Tenth Month, 2001

QUERIES for the Tenth Month: THE HOME

• Do you make your home a place where friendship, peace and refreshment of spirit are found?
• Do you make a place in your daily life for reflection and communion with the Divine Spirit?
• Do you give time and thought to the study of the Bible and other religious literature?
• Do you choose those recreations that will strengthen your physical, mental and spiritual life and avoid those that may prove a hindrance to yourself and others?

CALENDAR NOTES

• Stetson Kennedy will receive this year's Dr. Benjamin Spock Peacemaker of the Year Award at the Peace Education Center in Hampton, Florida. See the brochure on the bulletin board in the meetinghouse for more information.
  
  
• The Forum will discuss the proposed new section on membership for SEYM Faith and Practice. Copies are available at the meetinghouse to prepare for the forum, which will be led by Jean Larson.
  
  
• Meditation and the Seven Common Features of Spiritual Traditions at the United Church of Gainesville Fellowship Hall. See the flyer on the bulletin board for details.
  
  
• Potluck dinner followed by discussion on Quaker mysticism. All are welcome.
  
  
• The Healing Power of Meditation in the University Auditorium. See the flyer on the bulletin board for details.
  
  
• 50th Anniversary Celebration of our meeting for business. Gifts of time or money for the new meetinghouse would be welcome. This continues the tradition that made possible the purchase of our present meetinghouse.

Teach me to do your will for you are my God.
Let your good Spirit lead me on a level path.
Psalm 143: 10

MEETING NEWS

• Enjoy Thanksgiving in Wekiwa Springs State Park on November 22-25. SEYM Half Yearly Meeting is sponsoring a weekend of celebration and fellowship for all. The theme is Green Friends.
  
  
• Ministry and Oversight will provide nametags for the upcoming United Nations celebration in Gainesville, Oct 25. The presentation is titled Volunteers in International Health Care.
  
  
• Thanks Morrie Trimmer for telling us about the social activism of Quakers locally in the just-passed century. The stories of the work-camp activities were particularly entertaining and inspiring. Thanks, too, to Bob Ivey and Dick Beardsley for their contributions. All this and a good supper, too, at the Eighth Month Quaker Study Group! A full report of the discussion is in progress.
  
  
• The Memorial Meeting for Ken Leibman was held on Sept 23 at United Church of Gainesville. Gathered to share their memories were: former colleagues from the University and from Yearly Meeting; fellow musicians and members from Gainesville Meeting; and, of course, his widow, June, their children, grandchildren and extended family.
  
  

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  To Gainesville Friends Meeting:

  I would like to thank all of the dear Friends for the expressions of love and care, dishes and cards bestowed on me after Ken's death. It meant a great deal to me to know that the Meeting was there for me and was holding me in the LIGHT.

  My love to you all,
  June.

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• Nancy Atkinson, musical director at Belleview High, invites us to attend the music department's production of Godspell in November. Her son Eddie is appearing in the role of Jesus.
  
  
• Gene Beardsley reminds us that Gainesville Ministries remain in need of personal items and food for those they serve.
  
  

  Evelyn Judge wrote a note to Laura expressing her appreciation for the Meeting's efforts on behalf of the children of Iraq. She also reported the death of Gordon this past summer.
  
  

• Warning from the Friends World Committee for Consultation: A number of incidents throughout the country have been reported where a man describing himself as a known Friend asks for financial help because he has been beaten up and needs money to get home. He poses as a yearly meeting clerk or yearly meeting superintendent. He knows the system of Friends and has information about a number of meetings and yearly meetings. Consider checking with yearly meeting if you get a request from staff or a clerk for this kind of help. Please use caution in giving out names and numbers of individuals as contacts within Friends.
  
  
• Keep Space For Peace. SEYM is a member of Florida Coalition of Justice that is one of the sponsors of the International Day of Protest. Other sponsors include Amnesty Int'l, Green Party Florida, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, and Veterans for Peace (Gainesville) among others. This protest will take place at the Kennedy Space Center on October 13 from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. and will express our opposition to putting weapons and/or nuclear power into space as well as our desire to keep space for peace. In response to the recent events of Sept 11, there will be a broadening of the message to emphasize peace in general. For more information call (352) 337-9274 or E-mail mbsull@mindspring.com