SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2 | ||
10:20am | Greeter | Joan McIlvaine |
10:30am | Child Care | Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway from Meetinghouse |
10:30am | Meeting for Worship | (Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom) |
10:50am | First Day School | Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their families until 10:50 am, when their teachers will lead them to the Committee Room. Questions? Please contact Carla Childs. Note: Children of any age are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship. |
11:30am | Introductions & Announcements | Erin Davis |
11:45am | Refreshments | Mara & Gregg Lemos-Stein |
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, in-person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. Our current COVID-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
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MEETING NEWS & EVENTS |
This Sunday, February 2, our First Day School students and childcare children will be making Valentines to send to Meeting members who are 80 years old and above! A crafting adventure, led by GMM member Jody Hobbs!
GMM Members received an email this past week with draft versions of the Property Committee’s revised Use of Facilities policies, procedures & fees (5 documents). The committee welcomes feedback, which can be sent to Tom Sharpless (tksharpless@gmail.com) before the upcoming GMM Business Meeting (2/9/25) when it will be on the agenda.
The Nicholson Church Lane Community Garden, named in memory of our beloved members Chris and Helen Nicholson, is partnering with Neighborhood Gardens Trust for needed upgrades. See below, in the Germantown section of the Bee for more!
GMM Office has heard from several members about recent email or Facebook scams that have felt confusing, misleading and can appear to come from folks we know. Coincidentally, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) includes in their news this week, a piece about how to beware of such scams that may appear to (falsely) involve PYM. Their advice is relevant to all sorts of scams that circulate by email, phone, Facebook and other social media – appearing to originate from any organization (including GMM) and even our friend circles.
Always be a cautious consumer of communications. Read more here for helpful tips from PYM
More scam avoidance tips from - US Office of Controller of Currency and Federal Trade Commission
Choose a story with meaning to you and read it to a GFS lower school class on a Thursday morning (8:30-9:30) when they have "informal" Meeting for worship. It is a meaningful and fun way to interact with lower schoolers.
Thank you to those who have been providing refreshments in recent months. You provide the fuel for social hour! We need others to sign up for this rewarding job.
Please consider these available dates:
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
Note: Refreshment expenses are reimbursable or can be credited as in-kind donations to GMM.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS |
In case you missed it, PYM joined other Yearly & Monthly Meetings in a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent immigration enforcement activities at or near houses of worship. Click here for Key Points
This year’s lecture presented by Rashaun Williams, “The Collective Reparations Responsibility,” is a conversation and workshop on how different communities can play their part in reparative justice to Black Americans whose ancestors endured chattel slavery in the United States.
When? Sunday, February 2, 11:15am
Where? Abington Friends Meeting (520 Meetinghouse Rd, Jenkintown, PA)
-- or on Zoom. When? Sunday afternoons starting February 2, 4:00-6:00pm All are invited to an online course on "The Quaker Way." No charge. Attend only the sessions that interest you. PYM’s Middle East Collaborative and colleagues from other faith traditions will run a virtual series that contextualizes the liberation struggle of the Palestinian people within other global justice struggles. When? Thursday evenings, 7:00-8:30pm ET, beginning Thursday, February 6; runs for 6 weeks Karen Lightner compiled a list of LGBTQIA+ Resources for PYM, following the approval of the adapted version of our GMM Minute of Solidarity. Friends may choose to utilize, learn, and share these resources when connecting with the LGBTQIA+ community members and Friends. The hope is that this list will continue to grow. If you have additional resources to share, send them to PYM at communications@pym.org. Wonder how Quakerism is taught in GFS? In a school where only a small minority of children come from already-Quaker families, how do they learn about Quaker principles and practices? Obviously, all students attend weekly Meeting for Worship (to which GMM is warmly invited to attend). But that is more. The current issue of the GFS Bulletin includes an article, “Continuing Revelation,” which tells the story of how the faculty embeds Quakerism into learning, taught through instruction and practice, across all divisions, in age-appropriate ways - from the youngest learners to graduating seniors. Stemming in part from the school’s Quaker Self Study with Friends Council on Education, the faculty were “inspired to reignite our community through greater connection with our Quaker identity.” Prefer to read it in hard copy? There will be some copies available in the Office and on the counter in the Committee Room. GFS welcomes GMM to attend Meeting for Worship during the school year. Schedule for upcoming week: When? Tomorrow Saturday, February 1, 12 - 2:00pm Where? First United Methodist Church of Germantown (6001 Germantown Avenue) Facilitated discussion and group activities – building power around housing affordability and preventing displacement in Germantown. Light refreshments; childcare available. Join one of the ACLU's Know Your Rights Trainings to learn about your rights and understand how you can protect immigrant communities facing these escalating threats. During the training you will learn how to: When? Next offerings: February 10, 4:00pm ET; February 20, 8:00pm ET on Zoom When? Monthly – next meeting is Saturday, February 15 at 2 pm Where? Seth Dunoff’s apartment on Greene St in Germantown. What? GMM attender Seth Dunoff will host the second meeting of a new monthly reading / discussion group on the subject