Weekly Bulletin 2023 | Germantown Monthly Meeting

Friday Bee (Weekly Bulletin)

Published weekly on Friday afternoon. To subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin, please contact the Meeting Office, gmm@germantownfriends.org

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 24, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

When I was spending a year abroad after graduation from college, … I was walking alone in a forest, trying to map out my plan of life…. Suddenly I felt the walls between the visible and the invisible grow thin, and the eternal seemed to break through into the world where I was. I saw no flood of light; I heard no voice, but I felt as though I were face to face with a higher order of reality than that of the trees or mountains…. A sense of mission broke in on me, and I felt I was being called to a well-defined task of life to which I then and there dedicated myself…. I was brought to a new level of life and have never quite lost the transforming effect of the experience. –Rufus M. Jones, “Why I enroll with the mystics,” a chapter in Contemporary American Theology, vol. 1, 1932

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Sunday Schedule, March 26, 2023

9 a.m. Adult Class: Poetry reading by Kelley White & Faith Paulson*

10:30 a.m. Hybrid meeting for worship. Zoom link below.

Due to the special called meeting for business at 11:45 a.m., worship this Sunday will be a hybrid meeting, so both members attending by Zoom and those attending in person can participate in the called meeting for business.

Greeter: Jonathan Busser

Closer Moira Duggan

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Called Meeting for Business**

Refreshments Kate Hineline & Teresa Maebori

Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends may center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions, announcements, and the sharing of Joys & Concerns. Simple refreshments will be served afterward in the social room, with the option to take your refreshments to the porch, if you wish.

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Masks are required at all times while indoors, except when addressing the group during Meeting for Worship, or making an announcement, or sharing a Joy or Concern after worship. Replace mask after speaking, please.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

**SPECIAL CALLED MEETING FOR BUSINESS THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 26 The Marriage Committee will bring to the Meeting for approval the proposed marriage of our member Richard Hart and Daniel Deevy, scheduled for May 7. This request will be presented at a brief meeting for business this Sunday, March 26. Meeting members will be asked to remain in the meetinghouse and on Zoom immediately following the rise of meeting, while attenders and visitors adjourn for refreshments.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, March 26, there will be Child Care only and no First Day School. Parents should bring their children directly to the kindergarten at 10:30 a.m.
—Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik

MEETING NEWS

*KELLEY WHITE & FAITH PAULSON TO READ THEIR POETRY, MARCH 26 We are in for a special treat this Sunday at our 9 a.m. adult class when our member Kelley White and Faith Paulson of Gwynedd Meeting will give readings of their own poetry. Both are published poets. Kelley, a pediatrician who has worked in rural New Hampshire and now in Philadelphia, received a 2008 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant. Her recent books include Toxic Environment and Two Birds in Flame. Faith’s chapbook We Marry, We Bury, We Sing or We Weep received an award in Moonstone Arts 2021 Chapbook Contest. Her work has appeared in anthologies and many literary magazines. This poetry reading will take place in the committee room of our meetinghouse and on Zoom, with time for questions and discussion. Please use the same Zoom link as meeting for worship, which is listed above.

REMINDERS

REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS STILL NEEDED!! PLEASE SIGN UP Many thanks to those who have served us recently and to those who have already volunteered for the future! It is much appreciated and brings us together as a community. We hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. Please consider signing up for:

May 28

June 4, 11, 18 or 25

To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!
(Please note that you are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting.)

LOIS VOLTA TO TALK ABOUT BOOK ON CLEANING, APRIL 6 Our member Lois Volta will speak in the Community Writers Series about her new book Confessions of a Cleaning Lady on Thursday, April 6, at 7 p.m. This will be an in-person event, and no registration is needed. Lois, the parent of three students at Germantown Friends School (GFS), will talk about her feminist approach to getting one’s home and life in order. The talk will take place in the GFS Friends Free Library, which sponsors the Community Writers Series. For information, contact Kate Gerrity, Director of Library Services, 215-951-2355.

YOUNG FRIENDS DINNER & GAME NIGHT, APRIL 22 (Date changed from March) Young Friends (7th to 12th graders) are invited for a fun evening of dinner and games at the Meeting cottage on Saturday, April 22, at 6 p.m. It will be hosted by Lois Volta and her family. Please let Lois know by email if you will be attending. You can also let Lois know if you are interested in attending other Young Friends events but aren’t available to attend on April 22. [The Meeting cottage is across the driveway from the back of the meetinghouse, on the kitchen side.]

END-OF-YEAR DONATION SUMMARIES are going in the mail this week. If you need to receive a digital copy of yours right away for tax purposes, contact Melissa Elliott, Meeting secretary, (215-951-2235), and she will provide you with your summary by email.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

UPCOMING MEMORIALS

JEAN SHARPLESS, APRIL 1 The memorial service for our longtime member Jean Sharpless will be Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m., in the Community Center at Foulkeways retirement community in Gwynedd, PA.

CHRIS NICHOLSON, APRIL 8 The Funeral Arrangements Committee reminds all of the memorial service for Chris Nicholson on Saturday, April 8, at 2 p.m. This will be a traditional service together with Zoom. Weather permitting, the reception to follow will involve the outside as much as possible–such as on the porch or front lawn. Inside, we will follow the recommendations of the Safety Committee with respect to wearing masks. We ask members for contributions of cookies, brownies, and other finger foods (please, no foods requiring forks or spoons), and we ask for you to deliver them to the kitchen prior to the service. Thank you.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

GFS MEMORIAL ART LECTURE, APRIL 7 Artist Kevin Snipes will be the featured speaker of the Abigail R. Cohen ’91 Memorial Art Lecture at Germantown Friends School (GFS) on Friday, April 7, at 10:10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kevin, who now lives in Pittsburgh, received a bachelor of fine arts in ceramics and drawing from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1994. He has exhibited nationally and internationally. He combines his love of constructing unconventional pottery with a need to draw on everything he produces, creating a unique, dynamic body of work. The Abigail Rebecca Cohen ’91 Memorial Art Lecture was established in memory of the woman for whom it was named, a 1991 GFS graduate. She dedicated her life as an artist and photographer to pursuit of social and aesthetic concerns. This lecture reflects the Quaker philosophy that guides students to understand and appreciate their world through inquiry and artistic expression. Call 215-951-2300 for more information.news

TAKE ACTION

P.O.W.E.R. UPCOMING EVENTS

On Sunday, April 16, at 3 p.m., POWER will host a Faith & Safety Mayoral Candidate Forum. Participation from POWER congregations is encouraged. Mayoral candidates will be asked a series of questions to see where they stand on issues important to POWER and its associated congregations. Additional information can be found here.

On Sunday, April 26, at 3 p.m., there will be an Alliance for a Just Philadelphia candidate forum for Councilmember At-Large candidates. This event will be in-person. Additional information can be found here.

POWER is engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to our member Jeff Powers.

Additional events may be found on the POWER Interfaith Calendar.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 17, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

As a teenager, I looked for proof of the existence of God, but soon realised that there would be none. I chose to adopt as a working hypothesis a belief in God and to go on from there. I have not felt the need to revise that hypothesis–yet. I believe in a powerful, all-knowing God, but a caring and a forgiving God. I believe God says to us: “All right, you’ve got life, get on with it, live it! I am here behind to guide you, to help you live it, but don’t expect me to interfere to make life smooth for–you are old enough to stand on your own two feet.” –S.Jocelyn Burnell, 1976

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Sunday, March 19, 2023

10:30 a.m. Hybrid meeting for worship. Zoom link below

Closer Anthony Stover

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Becky Johnson & Sandra Lentz will provide a chili lunch.

12 noon to 2 p.m. Food Distribution on sidewalk in front of meetinghouse*

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, March 19, the Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m. The First Day School students will come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. and meet in the kindergarten lobby. Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik.

MEETING NEWS

HELP NEEDED TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD, MARCH 19. All hands are needed this Sunday, March 19, at 12 noon to 2 p.m., to help hand out free food from the sidewalk in fron of our meetinghouse. This is a program of The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), of which our member Jondhi Harrell is founder and director. Distribution of food will take place every third Sunday afternoon at our meetinghouse, and Meeting members and attenders are invited to participate by helping hand out food. This Sunday, a simple chili lunch will be provided beforehand to helpers as part of refreshments after worship.

PANEL ON QUAKERS & JAPAN INCLUDES THREE GMM MEMBERS Three of our members–Teresa Maebori, Ed Nakawatase, and Kathleen Paulmier–will speak on a panel about Quakers and Japan on Thursday, March 23, at 5:15 p.m. Free. You may attend in person or enjoy the presentation online. The in-person event takes place at the Kislak Center for Rare Books and Manuscripts in the Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania, 3420 Walnut St., Philadelphia PA 19104. If you plan to attend in person, register on Event Brite. If you plan to attend by Zoom, register by clicking here. The relationship of Friends and people in Japan goes back more than a century and continues to influence lives and institutions on both sides of the Pacific. Cosponsored by the Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York and the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia.

REVISED DATE: YOUNG FRIENDS DINNER & GAME NIGHT, APRIL 22 Young Friends (7th to 12th graders) are invited for a fun evening of dinner and games at the Meeting cottage on Saturday, April 22, at 6 p.m. It will be hosted by Lois Volta and her family. Please let Lois know if you will be attending. You can also let Lois know if you are interested in attending other Young Friends events but aren’t available to attend on April 22. [The Meeting cottage is across the driveway from the back of the meetinghouse, on the kitchen side.]

REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS STILL NEEDED!! PLEASE SIGN UP

Many thanks to those who have served us recently, and to those who have already volunteered for the future! It is much appreciated and brings us together as a community. We hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. This Sunday the GMM First Day School children are providing for us. Many thanks to them!

Please consider signing up for:

May 28

June 4, 11, 18 or 25

To sign up, email Becky Johnson at blam.fam@verizon.net or call 215-407-5691 or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!
(Please note that you are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting.)

ADULT CLASSES in March & April

On Sunday, March 26 9 a.m., you are invited to a hybrid class at which our member Kelley White and Faith Paulson of Gwynedd Meeting will read their own poetry. Both of these Friends are published poets. It will take place in the committee room and on Zoom. There will be time for questions and discussion. The Zoom link will be made available closer to the event.

Sunday, April 23: At 1 p.m., Germantown Monthly Meeting will give the keynote presentation at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, topic to be announced.

SAVE THE DATE: LOIS VOLTA TO TALK ABOUT BOOK ON CLEANING, APRIL 6 Our member Lois Volta will speak in the Community Writers Series about her new book Confessions of a Cleaning Lady on Thursday, April 6, at 7 p.m. This will be an in-person event, and no registration is needed. Lois, the parent of three students at Germantown Friends School (GFS), will talk about her feminist approach to getting one’s home and life in order. The talk will take place in the GFS Friends Free Library, which sponsors the Community Writers Series. For information, contact Kate Gerrity, Director of Library Services, 215-951-2355.

REMINDER: END-OF-YEAR DONATION SUMMARIES are being prepared for you now by Melissa Elliott, meeting secretary. If you need to receive yours right away for tax purposes, contact Melissa Elliott (215-951-2235) in the Meeting Office, and she will provide you with your letter.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

DEATH OF PATRICIA AMBLER Beloved and long-time member Patricia Pulrang Ambler died Tuesday, March 7, at age 100 years. Plans for a memorial will be shared as available. Below is a photo of Pat and her sons David Ambler and Jonathan Ambler.
Pat & sons David & Jon.jpg

UPCOMING MEMORIALS

JEAN SHARPLESS, APRIL 1 The memorial service for our longtime member Jean Sharpless will be Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m., in the Community Center at Foulkeways retirement community in Gwynedd, PA.

