Friday Bee (Weekly Bulletin)
Published weekly on Friday afternoon. To subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin, please contact the Meeting Office, gmm@germantownfriends.org ———————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————
The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, December 27, 2024
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, October 4, 2024
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, September 27, 2024
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, September 20, 2024
Schedule for Sunday, September 22
10:20am Greeters: Karen Lightner & Deborah Cooper
10:30am Child Care: Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway from Meetinghouse
10:30am Meeting for Worship
10:50am First Day School
11:30am Introductions & Announcements: Ed Nakawatase
11:45am Refreshments: Karen Lightner & Deborah Cooper
Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their families until 10:50 am, when their teachers will lead them to the Committee Room. Questions? Please contact Carla Childs. Note: Children of any age are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship.
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, in-person)
Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship.
Our current COVID-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
– Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours.
– If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
MEETING NEWS & EVENTS
PEACEMAKING FILM & SPEAKER AT GMM
This Sunday, 9/22, 3:00 – 5:30pm
– Film: CROSSINGS (watch trailer here)
– Q & A: Hye-Jung Park, a delegation member; long-time Korea peace and reunification activist who co-founded the Rainbow Women’s Center in New York and Korea Policy Institute. Learn about a group of women peacemakers that crossed the demilitarized zone (DMZ) from North to South Korea, calling for an end to a 72-year war that has divided the Korean peninsula. More here.
GMM POTLUCK LUNCH TO WELCOME QVS – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th
Please bring a favorite dish to share as we welcome this year’s Philadelphia Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS) Volunteers visiting our Meeting!
– Click here to give us an idea of what you will bring, so we can prepare (and make sure we have enough food).
– Helpers are also needed for setting up tables & chairs.
– Questions & helping hands contact Dorothy Cary,
Anne Stassen, or the Meeting Office.
REFRESHMENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR NOVEMBER & DECEMBER!
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER are calling! We hope everyone will volunteer for this a couple of times a year. Many thanks to those who provided refreshments over the past year! You have added so much to the fellowship of our community. And thanks to those who have signed up for September & October.
– Available dates needing Refreshments providers:
– November 3 – November 24
– December 1 – December 8 – December 15 – December 29
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
Note: Refreshments expenses are reimbursable or can be credited as in-kind donations to GMM (tax deductible).
GMM MEMBER MOVING SALE: SATURDAY + SUNDAY 9/21 + 22, 10am – 5pm
19th + 20th Century Antiques, Jewelry, Collectibles, Furniture, Victorian, Mid-Century, Copper bowls + Molds, Mexican Pottery, Linens, Textiles, Paintings, Prints, Lithographs, Central American Textiles + Goods, Japanese Porcelain, yard furniture, tools, sewing machines, wall sconces, oil lamps, lace, crochet, architectural salvage, fireplace tools, brass, glassware! MUCH MUCH MORE! Free records + books! PRICED TO SELL
– Where? 151 W. Schoolhouse Lane
READ TO GFS LOWER SCHOOL CLASSES!
GMM again has the opportunity to read to Lower School students on the Thursdays when they have “informal meeting for worship.” These are days when teachers have flexibility in how/where the students worship. GMM is invited to join by reading books that illustrate any of the Friends’ testimonies, and then staying with the class for the worship period.
How does it work?
1) Sign up on this sheet — You can sign up for particular grades if you like, and more than one person can sign up for particular dates since there are many lower school classrooms.
2) Choose a book: Or ask librarian Kate Garrity) to help you choose a book.
3) Confirmation Email: Teacher Jenny Goldberg will send an email about two weeks in advance, to confirm volunteers, connect them to a classroom teacher, and let them know the grade level they’ll be visiting.
4) On your scheduled day: Go to school at 8:30am, where Jenny Goldberg will meet you in the front hall of the Main Building, and take you to the classroom. It is really fun! Please join us.
Questions? Contact Dorothy Cary
ALABAMA STORY — Directed by GMM’s Carla Childs!
– TWO REMAINING WEEKENDS!: September 20-22 & September 27-29 at Old Academy Players
As the Civil Rights movement is brewing, a controversial children’s book about a black rabbit marrying a white rabbit stirs the passions of a segregationist State Senator and a no-nonsense State Librarian in 1959 Montgomery, Alabama. Inspired by true events, brimming with humor, heartbreak, and hope!
> Perhaps a group from GMM would like to attend? For tickets and more information: click here
SAVE THE DATE: LIVE CONCERT @ GMM — MAURICE LOUCA — October 4, 7 – 9:30pm
Come for a live performance by Maurice Louca, one of Egypt’s most innovative and influential composers. Known for his ability to blend traditional Arabic music with experimental and avant-garde styles, Louca creates a sound that defies genre and expectation. This performance will feature his latest works and collaborations, showcasing a rich fusion of influences that push the boundaries of contemporary music and offer a fresh perspective on the global music scene. No tickets required, but we recommend reserving your spot on Eventbrite with a suggested donation of $20. This is a pay-what-you-wish event, so you can contribute any amount that feels right to you. Ticket information, click here.
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
AUTHOR EVENT: Hidden Works: The Life of Philadelphia Clockmaker Edward Duffield
What do clocks and Benjamin Franklin have in common? Edward Duffield! Presentation by Bob Frishman, horologist and author of Edward Duffield: Philadelphia Clockmaker, Citizen, Gentleman 1730-1803. September 25, 6:30pm (light refreshments at 6:00pm) — Friends Free Library at GFS For more, click here.
Partnership between Germantown Friends School, Stenton, Cliveden, Wyck, and Historic Germantown
ATTEND GFS MEETING FOR WORSHIP DURING THE WEEK
GMM is welcome to attend Meeting for Worship during the school year.