of technology. The reading for this meeting is chapter 1 of science journalist Moises Velasquez-Manoff’s 2012 book An Epidemic of Absence, about the sudden emergence of autoimmune diseases, which seem to follow closely behind industrialization, urbanization, and modernization no matter where on the planet they occur. This book is included on the Global Autoimmune Institute’s list of “Books We Love” in the About Autoimmune Disease section, and those of you who know Seth may be able to guess some of the ways he has drawn inspiration from it. The purpose of the project is to begin to formalize an anti-technology political movement. Advocating for the rights and needs of Philly public school kids--especially immigrant, LGBTQIA+, and Black & Brown children--is more important now than ever. FREE EVENT! When? Wednesday, February 19, 7:00 - 9:00pm Where? First United Methodist Church of Germantown (6001 Germantown Avenue) & livestreamed POWER Interfaith is inviting us to share your story about how housing affordability has impacted you or your community at City Council Hearings. Remember that our testimonies will be as powerful as the number of people you talk to. The testimony training dates are below. You only need to attend one. Please register ahead of time: Monday, February 24th, 6-8 PM on zoom – Click here to register OR Thursday, February 27th, 6-8 PM on zoom – Click here to register GMM Member Bruce Bekker shares with us two resources to consider – – Click here for newsletter with free & pay options. Per Bruce – More than enough to keep us busy! This week school districts across the country have been sharing information about how to deal with ICE interrogations. Here in Philadelphia an email went out; in Denver, students were sent home with red cards and resource packets. A red card is a pocket-sized slip of paper explaining what to do (available in various languages) on one side, and the other side (you can show to police or an immigration officer) citing the 4th and 5th amendment rights. Red card, Side 1: 1) Do not open the door for immigration agents 2) Do not answer any questions 3) Do not sign anything 4) Give this card to the agent The other side cites (in English) our 4th & 5th amendment rights to the immigration officer (the right to deny entry to the home and the right to remain silent). Here is the link to the website - for free printable PDFs of the Red Card in many languages, and you can also order cards in bulk. Some other important information to share is that an “immigration warrant” signed by an “immigration judge” is NOT a warrant that allows them to enter the house, you do NOT have to let them in. More resources from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC): Advocating for the rights and needs of Philly public school kids--especially immigrant, LGBTQIA+, and Black & Brown children--is more important now than ever. FREE EVENT! When? Wednesday, February 19, 7:00 - 9:00pm Where? First United Methodist Church of Germantown (6001 Germantown Avenue) & livestreamed When? Every Friday from 11:15 – 12:15pm ** ** Note new time; an hour earlier in 2025 to make it possible for Muslim allies to attend and still be able to attend Friday worship and prayer services in the early afternoon Where? In front of Senator Fetterman’s office (230 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia) What? Join together with people committed to a Middle East peace solution to urge Senator Fetterman to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Fridays @ Fetterman’s is supported by the AFSC, Brandywine Peace Community, Granny Peace Brigade, IfNotNowPhilly, Prayers for Peace Alliance, the Simple Way and The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Phila. Branch. The Nicholson Church Lane Community Garden, named for our members Chris and Helen Nicholson, has been selected by the Neighborhood Gardens Trust for an extensive upgrade in terracing and accessibility! The garden is hoping to help raise the necessary funds by February 1st, if possible. Where is it? This garden is located just three blocks from our Meeting, at the corner of Church Lane and Baynton Streets. When? Next available session: Thursday, February 13, 5:30-8:30pm on Zoom – FREE Register here - or find another available date – (these occur multiple times each month) Learn everything you need to know to become a successful first-time homebuyer! Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups. Bookmark them for easy reference Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM) Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) Friends General Conference (FGC) Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)ONLINE SHORT COURSE: "THE QUAKER WAY" - Register now!
THE EXPONENTIAL IMPACT OF HISTORICAL & ONGOING INJUSTICE: A CALL TO ACTION FOR QUAKERS
A Pendle Hill Black History Month First Monday Lecture
When? Monday, February 3, 7:30 - 9:00pm ET
Where? Hybrid – on Pendle Hill campus & on Zoom
Dr. Harold D. (Hal) Weaver, Jr. and Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, two Quaker scholar-activists will examine major historical injustices committed by the Western world, the complicity of the Religious Society of Friends in these crimes, and solutions suggested by modern Quakers of color for atonement.
WHY PALESTINE MATTERS - THE STRUGGLE TO END COLONIALISM: 6-WEEK SERIES (Zoom)
LGBTQIA+ RESOURCES – TO SHARE, USE, GROW
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
CONTINUING REVELATION - GFS FACULTY TEACH QUAKERISM
ATTEND GFS MEETING FOR WORSHIP DURING THE WEEK
TAKE ACTION!
RESCHEDULED MLK BELOVED COMMUNITY EVENT
ACLU TRAINING (on Zoom): KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AROUND MASS DEPORTATION
TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSION GROUP – CONTINUES!
SAVE THE DATE: Educational Equity Forum: Philly Schools as Humane Spaces
POWER HOUSING JUSTICE ASSEMBLY - FOLLOW UP
RESOURCES: CLIMATE NEWSLETTER & NON-VIOLENT ACTION
HOW TO HELP/DEAL WITH IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE)
SAVE THE DATE: Educational Equity Forum: Philly Schools as Humane Spaces
JOIN THE VIGIL with FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S
GERMANTOWN & NEARBY
NICHOLSON CHURCH LANE GARDEN – SELECTED FOR UPGRADES!
MT AIRY CDC – FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER WORKSHOP
QUAKER RESOURCES
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS