QUAKER MEETINGS NEED BOTH
At a recent Year of Discernment Steering Committee meeting we found ourselves once again revisiting, what one of us called, the core functions of the UFM community. Worship is the center. Add to this the work that keeps the Meeting going, such as the Building and Grounds or Oversight committee work. Then fold in the outward expression of our faith, both individual and corporate, such as standing vigil, maintaining our library or sponsoring the SHARE/ WHEEL GROUP.
The unification of these activities is the core. For these to be done well, we need radicals who are led to action and invite us into a discernment process. For there to be a Meeting to respond to the radical's call, we need folks tending the structure, relying on the Quakers' radical method of discernment. It works because all of this is grounded in worship and faith.
Please, come join the conversation, the fun and the worship on October 24 at the Meeting House.
The day begins at 9:00 with tea, coffee, juice, tasty treats and conversation. At 9:30 there will be an opening circle for all attenders followed by small group exercises. We will share in small groups what community means to each of us and what we want in a community. We will be invited to talk about passions, leadings and gifts and what they might have to do with community.
In the afternoon we will share a potluck lunch and work together in intergenerational work parties. The second half of the afternoon we will reconvene in small groups to focus on how best to use the gifts and resources the Meeting has at this time. We will end with brief reports from the groups and final worship for all.
Throughout the day when there are not intergenerational activities, there will be childcare for children under 6 and a children's program for children aged 6 through 12. Please let us know in advance if you will be bringing children and their ages so we will have enough teachers.
You can sign up at the Meeting House on the table by the office starting the second week of October.
--Dorsey G for the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
*For the purpose of this title we are stretching the meaning of accountants to include people who dothe work that keeps a Meeting running, such as Nominating, Personnel, or Finance Committees.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Save October 24, 2009 for the Fall UFM Community Retreat!
Summer is waning, school is beginning and we are getting ready for the next All-Meeting Retreat. University Meeting needs to make several decisions this year and we need as many voices in the conversation as we can gather. The coming Retreat will be, in part, another step in the decision making process.
We have to decide how to manage our financial and physical plant resources so that UFM can continue to provide a spiritual and community home. Good stewardship demands that we care for the resources we own and share. Our community has to revisit and recommit to the choices that were made by previous generations in UFM. There is no one charged with reminding us that it is time to decide to combine Oversight and Worship and Ministry Committees or keep Quaker House or rent the Meeting House to outside groups. [Note: these are only examples of decisions that have been made in the past, they are not necessarily what we will be discussing]
When events jolt us into awareness that something is wrong, we have to take that opportunity to look, consider deeply and discern what we are led to do-again. I hope this happens for the rest of University Meeting's existence. It keeps us from becoming complacent and it means that UFM is alive to what the Spirit has in store for us.A more complete schedule will be published in the October Gleamings and on the UFM Website at the same time. Of course, there will be worship, treats, time to chat with others, lunch, house and garden work parties, small and large group gatherings and perhaps a skit.
Please contact the Year of Discernment Steering Committee to sign up for the retreat or look for the sign-up sheets outside the office door beginning in early October.
--Dorsey G for the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
Asia B, Rick E, Ashley W and David W
We have to decide how to manage our financial and physical plant resources so that UFM can continue to provide a spiritual and community home. Good stewardship demands that we care for the resources we own and share. Our community has to revisit and recommit to the choices that were made by previous generations in UFM. There is no one charged with reminding us that it is time to decide to combine Oversight and Worship and Ministry Committees or keep Quaker House or rent the Meeting House to outside groups. [Note: these are only examples of decisions that have been made in the past, they are not necessarily what we will be discussing]
When events jolt us into awareness that something is wrong, we have to take that opportunity to look, consider deeply and discern what we are led to do-again. I hope this happens for the rest of University Meeting's existence. It keeps us from becoming complacent and it means that UFM is alive to what the Spirit has in store for us.A more complete schedule will be published in the October Gleamings and on the UFM Website at the same time. Of course, there will be worship, treats, time to chat with others, lunch, house and garden work parties, small and large group gatherings and perhaps a skit.
Please contact the Year of Discernment Steering Committee to sign up for the retreat or look for the sign-up sheets outside the office door beginning in early October.
--Dorsey G for the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
Asia B, Rick E, Ashley W and David W
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Summer Update
SAVE OCTOBER 24, 2009 FOR THE FALL UFM COMMUNITY RETREAT!
Almost a year after the start of the Year of Discernment, people report feeling more connected to the Meeting community. One member said that she had started to come to Worship more often. An attender was excited that he had learned what discernment was. We are almost ready as a community to turn our energy to the discernment of what we are called to do.
As we head into summer, we are gathering the information we need for our discernment. How much money do we need to complete our remodel of the Meetinghouse? How much for maintenance of the Meetinghouse, grounds and Quaker House?
As such factual information is accumulated, ask yourself what you are called to do as an individual or as part of a larger group. Consider how much money, time and energy you have to donate for these leadings. Are we already doing what calls you? Or are you feeling led to something new? Talk to the rest of us about your thoughts and ask others what they are finding within themselves. And throughout the next few months, join us in worship and play.
--Dorsey G for the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
Almost a year after the start of the Year of Discernment, people report feeling more connected to the Meeting community. One member said that she had started to come to Worship more often. An attender was excited that he had learned what discernment was. We are almost ready as a community to turn our energy to the discernment of what we are called to do.
As we head into summer, we are gathering the information we need for our discernment. How much money do we need to complete our remodel of the Meetinghouse? How much for maintenance of the Meetinghouse, grounds and Quaker House?
As such factual information is accumulated, ask yourself what you are called to do as an individual or as part of a larger group. Consider how much money, time and energy you have to donate for these leadings. Are we already doing what calls you? Or are you feeling led to something new? Talk to the rest of us about your thoughts and ask others what they are finding within themselves. And throughout the next few months, join us in worship and play.