Schedule for upcoming week:
– Middle School (MS) Worship: Monday, 9/23, 10:20 – 11:00am
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
ANTIRACIST TEACH-IN, Saturday, 9/21 9:30 – 11:30am, at Green Street Friends School
The morning will consist of a workshop led by educator, author, activists Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul & Tricia Ebarvia, for teachers & parents/caregivers on strategies to enhance reading and learning with kids. This will be followed by a reading and conversation with children’s and middle grade author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. Uncle Bobbie’s will be onsite with a “pop-up” bookshop with books featured throughout the morning and many others. For more details & tickets: click here
FAITH INTO ACTION – September 22 @ 2:00 – 5:00 pm at the Friends Center (1515 Cherry Street)
A family-friendly interfaith gathering to support democracy
The national Quaker Call to Action is hosting an in-person, family-friendly, interfaith service that will focus on Pennsylvania and be both inspirational as well as practical. This special event will bring together interfaith leaders who will help inspire and confirm the faith basis for our individual actions in the weeks prior to Election Day (11/5). We will have specific actions that can be completed in the moment, by those present — both adults and children. Speakers include: George Lakey, Noted author and long-time activist; Reverend Greg Edwards, Interim Executive Director, POWER Interfaith Pennsylvania; Rabbi Nancy Kreimer, Professor Emeritus, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. More information & Registration (Free): Click here
THE WATER WE SWIM IN — Social & Economic Changes Affecting Friends Meetings
– When? Tuesday, September 24, 8:00 – 9:30pm
Wonder why Friends meetings have fewer children and young adults? Wondering why it’s a challenge to fill committees? Are you concerned about the future of your monthly meeting? Attend “The Water We Swim In,” a live, online (Zoom) presentation with Barry Crossno — the General Secretary of FGC. He’ll share about the social and economic changes affecting our meetings. He’ll also talk about possible ways to renew our spiritual communities. There will be time for questions and discussion.
– Click here to register for Zoom link.
MAKING QUEER QUAKER HISTORY – Hybrid Lecture & Workshop Series (Sept 3 – October 27)
A series of lectures and workshops by Beacon Hill Friends House (Boston) intends to share the often-untold stories of Quakers’ influence and involvement in the project of gay liberation during the mid-twentieth century. Lectures and workshops are being offered in a hybrid format (on zoom and onsite at Beacon Hill Friends House) throughout September and October. Tickets for all events are available on a pay-as-led/sliding scale. More information & registration for Zoom link, click here
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
> PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– Friends General Conference (FGC) has many options for worship & discussion, including Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays, BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here, Gen X Friends (new), and Neurodivergent Friends (new). Click here for the calendar.
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE (“PEACE DAY”) – Saturday, September 21
Observed around the world each year on September 21. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, the General Assembly declared this as a day devoted to “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.” For global ideas on actions: Click here
NORTHWEST TOWN HALL – Saturday, September 21, 2:00 – 4:00pm
– Where? Center in the Park, 5818 Germantown Avenue, Vernon Park
This Community Town Hall will be a chance to meet and ask questions of NW Philly Representatives Chris Rabb (District 200 – Mt. Airy, West Germantown), Tarik Khan (District 194 – Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, Roxborough, East Falls), and Andre Carroll (District 201 – East Germantown, Logan, West Oak Lane). You’ll be able to register to vote and hear about ways to get involved with movements for social change. Childcare will be provided and refreshments will be for sale as a fundraiser for Reclaim Philadelphia, building people power in our city. Enter through the parking lot behind the Center, on Rittenhouse Street, where parking is free. Wheelchair accessible.
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB RETURNS – This Sunday, September 22
GMM’s Mike Pechter & Adrienne McDonnell will be hosting another Get Out the Vote letter writing party at their home. They’ll provide all the supplies and snacks. If you can’t make this one but want to stay updated, sign up for their mailing list – here.
– When: This Sunday, 9/22 3:00pm – 5:00pm
– Where: 7126 Chew Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Please RSVP to Adrienne McDonnell, so they can provide enough snacks and materials:
SOLIDARITY IN ACTION: SUPPORT FOR HAITIANS IN SPRINGFIELD, OH
GMM Member Kelley White shares a link (related to her sister-in-law’s school in Haiti) to the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield, Ohio. This group works to guide and assist refugees and immigrants in that community, to support and connect them with critical services and resources. For more information, click here.
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL – September 26, 27, 28
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light (PA IPL) invites members of Germantown Friends Meeting to participate in a three-evening virtual film festival themed around the efforts of people in different parts of the world to restore and preserve land and make it fruitful, often struggling against political or corporate forces that have different agenda. The three films to be screened are: Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai; Stewards of the Land – Serán las dueñas de la tierra, and Common Ground. Join us for one, two or all three films. The attachment describes each film in more detail and provides links to trailers for the three films and a link to register for the festival. If you have questions please reach out to our member Bill Cozzens, currently serving on PA IPL’s Board of Directors.
PA IPL Annual Conference “Planting Seeds for New Futures” — September 29, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light’s (PA IPL) virtual statewide Annual Conference with the theme this year of “Planting Seeds for New Futures,” will be Sunday afternoon, September 29 from 1 until 5 PM. The opening address will be from Soul Fire Farm, “Uprooting Racism, Seeding Sovereignty.” There will be two workshop tracks. The keynote address from Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter addresses “Cultivating Hope in a Time of Catastrophe”. For more conference information and to register please go to https://paipl.us/event/2024-annual-interfaith-climate-convening. Our member, Bill Cozzens, serves on PA IPL’s Board and can answer questions you might have about the conference.
HARRIS CAMPAIGN ORGANIZER NEEDS BICYCLE
Full-time field organizer for the AFL-CIO WorkingAmerica Harris campaign would love to get on loan a bike with a rack. Happy to provide generous security deposit. If you can help, contact Gary Krane
IN GERMANTOWN & NEARBY
GERMANTOWN FARMERS MARKET – Saturday, 9/21, 10am – 3pm
5501 Germantown Avenue; bi-weekly Saturdays; Here’s a list of vendors
VOLUNTEER DAY OF SERVICE IN CARPENTER’S WOODS- Saturday, September 21, 9am – noon
Please join the Friends of the Wissahickon in collaboration with the Friends of Carpenter’s Woods for a volunteer day of service on Saturday, September 21st at Carpenter’s Woods. We will be working to beautify trailheads, clear trails and remove invasive vines. We will meet at the end of Wayne Avenue at Sedgwick Street – work will take place 9am -12pm. For questions or to register, contact Peter Samuel, or click here, or just show up that morning!
MOUNT AIRY ARTS FESTIVAL – Saturday, September 28, 12 – 4:00pm
When<?/b> Saturday, September 28th, 12pm to 4pm
Where? On the grounds of the Allens Lane Art Center (ALAC) at 601 West Allens Lane in Mount Airy.
Our members Rebecca Hoenig and Peter Samuel are both very active at ALAC. For more information, click here.
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeeting, September 13, 2024
Schedule for Sundau, September 15
9:00am Meeting for Business
Hybrid – In Committee Room, and use same Zoom link as for worship (see agenda below)
10:20am Greeter Anna Burke & TJ Rafferty
10:30am Child Care Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway from Meetinghouse
10:30am Meeting for Worship (Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom)
10:50am First Day School Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their families until 10:50am, when their teachers will lead them to the Committee Room. Questions? Please contact Carla Childs. Note: Children of any age are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship.
