Swarthmore Friends Meeting

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Newsletter for June, 2008

Queries on Meeting for Worship

Addressed to the Meeting:

• Are our Meetings for Worship held in still, expectant waiting upon God?

• Is there a living silence as we worship in which we are drawn together by the power of God in our midst?

• Is the spirit of our worship together one that nurtures all worshipers?

• How does our Meeting respond when the vocal ministry seems inappropriate, or when the Meeting for Worship is consistently not gathered?

Addressed to the individual:

• Do I faithfully attend Meeting with heart and mind prepared for worship, clear of any predetermination to speak or not to speak, and expecting that worship will be a source of strength and guidance?

• Does worship deepen my relationship with God, increase my faithfulness, and refresh and renew my daily life, both inwardly and in my relationship with others??

• Have I experienced in worship that direct leading to listen or to speak, and have I been faithful to my own experience?

from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Faith and Practice , 1997, page 206

Draft Minutes of Swarthmore Monthly Meeting for Business held Sunday, May, 11, 2008

The Meeting opened after a few moments of silent worship, with Lynne Piersol, Clerk, presiding.  The Queries on Integrity and simplicity were read, considered, and spoken to. Concern was expressed that sometimes one may become too involved, too busy, too much of this world.  Recent sessions with Steve Weimar on how we live and what we say were noted as being very helpful. The Minutes from Meeting for Business on April 20, 2008, were perused and approved with slight clarification as to wording.

Business carried forward from a previous Meeting for Business:  Regarding our Minute on the use of Pennsylvania National Guard troops in Iraq which was approved November 11, 2007, with wording indicating it should "be sent to the Governor and Quarterly Meeting.  It is currently on the agenda for the July Meeting of Chester Quarter.  The Co-Clerks of the Quarter request clarification on what action Quarterly Meeting should take.  The following was approved as an addition to the "National Guard Minute" ("As Quakers we are opposed to war and wish to see Military Action in Iraq end with all possible speed.  To that end we are requesting withdrawal of Pennsylvania' National Guard troops from Iraq with all possible speed consistent with reasonable safety of affected troops and the Iraqi populace and without redeployment for military purposes outside of the United States of America." Approved November 11, 2007.)

1. We ask that Chester Quarter approve this Minute and send a letter to Governor Rendell reflecting the Minute.

2. We further ask that Chester Quarter forward this Minute to Interim Meeting for PYM approval and the sending of a letter to Governor Rendell on behalf of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting reflecting the Minute.

In April Swarthmore Meeting approved a new Minute on the peace Tax Fund in response to a request from the Peace and Social Concerns Committee which understood the Quarter to request more specific wording regarding actions to be taken before the Minute could be sent to Interim Meeting.  In the meantime, Interim Meeting has accepted the old Minute and placed it on their agenda for May 22.  It was decided that this old Minute should stand to be acted upon and the Minute approved in April, 2008, will be revisited in June after Interim Meeting meets, and used if needed.

All of this led to a lengthy discussion of the process by which minutes sent up by Monthly Meetings are considered by Yearly Meeting.  Serious concerns were expressed by two present that such minutes are not fairly considered and that a top-down approach has been the process used by Yearly Meeting.  They say that a number of minutes introduced by Peace and Social Concerns Committees of other Meetings and approved to be sent up never make it to Yearly Meeting, or else are ignored at that level.  There needs to be a review of the whole process. A spirited discussion of this matter occurred, including questioning of our own processes, which necessitated several periods of silent worshipful reflection.

Steve Weimar reported for the Budget and Finance Committee: Sue Wharton, our Payroll Treasurer, has resigned.  Budget and Finance Committee has chosen Gladys Snivley, a CPA here in Swarthmore to replace her.  The Committee is working to clarify a policy regarding payment for use of Whittier House by Meeting members.  Generally speaking, if it a a Meeting function, the Meeting absorbs the cost; otherwise, a contribution is requested.  Steve noted that a large number of our members do not contribute financially to the Meeting and the Committee feels there should be some outreach to these members as to how they view their relationship with the Meeting.

Naming Committee:  The Meeting approved the recommendations of Jon Van Til and Catherine King to serve as a Naming Committee for the purpose of recommending two to three new members for Nominating Committee.

Announcements: The Clerk made copies of PYM Budget information available to those interested. 

After a few moments of silent worship, the Meeting was adjourned.

Submitted by Leslie Keighton, Recording Clerk

From Care and Counsel Committee

• Are you thinking of joining Swarthmore Meeting but don't know how to begin?

• Do you know of someone who could use a visit of a phone call?

• Is there something weighing on your mind that a conversation with a friend would ease?

The Care and Counsel Committee is a group of Friends who can support you during difficult times, or answer your questions -- even when you are not sure exactly what the question is.Write to [email protected] -- the Meeting Secretary will direct you.