--Dorsey G for the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Third All-Meeting Retreat Report
64 adults and three children joined together for our third retreat on May 16. We laughed, reflected on what we want for our Meeting, and cleaned up the Meeting House and grounds. We moved from talking about discernment to doing it.
The children were given $200 of UFM's donation budget. They chose to give a goat to a family through Heifer International and, thus, give an ongoing gift of milk and more goats. Through WaterAid America they are giving clean water to communities who then have more time and better health, allowing them to improve their lives. Thanks to Bre M and Daniel B for their running of the children's program for the retreat.
After a humorous skit that highlighted what not to do at a business meeting, the adults met in small groups to think together about what it feels like to be part of satisfying corporate discernment. People mentioned the times at UFM when the Meeting struggled to discern what we were called to do about buying Quaker House in 1973, how to help Central American Refugees in the early 1980s, and what to do about same sex marriage for the 10 years leading up to a deciding Minute in 1992. We are continuing UFM's history, and Quakerism's in general, of laboring with each other to find our right paths.
Once again many hands made fun work as people climbed up on the roof, weeded down below and cleaned places in the Meeting House that most of us didn't even know were there. The place sparkles! Special kudos go to the folks who once again tackled the office and upstairs storage closet!
Small groups met again in the afternoon to decide as a group which of UFM's current ministries they thought needed more of our time, energy and money. It was exciting to push ourselves to make some choices and hear how others did it differently. The groups reaffirmed that Worship and Care of our Community lie at the heart of UFM. Judging from the evaluations and comments from the folks at the retreat, we are strengthening both of these as we dig a little deeper into discerning who we are and what we are called to do as a community.
There will be a fourth all-UFM retreat in the Fall of 2009. Between now and then, there will be other activities, such as the June and Summer Business Meetings, that continue our corporate discernment. Please join us when you can, and reflect on what you think we are called to do as a community.
--Dorsey G
For the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
The children were given $200 of UFM's donation budget. They chose to give a goat to a family through Heifer International and, thus, give an ongoing gift of milk and more goats. Through WaterAid America they are giving clean water to communities who then have more time and better health, allowing them to improve their lives. Thanks to Bre M and Daniel B for their running of the children's program for the retreat.
After a humorous skit that highlighted what not to do at a business meeting, the adults met in small groups to think together about what it feels like to be part of satisfying corporate discernment. People mentioned the times at UFM when the Meeting struggled to discern what we were called to do about buying Quaker House in 1973, how to help Central American Refugees in the early 1980s, and what to do about same sex marriage for the 10 years leading up to a deciding Minute in 1992. We are continuing UFM's history, and Quakerism's in general, of laboring with each other to find our right paths.
Once again many hands made fun work as people climbed up on the roof, weeded down below and cleaned places in the Meeting House that most of us didn't even know were there. The place sparkles! Special kudos go to the folks who once again tackled the office and upstairs storage closet!
Small groups met again in the afternoon to decide as a group which of UFM's current ministries they thought needed more of our time, energy and money. It was exciting to push ourselves to make some choices and hear how others did it differently. The groups reaffirmed that Worship and Care of our Community lie at the heart of UFM. Judging from the evaluations and comments from the folks at the retreat, we are strengthening both of these as we dig a little deeper into discerning who we are and what we are called to do as a community.
There will be a fourth all-UFM retreat in the Fall of 2009. Between now and then, there will be other activities, such as the June and Summer Business Meetings, that continue our corporate discernment. Please join us when you can, and reflect on what you think we are called to do as a community.
--Dorsey G
For the Year of Discernment Steering Committee
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Third All-Meeting Retreat
TOOLS FOR CORPORATE DISCERNMENT
May 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In our third all-meeting retreat we will build on what we learned about individual discernment to focus on tools for corporate discernment. We will spend time listening together as we think about our hopes and dreams for UFM and how we can best use the resources that we have as a community. We hope this will bring us closer to answering the questions we have been considering since the beginning of the Year of Discernment: Who are we as a community? What are we called to do?
The retreat will start at 9 a.m. and the day will include worship, intergenerational activities, small groups, a children’s program, lunch, work parties, and tea time. Please sign up on the attendance sheet outside the office and start thinking about what you would like to bring for a potluck lunch. Spread the word about the retreat and bring a Friend! Even if you don’t sign up but find that you can come at the last minute, please come. We look forward to seeing you there.
May 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In our third all-meeting retreat we will build on what we learned about individual discernment to focus on tools for corporate discernment. We will spend time listening together as we think about our hopes and dreams for UFM and how we can best use the resources that we have as a community. We hope this will bring us closer to answering the questions we have been considering since the beginning of the Year of Discernment: Who are we as a community? What are we called to do?
The retreat will start at 9 a.m. and the day will include worship, intergenerational activities, small groups, a children’s program, lunch, work parties, and tea time. Please sign up on the attendance sheet outside the office and start thinking about what you would like to bring for a potluck lunch. Spread the word about the retreat and bring a Friend! Even if you don’t sign up but find that you can come at the last minute, please come. We look forward to seeing you there.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Leadings, Concerns, and Readings
The theme for our third Year of Discernment retreat moves from individual to corporate discernment. If you must choose among the rich offerings on the reading list in the December Gleamings, you may begin with the section “Concerns and Liberating Concerned Friends” p.78 in NPYM Faith and Practice (1993). Or you could read Paul Lacey’s Pendle Hill pamphlet “On Leading and Being Led” – my favorite. Both are available in the Library. Check out the top shelf on the hall rack near the office for an array of free photocopied selections and Pendle Hill pamphlets for sale as well.
-- Asia B
-- Asia B
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