Swarthmore Friends Meeting

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Queries on Stewardship of Resources

Addressed to the Meeting:

• Does our Meeting serve social and economic justice in its uses of property and money?

• How does our Meeting engage its members in the support of the Meeting's work, its ministry and the upkeep of its property?

• How does our Meeting engage its members in the support of the Quarterly and Yearly Meetings and other Quaker organizations?

• To what extent does our Meeting rely on current members for financial support, and what role does endowment income serve? 

• Does the Meeting consider carefully the appropriate role of invested funds?

Addressed to the individual:

• Am I clear that I am the steward, not the owner, of property in my care?

• Do I simplify my needs, making choices that balance self-sufficiency (to avoid unnecessary dependence on others) and fair sharing of resources?

• Do I make choices as a consumer that support the equitable distribution of income?

• Do my employment and other activities allow for use of time in spiritual growth and in service to the Religious Society of Friends?

• Do I contribute generously within my means to the funding of the work of Friends in my Meeting, in the Yearly Meeting, and in the wider world of Friends?

from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Faith and Practice, 2002, page 213 and 214

Draft Minutes of Swarthmore Monthly Meeting for Business

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Meeting opened with a few moments of silent worship.  Christine DeGrado, Clerk, presided.  The Queries on Stewardship were read, contemplated, and spoken to.  Mention was made of efforts to recycle paper products and to use less paper.  

Minutes of the previous Meeting were perused and approved with corrections to spelling and the reassurance that grades 3,4, and 5 will not be dropped from First Day School.

Shelley Costa reported for Peace and Social Concerns Committee: The Committee plans to carry forth Julian Brelsford's message about Haiti through support of his involvement in water projects there.  Quaker environmentalist, Hollister Knowlton, will be speaking on  May 4; and a Congolese activist, Zawadi Nikuze, will be speaking on Sunday, April 25.   She will talk about reconciliation and forgiveness in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Steve Weimar reported for Budget and Finance Committee.  He confirmed that Pendle Hill no longer received PYM support through the Chase Fund.  After allocating money to the Contingency Fund, there is still quite a bit of surplus money left over of the 2009 budget. Lengthy discussion followed on how this money might be spent.  There was strong feeling both for and against restoring all or part of what was cut from last years' ,   Meeting's covenant with PYM, some citing the need of PYM and the value of its programs, while others felt the Meeting has been overly generous in its contribution over past years.  Others spoke in favor of support for Pendle Hill, The Friends Journal, Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC)  and a number of smaller local charities which the Meeting supported in the past.  Steve noted that this year's contributions are so far only about one-half what they were at this time last year, and that the Meeting's investments might not bring in what they did last year.  This expanded the discussion into a consideration of saving all or part of the surplus in view of the continued uncertainty about the overall economy.  In the end, it was decided that Budget and Finance should look at all these factors and present Monthly Meeting with their recommendations.

LaDorna Pfaff reported for Care and Counsel Committee: 1) the Lucy Saxon-Tim Ambrogi wedding will take place on April 24, 2010.  David Grove and Susan Larson will the the Committee of Oversight. 2) The Lynne Piersol-Michael Inskeep wedding will take place June 19, 2010.  The Oversight Committee from Swarthmore will be Virginia and Paul Joyce Collins Williams.  3) Our member Edith Cannon has informed the Meeting that her husband, Raymond Cannon (not a member) died at Crosslands on June 4, 2009.  He was 91-years-old.  A note of condolence has been sent.  4) Care and Counsel Committee suggests that the Memorial Committee should become the Memorial Working Group under its care.  The Meeting approved this change, and its current membership includes David Grove, Susan Larson, Nancy Saunders, Barbara Overton, Make Malone, and Mary Lou Parker.

