as student groups and the Modern languages Department, use Whittier House
rent free, this being only fair in that the Meeting regularly uses the
Meeting Room. As to members and attenders of Meeting, especially those of
long standing, who wish to use Whittier House for a special private function
such as an anniversary, the general feeling was that rent should not be
asked, but a contribution encourages. Budget and Finance will bring
proposed guidelines for rentals to Meeting for Business at a later time.
Chrisitine
DeGrado reported for Nominating Committee. She brought forth two names for
approval. Friends approved the nominations of Lois Sellers for Care and
Counsel Committee and Sharon Gunther for Worship and Ministry Committee.
Mary Lou
Parker reported for Personnel Committee. She introduced, and the Meeting
welcomed, our new Secretary, Mary Titus. Paul is working with her to ease
the transition. She will begin April 15, 2008.
Lisa Heath
Dainton spoke for Nursery School Committee noting the the Committee is in
need of more Meeting members. The by-laws of the Nursery School require a
certain number of members.
Lynne Piersol
presented and Friends approved the following Minute of Appreciation:
"Swarthmore Meeting expresses its deep gratitude to Paul Joyce Collins
Williams for his dedication, effort, and enormous knowledge of Quaker
history and practice, which he has shared generously with us over the last
four and one-half years in his role as Meeting Secretary. Thank thee,
Friend Paul."
After a few
moments of silent worship, the Meeting adjourned.
Submitted by Leslie Keighton,
Recording Clerk
Effective April 15, 2008, the
Meeting Office will be closed on Mondays,
but will be open on Fridays.
Office house will remain the same --
9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Come; See the Beauteous Birds of
May
Join with Friends and attenders, old
and young, for our annual First Day School Bird Walk on Sunday, May 4,
2008. The walk starts at 7:00 a.m. (plan to arrive a little early). There
will be a hardy breakfast served at 8:00 a.m. All ages welcome to walk and
eat. Volunteers are needed to help with the Walk and preparing breakfast.
Chester
Quarterly Meeting
On Sunday,
April 27, 2008, the Chester Quarterly Meeting will be hosting "Connecting to
the Community Around Us: Witness and Service" with Jacqui Harper of
Lansdowne Meeting. The program will begin at 1:00 p.m., after their worship
with Chester Meeting. Come hear what people are doing in Chester and in
their communities! The Chester Meetinghouse is at 520 East 24th Street
(corner of 24th and Chestnut Streets), Chester, PA. Phone: (610) 874-5860.
Submitted by Chester Quarterly Meeting
Chester
Children's Chorus Concerts
Come
One, Come All -- Chester Children's Chorus concerts will be held May 9 and
May 10. The Chester Children's Chorus enthusiastically invites members of
Swarthmore Meeting to attend one of its spring concerts, Friday, May 9, or
Saturday, May 10, in Lang Music Building, Swarthmore College. Doors open at
7:30 p.m. for the 8:00 p.m. performances. Seventy-five talented children,
8- to 17-years-old will sing Renaissance madrigals, gospel, folk songs, and
Felix Mendelssohn's setting of the psalm "Lift Thine Eyes." Admission is
free and no tickets are required.
Submitted by Andrea Knox
Forum on
Deepening and
Strengthening Our Meetings (web article)
Swarthmore Meeting is exploring the
possibility of participating in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Deepening
and Strengthening Program, which is a process of visioning ways in which
our life as a Meeting community can be made richer and fuller, and we can
consider how to respond to the challenges we identify. The Worship &
Ministry and Care & Counsel Committees heard a presentation about the
program by Arlene Kelly and a member of another Meeting who has participated
in it. The Committees were inspired by what they heard and recommended to
Business Meeting that we explore the "Tasting Session" to see if Swarthmore
Friends Meeting is interested in participating.
Our potluck on May 18, 2008 will be dedicated
to the "Tasting Session." There will be facilitators of the Yearly Meeting
program leading us. The "Tasting Session" is for us to see if as a Meeting
we are, indeed, interested in going forward with the first part of the
program. The goal of the first part of the program is "Knowing Ourselves as
a Meeting." The "Tasting Session" will run from approximately 11:30 a.m. to
1:00 p.m.. There will be a separate program for the First Day School
students. They will gather in a separate area with a facilitator whose
program is designed especially for children. Childcare for younger siblings
will be provided.
