Ninth Month, 2004

QUERIES for the Ninth Month: EXTENDING OUR MESSAGE

• Do you try to share in the religious life and fellowship of the whole community?
• Do you cooperate as fully as possible in its work, availing yourself of opportunities for worship and service with other local religious groups?
• Is your distinctive Quaker witness characterized by humility and a willingness to learn from others?

CALENDAR NOTES

• Forum: Karen and Jim Porter recently returned from four weeks in China. They will share their adventures, service commitment and photographs. They hope to facilitate a dialogue about the place of Missionaries in Modern China.
• Javanese dining experience: Travel to the island of Java, Indonesia Without leaving Florida... Join us for an exotic eating experience with Riz Tafel, a Javanese dish. All proceeds go towards new Meetinghouse.

  PLEASE BRING A FRIEND!

  For reservations please call Patricia 352-367-2962
• Food and Fellowship with the Mennonites. We will join the Mennonites for a potluck immediately after our Meeting for Worship. The address is 1320 West University Avenue. By 12:30 there should be parking in the parking lot and on Sunday there is on-street parking nearby.
• Quaker Study Group: Come enjoy the hospitality of the Buskirks as we join in feasting, fellowship and spiritual nourishment. After dinner, Annie McPherson will lead us in studying Ben Pink Dandelion's pamphlet Quaker Convincement.
• The Bible Seminar will conclude its 4-part study of the Minor Prophets with the writings of Zechariah.

  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.

  Thessalonians 5:16-18

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  PEACE AND SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE CALENDAR

  • 8/26- LETTER WRITING for editorial pages on issues of current concern to Quakers.
  • 9/8 - LETTER WRITING Alternate meeting places and simple potlucks
  • 9/11- STAND FOR PEACE Artist Ms. Hung will need helpers holding her 200 person artwork
  • 9/21- 6:30 PEACE POLE DEDICATION. Our Meeting will rededicate the Peace Pole at a Peace Social to be held at the meetinghouse on Tuesday, September 21 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This day was chosen since it has been declared International Day of Peace by a United Nations resolution. Karen Porter will tell us some of the history of a Day of World Peace. Eve McMaster will give a prayer. To celebrate the international character of our community, we will be inviting individuals to recite May peace prevail on earth in many different languages, and the group will respond with the prayer in English. Annie McPherson will lead us in song, and we will close the formal part of the celebration with the lighting of candles. Then we will have social time with dessert and coffee.

    Children are welcome. Those so led may choose to invite an international student, colleague or friend to their home for a quick supper before bringing them to the Peace Social and dessert.

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    May Peace Prevail on Earth. These simple words are a prayer, a vision and a powerful tool for healing ourselves and our planet. People all over the world are taking these words into their hearts, joining in a thoughtwave of light and love that is growing brighter every day.

    The prayer for world peace was the inspiration of a Japanese poet and philosopher named Masahisa Goi (1916-1980). After witnessing the terrible destruction of the Second World War, Mr. Goi searched for a way to bring people together in our common desire for peace. May Peace Prevail on Earth came to him as a universal prayer that transcends all divisions of nationality, religion, race or culture.

    There are more than 100,000 Peace Poles in 160 countries around the world. Most of them are 4-sided pillars about 7 feet high proclaiming, "May Peace Prevail on Earth," in different languages. The Peace Pole dedication ceremony brings the community together in celebration, and then the Peace Pole remains to link earth and sky in silent vigil for peace on earth, part of a great network spanning the globe.

    Contributed by Jean Larson

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  • 10/2- PEACE PICK-IN AT THE PEACE FARM 12:00 till evening $5.00 cover and great veggie food!!!!

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  Other News

  • On Thursday September 9, from 6-8 PM, a Fundraiser for The Model United Nations Programs at UF and SFCC will be held at Altrusa House, 2000 NW 36th Ave. Dinner, silent auction and entertainment. Call Gene Beardsley, our United Nations representative, for more information.
  • Demands on Gainesville Community Ministries are very high now. They particularly need canned meat, peanut butter, other canned goods and personal care items including toilet paper
  • Our Library Committee asks that we return all borrowed books unless actively reading them. The Library Committee is working toward a computerized system of accountability; we have all the components and the computer has been programmed but we still have to enter data. IN THE MEANTIME, we can help by returning promptly!
  • Our treasurer thanks all who contributed in July and August to our building fund and/or our on-going operating expenses. Thanks to our Quaker Market committee the Student Sale raised over $500 for our new Meetinghouse. Plus we were freed of some of our stuff, plus our donations bought us pretty things for ourselves. Way to go!

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  A letter

  ...We are settling down here very nicely. Thanks to Moveon we have met some great people. .... I also went to the Dallas Peace Center for a meeting on Military Counseling. It looks like there is some interest here in GI rights.

  Peace, Hillary (Timmers)

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  For everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving; for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."

  Timothy 4:4

  
  

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  Joan Andrews, editor jandrews13@cox.net
  converted to HTML by Bill Mitchell, mitchell@math.ufl.edu