Swarthmore Friends Meeting

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Queries on Meeting for Worship

Addressed to the Meeting:

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

• As we worship, is there a living silence 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, 2002, page 206

Draft Minutes of Swarthmore Monthly Meeting for Business,

June 13, 2010

The Meeting opened with a few moments of silent worship. Christine DeGrado, Clerk, presided. The Query on Integrity and Simplicity was read, considered and spoken to. Last week’s talk by Ellen Ross on Joshua Evans was mentioned. Evans, an 18th century Quaker minister and friend of John Woolman, not only advocated for the poor and oppressed, but led a life exemplary of integrity and simplicity. Minutes of the previous Meeting were perused and approved.

Virginia Williams Joyce reported for Nominating Committee: she distributed an updated roster of Committee personnel. All were approved. The Meeting minuted its appreciation to Virginia for her work in preparing and making available a new format characterized by clarity and ease of understanding. There was some discussion regarding the Meeting’s role with the Nursery School in that there is no longer a Nursery School Committee, the School being run by a Board. The Meeting still retains oversight of the School and a majority of the Board must be Quakers, but the Meeting’s role needs to be more clearly defined. It was suggested that the Meeting look at other Meetings which have schools under their care to see how they maintain their relationship.

Barbara BurgerLentz reported for Jumble Sale Committee: This year’s theme is Quality. More baked goods are planned and homemade soup will also be offered for sale. It is hoped that author-signed books can be obtained for silent auction. A cake-walk is being considered with the help of the Nursery School. There will be a kick-off event at Barbara’s home on July 15. The date of the Jumble Sale is October 23.

Sue Larson reported for Care and Council Committee: The Committee is in support of Anna Grant who has requested being made a full member before she goes off to college in the fall. Approved. There was considerable discussion on how to categorize the Meeting’s young people—as minors or Associate members—in that Faith and Practice and Yearly Meeting do not seem to be in agreement on this point. Also, at what age should such members be dropped if they do not request adult (full) membership. One Friend spoke strongly that every effort be made to retain our young people, that asking them to decide on full membership at 21 when many are still in college and may be undecided and without financial means, is the wrong approach. It has been the practice of the Meeting to let its young people have more time to decide and it was the consensus to reaffirm this—at least until age 25. Care and Council was asked to work on ways these youth might be held closer to the Meeting—offering a free subscription to the Friends Journal and keeping in contact through e-mail, for example.

Mary Titus gave the Secretary’s report: She will be out of the Meeting Office July 14-21. She updated the groups renting Whittier House during the summer.

Copies of the responses to the Meeting’s letters to the Governor and Representative Lentz on State-sponsored gambling were distributed and commented on.

  The Working Group on Publicity thus far consists of Lois Sellers, Andrea Knox, Shelley Costa, Sharon Gunther and Nancy Saunders .

After a short period of silent worship, the Meeting adjourned.

Submitted by Leslie Keighton, Recording Clerk

General Swarthmore Meeting Announcements

The "Thank You" Corner

Thanks to :

• Bill Maguire of the College, who quickly eliminated a fire hazard in the nursery school;

• Mimi Hall, who cleaned up Whittier kitchen;

• And all who give to the Meeting in silent and unacknowledged ways.

Directory Updates

New updates are available in the printed copy of the printed 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] 

New Look for the Printed Newsletter

We have changed the font for the printed newsletter from Garamond to Calibri, in order to save money on ink. A study has shown that three fonts save the most money by using less ink: Calibri, Century Gothic, and Times New Roman. Future newsletters and other letters from the Meeting will use one of these fonts. If you would like to receive your newsletter via e-mail, please contact the office at [email protected] and we will put you on the list. Receiving an e-newsletter saves money on ink, paper, and postage.

We Move to Whittier Room for the Summer

Epiphany

I have spent two thirds of my life as a married woman. I know how to be married, and I understand the texture and rhythms of married life. In the last years of my late husband’s life I often found myself perplexed and not a little anxious about the singleness that probably lay ahead. Just as I couldn’t imagine living happily without my kids when they went away to college, I couldn’t imagine a life of true happiness and fulfillment without a mate.  

As it turned out, it took several years to adjust to the empty nest, and now though I cherish every moment with my children, I couldn’t imagine living with them. I have found most of life’s losses to be like that; at first going on seems impossible, but then life has a way of filling in the blanks and before you know it the days are brimming with new richness. But singlehood? No way. I believe that we are deeply social beings, and that intimate partnership is one the fullest expressions of that part of our nature.  

There are many guides to navigating the single life, mostly how-to’s with a little “who needs a man, anyway?” thrown in for comic relief. They strike me as cheerful, often useful guides to managing a less than optimal situation, not explorations of an inherently valuable state.  