We encourage all Meeting members, attenders, and
all First Day School families to be at the May 18 potluck to find out about
the Deepening and Strengthening Program. The more of us who
participate, the better sense we will have of the Meeting's interest in the
program. Then at the next Meeting for Business, we can make a truly
considered decision.
The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting offers this
program to individual Friends Meetings. The program is organized around an
in-depth questionnaire to be completed by all who are active in the life of
the Meeting. The results of the questionnaire are tabulated by the
facilitator from the Yearly Meeting. Over the course of a one-day retreat
with the entire Meeting, the facilitator will present the results of the
questionnaire. This core retreat will also include leading the Meeting
through a process of visioning ways that the Meeting life can be deepened,
addressing current needs, and setting priorities for desired changes. The
important trends and themes resulting from the questionnaire will be
threshed by the entire Meeting.
Philadelphia
Yearly Meeting Annual Fund
Please help Philadelphia
Yearly Meeting (PYM) meet its goal for the Annual Fund, which is a
significant portion of its budget and consists of contributions by
individuals. So far, our Meeting is behind in giving compared to last year
at this time. The covenants which each Meeting agrees to send to PYM are
only a portion of its budget. There are many programs that benefit
individuals and Meetings, including library services, educational
scholarships and loan aid, support for aging Friends, workshops for
teachers, and wonderful programming for middle and high school students.
Their fiscal years ends June 30th. There are envelopes in the Meeting Office
or sent your contribution to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1515 Cherry St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19102. Phonathon volunteers are also needed for May 20,
May 28, June 4, and June 12. See Lynne if interested. Many thanks.
Submitted by Lynne Piersol
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Summer
Sessions (web article)
Wednesday, July 30, through
Sunday, August 3, 2008, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will be hosting its
residential Summer Sessions at DeSales University, Center Valley ,
Pennsylvania. The theme this year is Sharing Our Journeys -- in Light,
Love, and Peace. On-line registration begins May 10, 2008. The website
is
http://www.pym.org/annualsessions. See the bulletin board in the
vestibule for more information.
Contributions
Update and Forum on PYM Budget
As of
mid-April we had received 14.6% of our yearly budgeted amount. This in
nearly twice last year's rate. Contributions often drop over the summer,
although expenses don't, so giving now is a big help. You can help save
postage by dropping your cash or checks into one of the three contribution
boxes -- two in the Meetinghouse and one by the door in the Rushmore wing of
the lobby.
A major item
in the Meeting's budget is our support of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting . On
Sunday, September 28, 2008, PYM General Secretary, Arthur Larabee, will be
with us during Forum to talk with us about how this money is used.
First Day
School News
Sunday, May 18, is the last First
Day School class for this school year. Middle-schoolers will greet and
clerk the Meeting for Worship. Bibles will be given to fourth graders and
copies of Faith and Practice will be given to the eight graders and
college seniors. John McKinstry will give the presentation talk. The
potluck following this Meeting for Worship is the annual "thank you" for the
First Day School teachers for another year of services. On Sundays, May 25
through September 7, there will be multi-age, family-style childcare during
Meeting for Worship, provided by our teens, for all children who wish to
come.
Submitted by Kit Raven
Announcing the
Meeting's Two-for-One Donation Campaign of 2008
The
Discretionary Fund Working Group invites you to participate in the Meeting's
Two-for-One donation campaign. Members and attenders in the Meeting who
donate to any of the five funds and organizations below will have their
donations matched by the Meeting's Discretionary Fund. Donations can be
made through representatives of this working group. Watch for our table
after the rise of Meeting.
American
Friends Service Committee (AFSC) The American Friends Service Committee
carries out service, development, social justice, and peace programs
throughout the world. AFSC's work is based on the Quaker belief in the
worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence
and injustice. For more information see AFSC' website
www.afsc.org
ClaySure Project The goal of
the ClaySure Water Project is to help communities create their own access to
potable water via simple, affordable and effective filter technology.