CHRIS NICHOLSON, APRIL 8 The Funeral Arrangements Committee reminds all of the memorial service for Chris Nicholson on Saturday, April 8, at 2 p.m. This will be a traditional service together with Zoom. (Use the Zoom link in the BEE that we use for meeting for worship) Weather permitting, the reception to follow will involve the outside as much as possible–such as on the porch or front lawn. Inside, we will follow the recommendations of the Safety Committee with respect to wearing masks. We ask members for contributions of cookies, brownies, and other finger foods (please, no foods requiring forks or spoons), and we ask for you to deliver them to the kitchen prior to the service. Thank you.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

QUAKER PARENT POSTLUDE, MARCH 19 Gather with other parents by Zoom this Sunday, March 19, at 9 p.m., for approximately 30 minutes of quiet time in the style of Quaker worship. It begins with a reading and ends with a short piece of music. This monthly event is a space for people who are currently engaged in bringing up children to come together for worship, reflection, and connection. If you can’t make it for the start time, join it at any time during the half hour, putting yourself on mute. Register and receive the Zoom link by clicking here.

REMINDERS

VIRTUAL INTERRACIAL COUPLES RETREAT, MARCH 24-26 This online retreat is intended for interracial couples to build community and connect. It will take place on March 24-26 and is sponsored by the Ministry on Racism program of Friends General Conference. Registration closes on March 17. The retreat is free, although donations are gladly accepted. Direct questions to Hanea or Linnea.

TAKE ACTION

REMEMBRANCE OF RESISTANCE TO IRAQ INVASION ON MARCH 18, a Vigil will take place at noon in front of the Philadelphia Federal Building at 6th and Market Streets. Banners and signs will be provided. Everyone is welcome. For more information, go to www.brandywinepeace.com or contact Bob Smith at 215-843-4827.

P.O.W.E.R UPDATE This Tuesday, March 21, the CItizens Police Oversight Committee will hold a virtual town hall meeting to discuss, among other things, the new behavioral health unit. More information can be found here.

SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, April 16, POWER will host a Faith & Safety Mayoral Candidate Forum at 3 p.m. Participation from POWER congregations is encouraged. Mayoral candidates will be asked a series of questions to see where they stand on issues important to POWER and its associated congregations. Additional information can be found here. POWER is engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to our member Jeff Powers Jeff Powers.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 10, 2023
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A Friends meeting is intended to be so much more than a loose association of individuals on separate and private spiritual journeys. Friends are called to be a faith community, seeking to know each other “in that which is Eternal” as we journey together. Ideally, we acknowledge that our primary relationship is to God and to that of God in each other. We let go of the idea that we have only private lives and hold ourselves accountable to the authority of the Spirit in the life of the meeting. We grow in a sense of responsibility for each other and become part of a gathered community. –Margery Mears Larrabee, 2007

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DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS SUNDAY! SET CLOCKS ONE HOUR AHEAD.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

9 a.m. Meeting for Business (members)

10:30 a.m. Hybrid meeting for worship. Zoom link below

Closer Kathy Paulmier

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments First Day School children & teachers

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, March 12, our First Day School students and the Child Care group have a special project! Instead of going into meeting for worship for the first 20 minutes, we will all go directly to the meeting kitchen at 10:30 a.m. to prepare refreshments for everyone to enjoy after close of worship. — Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik.

MEETING NEWS

REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS STILL NEEDED!! PLEASE SIGN UP

March 19 (next weekend!)

May 14 or 28
June 4, 11, 18 or 25

To sign up, contct Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!

(Please note that you are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting.)

GOODS FROM UGANDA FOR SALE SUNDAY, MARCH 12 Dear Friends, I have just returned from Bududa, Uganda, and while I was there, I had a number of items made by our graduate students from Bududa Vocational Academy. I have brought them here for sale in the USA, and I plan to bring them to Meeting this Sunday, March 12. I thought I would let you all know in advance. Looking forward to seeing everybody in person, Barbara Wybar [To read the most recent newsletter from the Bududa Learning Center, open the attachment: Greetings from Bududa 2-25-23]

YOUNG FRIENDS DINNER & GAME NIGHT, MARCH 18 Young Friends (7th to 12th graders) are invited for a fun evening of dinner and games at the Meeting cottage on Saturday, March 18, at 6 p.m. It will be hosted by Lois Volta and her family. Please contact Lois if you will be attending. You can also let Lois know if you are interested in attending other Young Friends events but aren’t available to attend on March 18. More details will follow in next week’s Bee. [The Meeting cottage is across the driveway from the rear of the meetinghouse, on the kitchen side.]

ADULT CLASSES in March & April

Sunday, April 23: At 1 p.m., Germantown Monthly Meeting will give the keynote presentation at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, topic to be announced.

REMINDERS

END-OF-YEAR DONATION SUMMARIES are being prepared for you now by Melissa Elliott, meeting secretary. If you need to receive yours right away for tax purposes, contact Melissa Elliott (215-951-2235) in the Meeting Office, and she will provide you with your letter.

ALL MEMBERS & ATTENDERS WELCOME AT GFS MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP GFS students and their teachers worship every week in our meetinghouse. Meeting members and attenders are invited and encouraged to worship with the school community. This can be an important part of strengthening the care relationship between Meeting and School. The different school divisions meet for worship at different times during the week. It is not necessary to call for permission, but the listed contact person can confirm that the meeting is happening as scheduled.

Upper School, Thursdays, 10:10-11 a.m., CONTACT: Karen Barbarese, 215-951-2315

Middle School, Mondays, 10:20-11 a.m., CONTACT: Chrissy Bancroft, 215-951-2316

Lower School, Thursdays, 9:00-9:30 a.m., Meetinghouse (Formal meeting for worship is held in the meetinghouse, and informally in classrooms, so check that the formal version will be held on the date you choose to come.) CONTACT: Daisy Curtin, 215-951-2318 or 215-951-2320

NEWS OF FRIENDS

DEATH OF PATRICIA AMBLER Beloved and long-time member Patricia Pulrang Ambler died Tuesday, March 7, going peacefully in her sleep at age 100 years. Two weeks earlier she and her family celebrated her 100th birthday. They describe Pat as attentive, sharp, delighted to be surrounded by her family, and showing her humor. She expressed her feeling of having lived a long and full life, thanked everyone for a wonderful party, and said, “I hope I don’t have another of these birthdays.” She died in the same month and nearly the same date as her husband, who passed away nine years ago and was also a member of our Meeting. A statement by her family says, “We will miss her and are fortunate to have had such extended time with her in good health and with a sharp mind right to the end. It is easier for us to be at peace, because she was comfortable with the concept of death and exited so gracefully.” Future plans will be forthcoming and will be shared as available.

DEATH OF ALICE DAVENPORT The mother of our member Beverly Davenport died at the age of 103 on Feb. 1 at Sunrise senior living center in Lafayette Hill, just outside of Philadelphia. Alice L. Davenport was retired from being a teacher in the Lower School of Germantown Friends School, as well as a community activist, counselor, mentor, and the first Black school teacher in Norristown. Beverly and her brother Horace (Champ) and sister Nina are graduates of GFS. To read her obituary, click here. Beverly’s contact information.

DEATH OF CLARE GORSKI The mother of our member Valentine Gorski and grandmother of our associate members Sasha and Evan Gorski died quietly on March 1 after a long illness. Her name was Clare Gorski, and she was 93 years old. The funeral mass for her was held on Monday, March 6, at St. Helena Roman Catholic Church in Blue Bell, PA. Val and his wife Adina Birnbaum’s address is 229 Sloop St., Jamestown, RI 02835, and this is his email address. Sasha and Evan live at 15 W Mill Road, Flourtown, PA 19031.

UPCOMING MEMORIALS

JEAN SHARPLESS, APRIL 1 The memorial service for our longtime member Jean Sharpless will be Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m., in the Community Center at Foulkeways retirement community in Gwynedd, PA.

CHRIS NICHOLSON, APRIL 8 The memorial meeting for worship to celebrate the life of our late member Christopher Nicholson will be Saturday, April 8, at 2 p.m., in Germantown Friends meetinghouse, 47 W Coulter St., Philadelphia, PA 19144. A reception with his family will follow the service and will be held in the social room, on the front lawn, and on the porch of the meetinghouse. Vaccination and masks are required to attend in person. Can’t make the in-person memorial? Please join via Zoom. A link will be provided closer to the service.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING’S CONTINUING SESSIONS, MARCH 11-12, by Zoom at your home or in person at Arch Street Meeting House, beginning on Saturday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m. and continuing until 12 noon, for worship and meeting for business. This will be followed in the afternoon by six in-person special events, hosted by monthly meetings: Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Mickleton, Third Haven, Kennett, Arch Street. The theme is “Living with Our Neighbors, Growing into Beloved Community.” Afternoon events are intergenerational, with child care provided. At 1 p.m., a lunch of baked potatoes by PYM will be provided at all regional locations. Friends are encouraged to bring toppings to share. At 2:15 p.m., there will be a story and discussion on “Can I be a Friend who walks alongside you?” An activity and fellowship will follow at 3 p.m., with worship sharing at 4 p.m., reflections at 4:30 p.m., and farewells at 5 p.m. On Sunday, March 12, there will be a new tradition for Sunday worship: an intergenerational, interstate meeting for worship from meetinghouses and homes. To register and designate which of the six afternoon sessions you wish to attend, click here.

RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIVE PEOPLE, MARCH 12 “Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change: Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples,” a two-hour participatory online webinar, will take place this Sunday, March 12, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The history will be presented of Turtle Island, the land now known as the United States, through the words of Indigenous leaders, European/American leaders, and Western historians. Experiential exercises and small group discussions will help participants engage with this history. Also to be considered will be how to build relationships with Indigenous peoples based on truth, respect, justice, and our shared humanity. This is a program of Friends Peace Teams, which develops long-term relationships with communities in conflict around the world, working for justice and healing and to create enduring cultures of peace. To register and receive the Zoom link, click here.

REMINDERS

VIRTUAL INTERRACIAL COUPLES RETREAT, MARCH 24-26 This online retreat is intended for interracial couples to build community and connect. Friends of color who are a part of an interracial relationship are welcome to attend with or without their partners. Friends of color who have previous experience in an interracial relationship are also welcome to attend. It will take place on March 24-26 and is sponsored by the Ministry on Racism program of Friends General Conference. Registration closes on March 17. The retreat is free, although donations are gladly accepted to help the Ministry on Racism program finance its work. Please direct any questions to Hanea or Linnea.

TAKE ACTION

P.O.W.E.R UPDATE The monthly meeting of the Live Free campaign will be this Monday, March 13, at 7 p.m.

POWER is currently engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to Jeff Powers.

REMEMBRANCE OF RESISTANCE TO IRAQ INVASION ON MARCH 18 It has been 20 years since the “shock and awe” invasion of Iraq by the United States on March 20, 2003. As thousands of people protested around the world, more than a hundred people were arrested blocking the doorways to the Philadelphia Federal Building, and hundreds more demonstrated in the surrounding streets. The Philadelphia campaign was called the “Iraq Pledge of Resistance,” and it was coordinated by our member Bob Smith, founder and director of the Brandywine Peace Community. On Saturday, March 18, a Remembrance of Resistance & Vigil will take place at noon in front of the Philadelphia Federal Building at 6th and Market Streets. Banners and signs will be provided. Everyone is welcome. For more information, go to www.brandywinepeace.com or contact Bob Smith at 215-843-4827. In the months following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, many of those arrested in Philadelphia were tried in Federal Court and sentenced to serve a week in jail. One of those jailed was long-time activist and Quaker Lillian Willoughby, who at age 90 and wheelchair bound, was pushed into court for sentencing by her husband George.