Sharon Gunther reported on the April 10 Quaker Quest program at Whittier House.  Several others who attended commented as well.  About  twenty adults plus six or seven children came to the all-day session.  A number of those present spoke very highly of the program, especially its emphasis on encouraging the articulation of one's faith and of the Quaker Way.  There was general agreement that this, the in-reach portion of the program, was of great value, but that there was not enough interest in our Meeting at this time for going ahead with the public, or outreach, portion of Quaker Quest.  The Meeting agreed that Worship and Ministry be asked to incorporate parts of the program into its religious education sessions.

 Mary Titus gave the Secretary's report.  She will be out of the Office the week of April 19.  Susan Larson and Sue Edwards will be helping out while she is gone.  The Swarthmore Recreation Association will again be renting Whittier House in July for its preschool program.  Launfal Day Camp has gone out of business, so that summer rental will be lost.

 Other business: 1) It was agreed that signing-in for Business Meeting be dispensed with. 2) The Keith Calmes classical guitar concert will be on May 15.  Those arranging the concert, in conjunction with Keith, have decided that donations given be used to support Julian Brelsford's Haitian projects.  Volunteers are needed to provide food which will be served at the dessert reception after the concert, and to serve as hosts/greeters for the evening. 3) a draft letter to Governor Rendell and our State Representatives regarding our concern over raising revenue from gambling was presented.  One member suggested that greater emphasis be placed on the fact that the state now owns gambling operations.  This will be added to the letter.  Appreciation to Mary Manglesdorf for composing the letter was noted. 

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

  Submitted by Leslie Keighton, Recording Clerk

General Swarthmore Meeting Announcements

 Dated events are listed in chronological order after the general announcements.

The "Thank You" Corner

Thanks to :

• Susan Larson and Sue Edwards, who volunteered their time in the office while the Meeting Secretary was away;

• To all who give to the Meeting is silent and unacknowledged ways.

Directory Updates

New updates are available in the printed copy of the newsletter.  If you have a new address, phone number, or email, please notify the Office so we can keep our records up-to-date.  If you would like to receive a directory, please contact the Office, [email protected] 

Spring News at Swarthmore Friends Nursery School

Spring has sprung at the Nursery School. The children are enjoying the beautiful weather, and we are all observing the many signs of the changing seasons.  This is the time of year when we very much appreciate the lovely setting on Swarthmore's campus for nature walks and runs in the amphitheater. 

We finished our all-school unit for the year: Community.  It was rich with imaginative play as each classroom constructed their own little communities.  We discussed how all the members of the community help each other in their own special ways, and we especially paid attention to the people in our community who help us.  The unit culminated in an all-school open house with a special visit from some important community members: the Swarthmore Fire Department.  They kindly brought a fire truck for the children to explore.  The unit was definitely a success!

Each classroom now moves on to their culminating unit of the year.  The "threes" will explore the world of ladybugs, the "fours" will be talking baseball, and the "fives" will explore different mediums in an art unit.  We look forward to special events focused on these topics and will finish our year with special classroom events:  a ladybug walk on campus (dressed as ladybugs to release real ladybugs at the rose garden), a baseball game with our families, and an art show to share our masterpieces. 

Our annual spring flower sale gets underway this month.  We will be selling hanging plants grown in a local nursery in time for delivery the week before Mother's Day.  If you're interested in purchasing some flowers (proceeds go to the Nursery School Scholarship Fund), look for order forms on the facing bench this month.  Thanks!

Meeting Portrait: The Whittier Knittiers

Nancy Saunders provided information about the initial idea for the Whittier Knittier's creation: "It all started when our neighbor up in Maine gave Hil  (who was ill at the time) a wonderful prayer shawl knitted by their group at the Congregational Church in Millbridge, Maine.  I barely knew the neighbor at the time and had never been to the church.  We were both so very moved by their loving generosity.  Later I attended the church, met the women who had made the shawl, and thanked them."

Seeking an activity that was soothing, social, loving, and generous, Nancy contacted those of us in the Meeting that she knew were knitters and suggested that we meet periodically to knit prayer shawls.  The suggestion was well-received and, with Nancy providing the idea and the organization, the Prayer Shawl Crafters came to be.

