Twelfth Month, 2005

QUERIES for the Twelfth Month: Peace Testimony

• Do you live "in the virtue of that life and power which takes away the occasion of all wars"?
• Do you seek to take your part in the ministry of reconciliation between individuals, groups and nations?
• Do you faithfully maintain our testimony against military training and other preparation for war and against the participation in war as inconsistent with the spirit and teaching of Christ?
• Do you seek to carry out consistently this testimony for peace in all your relationships, whether in family, community, or business?

CALENDAR NOTES

• Quaker Study Group: Experience community with a potluck at the home of the Buskirks at 6:00 p.m. and then join the threshing of The Blessed Community, a draft section of the SEYM Faith and Practice.
• Friendly Lunch: December 6 (first Tuesday of the month) 11:30 at Books Inc. For further information contact Betty Odum, Gene Beardsley or Laura W.
• Winter Solstice Concert: Come early to the Thomas Center to get a seat for this annual event hosted by Veterans for Peace.
• Meeting for Worship on December 25: Meeting for worship on Christmas may be canceled. The final decision will be made at Meeting for Business on December 11. One possibility would be a small meeting in our new, unfinished, meetinghouse.

QUAKER NEWS

• From the treasurer: We now need everyone to begin paying pledges for the meetinghouse mortgage. Thanks to all those who already have been paying their pledges.
• First Day School News: The First Day School has been busy. Kieran Darko (son of Megan and Amofo, grandson of Tim Fogarty) and Christy (daughter of Jim and Karen Porter) like to come and play with us, chasing balls, and watching air hockey games. They also like to eat snacks; crackers are the best. They are happy and usually glad to play with us. Eric and Spencer Skidmore also come quite often. They also chase balls -- usually on the pool tables; they also play air hockey and entertain Christy and Kieran. We've had a few other visitors, Cecelia and Ziggy. We've also met some friends from the Hillel Center who come to the game room. My brother, Luke Hall, usually comes (he likes the air hockey and pool room atmosphere), and my mother, Karen, just sits back and watches. I think we are learning how to cooperate, take turns, share and not be too noisy. That's it for the First Day School and nursery.

  -Shelby Hall, keeper of the nursery and school.

• Stephan and Renee get married: Stephan Pharies (son of Jeannie B) and Renee LaPlante were married October 14 in Seattle, Washington in a civil ceremony. The Buskirks hosted a wedding reception in MacIntosh for the newlywed couple. Stephan will work for Google in Zurich.
• Devender and Catie get married: Devender Sellars (son of Annie McP) and Catie Braly were married November 5th in Greensboro, North Carolina. The rooftop wedding was attended by family and friends, including Max Carter, Guilford College campus minister and who offered his witness to the union. Devender and Catie, who met while attending Guilford College, will continue to live in Greensboro where Devender is, among other things, starting a freelance graphic design business. Catie is looking at attending nursing school and wants to work in the healing arts. To see a sample of their wedding invitations and other work, and read about their wedding, visit thegirlracer.com.
• Lennie and James get married: Lennie (daughter of Patricia Ulrey) and James Garnhart were married November 6 in Sarasota. They live in Melbourne.
• Larry Clayton's favorite verse: Our youngest was married in a (sort of) Catholic wedding at Meridian Park (D.C.). A liberal priest officiated, but I was asked to say a few words. I read I Corinthians 13 or something of that sort and closed as follows: My favorite verse of scripture comes from St. William Blake:

  And throughout all Eternity
  I forgive you, you forgive me.
  As our Redeemer said:
  ''This is the Wine, and this the Bread.''

  Our daughter-in-law later told me that was the only time during the ceremony that she was close to tears.
  Editor's note: the verse quoted above is from Broken Love by William Blake (1757-1827)
• Holding in the Light: We are holding Morrie Trimmer in the Light. He had hip surgery on November 16.

Christmas Party

The Christmas party will be held at the home of Eleanor and Andy Merritt 15436 South County Road 325 in Cross Creek.

Directions from the Merritts: Drive south on 441 over Paynes Prairie to a bit past the blinking light at Micanopy. Turn left (east) on County Road 346. When it ends, turn right (south) on County Road 325 for 1.5 miles. Our ''driveway'' starts at the break in the 3-board fence on your right (west). There is a wood Merritt sign. Drive in about 100 yards and take the right fork - continue on back to our house).
ALternatively, drive east on Hawthorne Road (sR 20) past the recycle center and turn right (south) on CR 325 for 6.4 miles to the driveway.