REMINDER: GRAND OPENING OF CROSSROAD WOMEN’S CENTER, JUNE 9-11 This celebration’s theme is “End Women’s Poverty–A Guaranteed Care Income for All Caregivers of People and Planet.” The new Center is on Wayne Avenue in Germantown. Help is needed with hosting international and national speakers. For more information, send an email.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 3, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How many of us are open to, and expectant of, spiritual encounter? How many of us are open to the possibility of transformation? Are we prepared to take the risk of being transformed as Margaret Fell was, or are we frightened of spiritual experience? If we are not open for spiritual transformation, what are we doing in attaching ourselves to a meeting? We have lost a sense of collective purpose when the spiritual is optional. If we have lost the experiential basis of our life together, we have lost our rootstock. –Ben Pink Dandelion, 2014

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Sunday, March 5, 2023

10:30 a.m. Hybrid meeting for worship. Zoom link below

Closer Ed Stivender

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Moira Duggan & Antonette Berger

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, March 5, our First Day School class and our Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway from the meetinghouse. The Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m., and the First Day School children will go over to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. If you can let us know whether you will be attending, it will help us with our planning. — Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik

MEETING NEWS

ADULT CLASSES in March & April

Sunday, April 23: At 1 p.m., Germantown Monthly Meeting will give the keynote presentation at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, topic to be announced.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR REFRESHMENTS!! IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

Thank you to those who have served us recently, and to those who have already volunteered for the future! It is much appreciated and brings us together as a community. We hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. Please consider signing up for:

March 19

May 14, 21, or 28

June 4, 11, 18, or 25

To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!

(Please note that you are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting.)

REMINDER: END-OF-YEAR DONATION SUMMARIES are being prepared for you now by the Meeting secretary. If you need to receive yours right away for tax purposes, contact Melissa Elliott (215-951-2235) in the Meeting Office, and she will provide you with your letter.

GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) EVENTS

PIPPIN PLAYS ON GFS STAGE, MARCH 3 & 4 Members and attenders are invited to enjoy the energy and youthful enthusiasm of GFS’s production of the musical PIPPIN, tonight, March 3, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m. Directed by Jake Miller, head of the GFS Theater Department, PIPPIN is the tale of one man’s quest to find his place in the world–and the troupe of mischievous players who create “magic” for him to explore! Set in a 1970s nightclub, this beloved musical will have you leaving the theater singing & dancing. Don’t miss it! Onstage in the Loeb Performing Arts Center, on the corner of Greene Street and Schoolhouse Lane. Admission is free, and no reservations are required.

FILM SCREENING: SUMMER OF SOUL, MARCH 5 A free screening and discussion of Questlove’s film, Summer of Soul, will be offered on Sunday, March 5, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Germantown Friends School in the Yarnall Auditorium of the Sharpless Building. Panelists include engineer, producer, and mixer Ben Thomas, GFS class of 2014; audio engineer and filmmaker Caliph Gamble; and singer-songwriter, producer, author, and entrepreneur Donn T. Sponsored by the GFS Alumni of Color Initiative, which is a collaboration between the GFS Alumni Office and the Diversity Leadership Team, in partnership with the school’s Administrative Team. Snacks will be available for purchase. To find out more and RSVP, click here.

Upper School, Thursdays, 10:10-11 a.m., CONTACT: Karen Barbarese, 215-951-2315
Middle School, Mondays, 10:20-11 a.m., CONTACT: Chrissy Bancroft, 215-951-2316
Lower School, Thursdays, 9:00-9:30 a.m., Meetinghouse (Formal meeting for worship is held in the meetinghouse, and informally in classrooms, so check that the formal version will be held on the date you choose to come.) CONTACT: Daisy Curtin, 215-951-2318 or 215-951-2320

NEWS OF FRIENDS

MEMORIAL REMINDERS

JEAN SHARPLESS, APRIL 1 The memorial service for our longtime member Jean Sharpless will be Saturday, April 1, at 2 p.m., in the Community Center at Foulkways retirement community in Gwynedd, PA.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING’S CONTINUING SESSIONS, MARCH 11-12, by Zoom at your home or in person at Arch Street Meeting House, beginning on Saturday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m. and continuing until 12 noon, for worship and meeting for business. This will be followed in the afternoon by six in-person special events, hosted by monthly meetings: Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Mickleton,Third Haven, Kennett, Arch Street. The theme is “Living with Our Neighbors, Growing into Beloved Community.” Afternoon events are intergenerational, with child care provided. At 1 p.m., a lunch of baked potatoes by PYM will be provided at all regional locations. Friends are encouraged to bring toppings to share. At 2:15 p.m., there will be a story and discussion on “Can I be a Friend who walks alongside you?” An activity and fellowship will follow at 3 p.m., with worship sharing at 4 p.m., reflections at 4:30 p.m., and farewells at 5 p.m. On Sunday, March 12, there will be a new tradition for Sunday worship: an intergenerational, interstate meeting for worship from meetinghouses and homes. To register and designate which of the six afternoon sessions you wish to attend, click here.

PLAN AHEAD

TAKE ACTION

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CROSSROADS WOMEN’S CENTER

Farmers Rally in DC, March 7 Join others in pressing Congress to fund agroecology, not agribusiness, in the Farm Bill. To learn more, click here. (Our member Phoebe Schellenberg, director of Crossroads Women’s Center, plus a companion, are seeking housing in DC on March 6-9. If you can help, please contact Poebe.

Worker Relief & Credit Reform Act, March 9, press conference in Washington, DC, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Reintroduced by Rep. Gwen Moore (DEM-Wisc.)., this Act would redefine work to include unpaid family caregivers and low-income students, entitling them to the Earned Income Tax Credit. To get or give a ride, email Crossroads.

Grand Opening of New Crossroads Women’s Center, June 9-11, this celebration’s theme is “End Women’s Poverty–A Guaranteed Care Income for All Caregivers of People and Planet.” The new Center is on Wayne Avenue in Germantown. Help is needed with hosting international and national speakers. For more information, email Crossroads.

P.O.W.E.R UPDATE POWER is currently engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to Germantown Meeting member Jeff Powers.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 24, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I believe that meeting for worship has brought the same awareness to all who have seen and understood the message that everyone is equal in the sight of God, that everybody has the capacity to be the vessel of God’s word. There is nothing that age, experience, and status can do to prejudge where and how the Light will appear. The awareness — the religious equality of each and every one — is central to Friends. Early Friends understood this and at the same time they fully accepted the inseparable unity of life, and spoke against the setting apart of the secular and the sacred. –Ursula M. Franklin, “Perspectives on Friends testimonies in today’s world,” 1979

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On Sunday, Feb. 29, we will have separate Zoom and in-meetinghouse meetings for worship. We will still have microphones in the meetinghouse. This is part of a trial of having non-hybrid meetings for worship on the last Sundays of January, February, and March.

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023

10:30 a.m. In-person worship at meetinghouse; online worship by Zoom (link below)

Closer David Mettler (in person, meetinghouse) and Faye Steacy (online)

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Antonette Burger

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

· Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

· Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouuse.

· Masks are required at all times while indoors, except when addressing the group during Meeting for Worsship, or making an announcement, or sharing a Joy or Concern after worship. Replace mask after speaking, please.

· Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

· Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Feb. 26, our First Day School class and our Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway from the meetinghouse. The Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m., and the First Day School children will go over to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. If you can let us know whether you will be attending, it will help us with our planning. — Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik

MEETING NEWS

ADULT CLASSES in March & April

On Sunday, March 26 9 a.m., you are invited to a hybrid class at which our member Kelley White and Faith Paulson of Gwynedd Meeting will read their own poetry. Both of these Friends are published poets. It will take place in the committee room and on Zoom. There will be time for questions and discussion.The Zoom link will be made available closer to the event.

Sunday, April 23: At 1 p.m., Germantown Monthly Meeting will give the keynote presentation at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, topic to be announced.

NOTE FROM THE FISCAL COMMITTEE In preparation for the Meeting’s FY 2024 budget, committee clerks are requested to submit their needs to the Fiscal Committee by March 1. You may submit by email to Jonathan Rhoads.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR REFRESHMENTS!! IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

March 19

April 9 (Easter)

May 14, 21, or 28

To sign up, email Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!

(Please note that you are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting.)

END-OF-YEAR DONATION SUMMARIES are being prepared for you now by the Meeting secretary. If you need to receive yours right away for tax purposes, contact Melissa Elliott (215-951-2235) in the Meeting Office, and she will provide you with your letter.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

MEMORIAL FOR JEAN SHARPLESS, APRIL 1 There will be a memorial service for our longtime member Jean Sharpless on April 1, at 2 p.m., in the Community Center at Foulkeways retirement community in Gwynedd, PA.

MEMORIAL FOR CHRIS NICHOLSON, APRIL 8 The memorial meeting for worship to celebrate the life of our late member Christopher Nicholson, will be Saturday, April 8, at 2 p.m., in Germantown Friends meetinghouse, 47 W Coulter St., Philadelphia, PA 19144. A reception with his family will follow the service and will be held in the social room, on the front lawn, and on the porch of the meetinghouse. Vaccination and masks are required to attend in person. Can’t make the in-person memorial? Please join via Zoom. A link will be provided closer to the service.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

AFSC TAKING DONATIONS FOR EARTHQUAKE RELIEF Want to help earthquake survivors in Syria and Turkey and looking for a reputable organization to get help to the people who need it the most? The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is taking donations and has a long-standing record of work and personal connections with Syrian refugees in the region. An AFSC team will deliver essentials such as food, clothing, blankets, diapers, tents, heaters, and hygiene items, by working with partners in Syria. Donations will be used for emergency kits containing these items, and also to sustain AFSC’s ongoing peacebuilding efforts with displaced people in the region. To make a donation, click here.

PLAN AHEAD

REMINDERS

SING FOR SPRING IN PENDLE HILL CHORUS! All voices are welcome, with no auditions, in the Pendle Hill Chorus this spring. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and start on March 1, continuing through May 17. The first rehearsal (one time only) will be held at Swarthmore Friends Meetinghouse, 12 Whittier Place, Swarthmore, PA 19081. The rest of the rehearsals will be at Pendle Hill Study and Retreat Center, 338 Plush Mill Road, Wallingford, PA 19086. The chorus sings a wide variety of music, from sacred to secular, classical to contemporary. Jackie Coren is the director, and Joan Broadfield is the manager. For more details, including Covid protocol, click here.

CONTINUING SESSIONS, MARCH 11-12, by Zoom at your home or in person at Arch Street Meeting House, beginning on Saturday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m. and continuing until 12 noon, for worship and meeting for business. This will be followed in the afternoon by six in-person special events, hosted by monthly meetings: Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Mickleton,Third Haven, Kennett, Arch Street. The theme is “Living with Our Neighbors, Growing into Beloved Community.” Afternoon events are intergenerational, with child care provided. At 1 p.m., a lunch of baked potatoes by PYM will be provided at all regional locations. Friends are encouraged to bring toppings to share. At 2:15 p.m., there will be a story and discussion on “Can I be a Friend who walks alongside you?” An activity and fellowship will follow at 3 p.m., with worship sharing at 4 p.m., reflections at 4:30 p.m., and farewells at 5 p.m. On Sunday, March 12, there will be a new tradition for Sunday worship: an intergenerational, interstate meeting for worship from meetinghouses and homes. To register and designate which of the six afternoon sessions you wish to attend, click here.

TAKE ACTION

REMINDER

There are two upcoming Philly Political Education Training and Planning Sessions: (1) An online session on Monday, Feb. 27, and (2) An in- person session) on Tuesday, Feb. 28. More information can be found here.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 17, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

There is a principle that is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages hath had different names. It is, however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no forms of religion nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity. In whomsoever this takes root and grows, of what nation soever, they become brethren in the best sense of the expression.

–John Woolman, 1761

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Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Lois Volta

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Becky Johnson

12 noon-2 p.m. Food Giveaway on meetinghouse porch*

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Feb. 19, our First Day School class and our Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway from the meetinghouse. The Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m., and the First Day School children will go over to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. If you can let us know whether you will be attending, it will help us with our planning. — Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik

MEETING NEWS

HELP US DISTRIBUTE FOOD THIS SUNDAY, FEB. 19 A few more helpful hands are needed this Sunday, Feb. 19, from 12 noon to 2 p.m., to hand out free food from the sidewalk in front of our meetinghouse. This is a program of The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), of which our member Jondhi Harrell is founder and director. At last Sunday’s meeting for business, it was decided to expand Germantown Meeting’s financial and in-person involvement with TCRC. Distribution of food will now take place every third Sunday afternoon at our meetinghouse, and Meeting members and attenders are invited to participate by helping hand out food. This Sunday, a simple lunch of soup and bread will be provided as part of refreshments after worship.