A prolific group, Pray Shawl Crafters (PSC) created a bounty of beautiful prayer shawls that were not only warm and comforting but were infused with the love and healing energy of the knitters that made them.  Several members of our Meeting have received prayer shawls, as have members of their families who have had a need for them.  Prayer shawls have even been passed on to others by the initial recipient upon learning of a need.

With a number of prayer shawls in reserve, a few knitters began to bring other knitting projects to the PSC meetings, such as sweaters and socks.  Susan Larson suggested that the group participate in PYM's Friendly Crafters Afghans for Afghanistan project.  Additional kinds of handwork began to make appearances at the meetings, too, such as crochet and needlepoint.  Recognizing that their crafting repertoire was expanding, PSC changed their name to the Whittier Knittiers to be more inclusive and also because Phyllis Raymond is really good at naming things.

The Whittier Knittiers would love to have you join them.  You don't even have to know how to knit.  When Chris DeGrado expressed initial doubts about being able to learn to knit, Johanna Sibbett told her "Oh, of course you can learn.  You can teach a five-year-old to knit!" The Whittier Knittiers generally meet the second and fourth Sundays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Meetinghouse.  Prayer Shawls are always available for those who would benefit from receiving them.  Please contact Mary to request one.

    Submitted by Catherine King

Have You Ever Wanted to Work on a Farm?

Have you ever wanted to work on a farm? We're offering you an opportunity to go on a min-farm vacation without leaving your home! One of our members has donated complete building from The Knitted Farmyard and we need knitters who would be willing to created buildings, animals, the farmer and his family, and a rug-base on which the beautiful farm will be located.  The items you select to knit, we'll give you yarn and enormous appreciation! We'd like to auction off the finished Whittier Place Farmstead at the Jumble Sale.  Contact the Office, [email protected],  or a Whittier Knittier for more information.

Dated Events:

Friends Peace Teams Activist Speaks on Reconciliation from Violence in Africa, Sunday, April 25

Peace and Social Concerns invites all to hear Congolese activist Zawadi Nikuze on Sunday, April 25, at 7:00 p.m. in Whittier Room.  Some of our members and attenders may have previously met Ms. Nikuze as the spouse of David Zarembka.  Ms. Nikuze coordinates reconciliation work in the Eastern Province in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, as part of the African Great Lakes Initiative on Peace and Reconciliation, which comes under the umbrella of the Friends Peace Teams projects.  Ms. Nikuze's work includes facilitating workshops on healing from violence, rape, and the trauma of displacement.  Her fluency in French, English, Swahili, and three regional languages have been essential to her powerful work.  Come and be inspired by the far-reaching effects of Zawadi Nikuze's embodiment of the Quaker Peace Testimony.

To sample personal narratives of displaced families, 2007-2009, and their experiences with reconciliation (compiled by Zawadi Nikuze), visit the African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI) of the Friends Peace Teams  http://www.aglifpt.org/publications/peaceways/fall2009/congofall2009.htm 

    Submitted by Shelley Costa, Clerk of Peace and Social Concerns

Eileen Flanagan Speaks at Adult Religious Education Forum, Sunday, May 2

Eileen Flanagan will speak on Living a Sprit-Led Life at Swarthmore's Adult Religious Education Forum, Sunday, May 2, from 11:45 to 1:00 p.m. in Whittier Room. Discernment is a theme in Eileen's writing, including her Pendle Hill pamphlet on parenting and her new book, The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change-- and When to Let Go. To learn more about her work visit her website at www.eileenflanagan.com 

    Submitted by Sharon Gunther, Worship and Ministry Committee

Community Forum on Environment, Simplicity and Spirituality, Tuesday, May 4

Join us on Tuesday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Whittier Room for a presentation by Hollister Knowlton on the environment, simplicity, and spirituality.  Hollister is Clerk of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Earthcare Working Group, Clerk of Quaker Earthcare Witness of the Americas, and a member of the Policy Committee of Friends Committee on National Legislation.  Drawing on a deep concern for the Earth, she gave up her car and became a vegan in 1994, and is currently laboring to become a non-dairy "localvore" to shrink her ecological footprint even further.  Her presentation is open to the community at large, so Quakers and non-Quakers are welcome, and help us spread the word! Refreshments will be served.