ClaySure's current project is in Limuru, Kenya. The website is
www.claysure.org
Central Asia Institute The Institute promotes and
provides community-based education and literacy programs, especially for
girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia. The effort is documented
in Greg Mortenson's book Three Cups of Tea. The website is
www.ikat.org
Downingtown Friends Meeting Fund for Westtown student
Ammar. Ammar is an Iraqi student at the Westtown School (a Quaker
school) who cannot return to Iraq. Downingtown Friends Meeting is raising
funds to support his ongoing studies at Westtown and life in America.
Chester Co-op Chester's Community Grocery Co-op was
formed in response to the community's desire to meet a crucial need that was
not being met in the city: access to quality, fresh, healthy produce and
groceries. The objective is to stimulate the development of a healthy
community by providing access to healthy nutritional food, one of the most
basic and vital needs of any community. The website is
www.chestercoop.com
Submitted by Paul Green
Newsletter
Calendar for May, 2008
Date |
|
Event |
Thursday, May 1 |
7:00 to 8:00 p.m. |
Worship and Ministry Committee in
Meeting Library |
|
7:30 to 9:00 p.m. |
Care and Counsel Committee in
Meeting Office |
Sunday, May 4 |
7:00 a.m. |
Annual All-Age First Day School Bird Walk. Breakfast for
walkers served at 8:00 a.m. |
|
9:30 a.m. |
Student Breakfast in Rushmore Room* |
|
9:30 to 10:00 a.m. |
Hymn singing in the Meetinghouse* |
|
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. |
Meeting for Worship in the
Meetinghouse* and First Day School in Whittier House* |
|
11:15 a.m. |
Fellowship in Rushmore Room |
|
11:45 a.m. |
Adult Religious Education
in Whittier Room. Steve Weimar continues our exploration of
Non-violent Communication. |
Monday, May 5 |
Meeting Office closed |
|
|
7:30 to 9:30 p.m. |
Budget and Finance Committee in
Meeting Office |
Sunday, May 11 |
9:30 to 11:00 a.m. |
Similar Sunday schedule as noted
above* |
|
11:15 a.m. |
Fellowship in Rushmore Room |
|
11:45 a.m. |
Meeting for Business in Whittier Room |
Monday, May 12 |
Meeting Office closed |
|
Tuesday, May 13 |
7:15 to 8:30 p.m. |
Peace and Social Concerns Committee in Meeting Office |
Saturday, May 17 |
9:30 a.m. |
Cooking for the Homeless in Whittier
kitchen |
|
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. |
Drop off for Jumble Sale |
Sunday, May 18 |
8:45 a.m. |
Introduction to Quakerism in Whittier Room, "Quaker
Jeopardy!" |
|
9:30 to 11:00 a.m. |
Similar Sunday schedule as noted
above. * |
|
11:15 a.m. |
Potluck brunch with special thanks
to the First Day teachers. |
|
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
Deepening & Strengthening our Meetings
Forum facilitated by Arlene Kelly in Whittier Room. |
Monday, May 19 |
Meeting Office closed |
|
|
7:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
Personnel Committee in Meeting Office |
Tuesday, May 20 |
12:00 noon |
Deadline for June Newsletter |
Thursday, May 22 |
9:30 a.m. |
Newsletter folding party in Whittier
Room |
Sunday, May 25 |
9:30 to 11:00 a.m. |
Similar Sunday schedule as noted
above* except that multi-age, family-style childcare will be held during
the summer instead of First Day School. |
|
11:15 a.m. |
Fellowship in Rushmore Room and
Seekers Session in Meeting Library |
|
11:45 a.m. |
Meeting Forum in Whittier Room |
Each weekday the Swarthmore Nursery
School has sessions, except were noted above. At opening and closing times
there is an influx of traffic around the Meetinghouse and surrounding
parking lots. The opening and closing times are:
-
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday:
8:30 to 11:30 a.m.; and 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. Nursery School and Nursery
School lunch brunch
-
Thursday and Friday: 8:30 to 11:30
a.m. Nursery School.
SWARTHMORE MONTHLY MEETING
Lynne Piersol,
Clerk of the Meeting; Leslie Keighton, Recording Clerk; Michael Malone,
Clerk of Worship and Ministry; Stephen Weimar, Treasurer; Mary Titus,
Meeting Secretary
Office hours:
Tuesday though Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
|