JOHN FEFFER TO SPEAK ON WAR AGAINST UKRAINE, FEB. 23 On Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m., by Zoom: John Feffer, former international representative of the American Friends Service Committee in post-communist Eastern Europe and Northeast Asia, and current editor of Foreign Policy in Focus of the Institute for Policy Studies, will address the topic: “The War Against Ukraine: What are its origins and how can it end?” Participants should log into the meeting a few minutes before 7 p.m., so the session can start promptly.

PEACE DEMO MARKS ONE YEAR OF WAR IN UKRAINE, FEB. 24 On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, join others in calling for more diplomacy, not more militarism, weaponry, and threats of nuclear war. This will take place on Friday, Feb. 24, at noon across the corner from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (south side of Market Street, between 5th and 6th streets). This is part of a nationwide day of action, called by the coalition Defuse Nuclear War. The organizer of this local event is the Brandywine Peace Community, of which our member Bob Smith is director and co-founder. Banners and posters will be provided. There will be speakers and tolling of the Brandywine Peace Bell to echo the Liberty Bell’s announcement of peace 250 years ago. For more information, click here.

PLAN AHEAD

ADULT CLASSES in March & April

On Sunday, March 26 9 a.m., you are invited to a hybrid class by our member Kelley White and Faith Paulson of Gwynedd Meeting reading their poetry. Both of these Friends are published poets. It will take place in the committee room and on Zoom.There will be time for questions and discussion.

Sunday, April 23: At 1 p.m., Germantown Monthly Meeting will give the keynote presentation at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, topic to be announced.

REMINDERS

ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP MEETS FEB. 21 The next meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group is Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., by Zoom, led by our member John Colgan-Davis, It is open to anyone interested, whether or not you have participated in the past. It meets on the third Tuesday of each month. In coming months, participants will read and discuss The 1619 Project by Nikole Hanna-Jones. Many copies of this book are available in branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the group is also considering buying copies from a local bookstore. Contact Bill Cozzens if you would like to be in on that. The link to this month’s discussion will be sent out the week before the meeting. The topic will be the first chapter of The 1619 Project (up to page 42). Questions? Contact John Colgan-Davis.

NOTE FROM THE FISCAL COMMITTEE In preparation for the Meeting’s FY 2024 budget, committee clerks are requested to submit their needs to the Fiscal Committee by March 1. Please email to Jonathan Rhoads.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR REFRESHMENTS!! IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

March 19

April 9 (Easter)

May 14, 21, or 28

To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

‘LIGHT IN GAZA’ WEBINAR ON POETRY, FEB. 21 You are invited to a webinar featuring a conversation between Palestinian poets Basman Aldirawi and Tariq Luthun on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 9 a.m. They will delve into the richness of poetry, culture, and life in Gaza, shedding light on the challenges posed by the Israeli blockade and occupation. This is the second in a series presented by the American Friends Service Committee, and newcomers to the series are welcome. Register by clicking here.

ADDRESSING HUNGER THRU FARM BILL, FEB. 22 A webinar is offered this week on how to insist on policies in the U.S. Farm Bill to alleviate hunger in our country and ensure no one is forced to go without food. It will take place on Wednesday, Feb.22, at 7 p.m. and is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee. Nearly 38 million–including 12 million children–in the United States must worry about getting enough food to eat. In this webinar, participants will deepen their understanding of how the Farm Bill functions, its crucial role in responding to the climate crisis, and how to advocate for legislation that supports growing needs of our communities and environment. To register, click here.

SAVE THE DATE

REMINDERS

THREAD GATHERING ON ELDERING, FEB. 18 Explore the idea of ministers in our meetings as Friends who engage in spiritual guidance and pastoral reflect to help us through the challenges, struggles, and concerns of our faith journey as Friends on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This online workshop, “Quaker Eldership: Integral and Controversial,” is led by George Schaefer, who has a longstanding concern for conflict resolution, transformation, and fostering unity among Friends. He is also the former Care & Aging coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) and is now a volunteer resource person in PYM’s Ministry & Care. Register by clicking here.

ONLINE QUAKER PARENT POSTLUDE, FEB. 19 If you are currently engaged in bringing up children, join others for worship, reflection, and connection in a 30-minute program on Feb. 19, at 9 p.m. This monthly program begins with a reading and ends with a short piece of music. In between, participants join in silence, invited to share as led. Information and registration are available by clicking here.

TAKE ACTION

REMINDER

P.O.W.E.R. UPDATE The recording for the Live Free town hall from this past week, “Addressing the Tragedy of Our City Jails,” is available here.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 10, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Care of the children of the meeting should be the responsibility of every Friend. Let us share with our children a sense of adventure, of wonder, and of trust, and let them know that, in facing the mysteries of life, they are surrounded by love.Both parents and meetings need to guard against letting other commitments deprive children of the time and attention they need. Friends are advised to seek for children the full development of God’s gifts, which is true education. — New England Yearly Meeting, Faith & Practice,1985

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Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023

9 a.m. Meeting for Business (Committee Room. Agenda below*)

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Melissa Elliott & Friend

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Becky Johnson

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Feb. 12, our First Day School class and our Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway from the meetinghouse. The Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m., and the First Day School children will go over to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. If you can let us know whether you will be attending, it will help us with our planning. — Carla, Lili, Kelly, and Maalik

*AGENDA

Meeting for Business

Hybrid (in-person and by Zoom)
Query — Faye Steacy, followed by worship
Corrections to January 2023 Minutes — Becky Johnson, recording clerk (Members are respectfully requested to review the minutes and identify corrections beforehand.)
Care & Visiting Committee — Peter Samuel
QVS Relationship — Rachel Carter, Invitation to involvement
Treasurer — Jim Pifer, Financial results for the 2021-2022 fiscal year
Fiscal Committee — Jack Rhoads, Minute to allow investment of a portion of the Meeting’s liquid funds in an interest-bearing account
April meeting for Business — Bill Cozzens — Easter will be April 9, the 2nd Sunday. Decision needed.
Announcements

Marriage Committee — Carla Childs, Committee of Oversight for marriage of Cary Anne Kane and Jeff Paddock
Karen Lightner, Initial meeting for the Meeting-School relationship
Bill Cozzens, Initial disbursement of funds for The Center for Returning Citizens(TCRC) and planned food distribution on Feb.19
Bill Cozzens, “SpiritualState of the Meeting” report is in process. Draft will be available for review by our March meeting for business.Report is due in April.

Closing Worship

MEETING NEWS

ADULT CLASS RETURNS WITH THREE UPCOMING PROGRAMS The following three Adult Classes will be presented in February, March, and April:

Thursday, Feb. 23: John Feffer, former international representative of the American Friends Service Committee in post-communist Eastern Europe and Northeast Asia, and current editor of Foreign Policy in Focus of the Institute for Policy Studies, will address the topic: “The War Against Ukraine: What are its origins and how can it end?” The discussion will take place over Zoom at 7 p.m. More details, including Zoom link, will be available in next week’s BEE.

Sunday, March 26: At 9 a.m., Kelley White and Faith Paulson will talk about Quaker poets.

Sunday, April 23: At 1 p.m., Germantown Monthly Meeting will give the keynote presentation at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, topic to be announced.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR REFRESHMENTS!! IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
Thank you to those who have served us recently, and to those who have already volunteered for the future! It is much appreciated and brings us together as a community. We hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. Please consider signing up for:

February 26

March 19

April 2, 9, or 16

To sign up, email Becky Johnson look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!

REMINDER

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP The next meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group is Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., by Zoom, led by our member John Colgan-Davis, It is open to anyone interested, whether or not you have participated in the past. It meets on the third Tuesday of each month. In coming months, participants will read and discuss The 1619 Project by Nikole Hanna-Jones. Many copies of this book are available in branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the group is also considering buying copies from a local bookstore. Contact Bill Cozzens if you would like to be in on that. The link to this month’s discussion will be sent out the week before the meeting. The topic will be the first chapter of The 1619 Project (up to page 42). Questions? Contact John Colgan-Davis.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

BIRTH Jack Miller Hillman was born to our member Abigail Cary Hillman and her husband Max Hillman. They and Jack’s older brother Samuel live in St. Louis, MO. The new baby is the grandson of our member Charles Cary and great-grandson of our late members Steve and Betty Cary.

WARNING FROM CAROLINE DAVIDSON ABOUT EMAIL Two Meeting members have recently told me they have received unlikely email messages purporting to be from me. Please, if you get such a message, and it doesn’t seem to have any real sense or connection to you or to me, don’t follow up on it in any way by answering it or opening any attachments. It is bound to be a fake. I am sorry if anyone is inconvenienced by this, and I hope it will not spread! –Caroline Davidson

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

BOWLING NIGHT FOR YOUNG ADULT FRIENDS, FEB. 17 Young Adult Friends (18 to 35ish) will have a night of bowling, snacks, fellowship, and fun next Friday, Feb. 17, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will take place at North Bowl, 909 N 2nd St., Phila., PA 19123. Tickets are $35 per person, which includes snacks, beverages, and bowling shoes. Register by clicking here. Questions? Contact Kimani Keaton, special projects associate.

SWARTHMORE COLLEGE ACKNOWLEDGES LENAPE HISTORY OF SITE Valerie Smith, president of Swarthmore College, shared a message with the college community on Feb. 8, recognizing the history of the College’s location on Lenapehoking, or the Land of the Lenape. She said, in part, “We honor with gratitude the land itself and the Indigenous people who stewarded it throughout the generations and who were driven from it by European and American colonizers. We commit to serve as responsible stewards of the land and to our shared, ongoing responsibility for community care.” The statement goes on to say, however, that words without action are inadequate, and the College will follow the recommendations of a task force to deepen and support relationships with Indigenous communities. To read the complete statement, click here.

SAVE THE DATE

MORE INFO ON PYM CONTINUING SESSIONS, MARCH 11-12 by Zoom at your home or in person at Arch Street Meeting House, beginning on Saturday, March 11, at 9:30 a.m. and continuing until 12 noon, for worship and meeting for business. This will be followed in the afternoon by six in-person special events, hosted by monthly meetings: Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Mickleton,Third Haven, Kennett, Arch Street. The theme is “Living with Our Neighbors,Growing into Beloved Community.” Afternoon events are intergenerational, with child care provided. At 1 p.m., a lunch of baked potatoes by PYM will be provided at all regional locations. Friends are encouraged to bring toppings to share. At 2:15 p.m., there will be a story and discussion on “Can I be a Friend who walks alongside you?” An activity and fellowship will follow at 3 p.m., with worship sharing at 4 p.m., reflections at 4:30 p.m., and farewells at 5 p.m. On Sunday, March 12, there will be a new tradition for Sunday worship: an intergenerational, interstate meeting for worship from meetinghouses and homes. To register and designate which of the six afternoon sessions you wish to attend, click here.

REMINDERS

THREAD GATHERING ON ELDERING, FEB. 18 Explore the idea of ministers in our meetings as Friends who engage in spiritual guidance and pastoral reflect to help us through the challenges, struggles, and concerns of our faith journey as Friends. On Saturday, Feb. 18, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., there will be an online workshop, “Quaker Eldership: Integral and Controversial,” led by George Schaefer, who carries a longstanding concern for conflict resolution, transformation, and fostering unity among Friends. He is also the former Care & Aging coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) and is now a volunteer resource person in PYM’s Ministry & Care. Please register in advance by clicking here.

TAKE ACTION

REMINDER

P.O.W.E.R. UPDATE

— On Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., the Live Free campaign will host a town hall gathering about the yet-to-be-formed Prison Oversight Commission. Additional information will be provided as available.