11:30am Introductions & Announcements – Jeri Adams
11:45am Refreshments Burke/Rafferty Family
MEETING FOR WORSHIP WITH A CONCERN FOR BUSINESS
Germantown Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
September 15, 2024, 9:00 – 10:15am
Hybrid: On Zoom & in-person. Please use the Meeting for Worship zoom link.
AGENDA:
– Query – Faye Steacy
– Opening worship
– Review of agenda – Karen Lightner
– Approval the June 2024 Minutes
– Care & Visiting Committee – Peter Samuel
– Standing Nominating Committee – David Mettler
– Fiscal Committee – Jonathan Rhoads
– Worship and Ministry – Sam Angell
– Revision of pamphlet, Questions to Consider Before Speaking in Meeting for Worship
– Outreach Committee – Jonathan Busser
– Welcome Sunday for GFS families, staff and faculty, October 20th
– Announcements:
– Quaker Voluntary Service Fellows visiting September 29th – Dorothy Cary
– Reading to lower school classrooms – Dorothy Cary
– Closing Worship
(Attenders are welcome to attend business meeting. Please notify the clerk in advance if you wish to attend.)
MEETING NEWS & EVENTS
TCRC Community Healing Center Food Distribution – This Sunday – Volunteers needed!
– Where? Germantown Friends Meeting – on Coulter Street
– When? 3rd Sundays from 12 PM to 3 PM
Questions? Contact Jondhi Harrell at 215.791.0645 or info.tcrccommunityhealingcenter@gmail.com
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP
Tuesday, September 17, 7:00 pm on Zoom
The next meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion group, we will discuss the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and the articles that were sent out last week. If you wish to join the group, please contact John Colgan-Davis to receive the Zoom link and the articles. Next month, October 15, we will start our discussion of the book, The White Bonus, by Tracie McMillan. Any questions, please reach out to John.
PEACEMAKING FILM & SPEAKER AT GMM
Sunday, 9/22, 3:00 – 5:30pm
– Film: CROSSINGS (watch trailer here)
– Q & A: Hye-Jung Park, a delegation member; long-time Korea peace and
reunification activist who co-founded the Rainbow Women’s Center in New York and Korea Policy Institute
Learn about a group of women peacemakers that crossed the demilitarized zone (DMZ) from North to South Korea, calling for an end to a 72-year war that has divided the Korean peninsula. More here.
REFRESHMENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER!
OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER are calling! We hope everyone will volunteer for this a couple of times a year. Many
thanks to those who provided refreshments over the past year! You have added so much to the fellowship of our community.
And thanks to those who have signed up for September.
– Available dates needing Refreshments providers:
– October 6
– November 3 – November 24
– December 1 – December 8 – December 15 – December 29
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
Note: Refreshments expenses are reimbursable or can be credited as in-kind donations to GMM (tax deductible).
READ TO GFS LOWER SCHOOL CLASSES!
We again have the opportunity to read to Lower School students on the Thursdays when they have “informal meeting for worship.” These are days when teachers have flexibility in how/where the students worship. GMM is invited to join by reading books that illustrate any of the Friends’ testimonies, and then staying with the class for the worship period. How does it work?
1) Sign up on this sheet (or click here) — You can sign up for particular grades if you like, and more than one person can sign up for particular dates since there are many lower school classrooms.
2) Next, choose a book, or ask Kate Garrity) in the library to help you choose a book.
3) Teacher Jenny Goldberg will send an email about two weeks out to confirm volunteers, connect them to a classroom teacher, and let them know the grade level
4) On the day, you go to school at 8:30, where Jenny Goldberg will meet you in the front hall and take you to the classroom. It is really fun! Please join us. Questions? Contact Dorothy Cary
NEW GMM MEMBERS DINNER – New Members, please mark your calendars!
When & Where? The evening of October 25th at the Meeting House; more info to come.
Hosted by the Care and Visiting Committee
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT GFS
Another year begins with a packed slate of community engagement opportunities for GFS students. Collection drives for clothing, school supplies, and food happen throughout the year based on “dialogue and partnership with neighbors and community leaders,” and under the guidance from GFS” Dr. Zarah Adams, Director of Community Engagement. “Collaboration allows us to recognize that we all have gifts and talents to share. We can build and strengthen relationships by learning from, and exploring what it means to be in a community with one another,” says Zarah.
GFS welcomes the GMM community to join in on any of these monthly drives, which take place on the Meetinghouse porch during morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal. Additional ways to engage include the annual Stenton Family Manor Dinner in December, and the much beloved, annual MLK Day of Service in February. Read full article for dates, and see more about the many opportunities for involvement – Click here
ATTEND GFS MEETING FOR WORSHIP DURING THE WEEK
GMM is welcome to attend Meeting for Worship during the school year.
Schedule for upcoming week:
– Lower School (LS) Worship: Thursday, 9/19, 9 – 9:30am
– Middle School (MS) Worship: Monday, 9/16, 10:20 – 11:00am
– Upper School (US) Worship: Thursday, 9/19 10:10 – 11:00am
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
WALKING IN THE WORLD AS A FRIEND: Essential Quaker Practices
Monday, September 16, 7:15 – 9:00pm – on Zoom (& 3rd Sundays in October & November) Facilitators Nadine Hoover & Beth Collea invite participants to commit to practicing for three months, Sept-Nov, to experiment with listening inwardly to love and conscience working within us, testing discernment, recording, and yielding ” and keeping a journal of an experiment with Spirit in our lives. For more information, materials, and to Register for Zoom link: Click Here
THE WATER WE SWIM IN – Social & Economic Changes Affecting Friends Meetings Wonder why Friends meetings have fewer children and young adults? Wondering why it’s a challenge to fill committees? Are you concerned about the future of your monthly meeting? Attend “The Water We Swim In,” a live, online (Zoom) presentation with Barry Crossno – the General Secretary of FGC. He’ll share about the social and economic changes affecting our meetings. He’ll also talk about possible ways to renew our spiritual communities. There will be time for questions and discussion.
– When? Tuesday, September 24, 8:00 – 9:30pm. Click here to register for Zoom link.
MAKING QUEER QUAKER HISTORY – Hybrid Lecture & Workshop Series (Sept 3 – October 27)
A series of lectures and workshops by Beacon Hill Friends House (Boston) intends to share the often-untold stories of Quakers’ influence and involvement in the project of gay liberation during the mid-twentieth century. Lectures and workshops are being offered in a hybrid format (on zoom and onsite at Beacon Hill Friends House) throughout September and October.
