| Sunday Nov 6 | 1:30 pm | Ministry & Nurture committee Meeting |
| Saturday Nov 12 | 9:30 am | Workday at the lot |
| Sunday Nov 13 | 9:15 am 12:45 pm |
School Committee. at Marilyn Hall's Meeting for Worship for Business at Betty Odum's |
| Sunday Nov 20 | 1:15 pm | Earthcare Witness at Books, Inc, 505 NW 13th St |
| Sunday Nov 27 | 11:00am | Meeting for Worship at Betty Odum's |
| Sunday Nov 27 | 12:45 pm | Bible Study at Books Inc, 505 NW 13th St. |
| Friday Dec 2 | 6:00 pm | Quaker Study Group and Potluck |
| Sunday Dec 4 | 9:30 am | Peace and Social Concerns; place TBA |
| Saturday Dec 10 | 4:30 pm | Christmas Party at Eleanor Merritt's |
Baton Rouge and New Orleans Meetings recognize the scope of the distress created by Hurricane Katrina. Planning to address this, we have established a relief account for members, regular attendees and/or long-term sojourners from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama Quaker Meetings.
We have a clearness committee formed to review the written requests and disburse the funds. Monetary donations should be sent to Baton Rouge Friends Meeting, care of Patricia Martinez, treasurer. When all needs of qualified applicants have been met, any remaining funds will be donated to AFSC Crisis Fund for Hurricane Katrina assistance. Checks should be made payable to Baton Rouge Friends Meeting and mailed to the following post office box:
Baton Rouge Friends Meeting.
PO Box 77633
Baton Rouge LA, 70879
Gainesville Monthly Meeting minutes appreciation to the Quaker Market Committee for the outstanding contribution they are making to the financial well-being as well as to the morale of Friends while we are waiting to have our new meetinghouse. Thanks to all who have participated but particularly to the committee: Sheree Sims, clerk, Patricia Ulrey, Betty Odum, and Cheryl Demmers. The Quaker Market Com. extends an invitation for friends to join the committee. If interested see any of above.
Minute on Marriage
At its Meeting for Business on October 9, 2005, Gainesville Monthly meeting passed the following minute in support of its testimony on equality:
Gainesville Monthly Meeting supports loving and committed relationships independent of the sexual orientation of the individuals involved. Friends' process for the Ceremony of Commitment/Marriage is open to all members and regular attenders.
According to Quaker tradition, a couple is married by God rather than by the state; however the Ceremony of Commitment/Marriage is a legal marriage if the licensing requirements of Florida Statute Title XLII, Chapter 741 have been met.
To learn more about the Ceremony of Commitment, see the Southeastern Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice or speak with a member of the Ministry and Nurture Committee of Gainesville Friends Meeting.
Friendly Lunch at Books, Inc at 11:30 on the first Tuesday of the month. For further information contact Betty Odum, Gene Beardsley or Laura Winefordner.
Our Loving Congratulations, Walter and Mona Morris. The Morris's are on their way back here after an extended trip from Fl to Maine and back visiting friends and family. To their great surprise, but not to ours, while in West Virginia a giant party was held in honor of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
A Wedding Tale. Gwendolyn Atkinson, daughter of member
Nancy Atkinson of Southfield married Allan Green on Saturday,
October 1 in Mount Dora. Her brother, Eddie, officiated, having
received ordination in the Universalist Life Church on line for
$49. 99. The couple said their own vows in a beautiful setting on
Lake Dora. Eddie, who is 21, a student at FSU and engaged to be
married soon, asked those assembled to "bow their heads for a
Quaker prayer." That baffled many folks, who kept expecting
something "to happen." Nancy has recuperated, but says she feels as
if she lost 100 pounds. She did have some help with the wedding
from "girl friends" that, in the middle of the following week, took
her out for drinks and dinner to relax and let out all the tension.
(By the way, there was a notary present so the marriage is legal.
The wedding was attended by all of the Flannerys, members of
Clearwater and St Petersburg Meetings, and Becky Ray.
