Second Month, 2004

QUERIES for the Second Month: Meeting for Business

• Are meetings for Business held in the spirit of Meetings for Worship?
• In decision-making, do we promote a spirit of love and understanding, seeking the right course of action in a patient search for unity?
• Do I keep my remarks simple and speak only as my conscience leads?
• Am I able to unite in good grace with the Sense of the meeting when my personal desires lead in another direction?
• Do I maintain respect for others as persons, however strongly our opinions may differ?

Calendar

Notes

• Join us for a special evening of story telling, good food, and hospitality.
• Our Forum will feature Cathy Gaskill, renowned storyteller from Winter Park Meeting. Stories followed by discussion.
• Bible Seminar, led by Don Smith, will focus on the Book of Proverbs.
• C'mon and enjoy an intimate evening of sharing food and study. We will use a booklet by Lisa Gould,"Be Ye Perfect" on caring for creation. Booklets are on back table in the meetinghouse. See Connie Ray.
• Forum: Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord: communal singing. All welcome.

ADVICES For the Second Month: Meeting For Business

• As members, attend the business meetings, and extend your support to the Meeting's affairs, so that the burden will not rest upon a few.
• In Meeting for Business, and in all duties connected with them, seek the leadings of the light.
• Avoid undue persistence.
• Be willing to admit the possibility of being in error.
• Remember that the foundation of a lasting decision is unity in the search; a corporate seeking of the light in an atmosphere of love, trust and mutual forbearance.

  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

MEETING NEWS

• Food and Fellowship with the Mennonites: Potluck, February 15 in our meetinghouse. Welcome all.
• The Clearness Committee for those who wish to be recorded as ministers for the purpose of counseling members of the armed forces on the GI Hotline is ready to receive requests for clearness. As is the practice among Friends, those who wish to be recorded as ministers should write a letter addressed to the clerk explaining why they feel led to be recorded as ministers in this work and how they would like the Meeting's oversight as they proceed.
• How exciting to get tables for our new meetinghouse! Thanks, Jeannie Buskirk.
• As a safety measure we are going to try to reduce the congestion in the kitchen by setting out the food on the long table in the meeting room. The coffee pot will remain in its accustomed place. We hope this will reduce the possibility of burns from spilled coffee.
• Thanks, George Newkirk, for your long time service as our contact person for the Ocala Friends Meeting. We will miss you in that capacity, but trust that your on-going knee problems will finally heal and that we will see you from time to time. We hold you in the LIGHT.
• We hold Sally Gillespie in the LIGHT at this time of the anniversary of her son Jamie's death.
• Please continue to hold Mary Sue Adams in the LIGHT as she continues her convalescence at home. Don is back on his job and Pat Ulrey is caring for her.
• On Thursday, February 5, Arnold Von der Porten is scheduled for surgery on an aortic aneurysm. Please hold Arnold and Amy in the LIGHT as they face this uncertain time in their lives.

The Friends General Conference 2004 will begin on July 3rd at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. Worshipping with several hundred Quakers is always a special experience. All are invited and Quakers, as well as attendees and friends, are welcome to participate.

Many weeklong workshops are planned. Sybil Ann Brennan will be giving the "Crones: Creative Aging" workshop for women who are fifty-five and over. This workshop's main goal is to "intentionally enrich the life of older Quaker women." As the "Crones: Creative Aging" workshop states in the FGC folder "There is time for evaluating the past through 'life in view exercises' including conversations, worship sharing, art play and guided meditations. In a safe environment the following topics will be covered: health and sexuality, financial and legal concerns and death and dying."

Sybil goes on to say, "we will be dreaming and planning the future!" She will be giving this workshop for the third time having presented it in Virginia (2001) and in Illinois (2002). Each time the program is revised and refreshed and some Quakers choose to attend this workshop more than once.

Perhaps more F/friends from South East Yearly Meeting and specifically from Gainesville Monthly Meeting could plan to attend the FGC gathering in 2004. Sybil Ann Brennan