Tickets for all events are available on a pay-as-led/sliding scale. More information & registration for Zoom link, click here
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
– PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB RETURNS
GMM’s Mike Pechter & Adrienne McDonnell will be hosting another Get Out the Vote letter writing party at their home. They’ll provide all the supplies and snacks. If you can’t make this one but want to stay updated, sign up for their mailing list – here.
– When: Sunday, 9/22 3:00pm – 5:00pm
– Where: 7126 Chew Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Please RSVP to Adrienne McDonnell, so they can provide enough snacks and materials.
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL – September 26, 27, 28
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light (PA IPL) invites members of Germantown Friends Meeting to participate in a three-evening virtual film festival themed around the efforts of people in different parts of the world to restore and preserve land and make it fruitful, often struggling against political or corporate forces that have different agenda.
The three films to be screened are: Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai; Stewards of the Land – Serán las dueñas de la tierra, and Common Ground. Join us for one, two or all three films. The attachment describes each film in more detail and provides links to trailers for the three films and a link to register for the festival. If you have questions please reach out to our member Bill Cozzens, (215) 837-0634, currently serving on PA IPL’s Board of Directors.
PA IPL Annual Conference “Planting Seeds for New Futures”
HOLD THE DATE – September 29, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light’s (IPL) statewide Annual Conference with the theme this year of “Planting Seeds for New Futures,” will be Sunday afternoon, September 29 from 1 until 5 PM. This year the conference is completely virtual; no need to travel to one of the four conference sites that PA IPL has used in the past. There will be two dynamic keynote speakers and several workshops. More detailed information will be in next week’s Bee. In the meantime, https://paipl.us/event/2024-annual-interfaith-climate-convening or talk to Bill Cozzens.
IN GERMANTOWN & NEARBY
SECOND SATURDAYS IN HISTORIC GERMANTOWN – Saturday, September 14, 12 – 4:00pm
Join in every Second Saturday through October from 12 – 4 PM for an afternoon of FREE, family-friendly activities and museum tours throughout Historic Germantown! Click here for more information.
Yoga, Tours & Children’s Activities at Cliveden (9:30am – 4pm)
– 9:30am – Join local yoga instructor Amy Thomas every Second Saturday morning at 9:30am for outdoor morning yoga. Email her for more information.
– Free House Tours, Children’s Activities, Story Time…. For more information, click here
MT. AIRY PORCHFEST – Saturday, September 14, 1 – 7:00pm
A day of free musical performances on your neighbors’ porches!
Porchfest is an entirely volunteer-led and free music festival that brings the local community together to stroll the neighborhood and experience all kinds of musical acts. For more information, click here
ALABAMA STORY – Opens this Friday (9/13) directed by GMM’s Carla Childs!
September 13-29 at Old Academy Players in East Falls
As the Civil Rights movement is brewing, a controversial children’s book about a black rabbit marrying a white rabbit stirs the passions of a segregationist State Senator and a no-nonsense State Librarian in 1959 Montgomery, Alabama. Inspired by true events, brimming with humor, heartbreak, and hope! For tickets and more information: click here
> Maybe a group of GMMrs would like to go together during the run of the show?!
VOLUNTEER DAY OF SERVICE IN CARPENTER’S WOODS- Saturday, September 21, 9am – noon
Please join the Friends of the Wissahickon in collaboration with the Friends of Carpenter’s Woods for a volunteer day of service on Saturday, September 21st at Carpenter’s Woods. We will be working to beautify trailheads, clear trails and remove invasive vines. We will meet at the end of Wayne Avenue at Sedgwick Street – work will take place 9am -12pm. For questions or to register, contact Peter Samuel, or click here, or just show up that morning!
MOUNT AIRY ARTS FESTIVAL – Saturday, September 28, 12 – 4:00pm
When? Saturday, September 28th, 12pm to 4pm
Where? On the grounds of the Allens Lane Art Center (ALAC) at 601 West Allens Lane in Mount Airy.
– Our members Rebecca Hoenig and Peter Samuel are both very active at ALAC.
For more information, click here.
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, September 6, 2024
Schedule for Sunday, September 8
WELCOME BACK TO WORSHIP IN OUR MEETINGHOUSE!
10:20am Greeter David Mettler
10:30am Child Care Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway from Meetinghouse
10:30am Meeting for Worship (Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom)
10:50am First Day School –
Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their families until 10:50am, when their
teachers will lead them to the Committee Room. Questions? Please contact Carla Childs. Note: Children of any age are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship.
11:30am Introductions & Announcements – . Anthony Stover
11:45am Refreshments Jondhi – Harrell & TCRC team (come hungry!)
MEETING NEWS
REMINDER: GMM MEETING FOR BUSINESS – Next Sunday, September 15th
(This month it will be on the 3rd Sunday instead of the usual 2nd Sunday. Labor Day weekend pushed everything back a week.)
PEACEMAKING FILMS & SPEAKERS AT GMM in SEPTEMBER!
Where? Germantown Friends Meetinghouse (47 W Coulter Street) – Bring a friend!
This Saturday, 9/7, 2:30 – 5:30pm
– Film: The Berrigans: Devout & Dangerous
– Speaker: Brad Wolfe, author of A Ministry of Risk: the Definitive Writings on Peace & Nonviolence
Learn about the Berrigans/McAlister peace activist, nonviolent resistance community. See post here.
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Sunday, 9/22, 3:00 – 5:30pm
– Film: CROSSINGS (watch trailer here)
– Q & A: Hye-Jung Park, a delegation member; long-time Korea peace and reunification activist who co-founded the Rainbow Women’s Center in New York and Korea Policy Institute. Learn about a group of women peacemakers that crossed the demilitarized zone (DMZ) from North to South Korea, calling for an end to a 72-year war that has divided the Korean peninsula. More here.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP
Tuesday, September 17, 7:00 pm on Zoom*
The next meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion group, we will discuss the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and the articles that were sent out last week. If you wish to join the group, please contact John Colgan-Davis to receive the Zoom link and the articles. Next month, October 15, we will start our discussion of the book, The White Bonus, by Tracie McMillan. Any questions, please reach out to John.
INVITATION TO VOLUNTEER FOR REFRESHMENTS!
OCTOBER and NOVEMBER are calling! We hope everyone will volunteer for this a couple of times a year. Many thanks to those
who provided refreshments over the past year! You have added so much to the fellowship of our community. And thanks to
those who have signed up for September.
Available dates needing Refreshments:
– October 6 – October 13 – October 27
– November 10 – November 17 – November 24
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SCHOOL YEAR?