— POWER is currently engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to Germantown Meeting member Jeff Powers.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 3, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The great social movements of our time may well be part of our calling. The ideals of peace and justice and equality that are part of our religious tradition are often the focus of debate. But we cannot simply immerse ourselves in these activities. We need to develop our own unique social witness, in obedience to God. We need to listen to the gentle whispers that will tell us how we can bring our lives into greater harmony with heaven. –Deborah Haines, 1978

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Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer — Dorothy Cary

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments — Anthony Stover

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Feb. 5, the children will be making Valentines! Jody Hobbs-Pifer is bringing all kinds of beautiful supplies to create cards for our members who are over 80 and for our own friends and relations. The First Day School class and Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway. The Child Care group will start at 10:30a.m.in the kindergarten, and the First Day School children will go to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:45 a.m. If you can let us know if you will be attending, it will help us with our planning. – Carla, Lili, Kelley & Maalik

MEETING NEWS

GFS A CAPELLA FEST, FEB. 3-4 You’re invited to come to the annual A Cappella Fest, hosted by Germantown Friends School (GFS), which is taking place this weekend, Feb. 3 and 4, beginning at 7 p.m. each night. You will be treated to performances by eight regional a cappella choirs, including choirs from GFS. It will be held in the Loeb Auditorium.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROVIDE REFRESHMENTS FOR SOCIAL HOUR? Thank you to those who have served us recently, and to those who have already volunteered for the future! It is much appreciated and brings us together as a community. We hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. Please consider signing up for:

February 12

March 19

April 2, 9, or 16

To sign up, email Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room. Thank you!

REMINDER

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP The next meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group is Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. It will meet by Zoom and will be led by our member John Colgan-Davis. It is open to anyone interested, whether or not you have participated in the past, and it meets on the third Tuesday of each month. In coming months, participants will read and discuss The 1619 Project by Nikole Hanna-Jones and would like to share this experience more widely with other Meeting members and attenders. Please join us! Many copies of this book are available in branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the group is also considering buying copies from a local bookstore. Contact Bill Cozzens if you would like to be in on that. The link to this month’s discussion will be sent out the week before the meeting. The topic will be the first chapter of The 1619 Project (up to page 42). Questions? Contact John Colgan-Davis.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

BLACK QUAKER LIVES MATTER FILM FEST Two of our members, Joan Countryman and Pamela Williams, will be featured in the Black Quaker Lives Matter Film Festival & Forum, a weekly screening and discussion program, presented online by Zoom. Five programs comprise the series. On Saturday, Feb. 18, Joan Countryman will be honored, and The Prep School Negro will be shown. Joan was the first African American graduate of Germantown Friends School, a longtime teacher and administrator in Friends Schools, former head of Lincoln School, and is co-founder of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership School for Girls in South Africa. Director and producer of the film is Audre Robert Lee, who has taught at Germantown Friends School. On Saturday, March 18, the film to be shown is Benjamin Banneker:The Man Who Loved the Stars. Pamela Williams, a descendant of Banneker, will be part of a discussion with two other descendant-researchers of Banneker. The films each begin at 1 p.m. To see the rest of the series descriptions and to register, click here.

YOUNG ADULTS MAY APPLY FOR NEW AFSC LEADERSHIP PROGRAM Applications are being accepted for the new hands-on learning program, “Emerging Leaders for Liberation,” by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). They are due by March 12. Applicants must be 18 to 22 years old as of April 1, 2023, and have a relationship to an AFSC program, a Quaker college or organization, or a Quaker meeting. The first cohort will begin meeting in April 2023. The program will help these young adults hone their skills in leadership and community organizing. There will be an informational webinar about this new program on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 8 p.m. To register, click here.

LECTURE ON CLIMATE JUSTICE, FEB. 6 “The BatteredEarth: Injury,Loss, and Healing,” will be the topic of Pendle Hill’s online Monday Evening Lecture on Feb. 6, at 6:30 p.m. It will be presented by Beverly Ward, field secretary of Earth Care for Southeastern Yearly Meeting. She will draw on her experience in advocating for environmental and climate justice and research, decolonization, and service, and she will share how we can support each other through this transition. Information on registration to view the lecture online is available by clicking here.

WORKSHOP ON SPIRITUALITY & AGING, FEB. 9 As you age, what is your unfinished business and your dreams for new adventures? On Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m., there will be an online workshop to consider these questions and more. It is cosponsored by South Jersey Quakers and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and facilitated by staff from New York Yearly Meeting’s program, Aging Resources, Consultation, and Help, known as ARCH. For more information and to register, click here.

THREAD GATHERING ON ELDERING, FEB. 18 Explore the idea of ministers in our meetings as Friends who engage in spiritual guidance and pastoral reflect to help us through the challenges, struggles, and concerns of our faith journey as Friends. On Saturday, Feb. 18, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., there will be an online workshop, “Quaker Eldership: Integral and Controversial,” led by George Schaefer, who carries a longstanding concern for conflict resolution, transformation, and fostering unity among Friends. He is also the former Care & Aging coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) and is now a volunteer resource person in PYM’s Ministry & Care. Please register in advance by clicking here.

SAVE THE DATE

PYM CONTINUING SESSIONS, MARCH 11 by Zoom and in person at Arch Street Meeting House, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and continuing until 12 noon, for worship and meeting for business. This will be followed by six in-person special events in the afternoon, hosted by monthly meetings in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM). More information will be available as plans develop.

TAKE ACTION

REMINDER

P.O.W.E.R. UPDATE

The monthly Friends in POWER meeting will be this Saturday, Feb 4, at 8:30 a.m.

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., the Live Free campaign will host a town hall gathering about the yet-to-be-formed Prison Oversight Commission. Additional information will be provided as available.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 27, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

On one never-to-forgotten Sunday morning, I found myself one of a small company of silent worshipers who were content to sit down together without words, that each one might feel after and draw near to the Divine Presence unhindered at least, if not helped, by any human utterance…. My whole soul was filled with the unutterable peace of the undisturbed opportunity for communion with God, with the sense that at last I had found a place where I might, without the faintest suspicion of insincerity, join with others in simply seeking [God’s] presence. To sit down in silence could at least pledge me to nothing; it might open to me (as it did that morning) the very gate of heaven. –Caroline E.Stephen, 1890

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On Sunday, Jan. 29 we will have separate Zoom and in-meetinghouse meetings for worship. We will still have microphones in the meetinghouse. This is part of a trial of having non-hybrid meetings for worship on the last Sundays of January, February and March.

Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023

10:30 a.m. In-person worship at meetinghouse; online worship by Zoom (link below)

Closers In-person worship: Karen Lightner; Zoom worship: Faye Staecy

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Jan. 29, our First Day School class and our Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway from the meetinghouse. The Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m., and the First Day School children will go over to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. If you can let us know whether you will be attending, it will help us with our planning. — Carla, Lili, and Kelley.

MEETING NEWS

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP The Germantown Meeting Anti-Racism Discussion Group, led by our member John Colgan-Davis, has been meeting since fall 2020. It is open to anyone interested, whether or not you have participated in the past. In coming months, the group will read and discuss The 1619 Project by Nikole Hanna-Jones and would like to share this experience more widely with other Meeting members and attenders. Please join us! Many copies of this book are available in branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the group is also considering buying copies from a local bookstore. Contact Bill Cozzens if you would like to be in on that. The discussion group meets on the third Tuesday of each month, and the next meeting is Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. by Zoom. The link will be sent out the week before the meeting. The discussion topic will be the first chapter of The 1619 Project (up to page 42). Questions? Contact John Colgan-Davis.

February 12 or 19

March 19

April 2, 9, 16, 23, or 30

To sign up, email Becky Johnson.

REMINDERS

DEADLINE FOR TUITION AID: FEB. 1 Germantown Monthly Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting. Application forms for the 2023-2024 academic year are available from National Friends Education Fund through Friends Council on Education. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of the Meeting�~@~Ys Scholarship Committee, by February 1. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Her contact information is in the Meeting Directory, or contact the Meeting Office at gmm@germantownfriends.org. Here is the link to the scholarship application: Click here to download the 2023-2024 application & guidelines packet.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

NOTE FROM BARBARA WYBAR

Dear GMM Members, I want to say thank you so much for your support and kindness towards our work in Bududa. So many of you have shown interest and support in so many ways. Last Sunday, Julia Rhoads brought a trunkload of beautiful fabric to donate to our vocational school, where we have more than 40 tailoring students, but, in many cases, the young women come and pay fees but do not have enough money to buy fabric to practice with. Now we have a good supply. I wanted to say thank-you to Julia and to all of you for your kind and generous support over the years! With great appreciation, Barbara Wybar

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

LISTENING IN ON QUAKER HISTORY Arch Street Meeting House has a podcast called “Untold Stories in Quaker History.” Host Denis Long interviews educators and historians on how Quakers have made a long-lasting impact on history. Episodes include a discussion with Marcus Rediker about Benjamin Lay and the long journey toward abolition, the fight for women’s rights with the Alice Paul Institute, and more. You can find it on Spotify, Google podcasts, or listen on the Arch Street Meeting House website.

EXPLORING REPARATIVE JUSTICE, JAN. 28-29 This online workshop from Pendle Hill will take a look at the spiritual imperative for Quakers to repair harm done by their involvement in slavery and its after effects. It will explore do-able ways to address healing, reparations, and social change. Participants will learn about the experiments and efforts of others, share their thoughts and plans, and practice applying solutions. Cost is $115. For more information, click here.

SCHOLARSHIPS TO LIVE & LEARN AT PENDLE HILL Applications are now open for three scholarships to attend Pendle Hill as a residential students: (1) The Henry J. Cadbury Scholarship is for scholars with serious interest in Quaker faith; (2) The Kenneth L. Carroll Scholarship is for Biblical and Quaker studies; and (3) The Minnie Jane Arts Scholarship is for Quaker artists to pursue a self-directed creative project. Applications are due March 1 for the 15-week residencies that take place between September 2023 and August 2024.

REMINDERS

PYM ECO-JUSTICE THREAD GATHERING, JAN. 28 This Zoom workshop will explore new federal incentives to invest in clean energy. It is sponsored by the Eco-Justice Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) and will take place on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., by Zoom video conferencing. New federal programs under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, passed last year, provide big incentives for households and nonprofits, such as Germantown Meeting and Germantown Friends School (GFS), to invest in clean energy and reduce their carbon footprint. There are various tax credits, rebates, and grants. The PYM Eco-Justice Collaborative will discuss new programs and describe how to access the benefits of them. For example, our Meeting and GFS could be reimbursed by the Feds for as much as 50 percent of the cost of installing solar power. For information and to register and get the Zoom link, click here.

SAVE THE DATE

TAKE ACTION

FILM ON NUCLEAR THREAT, PLOWSHARES ACTIONS, JAN. 28 A free showing of the documentary film “The Nuns, the Priests, and the Bombs” will take place tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 28, at 1:30 p.m., in the East Parlor of St. Joseph Hall at Chestnut Hill College, 9601 Germantown Ave. Phila., PA 19118. The 87-minute film describes the nuclear threat facing humanity and our natural world, now heightened by the Russia-Ukraine war. The film also explores the Plowshares disarmament actions, composed of religious sisters, priests, and laypeople who entered military installations to conduct nonviolent, symbolic civil disobedience in protest of nuclear weaponry. The first action, and arguably the most famous, was the Plowshares Eight, which took place on Sept. 9, 1980, at a General Electric weapons plant in King of Prussia, PA. The film was written, produced, and directed by Helen Young, an Emmy Award-winning journalist. A panel discussion will follow the film, featuring Plowshare and anti-war and nuclear abolitionist activists. For more information, contact Catherine Nerney, SSH. To see a trailer of the film, go to youtube.com/watch?v=NoiVdO1HtDs.

