Gainesville Monthly Meeting: Eleventh Month, 2004

Eleventh Month, 2004

QUERIES for the Eleventh Month: CARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD

Do I seek to transform the world with my loving spirit?
Do I take an active interest in the social and economic conditions of my community?
Have I considered objectively the causes of discrimination and am I ready to abandon old prejudices and think anew?
Do we, as individuals and as a Meeting, do all in our power to end governmental, social, economic and educational injustices in our community, and to create equal opportunity for all?
What are we doing as individuals and as a Meeting to promote the welfare of those in need and to secure a just distribution of the world's resources?
What are we doing as individuals and as a meeting to understand and remove the causes of war and develop the conditions and institutions of peace?

Wednesday Nov 3	7:30 pm	Meeting for Healing at the Meetinghouse
Sunday Nov 7	11:00 am	Meeting for Worship on the Property
Sunday Nov 14	12:30 pm	Meeting for Worship for Business
Wednesday Nov 17	7:30 pm	Meeting for Healing at the Meetinghouse
Saturday Nov 20	5:00 pm	Quaker Market (see Meeting News)
Sunday Nov 21	12:30 pm 1:00 pm	Potluck at Rise of Meeting Quaker Earthcare Witness Committee
Sunday Nov 28	12:30 pm	Bible Study
Friday Dec 3	6:00 pm	Quaker Study Group and Potluck
Sunday Dec 12	7:00 pm	Christmas Party at Annie and David's

CALENDAR NOTES

November 7. Weather permitting, Meeting for Worship will be held at the usual time on the site of our new meetinghouse at 702 N.W. 38th Street. Bring yard chairs, drink and snacks to share. Also bring sun protection and Maybe bug spray. See Toward a New Meetinghouse for more information, and a map to help find it.
November 21. After potluck this Sunday, we will study and discuss another chapter of Simpler Living, Compassionate Life. Copies of this chapter are available on the rear table. Gavin van Horn will lead.
November 28 Bible Seminar will continue the study of what we really know about Jesus. Don Smith leading.
Friday December 3. Intimate evening of sharing spiritual and corporeal sustenance at home with the Buskirks. Our topic will be Michener Lecture by Michael Birkel : Mysticism and Activism: Learning from John Woolman.
December 12 We are invited to the home of Annie McPherson and David Cook for our annual Christmas party, 5:00 p.m. - 7: 00 p.m. at 4003 NW 16th Place (3336-7689). We will have fun, festive food, fellowship and carol singing accompanied by David at the keyboard.
Please bring a covered dish to share. A sign-up sheet is at the meetinghouse. Please come and bring the children.

The Light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:5

Quaker Market:
a SILENT AUCTION of Crafts AND SERVICES, and a POTLUCK

Let's END QUAKER MARKET 2004 with a bang! Proceeds benefit our new Meetinghouse. We need Friends and Friend's friends to help make this fun filled evening a success. Quaker market sub-committee members will be soliciting donations. For more information call or email Betty, Sheree or Patricia.

MEETING NEWS

Our new representative to Friends Committee of National Legislation for both Gainesville Meeting and Southeastern Yearly Meeting is Don Smith. Thank you, Don, for accepting these positions.
We are invited to the Thanksgiving Day Potluck at the Peace Farm in Hampton. This is a very special celebration. Please call Chris and Helen Hooley for questions. The telephone number is 352 468 3390.
The Stamp Project, which benefits Quaker organizations including the American Friends Service Committee, has had a slow start within Gainesville Monthly Meeting. We serendipitously received two significant stamp collections from friends who felt the cause was a good way to use them, and a few colorful, foreign and US stamps have found their way into the collection box. All used stamps are now welcome.
Remember that the stamps must not have the perforated edges cut off and you need not remove them from the envelope paper. Some are sold by the pound; imagine how many stamps it takes to make 16 ounces! On the bench in the Meeting is a shoebox marked "stamps" and it awaits your weekly donations! Thank you for participating in this worthwhile Quaker effort.
Sybil Ann Brennan

A Measure of Hope: On Sunday October 3, Jim and I went to a large anti-war rally and march in Portland, Oregon. (We were there for a chemistry conference.) We estimate that about 1000 people attending. Many different groups had booths including American Friends Service Committee, staffed with Quakers, most of whom are from programmed meetings. Only one of the six monthly meetings in Portland is an unprogrammed meeting. The groups represented diverse philosophies, but all were united in ending the war in Iraq. The experience gave us a measure of hope.

Laura Winefordner

Good News! The CAFTA fundraising is complete! The meeting raised $80.00 to help with the American Friends Service Committee's CAFTA Nicaragua education project. We have heard from David Bronkema (our contact for the project); he wrote a lovely note that expressed their gratitude for our meeting's contribution. David will send us a report on the project around the first of the year. The committee is very appreciative of everyone in the meeting who so generously supported this project. Thank you.

Sheree Sims, Nicaragua Subcommittee.

SEYM annual social gathering will beheld at Wekiva Springs State Park Thanksgiving weekend, with emphasis on fun and camaraderie. The theme is Mother Nature's Green Room. Come together for good food and good friends in the lovely environment of Wekiva Springs State Park, north of Orlando. For details and registration information see the SEYM website.

ADVICES FOR ELEVENTH MONTH: CARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD

Maintain in yourselves, and encourage in others, a sense of responsibility for the environment, both for the present and for future generations.
Avoid amusements that debase the emotions, are detrimental to the health or tranquility of others, or are damaging to the natural environment.
Show a loving consideration for all creatures, cherishing the beauty and wonder of all God's creation.
As parents and teachers, share this sense of reverence and stewardship.