The buzz is in the air on campus. Students are having their first Meetings for Worship in the Meetinghouse. Lunch is happening under the big trees and in the graveyard. Kindergarteners pass by the Meeting Office windows, waving on their way.
– Watch this quick video to hear what students and teachers are looking forward to this year! Click here
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
STEPHEN G. CARY MEMORIAL LECTURE: This Monday — September 9th, 7:30 – 9:00pm
Light Within and Light Without ~ The Personal and Political in the Formation of a Palestinian-American Quaker Identity
– This talk examines intersections and contradictions within a faith tradition that strives to balance individual spiritual experience with political activism at a time when this country, including Quaker communities, is divided on how to respond to Israel’s war on Palestinians. More information & (free) registration, click here.
QUAKER PILGRIMAGE TO ENGLAND – 2025 – Registration is OPEN!
– When? June 15-22, 2025
– What? Friends & Quaker educators from Monthly Meetings and Friends schools gather as a multi-generational group to explore Quakerism’s roots in England’s “1652 Country.” Led by Drew Smith (Haddonfield Meeting, NJ) & Deborra Sines Pancoe (Abington Meeting, PA), with the help from Britain Yearly Meeting. Maximum group size: 29 people.
– Cost? $2200, not including airfare. Some financial aid is available.
Questions/concerns? Deborra Sines Pancoe More information – click here
CONNECT WITH NEW FRIENDS THROUGH FGC DISCUSSION GROUPS!
This fall, Friends General Conference’s (FGC) Spiritual Deepening Program is excited to offer a growing number of virtual opportunities to connect people for support and growth –
– Neurodivergent Friends Gatherings: (Starting 9/10 – 2nd Tuesday of each month, 7 – 8:30pm ET)
We will worship together, build community, and share our experiences of the gifts and challenges of being neurodiverse folks among Friends. More Information & Registration – Click Here
– Generation X Quakers Discussion Group: (Starting 9/15 – 3rd Sunday of each month, 7 – 8:30pm ET)
Connect with fellow Gen Xers to explore Quaker spirituality, share personal experiences, & engage in meaningful conversations about faith, community, and social issues in a supportive & open environment. Register – Click here
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
– PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
ELECTION CANVASSING & TABLING
As the election approaches, the POWER Interfaith Climate Justice & Jobs team is starting canvassing and tabling events to make sure that every voter is informed and engaged. All are welcome to participate, regardless of experience. Training and materials will be provided at the start of each event, so you’ll have everything you need to make a difference!
– Dates & times available: Check the Canvassing Scheduling Spreadsheet – click here.
– Interested in volunteering? Contact Jamie) to let him know which days work for you.
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB RETURNS
GMM’s Mike Pechter & Adrienne McDonnell will be hosting another Get Out the Vote letter writing party at their home. They’ll provide all the supplies and snacks. If you can’t make this one but want to stay updated, sign up for their mailing list – here.
– When: Sunday, 9/22 3:00pm – 5:00pm
– Where: 7126 Chew Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Please RSVP to Adrienne McDonnell, so they can provide enough snacks and materials:
CAN YOU RENT A ROOM/COUCH TO OUT-OF-STATE HARRIS/WALZ CANVASSERS?
With Pennsylvania as an important swing state, and 8 weeks until Election Day, volunteers are coming from around the country to knock on doors and support the Harris/Walz campaign. They will need temporary housing.
– Timing? They will be out canvassing from around noon to 8 or 9pm, 6 days/week.
– Duration? As long as you wish: 2 weeks minimum, or until Election Day (11/5) or soon thereafter.
– Rent? They provide good references & can probably pay $400-600/month, since they will be paid at least $18/hour.
– Interested? Questions? Contact Coordinator – Gary Krane, PhD.
IN GERMANTOWN
PHILADELPHIA HONEY FESTIVAL @ WYCK (Saturday, 9/7, 10am – 4pm) The festival offers a variety of activities that celebrate and educate about the honey bee! This always-popular event includes honey tastings, extractions, presentations, bee-bearding, a mead and beer garden, and much more! For more – click here
FOR FUN – Save the Dates
ALABAMA STORY – Upcoming play, directed by GMM’s Carla Childs! – Get your tickets!
SAVE THE DATES: September 13-29 at Old Academy Players
As the Civil Rights movement is brewing, a controversial children’s book about a black rabbit marrying a white rabbit stirs the passions of a segregationist State Senator and a no-nonsense State Librarian in 1959 Montgomery, Alabama. Inspired by true events, brimming with humor, heartbreak, and hope! For tickets and more information: click here
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, August 30, 2024
Schedule for Sunday, September 1
WELCOME BACK TO WORSHIP IN OUR MEETINGHOUSE!
10:20am Greeter Dorothy Cary
10:30am Child Care Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway from Meetinghouse
10:30am Meeting for Worship (Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom)
10:50am First Day School Welcome Back to First Day School on September 1!!
Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their families until 10:50am, when their
teachers will lead them to the Committee Room. Questions? Please contact Carla Childs. Note: Children of any age are always welcome to join their families in Meeting for Worship.
11:30am Introductions & Announcements — Karen Lightner
11:45am Refreshments Care & Visiting Committee — Going Away Party for Teresa Maebori
MEETING NEWS
FIRST DAY SCHOOL RESUMES THIS SUNDAY (9/1)!
SEE SCHEDULE ABOVE. First Day School questions? Contact Carla Childs.
GOING AWAY PARTY FOR TERESA MAEBORI – SEPT 1 – All are welcome!
Please join us after Meeting for Worship on Sunday September 1st in the social room for a going away party for Teresa Maebori. Teresa has sold her house in Mt. Airy, and is heading off to Seattle later that week to live near her family. If you would like to help with preparations for the party, please contact Peter Samuel of Care & Visiting Committee.
– Read the article about Teresa in the latest Chestnut Hill Local! Click here to read
INVITATION TO VOLUNTEER FOR REFRESHMENTS!
We are returning to our own Germantown Meetinghouse beginning September 1. We hope everyone will volunteer to provide refreshments after worship a couple of times a year. Many thanks to those who provided refreshments over the past year! You have added so much to the fellowship of our community.
Available dates needing Refreshments:
– September 29
– October 6 – October 13 – October 20 – October 27
– November 10 – November 17 – November 24
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
FILM & SPEAKER: About a legacy of peacemaking & nonviolent resistance to war
When? Saturday, 9/7, 2:30 – 5:30pm
Where? Germantown Friends Meetinghouse (47 W Coulter Street)
What?