    Submitted by Lois Sellers

Contributions Update

As you may remember, last year we approached the end of the year running a big deficit.  For a while it looked as though we would be doing better this year: as of mid-April we had received 14.6% of our yearly budgeted amount; but right now we have slowed down and are headed for the same budget problems.  Let's celebrate and support all of the wonderful work and community of our Meeting, early and often!

    Submitted by Steve Weimar, Treasurer

A Request from the Worship and Ministry Committee

        The Worship and Ministry Committee wants to support the spiritual health of the Meeting for Worship.  For this reason, we suggest that if anyone has a concern about the spoken ministry of any individual that they bring that concern to a member of the Committee.  We believe that damage can be done to the health of the Meeting and the spiritual well-being of individuals by direct criticism, however well-intended.  We welcome your concerns so that we can be informed and take considered action to support the Meeting.

Following are the current members of the Committee: Mike Malone, Clerk; Chris DeGrado, Assistant Clerk, Nancy Saunders; Pat Thomas; George Alexander; Sue Edwards; Jim Saxon; Bill Wilson; Margaret Fraser; Nancy Webster; Virginia Collins Williams Joyce.

Adult Forum on June 15

            The Peace and Social Concerns Committee is honored to sponsor a talk by Ammar, an Iraqi student, on Sunday, June 15, at 11:45 a.m. in Whittier Room.  Ammar will speak about life in Baghdad and the mortal danger faced by Iraqis with links to the West, including high school students like himself who have studied abroad.  Ammar has spend the 2007-2008 school year at a public high school (Owen J. Roberts) while living with a Westtown alumni family.  He has been accepted to Westtown for 2008-2009, his senior year, yet he needs financial support to enable him to continue his education here.  Please note that this cause is one of the Two-for-One matching targets of the Discretionary Fund Working Group.  The Discretionary Fund deadline is June 15, the same day as Ammar's visit.

Ammar's 11:45 a.m. presentation will be for adults, but he has also tailored talks about life in Iraq for children.  On June 15 we will also facilitate briefer presentations for one or more groups of children during Meeting for Worship, but we will need an idea of how many children would attend, and what ages they would be.  If you would like to have your child attend, please contact the Meeting Office, [email protected]

News about Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Summer Sessions (web article)

            From Wednesday, July 30, through Sunday, August 3, 2008, we will come together as a Yearly Meeting at DeSales University near Allentown, Pennsylvania.  The theme is Sharing Our Journeys -- in Light, Love, and Peace.  

In Plenary Meeting for Business, we will explore the Governance Report from Interim Meeting, the future of the Arch Street Meeting House, our testimonies, and the budget.  We'll have information about the 2009 Gathering on Peace and Epistles from the Standing Committees, and we'll experiment with a process for discerning the Yearly Meeting's priorities.  We will continue delving into our understanding of the Peace Testimony while keeping lots of time for worship, for responses, and for moving with the Spirit.

And we will enjoy ourselves, of course!  There will be workshops and good food and inspiring stories and speakers and music and fresh air and several generations living in loving community.

In addition to the Adult Sessions, there will be Children's Sessions (co-coordinated by our own Elizabeth Piersol Schmidt, who is looking for volunteers) and programming for Middle School, High School, and Young Adult Friends.

For updates and details on the schedule for Yearly Meeting Sessions, please see our ever-evolving website: http://www.pym.org/annualsessions.  On-line registration begins May 10, and the deadline is July 1, 2008. 

We Move to Whittier Room on June 15

        Friends are reminded that, beginning on Sunday, June 15,we will hold Meeting for Worship in Whittier Room instead of the Meetinghouse. We will need volunteers for the coffee hour after the rise of Meeting, and for our July and August potluck brunches.  There will be a clipboard at every Meeting for Worship for people to sign up.

Volunteers Needed in the Meeting Office in July

The Personnel Committee is looking for one or more volunteers to work in the Meeting Office during July, when Mary is out of town.  If you are free on July 16,17,18,22,or 23 for a few hours, please call the Office at 610-328-8699 and let Mary know.  Duties would involve answering the phone, answering the email, and opening the mail.  It's fun and will be greatly appreciated.  Come and be Meeting Secretary for a week!

Peace Fair at Birmingham Friends Meeting

The Peace Fair at Birmingham Friends Meeting will be held Saturday, June 14, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine.  The theme is Fly the Flags of Peace, Help Heal the World. Children and their parents will be making Peace Flags.  There will be food, games for children, music, history guides, an attic treasure sale, and a native plant sale in the Peace Garden.  Although there will be no admission charge, money raised will help purchase a Land Mine Detector.  This will be given to the UN Task Force that clears land mines from former battlefields.  Birmingham Meeting is at 1245 Birmingham Road, West Chester, Pennsylvania, one-half mile south of Route 926.

    Submitted by Clarkson Palmer

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. The deadline for Discretionary Fund Two-for-One contributions is Sunday, June 15, 2008.

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 June, 2008

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.