    Submitted by Paul Green, Peace and Social Concerns Committee

Chester Children's Chorus, Friday, May 7 and May 8

A battle of the sexes featuring R&B hits from the 1960s will be the highlighted production number at the Chester Children's Chorus spring concerts, Friday, May 7, at Chester High School, and Saturday, May 8, at the Lang Concert Hall, Swarthmore College.  Both performances begin at 8:00 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. The program will also include English madrigals and the original gospel tunes that director John Alston writes for the children.

Please come hear and cheer the children! Admission is free and no tickets are required.  Please note that the Friday concert is at a new location, Chester High School, 9th and Penn Streets.

    Submitted by Andrea Knox

Alert, Alert, Alert!  -- Jumble Drop-off, Saturday, May 15

Jumble Spring DROP-OFF is coming.  Doing that Spring Cleaning? that Spring casting off of clutter? that Spring "finally, I am going to clean out that garden shed so I can use it for gardening stuff?" that Spring "the sunshine is so beautiful, wouldn't it be nice to see it shining on our closet floor" cleaning? To paraphrase: Bring us your tired linens, your poor unused books, your huddled masses of extra dishes yearning to break free into a new useful life.  The not-wretched refuse (well, not really refuse, but underused) of your teeming closets.  Send these homeless, tempest-tossed treasures to us.  We will lift our lamp (and yours) and carry it to your our basement.  SATURDAY May 15, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This year the Jumble Committee would like to really go after quality Jumble stuff (you can bring the rest, too!) So, find out if your neighbors need to clean out their attics or if they are moving, or if parents' are moving in.  All of these can be good reasons for dropping off at Jumble DROP-OFF.  That said, we cannot, unfortunately take: TVs, monitors, mugs, computers, records, stuffed animals, games, puzzles, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, car seats, strollers, cribs, textbooks or encyclopedias.

    Submitted by Barbara BurgerLentz, Clerk of Jumble Committee

Keith Calmes Guitar Recital, Saturday, May 15, Will Benefit Haiti

Guitarist Keith Calmes will give a recital to benefit Haiti relief in Whittier Room on Saturday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. Keith has offered this recital of classical , country, jazz, and pop music as a gift to the Meeting.  Keith's student, Dean Maola, of Providence Meeting will also perform.  Donations collected after the performance will be distributed to Haiti Partners and Heads Together Haiti.  Julian Brelsford, who spoke to us April 9, about his work in Haiti, will handle the distribution.

Keith Calmes is a graduate of the Julliard School of Music and has performed at venues as varied as Carnegie Hall and the Philly Fringe Festival.  He teaches guitar at Wall High School and Ocean County College in New Jersey.  Dan Maola, a sixth grader at Strath Haven Middle School, has studied with Keith for five years.

A dessert reception with an opportunity to chat with Keith and Dean will follow the performance.  Chris DeGrado is accepting offers of help with the reception.

From the "Care and Counsel Corner"

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Offers Grants to Elderly, Due Saturday, May 15

The Greenleaf Fund provides grants and loans to elderly Quakers, and those in sympathy with Quakers, who are of modest means and in need of assistance to meet their housing needs or ongoing medical, maintenance, and living costs. Applicants must be 62 years of age or older. Awards are made as grants or no-interest loans. Loans are awarded in cases where applicant has significant assets.

To apply, complete the 1) Greenleaf Application Form and 2) Financial Form Statement, and deliver both by May 15 or November 15 to: Clerk of the Greenleaf Fund Granting Group , c/o Carol Walz, PYM Grants Coordinator , 1515 Cherry Street , Philadelphia , PA 19102

• The forms are available online The link to the Application form: http://www.pym.org/pm/images/uploads-pdf/2009-09-pym-greenleaf-form.pdf; 

• There are two financial form statements depending on the amount requested. If it is over $1,000 use the following form: http://www.pym.org/pm/images/uploads-pdf/2009-09-pym-greenleaf-financial-large.pdf.  