– Film: The Berrigans: Devout & Dangerous – This documentary tells the story of Philip & Daniel Berrigan and the Berrigans/McAlister nonviolent resistance community, beginning with the Baltimore 4 and Catonsville 9 actions, which began a new period of resistance to the Vietnam War.
– Speaker: Brad Wolfe, author of A Ministry of Risk: the Definitive Writings on Peace & Nonviolence by Philip Berrigan. About the transformation of Philip Berrigan – from soldier to scholar, priest to political prisoner who took an unyielding stance against societal evils and spent eleven years in prison for advocating nonviolent resistance to war.
– Click here to see post; or see attached flyer.
Sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community.
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
THE NEW GFS SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY – September 4th!
– New Faculty & Staff were welcomed to GFS with a full-day orientation this past Monday (8/26) including an
introduction to Quakerism, and Meeting for Worship in the meetinghouse.
– Note: All newcomers to GFS also attend Friends Council on Education’s program “Educators New to Friends Schools” to learn more about teaching & learning in a Quaker community.
– All Faculty & Staff gathered for their first Meeting for Worship of the year in the meetinghouse on Tuesday (8/27).
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
– Young Adult Friends Online Worship Sharing – September 4, 7:00-8:00pm. More info & registration link: click here
– Reminder: Grant applications due 9/1 for Aging Assistance; Travel & Witness; Quaker Buildings & Practice: click here
– PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
HAND IN HAND: AGING TOGETHER IN THE SPIRIT
Three–part online series (September 4, 11, 18) exploring practical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of aging, dying well, and making end-of-life decisions guided by the Spirit and Quaker values.
When? Wednesdays (9/4, 9/11, 9/18), 7:00pm-8:30pm
Price: Subsidized – $10; Standard – $25 For more info and to register, click here
SAVE THE DATE: STEPHEN G. CARY MEMORIAL LECTURE: September 9th, 7:30 – 9:00pm
Light Within and Light Without ~
The Personal and Political in the Formation of a Palestinian-American Quaker Identity
This talk examines intersections and contradictions within a faith tradition that strives to balance individual spiritual experience with political activism at a time when this country, including Quaker communities, is divided on how to respond to Israel’s war on Palestinians. More information & (free) registration, click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
FACILITATED DISCUSSION CIRCLE ON GAZA WAR & 2024 ELECTION
FRIDAY AT FETTERMAN’S EVENT
WHEN? Wednesday, September 4th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
WHERE? Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia
REGISTER if you plan to attend. For Registration Form, Click here
IN GERMANTOWN
GERMANTOWN UNITED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (CDC)
Located just around the corner from our Meetinghouse, the Germantown United CDC is committed to GMM’s neighborhood!
Mission: To promote and facilitate the revitalization of Germantown and its business corridors through a sustainable, creative, and community-driven approach to economic development. Learn more here.
Fun community events, including clothing giveaways, fiber artist gatherings, children’s activities, and concerts. Check out their events calendar: click here
PHILADELPHIA HONEY FESTIVAL @ WYCK – Saturday, September 7 (10am – 4pm)
The festival offers a variety of activities that celebrate and educate about the honey bee! This always-popular event includes honey tastings, extractions, presentations, bee-bearding, a mead and beer garden, and much more! For more – click here
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, August 23, 2024
Schedule for Sunday, August 25
AUGUST SUNDAY WORSHIP – Last Sunday at Green Street Friends Meeting!
Every Sunday in August (10:30-11:30am) we worship at Green Street Friends Meetinghouse and on Zoom (hybrid).
10:20 – 10:30am Arrive and settle. For those on Zoom, please join the Zoom call a few minutes before the 10:30 scheduled start time so you can settle into worship.
10:30am Meeting for Worship begins (Hybrid).
In-person: 45 West Schoolhouse Lane (around the block from GMM)
Zoom Link for Green Street Meeting for Worship
(Note: this is different from the GMM Zoom link)
10:45am Children. Children start with their families in Meeting for the first 15 minutes or so of worship, & they go to another room with teachers for the program. For more information see: On Children at Green Street Meeting.
11:20am Worship Sharing of Joys & Sorrows. The Friend Caring for Worship will invite everyone into a period of worship sharing their joys and sorrows. Like worship, during worship sharing we do not respond to or discuss messages. Those types of interactions can wait for fellowship.
11:30am Rise of meeting for worship. The Friend Caring for Worship will invite introductions. After introductions, the Friend Caring for Worship will ask for announcements. Sometimes, after introductions and announcements, the Zoom is kept open for fellowship.
Note: Masking is not required at Meeting for Worship. However, Green Street Meeting for Business has minuted concern about the recent increase in COVID cases. Masks and sanitizer will be available at the Meeting. If you are unmasked, we ask that you remain particularly respectful of those who decide to wear masks, and who socially distance inside the Meetinghouse.
MEETING NEWS
GOING AWAY PARTY FOR TERESA MAEBORI – SEPT 1 – All are welcome!
Please join us after Meeting for Worship on Sunday September 1st in the social room for a going away party for Teresa Maebori. Teresa has sold her house in Mt. Airy and is heading off to Seattle later that week to live near her family. If you would like to help with preparations for the party, please contact Peter Samuel, clerk of Care & Visiting Committee.
LOVE THE MEETINGHOUSE?
Do you love the meetinghouse and have a couple of hours to devote to keeping it beautiful? Saturday morning we will be Finishing staining and sealing the meetinghouse benches. This project has been happening throughout August but there are a few more benches to go and we want to be ready for the new school year, and our return to worship on 9/1. When? This Saturday, 8/24 – Starting around 9:30am. Available? Let Tom Sharpless know.
INVITATION TO VOLUNTEER FOR REFRESHMENTS!
After enjoying four wonderful August Sundays being hosted by Green Street Meeting, we will be returning to our own Germantown Meetinghouse beginning September 1. We now have the opportunity (and need) to pick dates for providing refreshments this fall. We hope everyone will volunteer for this a couple of times a year. Many thanks to those who provided refreshments over the past year! You have added so much to the fellowship of our community.
– Available dates needing Refreshments:
– September 15 – September 29
– October 6 – October 13 – October 20 – October 27
– November 10 – November 17 – November 24
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
POEMS, PROBLEMS & PROJECTS
As the GFS campus around the meetinghouse begins to re-awaken in preparation for a new school year, here is a taste of the exciting learning that happens in the upper school classrooms – The Power of Poetry – Engineering with Empathy –
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
Climate Cafe: A place for support and to report
When? August 29 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
PYM Climate Witness Stewards invite all interested Quakers in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to join in for this virtual gathering. A supportive, spiritually encouraging and community building way to share climate action information and hope. This group meets quarterly. For more information, and link for Zoom Registration — click here.