Be prepared: Please bring your own place setting, and bring a sweater, since some of us will be sitting on the screen porch. Mona Morris is coordinating the food for this annual potluck. Sign-up after meeting, give her a call or surprise her with what you contribute.

Hayrides: There will be hayrides for the kids at 4:30 pm while adults can help set up the tables and food, sip hot cider and nibble on snacks.

The dinner bell: We gather for a Quaker grace at 6:00 pm and then start enjoying dinner and fellowship.

Singing: There will be singing of Christmas carols. Jeannie B. will bring lots of noisemakers for us to use in our rendition of The 12 Days of Christmas.

Gifts for a Katrina family: At the party and at Meeting for Worship the next day, we will be collecting supplies for a Katrina family. Check with Sheree Sims for details.

Quakers in Action

• Royal Park Creek Cleanup: The morning of November 12, John Burton, David Chalmers, Jean Larson, Bill Mitchell and Betty Odum worked on removal of poison ivy from near the new meetinghouse and picked up trash in the flood zone for the Royal Park Creek. On November 19, Jean Larson and Bill Mitchell collected aerial and subterranean air potato tubers. All old, 45 pounds of trash and 74 pounds of air potatoes were collected for pickup arranged by Adopt-A-River, as part of the Up-the-Creek program.
• American Friends Service Committee in Action: The afternoon of November 12, peace makers Kathy Kamphoefner and Paul Pierce, AFSC Jerusalem Representatives, spoke in their work in Israel and Palestine at a forum held at the Unitarian Church. UF Religion professor Zohara Simmons, who worked for AFSC for 23 years, moderated the forum. Stories about Palestinians and Israelis working for peace included news about the Palestinian non-violence and the Israeli conscientious objector movements and non-violence training for Israelis and Palestinians. Members of our meeting provided refreshments before and after the presentation which drew a group of about 50 people. The Beardsleys hosted a potluck for them in the evening, ending with delightful singing of peace and justice songs. Paul's deep baritone voice was a wonderful accompaniment.
  -Gene Beardsley
• Canney van carries supplies to New Orleans: Karen and Jim Porter collected supplies on Friday, November 18, for Michael Canney to transport in a 16 foot box truck to New Orleans to help with the relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. A number of local organizations are supporting Canney's trip. Members of our meeting contributed oxygen tubing, gauze, disposable diapers and undergarments, hand sanitizer, children's coloring books, markers, paper, aspirin, cold medicine for children and adults, bandaids, sheets, toiletries and wipes. Thank you everyone for your kindness. Michael will try to meet up with some Quakers while he is there. His main mission is to work towards helping those in need with medical care at this time.
  -Karen Porter
• Sponsoring a Katrina Family: The Gainesville Monthly Meeting will be sponsoring a Katrina Family for the holidays. We are working with the Baton Rouge Meeting and will be sent a Wish List for our family as soon as it is available. We will keep you informed during announcements. The items for the family will be collected at our Christmas Party, December 10th and at our December 11th meeting.
  - Sheree Sims

• SPICE T-shirts: T-shirts designed by Dick Beardsley for the Quaker Market are ready.

Quaker Study Group

The first that enters into the place of your meeting, be not careless nor wander up and down either in body or mind, but innocently sit down in some place and turn in thy mind to the light, and wait upon God singly, as if none were present but the Lord, and here thou art strong. Then the next that come in, let them in simplicity of heart sit down and turn in to the same light, and wait in the Spirit, and so all the rest coming in the fear of the Lord sit down in pure stillness and silence of all flesh, and wait in the light. A few that are thus gathered by the arm of the Lord into the unity of the Spirit, this is a sweet and precious meeting, in which all meet with the Lord...Those who are brought to a pure, still waiting upon God in the Spirit are come nearer to the Lord than words are...though not a word be spoken to the hearing of the outward ear...In such a meeting, where the presence and power of God is felt, there will be an unwillingness to part asunder, being ready to say in yourselves, It is good to be here, and this is the end of all words and writings, to bring people to the eternal living word.