• If the request is under $1,000 use the following form: http://www.pym.org/pm/images/uploads-pdf/2009-09-pym-greenleaf-financial-small.pdf

Receipt of your completed forms is acknowledged promptly in writing or by email. All personal and financial information supplied by you is treated as confidential. A representative of the Granting Group may contact you or the Care Committee of your Monthly Meeting, if necessary.

In addition, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has assistance with emergency needs that may be available at other times of the year. PYM members with immediate needs should contact Care and Aging Coordinator George Schaefer at (215) 241-7068 or [email protected].

 Submitted by the Care and Counsel Committee

First Day School  Potluck, Sunday, May 16

The May Potluck Brunch on May 16, will have a barbeque theme. First Day School Committee, which is hosting the bunch, will be cooking hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken outside.  Friends are asked to bring related side dishes and accompaniments. 

Also, on Sunday, May 23, the last day of First Day School until the fall, we will present Faith and Practice books to graduating seniors during Meeting for Worship.

Wider News from Friends

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting  (PYM) News

 For a complete list of activities go to www.pym.org  

ArtsOnCherry Exhibit and Sale, Opening Thursday, April 29

Opening Reception: Thursday, April 29, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Friends Center http://www.friendscentercorp.org/about/history.php?Section=About 

Between March and September, 2010, our Yearly Meeting will have an exhibition of art works from Friends, including our member Lois Sellers, at the Friends Center at 1515 Cherry Street, Philadelphia.  Some items in the exhibit will be for sale.

Reclaiming the Lost Priority: Quaker Religious Experience in Our Monthly Meetings, Saturday, May 1

Saturday, May 1, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Middletown Friends Meeting in Lima, Pennsylvania http://www.pym.org/pym_mms/middletownpa_cdq.php 

We recognize an urgent need for spiritual renewal in the Religious Society of Friends.  Our future depends on our willingness to open our lives and our Meetings to this call of renewal. Middletown Meeting brought this concern to the residential sessions of PYM last summer.  Our workshop was well-attended and Friends expressed a real interest in continuing the dialogue.  We are pleased to announce a one-day workshop at Middletown Meeting which is planned as an opportunity to continue to explore this concern. 

• How can we deepen our experience of God and Christ in our Meetings?

• How can this deepen our care for one another and our commitment to positive change in our world?

The featured speaker will be Christopher Stern, Recorded Minister at Middletown Meeting.  Chris will speak on how the spiritual experiences of early Friends are still relevant today, offering a way to transform our lives.  Large and small group discussions will follow with an emphasis on creating a dialog among ourselves on how our individual spiritual experience can be enriched in the community of our Meetings. Childcare and light lunch provided.  A small donation to offset event experiences will be requested. Reply via email to [email protected] to register.  Please pre-register so that we know you are coming and can plan for food and childcare.

Friends Historical Association Spring Outing, Sunday, May 2

• Sunday, May 2, 2010

• Exeter Friends Meeting, 191 Meetinghouse Rd., Douglassville, Pennsylvania http://exeter-mm.pym.org/ 

• The featured speaker for this event will be Seth Hinshaw, Architectural Historian 

The Friends Historical Association (FHA) is an association devoted to the study, preservation, and publication of material relating to the history of the Religious Society of Friends.  Founded in Philadelphia in 1873, FHA has become an organization that is international in membership and interests and which anyone, Friend or not, is invited to join.  The Annual Meeting in the Fall and an historical pilgrimage in the Spring to an area associated with the history of Quakerism are important activities of the Association.  Questions? [email protected] 

Eco-Justice Witness, Saturday, May 15

• Saturday, May 15, 2010

• Burlington Meetinghouse, the Yearly Meeting' Conference Center http://www.pym.org/burlingtonconference 

Explore a broad vision of eco-justice as central to all our Testimonies. Join hands to link local witness efforts within PYM and beyond. Discern together priority projects for the next 6-12 months. Establish a framework for implementing these projects.  