PYM Grant Applications Due September 1 – Apply now! Click here for more
– Aging Assistance – Grants to PYM members or active regular attenders over the age of 60 in Financial need.
– Travel & Witness – Grants to individuals and organizations for domestic and international travel, and projects to support PYM Young Adult Friends.
– Quaker Buildings & Programs – Grants to Quaker meetings and organizations for construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects, and to specific organizations for programs.
PYM Weekly News & Events: For more, click here
PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
SINGING QUAKERS? Yes!
Pendle Hill Chorus – Consider joining this non-audition community chorus. Sacred and secular music from around the world. The ability to read music, while helpful, is not required. Only requirement: a commitment to learning the music and supporting each other through attendance at weekly rehearsals. All are welcome, regardless of experience. Their first rehearsal is at Pendle Hill, Wednesday, September 11 at 7:00pm. For more information, click here.
HAND IN HAND: AGING TOGETHER IN THE SPIRIT
Three–part online series (Sept 4, 11, 18) exploring practical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of aging, dying well, and making end-of-life decisions guided by the Spirit and Quaker values.
When? Wednesdays (9/4, 9/11, 9/18), 7:00pm-8:30pm
Price: Subsidized – $10; Standard – $25 For more info and to register, click here
SAVE THE DATE: STEPHEN G. CARY MEMORIAL LECTURE: September 9th, 7:30 – 9:00pm
Light Within and Light Without ~
The Personal and Political in the Formation of a Palestinian-American Quaker Identity
This talk examines intersections and contradictions within a faith tradition that strives to balance individual spiritual experience with political activism at a time when this country, including Quaker communities, is divided on how to respond to Israel’s war on Palestinians. More information & (free) registration, click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB – Get Out the Vote! THIS Sunday afternoon
GMM Attenders Adrienne McDonnell & Mike Pechter share an opportunity to help Get Out the Vote!
Mt Airy Letter Writing Club
– When: This Sunday, 8/25 3:00pm – 5:00pm
– What: We will be hosting a Get Out the Vote letter writing party at our home. We’ll provide all the supplies and snacks If you can’t make this one but want to stay updated, sign up for our mailing list – here.
– Location: 7126 Chew Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Please RSVP to Adrienne McDonnell, so we can provide enough snacks and materials.
IN GERMANTOWN
GOAT WALK & WATERSHED TALK @ AWBURY ARBORETUM (Free)
When? Saturday, August 24, 1:00-3:00pm
Learn about water systems and ecology, while walking goats. No reservation needed. Click here for more.
MUSIC FOR PLANTS & PEOPLE @ THE FRANCIS COPE HOUSE (at Awbury)
When? August 26th, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Where? The Francis Cope House Gallery, 1 Awbury Rd, Philadelphia, PA
Tickets: $30, Contact Vivian Lehrer for tickets!) or $35 at the door! (space is limited) Click here for more
15th ANNUAL BACKPACK GIVEAWAY – Saturday, 8/24, 10:00am
Know a student who might need help getting ready for school? The 6300 Germantown Avenue Business Alliance is giving away backpacks filled with school supplies to elementary, middle, and high school students. First come, first served — until they run out. Note: Children must be present to receive a backpack. Where? Concord School House, 6308 Germantown Ave
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, August 16, 2024
Scheduyle for Sunday, August 18
AUGUST SUNDAY WORSHIP – At Green Street Friends Meeting!
Every Sunday in August (10:30-11:30am) we worship at Green Street Friends Meetinghouse and on Zoom (hybrid).
10:20 – 10:30am Arrive and settle For those on Zoom, please join the Zoom call a few minutes before the 10:30 scheduled start time so you can settle into worship.
10:30am Meeting for Worship begins (Hybrid)
In-person: 45 West Schoolhouse Lane (around the block from GMM)
Zoom Link for Green Street Meeting for Worship
(Note: this is different from the GMM Zoom link)
10:45am Children. Children start with their families in Meeting for the first 15 minutes or so of worship, & they go to another room with teachers for the program. For more information see: On Children at Green Street Meeting.
11:20am Worship Sharing of Joys & Sorrows.
The Friend Caring for Worship will invite everyone into a period of worship sharing their joys and sorrows. Like worship, during worship sharing we do not respond to or discuss messages. Those types of interactions can wait for fellowship.
11:30am Rise of meeting for worship.
The Friend Caring for Worship will invite introductions. After introductions, the Friend Caring for Worship will ask for announcements. Sometimes, after introductions and announcements, the Zoom is kept open for fellowship.
Note: Masking is not required at Meeting for Worship. However, Green Street Meeting for Business has minuted concern about the recent increase in COVID cases. Masks and sanitizer will be available at the Meeting. If you are unmasked, we ask that you remain particularly respectful of those who decide to wear masks, and who socially distance inside the Meetinghouse.
MEETING NEWS
INVITATION TO VOLUNTEER FOR REFRESHMENTS!
After enjoying four wonderful August Sundays being hosted by Green Street Meeting, we will be returning to our own Germantown Meetinghouse beginning September 1. We now have the opportunity (and need) to pick dates for providing refreshments this fall. We hope everyone will volunteer for this a couple of times a year. Many thanks to those who provided refreshments over the past year! You have added so much to the fellowship of our community.
– Available dates:
– September 15 – September 29
– October 6 – October 13 – October 20 – October 27
– November 3 – November 10 – November 17 – November 24
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson. THANK YOU!!
A NEW GMM BABY!
Shared news from delighted grandmother, Carla Childs –
Born to our member Richard Cozzens and his wife Rebecca Hodgson, on August 14th, a baby girl! (Name – TBA)
Congratulations to all!
MEETINGHOUSE BENCH PROJECT CONTINUES!
Still need help!
Thanks to the mighty few who have been able to help so far on touching up the meetinghouse benches. Special shout out to Caleb Schodt and his crew of helpers.
Available to put in a little time over the next couple of weeks, including helping to put the cushions back on the benches?
Please contact Tom Sharpless.
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
All-School Commons & Center for the Arts – Update
Did you know? The new All-School Commons and Center for the Arts will open up a new entrance to campus on Greene Street. (See the aerial photo) You can also enter the building from inside campus. The entrances, and the entire facility have been designed to create a welcoming space. Take a look at the amazing progress crews are making, including a section of “green” roof! (from GFS Facebook post, 8/14/24)
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
Addressing Racism Booklet Content Suggestions
PYM is working on a booklet to aid meetings, households and friends in participating in the yearly meeting wide witness around addressing racism. A significant portion of the Booklet provides queries and examples of approaches and resources. Friends are invited to suggest possibilities for this content. For more click here, or contact communications@pym.org
.