I have had several epiphanies in my life, mostly sudden insights that helped make sense out of ambiguity, but a couple that altered the course of things. What has distinguished the latter is the sense of being, suddenly, in a new place; of being beckoned by something outside myself; of the promise of a yet-to-believed richness, and above all, the feeling that this new place is infused with spiritual rightness. 

It has been thus with singlehood. I woke up one recent Wednesday morning, and suddenly, what I had been experiencing as “singleness” felt like Oneness. Since then I have been exploring this remarkable new space, and finding it good.

Submitted by Nancy Saunders

Thank you from the Fellowship Working Group

The Fellowship Working Group is on hiatus until the end of the summer. We wish to express our gratitude to our volunteers who provide healthy and tasty food for Fellowship Hour every Sunday. In particular, we send a word of thanks to the Cheung family, who provide a hot breakfast to the Swarthmore College students every Sunday during the school year. Their ministry is appreciated by the College Students and the Meeting.

Submitted by Ray Ripper

Volunteers Needed for Summer Fellowship Hours and Potlucks

We are looking for volunteers to set up, clean up, and provide healthy and tasty snacks and beverages for Fellowship Hour during July and August. We also need volunteers for our July potluck on July 18, and people to assist Paul and Virginia with their annual ice cream social on August 15. Sign-up sheets are available in Rushmore Room every Sunday; or you may call or email the Office if you would like to help.

Membership of Young People

There has been confusion about status categories for young people in our Meeting. Care and Counsel Committee has decided to follow the strict definitions in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Faith and Practice. From now on we are categorizing young people only as [1] Member [2] Associate member or [3] no enrollment category. These categories will be used in new pages in the Recorder’s Book, in the Meeting’s database, and in discussions with parents about their children’s membership options.

From Faith and Practice, 2007 (page 38):

“Either on their own initiative or in response to an inquiry from the Meeting, parents who are members may, at the time of their child’s birth or adoption, or later:

1. request MEMBERSHIP for their child;

2. request ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP for their child;

3. not request any enrollment for the child.

“Parents requesting MEMBERSHIP for their child should intend to raise the child as a Friend in a Meeting community…The Meeting has an obligation to ensure that as they reach adulthood they are aware that they should thoughtfully consider their own commitment to membership.”

“ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP is available only to children. It carries with it the full responsibilities and privileges of membership up to age twenty-one. Associate members, when they are led, may request full membership. The Monthly Meeting should encourage Associate members nearing the age of twenty-one to apply. If the Associate member does not take this step by the age of twenty-one, that person’s name will be dropped from membership.”

Over the years Swarthmore Friends have used various terms to categorize the status of young people (Minor member, Associate member, Youth member, etc.). From now on we are categorizing young people only as [1] Member [2] Associate member or [3] no enrollment category. The database has been designed so that people under the age of twenty-one will not receive mailings from the Meeting unless they live at a different address from their parent(s). If parents have a question about their children’s status or wish to change it, please contact Mary Titus at the Meeting Office, or leave a note in the Care and Counsel mailbox.

  Submitted by the Care and Counsel Committee, June 3, 2010

Faith and Play to Begin in the Fall

Worship and Ministry Committee will once again be presenting the Faith and Play program in October. In Faith and Play we actively listen to a Quaker story presentation. Stories are told in a meditative way, using figures and other objects to make the story come alive. Afterwards, the storyteller leads the group in "wondering" about it, asking open-ended questions that elicit each participant's thoughts and opinions. Faith and Play stories are meant to be engaging and especially meaningful for children, although many adults find them meaningful as well. Faith and Play is Quaker created, and is modeled after Godly Play, a Montessori method of learning, encouraging children to speak about their spiritual lives.

Second Annual Kabob Fest on July 15

Members are invited to join Barbara BurgerLentz and the other Jumble Sale Committee members at her home in Media on Thursday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m., to enjoy tasty kabobs and plan the upcoming Jumble Sale. Last year’s treats included Lili’s delicious dessert kabobs, which she plans to make again this year. If you wish to bring a side dish or drink, have questions, or need directions, please contact Barbara BurgerLentz.

 Supporting Your Meeting is Easier than Ever

Here's good news: You can now make an on-line contribution to Swarthmore Meeting. This makes it easier than ever to support the spiritually enriching, socially caring, and community building activities of your Meeting. The link to the contribution form is on the Meeting's home page at www.swarthmore.quaker.org. The form allows you to donate by credit card or direct debit from your checking account. Note that giving online also reduces the time required of our Treasurer and Secretary in processing the donations, enabling us to focus on providing additional services and support. Your support is important now! The Meeting received only 34% in contributions through mid-June, compared to 39% the same time last year.