REMINDER

P.O.W.E.R. UPDATE POWER is currently engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to Jeff Powers.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 20, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It may surprise some of us to hear that the first generation of Friends did not have a testimony for simplicity.They came upon a faith that cut to the root of the way they saw life, radically reorienting it. They saw that all they did must flow directly from what they experienced as true, and that if it did not, both the knowing and the doing became false. In order to keep the knowledge clear and the doing true, they stripped away anything that seemed to get in the way. They called those things superfluities, and it is this radical process of stripping for clear-seeing that we now term simplicity. –Frances Irene Taber, 1985

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Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Ed Nakawatase

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Anna Burke & T.J. Rafferty

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

-Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

-Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

-Masks are required at all times while indoors, except when addressing the group during Meeting for Worship, or making an announcement, or sharing a Joy or Concern after worship. Replace mask after speaking, please.

-Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

-Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Jan. 22, our first Day School class and our Child Care group will both meet in the kindergarten across the driveway. The Child Care group will start at 10:30 a.m., and First Day School children will go to the kindergarten when they come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. This week, they will learn about Mary Fisher and her visit to the Sultan of Turkey. Looking forward to seeing you all after a long break! — Carla, Lili, and Kelly

MEETING NEWS

February 5, 12, 19, or 26

March 12 or 19

April 2, 9, 16, 23, or 30

To sign up, call or email Becky Johnson.

REMINDERS

MINDFULNESS SERIES BEGINS JAN. 23 How do you bring the practice of mindfulness into your daily life? Our member Deborah Cooper will lead a series of four free online sessions on Mindfulness Meditation on Mondays, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., beginning Jan. 23. The series is sponsored by Friends Counseling Service of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Participants will investigate ways in which this practice can begin to bring a sense of increased well-being and decreased suffering, as they negotiate everyday challenges. Each session will begin with a brief talk, a guided meditation, and a time for questions and comments. Come for one class or the entire series. While the series is free, you will be asked when you register whether you would like to make an optional, as-led contribution. To register, click here. To receive updates on classes and meditation retreats, subscribe to Deborah Cooper’s blog.

DEADLINE FOR TUITION AID: FEB. 1 Germantown Monthly Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting. Application forms for the 2023-2024 academic year are available from National Friends Education Fund through Friends Council on Education. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of the Meeting’s Scholarship Committee, by February 1. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Her contact information is in the Meeting Directory, or contact the Meeting Office at gmm@germantownfriends.org. Here is the link to the scholarship application: Click here to download the 2023-2024 application & guidelines packet.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

CHANGE OF ADDRESS Robert Segal’s address is now 1023 Stonybrook Drive, Deptford NJ 08096. His telephone number and email address are still the same.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE

REMINDERS

QUARTERLY MEETING FOCUSES ON HEALING, JAN. 22 Tracey Smith, a member of Green Street Monthly Meeting, will speak and conduct a healing circle at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, of which our Meeting is a member. The program will take place by Zoomon on Sunday, Jan. 22, beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the Quarter’s meeting for business at 2 p.m., with farewells at 4 p.m. Participants are also invited to join Green Street Meeting’s in-person worship at 10:30 a.m. Tracey has extensive background in restorative practices and the Quaker community. To register, click here.

TAKE ACTION

EQAT TRAINING FOR DIRECT ACTION, JAN. 21 Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) is offering a training session on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m., to prepare for direct action on Wednesday, Jan. 25, in which EQAT will confront Vanguard, an investment management company. This training is not required to participate in the action, but it affords the opportunity to build your direct action skills, feel prepared, and get to know others who are involved. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

ANNIVERSARY OF NUCLEAR BAN TREATY, JAN. 22 Join people at the Federal Courthouse at 6th & Market streets in Philadelphia on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. to celebrate the second anniversary of entry into force of the UN Treaty of Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which declares nuclear weapons to be illegal. This commemoration will feature a display of banners and reading of the names of the 68 nations that have ratified the treaty, with tolling of the Brandywine Peace Bell, followed by a short peace walk around the nearby Liberty Bell Pavilion. Organized by the Brandywine Peace Community. For more information and directions, click here or call our member Bob Smith.

EQAT ‘A LOOK AHEAD’ ACTION AT VANGUARD, JAN. 25 At Vanguard’s offices in Newtown Square, PA, the Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) will confront the company with the question: “Which future will you choose?” This action will take place Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. Participants will use art and their voices to illustrate and describe a vision of the future if Vanguard continues to invest in climate destruction–and the vision of EQAT members for ways Vanguard could support ecologically sound investment. If you would like to attend but cannot afford it, EQAT has funds available to help with such things as transportation, child care, or lost wages. For details and to register, click here.

REMINDER

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 13, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Since our method of transacting business presumes that in a given matter there is a way that is in harmony with God’s plan, our search is for that right way, and not simply for a way that is either victory for some faction or an expedient compromise. In a Meeting that is rightly ordered, no one wins or loses, but Truth prevails…. Everyone has the privilege and the duty to lay before the Meeting whatever relevant insight one may possess. Out of this sharing of light may come a greater light that would not have been possible had some refrained from speaking…. Our conviction of God’s care for this world and our respect for the dignity of [people] must carry over into the conduct of our meetings for business. We are called to love those present enough to listen to what they have to say and to speak what is worth their hearing. –Thomas S. Brown, “When Friends attend to business”

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Sunday, Jan.15, 2022

9 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Business (Agenda* below)

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Jack Rhoads

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

Refreshments Barbara Wybar & Teresa Maebori

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Masks required at all times while indoors, except when addressing the group during Meeting for Worship, or making an announcement, or sharing a Joy or Concern after worship. Replace mask after speaking, please.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

*AGENDA

(For a detailed version of Agenda, see attachment: Agenda Jan 13 2023)
Meeting for Business
January 15, 2023
9 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Business meeting will be hybrid (in the meetinghouse Committee Room and via Zoom video conferencing)

Query — Faye Steacy, followed by worship
Minutes — Becky Johnson, recording clerk (Members are reminded to review the minutes and identify corrections before the meeting.)
Care & Visiting Committee — Peter Samuel
Standing Nominating Committee — David Mettler
Marriage Committee –Carla Childs
Worship & Ministry — Margie Spaeth
Meeting support for food distribution program of The Center for Returning Citizens — Jack Rhoads
Property Committee — Tom Sharpless
Announcements
Closing Worship

FIRST DAY SCHOOL & CHILD CARE This Sunday, Jan. 15, Child Care will start at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten across the driveway from the meetinghouse. First Day School, for children in kindergarten through 7th grade, will start when the students come out of meeting for worship at 10:50 a.m. This Sunday is the day before Martin Luther King Day, and we will meet in the Sharpless building at Germantown Friends School, on the second floor, in the third classroom on the left. Our project will be making hats and scarves out of polar fleece to distribute to people in the neighborhood who need them.

MEETING NEWS

February 5, 12, 19, or 26

March 12 or 19

April 2, 9, 16, 23, or 30

To sign up, email Becky Johnson.

ANTI-RACISM GROUP TO MEET JAN. 17 This Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Anti-racism Discussion Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Discussion will include books to read, recent readings that were sent out, and other items brought up by participants.

REMINDERS

GFS FREE LIBRARY OPENS TO GMM MEMBERS The Free Library of Germantown Friends School (GFS) invites members and attenders of Germantown Monthly Meeting to visit it Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. For questions, contact Kate Gerrity, director of GFS Library Services. The library is slowly reopening its doors to community groups and for special events.

TUITION AID FOR CHILDREN IN QUAKER SCHOOLS Germantown Monthly Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting. Application forms for the 2023-2024 academic year are available from the National Friends Education Fund through Friends Council on Education. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of the Meeting’s Scholarship Committee, by February 1. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Her contact information is in the Meeting Directory, or contact the Meeting Office. Here is the link to the scholarship application: Click here to download the 2023-2024 application & guidelines packet.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

DEBORAH COOPER TO LEAD MINDFULNESS SERIES How do you bring the practice of mindfulness into your daily life? Our member Deborah Cooper will lead a series of four free online sessions on Mindfulness Meditation on Mondays, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., beginning Jan. 23. The series is sponsored by Friends Counseling Service of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Participants will investigate ways in which this practice can begin to bring a sense of increased well-being and decreased suffering, as they negotiate everyday challenges. Each session will begin with a brief talk, a guided meditation, and a time for questions and comments. Come for one class or the entire series. While the series is free, you will be asked when you register whether you would like to make an optional, as-led contribution. To register, click here. To receive updates on classes and meditation retreats, subscribe to Deborah Cooper’s blog.

JOHN COLGAN-DAVIS TO PERFORM JAN.13 Our member John Colgan-Davis will perform on Friday, Jan. 13 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA. The acoustic duo in which he performs, Johnny Never & John Colgan-Davis, will open for John’s blues band, The Dukes of Destiny. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show is from 8:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. Arrange for tickets by clicking here.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

ACTIVITIES FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY Here is a link to a page of resources for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day: https://volunteer.globalcitizen365.org

FGC RESOURCES ON ANTI-RACISM Here is the link to Friends General Conference (FGC) resources on anti-racism: /https://www.fgcquaker.org/fgcresources/anti-racism-resources Among them are reports and suggestions on ways meetings can fight racism.

REMINDER

QUARTERLY MEETING FOCUSES ON HEALING, JAN. 22 Tracey Smith, a member of Green Street Monthly Meeting, will speak and conduct a healing circle at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, of which our Meeting is a member, on Sunday, Jan. 22. The program will take place by Zoom, beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the Quarter’s meeting for business at 2 p.m., with farewells at 4 p.m. Participants are also invited to join Green Street Meeting’s in-person worship at 10:30 a.m. Tracey has extensive background in restorative practices and the Quaker community. To register, click here.

TAKE ACTION

PROTEST ARMS BUILD-UP ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY, Jan. 16 The Brandywine Peace Community will mark Martin Luther King Day this Monday with a nonviolent protest of weapons manufacturing at Lockheed Martin in King of Prussia, PA, Mall & Goddard Boulevards (behind King of Prussia Mall). Lockheed Martin is the world’s no. 1 war profiteer and the United States’ no.1 nuclear weapons contractor. The Brandywine’s bell of peace will toll in honor of Dr. King’s “urgency of now” message of nonviolence and the need to rid humanity of nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear war. This annual peace demonstration marks the 46th solemn observance by the Brandywine Peace Community honoring Dr. King and his call to nonviolent protest of war and injustice. For more information, visit www.brandywinepeace.com.

REMINDER

P.O.W.E.R. UPDATE The next Town Hall for the Citizens Police Oversight Commission will be Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Questions and comments may be sent in advance to cpoc@phila.gov.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 6, 2023

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

No living creature can create energy; the physical energy which we derive from our food comes from the sun’s light and heat. So also we cannot create spiritual power; we can only draw on the springs which flow from God. Prayer is the attitude of mind in which we may get into contact with God and renew our strength. In it our desires are brought before God with an open mind to try to understand [God’s] will. This attitude involves a complete surrender on our part.

We would encourage Friends, therefore, reverently yet daringly to make fuller experiment of the life of trust and consecration through prayer, that they may know relief from the burden of anxiety and perplexity and realize the joy of health and victory, whereby they may become centres of radiant energy for the help and healing of others. –Christian Faith & Practice, London Yearly Meeting, 1960

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Sunday, Jan. 8, 2022

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Barbara Wybar

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

12 noon Refreshments (social room), furnished by Joan McIlvaine and Mary Segal

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL and CHILD CARE This Sunday, Jan. 8, there will be Child Care, but no formal First Day School class. Older children can join the younger children in the Child Care group in the kindergarten.

MEETING NEWS

INVITATION FROM GFS FREE LIBRARY The Free Library of Germantown Friends School (GFS) invites members and attenders of Germantown Monthly Meeting to visit it Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Kate Gerrity, GFS director of Library Services and occasional attender, will bring the library to us this Sunday with a pop-up library in the social room after meeting for worship. Friends will be able to check out library books on the spot to take home and enjoy. Kate notes that she is looking forward to being with us this Sunday and meeting people in our Meeting. The library is slowly reopening its doors to community groups and for special events.