Reported by Connie Ray
Please continue to hold Morrie Trimmer in the Light. He just about completely healed from his previous surgery. In November he will have a knee replacement and hopes to be back to Meeting by December. In the meantime, he is home bound as he can barely get in and out of cars because of the knee.
On October 26, AFSC sponsored "Not one more Death, Not one More Dollar" events in response to the 2,000th reported US Military death . In Gainesville Friends and Friends of Friends gathered at University Ave and 13the St and then marched four blocks north a to a parking lot. Folks lit candles while the names of the 2000 fallen American military men and women were read.
AFSC Peace Representatives, Kathy and Paul, are coming form Jerusalem to speak on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict on Saturday, Nov 12 from 2-4 pm at the Unitarian Fellowship.
Minute on affiliation with FUM
At our Meeting for Worship for Business, in regards to maintaining unity with Friends United Meeting, we approved this statement:
Gainesville Monthly Meeting desires to unite with Friends everywhere in seeking the light in responding to That of God in everyone, in the peaceful resolution of conflict, in working to maintain love and unity among us, and in bearing witness to the Truth as it is revealed to us. In spite of disagreeing with the policy of hiring only persons who are celibate or married (one man, one woman), it is the sense of the meeting that maintaining the affiliation with FUM is best for all Friends. We wish to Be Willing Vessels of God's overflowing love for All of Us and Let that Love Build the Bridge Across all that Divides Us. (Phoebe Anderson)
Pride Event Day.
A small, but cheerful and hardy group of Quakers represented our meeting in the Pride Event Day activities at the invitation of the Gainesville Pride Organization. The day was perfect: sunny, with cool breezes offsetting the heat of the afternoon. Marilyn Hall and Connie Ray marched in the second position in the parade where we were assigned, right in front of the Grand Marshall. Dick Beardsley also marched in the parade. We were interviewed, photographed, videotaped and applauded. Connie was dressed up as George Fox, which probably accounts for some of the attention we received. At the downtown plaza we had a table watched over by Laura Winefordner and Gene Beardsley as well as those who were in the parade. Several folks stopped by and took an interest in our materials. Altogether it was an exhilarating, fun day, if somewhat tiring. Thanks to all who participated. Connie Ray
In the First Day School there is a new nursery. The caretaker of the nursery is myself, Shelby Hall (with help from my mother, Karen Kilgore). We will be at Meeting every First Day in November except the Sunday after Thanksgiving. So, if you would like to bring your children or grandchildren, we would be glad to take care of them. We've been spending a lot of time in the room with the pool tables and air hockey, taking walks, and reading books. I am doing this for community service for my school, so it would be great if you come to see me or my mother after Meeting to sign a slip saying that I took care of your children. Thanks so much!
Shelby Hall
(In trying to integrate our concern for the environment with Friend's longstanding testimonies for simplicity, peace and equality, the Earthcare Witness Group would like to invite all members and attenders to send their own experiences of ways they have found to leave less of a footprint on the earth. Send to Editor : jandrews13@cox.net.)
To save gas I go the least amount of miles possible. When I'm on the long stretch of State Road 121 I set my cruise control at 55 mph (which is suppose to be the best for gas efficiency). At lights and stop signs I do not make fast accelerations. Also, if a stop at a place that has a drive-thru window I never use the window as it burns more gas then if you park and turn off your engine and go in.
I also want to pass on a tip Karen Arrington gave me that is so exciting and hopefully starts a trend with many eating and beverage establishments and that is: Coffee Culture on NW 13th north of Gainesville High School (where they cut down that beautiful old Oak tree to make way for a Dairy Queen which went out of business shortly thereafter) and the one across from Hunters Crossing, which is attached to the Chevron Station, will fill up your 12-oz, 16-oz or 20-oz coffee mug/cup and give you 50 cents off their price. Each one of their cups, no matter what size, costs them 50 cents. That is what I call a win-win situation. Arlene Epperson
The human community and the natural world will go into the future as a single, sacred community or we will both perish in the desert. - - - Thomas Berry