  Submitted by Andrea Knox and Steve Weimar for Budget & Finance

Chester Children's Chorus Concerts, July 23 and July 24

 The Chester Children's Chorus will have 31 new third-graders this summer, all bright-eyed and eager to join the "bigger kids" in the summer concerts! The concerts will be Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24, both at 8:00 p.m. in Lang Concert Hall. Please come enjoy the singing and give the children the applause they deserve! As always, admission is free. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. In May we had to turn some late-comers away because there were no seats left, so try to get there by 7:50 p.m!

Submitted by Andrea Knox, Managing Director, Chester Children’s Chorus

Wider News from Friends

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting  (PYM) News

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

PYM Summer Residential Sessions, July 28 to August 1

Save the dates for Summer Sessions, Wednesday, July 28 – Sunday, August 1, 2010,  “We Make the Road by Walking – How Are We Called to be Prophetic in our Witness?” at DeSales University , Center Valley , PA. All Friends in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting are invited. Please do not stay away for lack of funds. Financial aid is available at the Yearly Meeting level and from our our Swarthmore Meeting.  Contact the Care and Counsel Committee of Swarthmore Meeting (via Committee mail box in the Meeting Office) to apply for grants through the Moore Price Fund.  

Preliminary Summer Sessions business agenda includes:

• EcoJustice concerns and actions

• Budget approval & Yearly Meeting vision

• Report from the Middle East from a delegation of Young Adult Friends to Israel and Palestine

• Frequency of Annual Sessions

• Faith and Practice revision report

• War tax refusal

• Quaker process

• Quarterly Meeting reports 

For more information contact Lou Ann Merkle, Sessions Coordinator at [email protected] or 215-241-7238. Visit http://www.pym.org/annualsessions 

Old Kennett Meetinghouse Celebrates 300th year!

To celebrate Old Kennett Meeting's tri-centennial, there will be a series of historical lectures centered around the Meeting's past. The events will be held the last Sundays of June, July and August following summer worship with no registration required. These events are all open to the public and will take place at Kennett Meeting, 125 West Sickle St. 

Current Sunday schedule: 

• Sunday, July 25 (1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.) - The Quakers Of Old Kennett Meeting: A Tercentenary History of a Building and Its People. Chris Densmore, the curator of the Friends Historical Library, details the history of how six Quaker Meetings spun-off of Kennett Monthly Meeting, the Quaker migration, and about controversies over how best to express the Quaker anti-slavery testimony. Join us for Worship at 11:00 a.m., followed by snacks at Noon. Free. No registration required. At Old Kennett Meeting House.

• Sunday, Aug. 29 (1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.) – Quakers and the Revolutionary War. Join author Bruce Mowday at Old Kennett Meeting House, as he speaks about the Quakers who became involved in the Revolutionary War, including the story of the "Fighting Quaker," Nathaniel Greene, and about what happened at Old Kennett Meeting and in Chadds Ford during the Brandywine Battle. This event precedes the September 11th anniversary of the Battle at Brandywine .

Twilight Meetings for Worship

Newtown Square Friends Meeting is hosting a series of twilight Meetings for Worship in natural settings.

Location: Several natural areas in Willistown and Newtown Townships , including Kirkwood Preserve

Dates: June 27, July 25, August 29, September 25 and October 24. No rain dates.

Time: Meet at Newtown Square Friends Meeting at 6:45 p.m., and then carpool to the location, none of which are more than a few miles away. Contact: John Custer, [email protected], 610 356-6669.

Spiritual Formation Program (Opening: September 2010)

A Spiritual Formation Group consists of members and attenders who make a commitment to form a nurturing spiritual community that will meet together from October to June to support each other on their spiritual journeys, to discern God's leadings, and to recognize and support their gifts and ministries. The Spiritual Formation Groups come together for two retreats -- one at the beginning of the program and one at the end.

Friends and attenders from the various Monthly Meetings throughout Philadelphia Yearly Meeting will gather for an opening retreat to begin their commitment to a year in supportive community. During this weekend we will reflect on Quaker spirituality and how we are formed inwardly by God. Regional subgroups will begin formation of their own community and will initiate planning of the year's schedule of meetings.

A concluding weekend retreat in the following spring (June 17-19, 2011) will provide a worshipful opportunity to evaluate and enlarge on the program in daily lives of Friendly ministry.

A one-day gathering will be held in the Philadelphia area on February 5, 2011 for sharing. All participants in each local group need to attend these vital retreats of community formation.

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 Summer, 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