MEETING OFFICE NOW REOPENED The Meeting Office, which has been closed due to covid illness, is now open for regular hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thank you for your patience and concern. –Melissa Elliott, Meeting secretary

NEWS OF FRIENDS

JOHN COLGAN-DAVIS TO PERFORM JAN.13 Our member John Colgan-Davis will perform on Friday, Jan. 13 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. The acoustic duo in which he performs, Johnny Never & John Colgan-Davis, will open for John’s blues band, The Dukes of Destiny. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show is from 8:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. Arrange for tickets by clicking here.

QUAKER NEWS

BUILDING GIVEN TO TCRC The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), founded and directed by our member Jondhi Harrell, recently received a gift from the Nazarene Baptist Church of a building for $1 a month, plus utilities, which average $350 monthly. TCRC is raising money to renovate the building. Anyone who wishes to donate may send checks, earmarked for TCRC, to this address: TCRC Community Healing Center, 3981 Nice St., Phila., PA 19140.

REMINDER

QUARTERLY MEETING FOCUSES ON HEALING, JAN. 22 Tracey Smith, a member of Green Street Monthly Meeting, will speak and conduct a healing circle at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, of which our Meeting is a member, on Sunday, Jan. 22. The program will take place by Zoom, beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the Quarter’s meeting for business at 2 p.m., with farewells at 4 p.m. Participants are also invited to join Green Street Meeting’s in-person worship at 10:30 a.m. Tracey has extensive background in restorative practices and the Quaker community. To register, click here.

TAKE ACTION

P.O.W.E.R. UPDATE The next Climate Justice & Jobs meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 10, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The next Welcome to POWER Orientation will be Thursday, Jan. 19, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. More information can be found here. Additionally, the next meeting of Live Free will be this Monday, Jan. 9, from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Zoom information is available.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, December 30, 2022

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Now is where we live, now is where the past must be overcome, now is where we meet others, now is where we must find the presence of God. –Carol Murphy, 1993

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Sunday, Jan. 1, 2022

10:30 a.m. In person, fireside Meeting for Worship in social room

Closer for fireside Worship: Rob Smith

10:30 Zoom Meeting for Worship online

Closer for Zoom Worship: Bill Cozzens

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

12 noon Refreshments (social room)

Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse, so that Friends may center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions, announcements, and the sharing of Joys & Concerns. Simple refreshments will be served afterward in the social room, with the option to take your refreshments to the porch, if you wish.

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL and CHILD CARE This Sunday, Jan. 1, there will be Child Care, but no formal First Day School class. Older children who are there can join the younger children in the Child Care group in the kindergarten.

MEETING NEWS

MEETING OFFICE CLOSED TEMPORARILY

Please be advised that our Meeting Office is closed temporarily because I have come down with Covid, along with my partner Bob Smith. Email will be checked regularly, and, in an emergency, you may contact Karen Lightner, clerk of the Office & Records Committee. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and hope it won’t be long before I can return to work. –Melissa Elliott, Meeting secretary

TUITION AID FOR CHILDREN IN QUAKER SCHOOLS Germantown Monthly Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting. Application forms for the 2023-2024 academic year are available from the National Friends Education Fund through Friends Council on Education. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of the Meeting’s Scholarship Committee, by February 1. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Her contact information is in the Meeting Directory, or contact the Meeting Office at gmm@germantownfriends.org. Here is the link to the scholarship application: Click here to download the 2023-2024 application & guidelines packet.

REMINDERS

MEETING FOR WORSHIP ON NEW YEAR’S DAY … will be in front of the fireplace in the social room, with separate Zoom worship, both beginning at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m., followed by greetings, announcements, and sharing.

DONATIONS NEEDED BY DEC. 31 FOR TAX BREAK Tomorrow is Saturday, Dec. 31, the last day to make a charitable contribution and take it as a tax deduction in 2022.The IRS is allowing persons who take the standard deduction also to deduct several hundred dollars in charitable contributions. Your Fundraising Committee asks for your financial support for Germantown Meeting at this time of year, first, because it’s needed, and second, because it is a good time for most of us to give. You are not prodded regularly for funds; you did not get a request for funds on Giving Tuesday a week ago. But now we request your support for the Meeting, its staff, office, and programs. You may send a check to Germantown Meeting at 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144; or donate online through PYM.org/donate: scroll past the request for giving to PYM, and find the place where you can donate to Germantown Meeting. –Jonathan Rhoads, clerk, Fundraising Committee

NEWS OF FRIENDS

DEATH OF JEAN SHARPLESS Our dear Friend and long-time member Jean Sharpless died on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at Foulkeways, where she lived with her husband Parvin Sharpless, also a member of our Meeting.

QUAKER NEWS

QUARTERLY MEETING TO FOCUS ON HEALING, JAN. 22 Tracey Smith, a member of Green Street Monthly Meeting, will speak and conduct a healing circle at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, of which our Meeting is a member, on Sunday, Jan. 22. The program will take place by Zoom, beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the Quarter’s meeting for business at 2 p.m., with farewells at 4 p.m. Participants are also invited to join Green Street Meeting’s in-person worship at 10:30 a.m. Tracey has extensive background in restorative practices and the Quaker community. To register, click here.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, December 23, 2022

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

And there were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all people.” — Luke 2:8-14

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Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022

10:30 a.m. In person, fireside Meeting for Worship in social room

Closer for fireside Worship: Rob Smith

10:30 Zoom Meeting for Worship online

Closer for Zoom Worship: Bill Cozzens

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

12 noon Refreshments (social room)

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the Social Room.

MEETING NEWS

FIRST DAY SCHOOL and CHILD CARE: This Sunday, Dec. 25, there will be no formal First Day School class or Child Care group. (All of our teachers will be away!) Any children who need looking after during Meeting for Worship will go play with Kelley White, indoors or out, depending on the weather. –Carla Childs

REMINDERS

MEETING FOR WORSHIP ON CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S … will be in front of the fireplace in the social room on both days, as well as separately by Zoom, beginning at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m. with greetings, announcements, and sharing.

HELP US RAISE OUR MID-YEAR FINANCIAL GOAL As we approach the end of the year when tax ramifications of charitable giving become significant, your Fundraising Committee solicits your financial support for Germantown Meeting. You are not prodded regularly for funds; you did not get a request for funds on Giving Tuesday a week ago. But now we request your support for the Meeting, its staff, office, and programs. You may send a check to Germantown Meeting at 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144; or donate online through PYM.org/donate: scroll past the request for giving to PYM, and find the place where you can donate to Germantown Meeting. –Jonathan Rhoads, clerk, Fundraising Committee

NEWS OF FRIENDS

ADDRESS CHANGE Our member Pamela Williams, has supplied a revision for her change of address, which appeared in last Friday’s BEE. The street address should be 35 Cambrian Way, Apt 403, Burlington, Vermont 05401. (It was previously given as 36 Cambrian Way.) Please make the change to your address book.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, December 16, 2022

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit from thy own thoughts, and then thou wilt feel the principle of God to turn thy mind to the Lord God, whereby thou wilt receive his strength and power from whence life comes, to allay all tempests, against blusterings and storms. That is it which moulds up into patience, into innocency, into soberness, into stillness, into stayedness, into quietness, up to God, with his power. –George Fox in his Journal, edited by John L. Nickalls, 1952

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Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022

10:30 a.m. Meeting for Worship

Closer Melissa Elliott & friend

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Christmas Pageant by First Day School Students

12 noon Refreshments (social room)

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL and YOUNGER STUDENTS This Sunday, Dec. 18, the First Day School students and the younger children will all meet in the social room at 10:30 a.m. to get into costume and practice for the Christmas pageant, which will take place at rise of meeting for worship. Any visiting children are most welcome to join in the pageant as sheep.

MEETING NEWS

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT, DEC. 18 Our First Day School children will present their Christmas Pageant for us in the meeting room at rise of worship on Sunday, Dec. 18. Be ready to see wandering sheep, a babe in the manger, three wise people of diverse ages and genders, a cast of familiar characters, and our favorite swinging Christmas star!

CAROLING, COOKIES & COCOA, DEC. 18 at 4 pm This year we will be singing Christmas carols together outside the meetinghouse, enjoying hot chocolate, hot cider, and we welcome contributions of your favorite holiday cookies to share! There will be limited seating outside for those who don’t wish to stand. Dress warmly and feel free to bring a blanket to keep you cozy. [Please open, print, and bring along the attached Christmas Carol Songbook.] Questions? Contact Becky Johnson or Anne Stassen.

REMINDERS

MEETING FOR WORSHIP ON CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR’S … will be in front of the fireplace in the social room on both days, as well as separately by Zoom, beginning at the usual 10:30 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m. with greetings, announcements, and sharing.

A FEW MORE PEOPLE NEEDED TO PROVIDE REFRESHMENTS Thank you to those fine folk who answered my plea last week to sign up for providing refreshments, beginning with the new year. I’m delighted people have volunteered for every Sunday in January and the last two in March. We still need volunteers for Feb. 5, 12, 19, and 26; and March 12 and 19. Would you like to help? It’s much appreciated by our hungry, sociable Friends, and you may get a chance to work with someone new to you and get to know them better. It’s a great way to help build our community.

Here is a list of what’s involved: Come early to set up the food and drink, as well as a table or two. Attend worship, leaving a few minutes early to get the coffee brewing and put food out. Serve beverages from the kitchen “windows” when the crowd arrives. Clean up by running dishes through the dishwasher, putting them away, and doing a little vacuuming. Sometimes one or two people will join you to help.

I can provide more instructions and orientation, if needed. Thank you for considering this. I hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. To sign up, please email me. Thank you! –Becky Johnson

NEWS OF FRIENDS

NEW ADDRESS FOR PAMELA WILLIAMS Our member Pamela Williams, who often joins us via Zoom at meeting for worship, has a new address: 36 Cambrian Way, Apt 403, Burlington, Vermont 05401.

TAKE ACTION

SEASON OF PEACE ‘REACH OUT’, DEC. 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Chestnut Hill on Germantown Avenue, between the intersection with Cresheim Road and Mermaid Lane. With signs and banners (provided), declare “Defuse Nuclear War” and “No to Nukes,” and “Christmas Means Peace” to passing motorists and pedestrians. Sponsored by Brandywine Peace Community. For information, contact Bob Smith.

REMINDER

POWER UPDATE The next meeting of Friends in POWER will be on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 8:30 a.m. Zoom information will be sent out that week. POWER is currently engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you are interested in a specific campaign, reach out to our Meeting representative, Jeff Powers.

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, December 9, 2022

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We do not regard those who have the gift of “ministry” as infallible, or even as necessarily closer to God than many of the silent worshippers who form the great majority in every congregation. We feel that the gift is from above, and that on all of us lies the responsibility of being open to it, willing to receive it, should it be bestowed, and to use it faithfully while entrusted with it. But we fully recognize that to do this perfectly requires a continual submission of the will, and an unceasing watchfulness. We know that to “keep close to the gift” is not an easy thing. We know that the singleness of eye which alone can enable any one always to discern between the immediate guidance of the Divine Spirit and the mere prompting of our hearts, is not attained without much patience and a diligent and persevering use of all the means of instruction provided for us. –Caroline E. Stephen, Quaker Strongholds, 1891

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Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022

9 a.m. Meeting for Business (In committee room and by Zoom. Agenda below.)

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Jondhi Harrell

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

12 noon Refreshments (social room)

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

AGENDA

Meeting for Business

Hybrid (in the meetinghouse committee room and by Zoom)

Use same Zoom link, or phone number with meeting ID number and passcode, as listed for worship (above)

Query–Faye Steacy, followed by worship

Corrections & Approval of November 2022 minutes

Care & Visiting Committee–Peter Samuel

School Committee Report & Discussion–David Feldman and Dana Weeks.

School Finances

Enrollment

Status of All-school Commons project

Quaker Self-Study

Announcements

Closing Worship

[To see annotated agenda, open attachment Dec 11 2022.pdf]

MEETING NEWS

FIRST DAY SCHOOL: This Sunday, Dec. 11, First Day School will meet in the social room at 10:50 a.m., when students come out of meeting for worship.