Coming from a distance? We'll help you find a Friendly host for Saturday night.  Child care provided. For details, contact Margaret Mansfield, project leader, PYM Friends Committee on National Legislation Network http://www.pym.org/pym_wgs/pymfcnl.php 

Young Adult Friends Workshop, Saturday, June 12

• Saturday, June 12, 2010, 2:30 p.m. 

• Arch Street Meetinghouse http://www.archstreetfriends.org/ 

• Speaker:  Ernie Buscemi of Morningside Friends Meeting in New York Yearly Meeting, will speak on Corporate Discernment

This third (of a series of three) workshops will hold a lecture (open to all Friends) at 2:30 p.m. and then a workshop on the same topic for Young Adult Friends (ages 18-35) at 4:30 p.m. Come for Interim Meeting and stay for the lectures! Contact: Sadie Forsythe, Young Adult Friends Coordinator, [email protected] and check our the Young Adult Friends website: www.pym.org/education/yaf 

New Website for Aging Resources: New York and Philadelphia Yearly Meetings Collaborate in Quaker Aging Resources Project

To assist Friends, Meetings, and caregivers in navigating the journey of aging, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and New York Yearly Meeting initiated a collaborative project, Quaker Aging Resources, in 2009. This project is funded by grants from the Thomas Scattergood Foundation and Friends Foundation for the Aging.  Staff members from both Yearly Meetings are researching, gathering, reviewing, and creating resource materials to help Friends support one another through life's changes.  The website reflects Friend's Testimonies: 

• Integrity -- through authenticity in images and word, and discernment grounded in values;

• Community building -- through support, education, dialogue, and sharing;

• Simplicity -- through accessibility, and resources to help one make choices that promote simplicity in later life;

• Peace -- through careful preservation of resources that promote internal peace and are consistent with Friends' approaches to care and aging;

• Equality -- upholding that of God in each person by respecting and preserving diversity and conscientious sensitivity to the varying needs of individuals in our community;

• Stewardship -- links and information for sound financial decision-making, and resources that consider impact on the environment, such as new ideas for creating intentional communities and environmentally-sound burial practices.

The new website, programs, and print materials will address age-related and other challenges that may require renewed perspective, and also offer opportunities for spiritual growth.  We intend for these resources to support people growing into later adulthood; in particular people who have physical, emotional, or other challenges; caregivers, families and Friends Meetings, in a way that is both practical and inspirational, and presented through the lens of Quakerism.

The resources address these essential areas of need: 

• Emotional Care

• Physical Health

• Meaningful Retirement

• Financial Matters

• Housing and Aging in Place

• Death and Dying

• Spirituality and Aging

Our website is expected to launch in mid-May, 2010, and will continue to evolve.  Over the next year, PYM Care and Aging Staff will be visiting each Quarter and some of the larger Monthly Meetings to share these resources and offer information and guided inquiry on specific topics.  We hope you will visit us soon at www.quakeragingresources.org and offer your feedback, ideas, and questions. Note:  username and password will be needed to access website.

Contact: George Schaefer, Care and Aging Coordinator, [email protected] and Tricia Coscia, Aging Resource Coordinator, [email protected] 

Upcoming Quakerism Programs at Pendle Hill

For a complete list of programs and registration information visit www.pendlehill.org or call (800) 742-3150, extension #3.  Matching scholarships are available.

Newsletter Calendar for May, 2010

SWARTHMORE MONTHLY MEETING

Christine DeGrado, Clerk of Meeting; Leslie Keighton, Recording Clerk;  Stephen Weimar, Treasurer; Lynne Piersol, Clerk of Worship and Ministry Committee; Mary Titus, Meeting Secretary

Office hours: Tuesday though Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Telephone: (610) 328-8699; email: [email protected], website: http://swarthmore.quaker.org