CHILD CARE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN will start at 10:30 a.m, also in the committee room, practicing for the Christmas pageant. If parents can let Carla Childs know whether they will be attending, it will help with the planning. Contact Carla.

WINTER FUNDRAISING BEGINS As we approach the end of the year when tax ramifications of charitable giving become significant, your Fundraising Committee solicits your financial support for Germantown Meeting. You are not prodded regularly for funds; you did not get a request for funds on Giving Tuesday a week ago. But now we request your support for the Meeting, its staff, office, and programs. You may send a check to Germantown Meeting at 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144; or donate online through PYM.org: scroll past the request for giving to PYM, and find the place where you can donate to Germantown Meeting. –Jonathan Rhoads, clerk, Fund Raising Committee

ART SALE FEATURES TWO OF OUR MEMBERS, DEC. 9-18 Rebecca Hoenig and Peter Samuel each have their pieces of their artwork in the Holiday Sale & Exhibition at Allens Lane Art Center, 601 West Allens Lane, on Dec. 9-18. The sale features lots of fine art and pottery, priced with gift-giving in mind. The gallery is open every day from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

CAROLING, COOKIES & COCOA, DEC. 18 A new, in-person, Covid-sensitive version of our time-honored Christmas potluck and carol singing tradition will take place outdoors onSunday, Dec. 18, at 4 p.m. Let’s join together to sing Christmas carols outside the meetinghouse and enjoy hot chocolate, hot cider, and everybody’s contributions of holiday cookies. Caroline Davis plans to accompany us on either viola or keyboard. Please bring your festive spirit, and we would also welcome a plate of your favorite holiday cookies to share. There will be limited seating outside for those who don’t wish to stand. Dress warmly and feel free to bring a blanket to keep you cozy. Questions? Contact Becky Johnson or Anne Stassen.

REMINDERS

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO PROVIDE REFRESHMENTS Dear Friends, It is wonderful to see so many of us back in the Meetinghouse for worship and social hour. It feels like a rebirth of in-person fellowship in our community. (I also appreciate seeing and hearing from those who join us for worship via Zoom!) Speaking of social hour, we have now moved refreshments indoors, and it seems to be working well. (We are still encouraging masking indoors when people are not actively eating or drinking.) Before COVID (BC) we always had a schedule set up ahead of time for Friends volunteering to serve refreshments. Now that we are back to having significant numbers attending (40-50), I would like to start organizing this again for 2023. It would be wonderful for everyone who is able to volunteer. Let’s begin with January, February, and March. Please let me know if you are able and willing to serve refreshments on any of these Sundays:

Jan. 1, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29

Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27

March 6, March 13, March 20, March 27

Doing refreshments involves bringing juice and snacks (coffee, tea, etc., are already supplied in the kitchen), coming early to set up your food and drink and a table or two, attending worship, leaving worship a few minutes early to get the coffee brewing and put food out, cleaning up (others will help you). Includes running dishes through the dishwasher and putting them away, and possibly a little vacuuming. I can provide more instructions and orientation, if needed, when you sign up. Doing this job is a great way to contribute to our GMM community, get to know other Friends, and receive a lot of appreciation! Thank you for considering this. I hope everyone will take a turn a couple of times a year. To sign up, please email me at email me. Thank you! –Becky Johnson

SUGGESTIONS TO HELP MEETINGS LOOK AT RACISM Our Anti-Racism Discussion Group is asking Friends to read the attached document from the 2015 White Privilege Conference, talk with one another about the ideas it contains, and consider where our Meeting is in relation to these ideas. The document (2015 White Priv Conf.pdf) contains a list of suggestions for Meetings to consider in response to White Privilege, as well as unconscious or systematic racism in their midst. You are encouraged to take your questions to John Colgan-Davis, clerk of the Anti-racism Discussion Group, and he will relay them to the discussion group.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

REMINDER

BURIAL OF ELIZABETH SCATTERGOOD’S ASHES, DEC. 10 Our Burial Grounds Committee is burying our late member Elizabeth Scattergood, wife of Roger, on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m. Anyone who is interested in attending is invited, as no memorial service is planned. Betty died in 2016 at Crosslands retirement center in Kennett Square, PA, where I believe a memorial service was held. She donated her body to medical research, and her ashes were returned to Germantown Meeting this year. Betty and Roger had no children. Their niece, our member Anne S. Fogg (daughter of Henry and Sara and executor of all four estates), is in a retirement community in Maryland and cannot attend. This is the first burial in our experience where there will be no family present and the Meeting is burying her. –Randal Whitman, for the Burial Committee.

QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS

BRITISH QUAKERS DROP USE OF ‘OVERSEERS’ On Dec. 1, Quakers in Great Britain approved dropping the term “overseers,” which carries racist and oppressive connotations from days of slavery. Quaker use of the term goes back to 1753, when Friends could be disowned by their meetings for immoral conduct by the standards of their day. The role of “overseers” was by Quakers who provided pastoral oversight, support, and care. In 2019, Quakers in Central Yorkshire raised a concern that the term was outdated. At the recent gathering of Meeting for Sufferings, the representative body of Quaker meetings in Great Britain, heard statements for 40-plus areas, many of which already use other terms, such as “pastoral Friend.” In June, the body agreed to make practical reparations for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, colonialism, and economic exploitation. Now comes the work of finding ways to put this decision into practice. Spokesperson Siobhan Haire, says, “We’ll have moments of clarity and progress, where a new insight is given to us, but we’ll have many more moments of trying our best and feeling unsure about whether it’s contributing to progress.” The word overseers, a literal translation of the Greek episkopos, as used in the Bible, is usually translated by the established church as “bishop.” [Germantown Monthly Meeting uses the name “Care and Visiting Committee” for the committee originally called Overseers.] To read the entire article on the Quakers in Britain website, click here.

BUDUDA TRAVELERS TO REPORT, DEC. 17

Our members Anthony Stover and Barbara Wybar will talk about their recent trip and experiences in Bududa, Uganda, on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. , at Germantown Meeting Refreshments will be served afterward, and a Bududa Bazaar will offer items for sale that were made at Bududa Vocational Academy, along with other treasures from Uganda. Items will include folk art, wooden birds, elephant salad servers, African batik gift cards, aprons, African-fabric napkins and placemats, lots of paper beads, and much more–lots of great holiday gifts! Proceeds will benefit the Bududa Vocational Academy.

Barbara joined a group from Germantown Meeting in 2003 to build a vocational school for AIDS orphans. It has been running since 2006, and there are lots of stories to tell. Anthony visited for the first time in October of this year, and his impressions are vivid. We will be joined by Friends from Green Street and Chestnut Hill Monthly Meetings for this special event.

TAKE ACTION

REMINDER

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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, December 2, 2022

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If worship does not change us, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Resentments cannot be held with the same tenacity when we enter God’s gracious light. As Jesus said, we will need to leave our gift at the altar and go set the matter straight (Mat. 5:23). In worship an increased power steals its way into the heart sanctuary; an increased compassion grows in the soul. To worship is to change. –Richard Foster, 1978

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Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022

10:30 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Worship

Closer Anthony Stover

11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements

11:45 a.m. Joys & Concerns

12 noon Refreshments (social room)

The Meeting has adopted these safety measures for the Meetinghouse:

– Check in at the Welcome Desk before entering the meetinghouse (no pre-registration necessary).

– Fully vaccinated people only, regardless of age or vaccine eligibility, are permitted in the Meetinghouse.

– Maintain 6-foot distancing between family groups.

– Social hour will be held in the social room.

MEETING NEWS

FIRST DAY SCHOOL: This Sunday, Dec. 4, First Day School will meet in the social room at 10:50 a.m., when students come out of meeting for worship. CHILD CARE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN will start at 10:30 a.m, in the committee room if it is chilly or rainy, and outdoors if the weather is more pleasant. If parents can let Carla Childs know whether they will be attending, it would help with the planning. Contact Carla.

Jan. 1, Jan. 8, Jan. 15, Jan. 22, Jan. 29

Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27

March 6, March 13, March 20, March 27

SUGGESTIONS TO HELP MEETINGS LOOK AT RACISM Our Anti-Racism Discussion Group is asking Friends to read the attached document from the 2015 White Privilege Conference, talk with one another about the ideas it contains, and consider where our Meeting is in relation to these ideas. The document (2015 White Priv Conf.pdf) contains a list of suggestions for Meetings to consider in response to White Privilege, as well as unconscious or systematic racism in their midst. You are encouraged to take your questions to John Colgan-Davis, leader of the Anti-racism Discussion Group, and he will relay them to the discussion group.

MEETING FOR BUSINESS, DEC. 11 The focus of our December meeting for worship with a concern for business will be the Germantown Friends School and School Committee report. David Feldman, School Committee clerk, has indicated that the report and our discussion on December 11 will focus on the following areas:

Finances of the School
Enrollment
Status of the All-School Commons project
Quaker Self Study

David Feldman indicates that reports by Religious Life, Facilities, and other subcommittees of the School Committee will be addressed at another meeting later in the year. The report is promised for distribution and review by this coming Monday, Dec. 5. If you would like to receive an electronic copy of the report when it is available please email Melissa in the Meeting office at gmm@germantownfriends.org. –Bill Cozzens, clerk of Germantown Meeting

REMINDER: ED STIVENDER GIVES CHRISTMAS STORYTELLING SHOW, DEC. 4 Friends, he’s back at last for another Christmas storytelling show, the first since the rise of the Covid 19 pandemic nearly three years ago! Ed Stivender, a faithful attender of Germantown Meeting, will present “Home for Christmas: One Man’s Revels” on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. in the committee room of our meetinghouse. Everyone is invited. There is no admission; however, a free-will offering will be taken to benefit Project HOME. Reservations for the live show may be made by contacting Ed. If everything goes right, the program will also be available on Zoom. Reserve your free Zoom tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/home-for-christmas-stories-of-light-tickets-464145059367. If you would like to make a donation to Project HOME but cannot attend the show, click here.

NEWS OF FRIENDS

NEW BABY BORN TO RANKIN FAMILY Callum William Rankin was born on Nov. 20, at 1:10 p.m., weighing 7 lbs., 10 oz., and measuring 19.5 inches in length. His parents are our member Zoe Rankin and her husband Mathew Rankin, and his delighted grandfather is our member, Peter Samuel.

QUAKER EVENTS

AFSC HOLIDAY FLEA MARKET, DEC. 3 Tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 3, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) will hold its biggest sale of the year with lots of housewares, clothing, shoes, holiday decore, and much more. You may find this to be a good place to find a few special gifts for people on your holiday list. Proceeds benefit the AFSC. To learn more about its programs for peace, human rights, and climate justice, click here.

REMINDER: ‘HOPE LEANS FORWARD,’ DEC. 5 This interactive virtual lecture at Pendle Hill Conference Center will explore ways to deal with personal loss and life-altering transitions. Author Valerie Brown will lead this event, drawing from her recent book Hope Leans Forward: Braving Your Way Toward Simplicity, Awakening, and Peace. She is a Buddhist-Quaker teacher in the tradition of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, and a coach and facilitator specializing in leadership development and mindfulness practices. The author of several popular Pendle Hill pamphlets, she is a member of Solebury Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania. The format will begin with an overview to set the context, followed by a large-group discussion and breakout rooms. No charge, although donations are welcomed. To find out more and register online, click here.

TAKE ACTION

REMINDER

UPCOMING POWER EVENTS

On Monday, Dec. 5, the Public Utilities Commission Working Group (organizing to hold the Public Utilities Commission accountable) will meet virtually from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. More information may be found here. POWER is currently engaged in the following campaigns: Live Free Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform, Education, Economic Dignity, Civic Engagement, Climate Justice. If you are interested in a specific campaign, reach out to our Meeting representative, Jeff Powers Jeff Powers.

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