PYM Grant Applications Due September 1 – Apply now! Click here for more
– Aging Assistance – Grants to PYM members or active regular attenders over the age of 60 in financial need.
– Travel & Witness – Grants to individuals and organizations for domestic and international travel, and projects to support PYM Young Adult Friends.
– Quaker Buildings & Programs – Grants to Quaker meetings and organizations for construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects, and to specific organizations for programs.
PYM Weekly News & Events: For more, Click here
PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – CLICK HERE.
FRIENDS WORLD COMMITTEE FOR CONSULTATION WORLD PLENARY MEETING – Aug 2024
Around 500 Quakers from 53 countries gathered in business, worship and fellowship at the World Plenary Meeting in Johannesburg and online. Discernment from the three thematic streams–ubuntu, care for creation, and healing and repairing relationships in light of historic and continuing injustice–was woven carefully together, leading to this epistle: Click here
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, August 9, 2024
Schedule for Sunday August 11
August Sunday Worship – At Green Street Friends Meeting!
Every Sunday in August (10:30-11:30am) we worship at Green Street Friends Meetinghouse and on Zoom (hybrid).
10:20 – 10:30am Arrive and settle For those on Zoom, please join the Zoom call a few minutes before the 10:30 scheduled start time so you can settle into worship.
10:30am Meeting for Worship begins (Hybrid)
In-person: 45 West Schoolhouse Lane (around the block from GMM)
Zoom Link for Green Street Meeting for Worship –
10:45am Children start with their families in Meeting for the first 15 minutes or so of worship, & they go to another room with teachers for the program. For more information see: On Children at Green Street Meeting.
11:20am Worship Sharing of Joys & Sorrows
The Friend Caring for Worship will invite everyone into a period of worship sharing their joys and sorrows. Like worship, during worship sharing we do not respond to or discuss messages. Those types of interactions can wait for fellowship.
11:30am Rise of meeting for worship The Friend Caring for Worship will invite introductions. After introductions, the Friend Caring for Worship will ask for announcements. Sometimes, after introductions and announcements, the Zoom is kept open for fellowship.
Note: Masking is not required at Meeting for Worship. However, Green Street Meeting for Business has minuted concern about the recent increase in COVID cases. Masks and sanitizer will be available at the Meeting. If you are unmasked, we ask that you remain particularly respectful of those who decide to wear masks, and who socially distance inside the Meetinghouse.
MEETING NEWS
MEETINGHOUSE BENCH STAINING – Continuing this Saturday! (Aug 10)
Calling all hands on deck! The Property Committee needs as many helping hands as possible to complete the biennial project of touching up the finish on the Meetinghouse benches! Thanks to all who came out last weekend – and now we need to build on that progress this coming Saturday.
– Saturday, August 10, 8:30am – 12:30pm
– Dust masks, gloves, and refreshments will be provided. Please come out and help us keep our Meetinghouse looking respectable – especially if you can tolerate some exposure to smelly oil finish fumes. Questions? Contact Tom Sharpless
PQM MEETING SUCCESS (& KUDOS!)
In the August issue of the PQM Monthly Newsletter, a shout-out went to GMMrs Joanne Sharpless & Rob Smith for their help in pulling off a successful event! Thank you to the 26 participants who attended our July PQM session, whether in person or virtually, for a little or all of the day’s activities. We genuinely appreciate your participation and the energy you brought to the event. To help us improve future events and ensure we continue to meet your needs, we kindly ask you to take a few moments to complete a brief survey. Your feedback is invaluable to us and will play a crucial role in enhancing our future events. Big shout and lots of gratitude to Joanne Sharpless for being a wonderful liaison and big help in organizing our July PQM event, horticulturalist Dan Comley for leading a guided tour in the morning, Germantown Monthly Meeting for providing lunch and space, and Rob Smith for providing technical support and troubleshooting on Zoom.
PLEASE SHARE YOUR GMM PHOTOS!
Have you taken photos of the great moments at GMM? (for example, Jondhi’s fabulous monthly food distribution, or the recent Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, GMM Porch Picnics, etc.) We would love to include those on the GMM Facebook and maybe the website! Please send any photos to the Outreach Committee, and the GMM Office. Help us show the outside world & each other the great things that we’re involved in!
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
LET YOUR SCHOOLS SPEAK – Friends Journal essay by GFS teacher & GMM’er Sam Thacker: The Power of Prefigurative Practice in Friends Education.
“There simply aren’t many other educational institutions that are free to organize themselves by virtue of their very missions, as schools that represent a substantive alternative to the status quo. As I see it, it just so happens that the foundational values of Quakerism and Friends education—take the testimonies if you like—are exactly those that we will need to enact if we are to create and secure a better future.”
Sam Thacker, GMM’er & GFS teacher, shares his insights into educational theory and practice as informed by Quaker values and processes. Read it – here!
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
TONIGHT! INSIDE LOOK AT THE WAR IN GAZA – HOW DID WE GET HERE?
When: Friday, August 9, 2024, 6:00pm
Where: Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM) 20 E. Mermaid Lane, Philadelphia 19118
What: A talk with Liz Demarest of Anera, a nonprofit delivering humanitarian relief and development projects in Gaza, Palestine, Jordan & Lebanon. This will be a hybrid presentation. The talk will begin at 6pm. To register, click here.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
➢ Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays. Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB – Get Out the Vote!
GMM Attenders Adrienne McDonnell & Mike Pechter share an opportunity to help Get Out the Vote!
Mt Airy Letter Writing Club
● When: Sunday, 8/25 3:00pm – 5:00pm
● What: We will be hosting a Get Out the Vote letter writing party at our home. We’ll provide all the supplies and snacks
If you can’t make this one but want to stay updated, sign up for our mailing list – here.
● Location: 7126 Chew Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Please RSVP to Adrienne McDonnell, so we can provide enough snacks and materials.
IN GERMANTOWN
SECOND SATURDAYS – HISTORIC GERMANTOWN
Saturday, August 10th – Join in every Second Saturday from 12 – 4 PM for an afternoon of FREE, family-friendly activities and museum tours throughout Historic Germantown! History, culture, community, art! More info here about Second Saturday!
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, August 2, 2024
Schedule for Sunday, Aug 4
August Sunday Worship – At Green Street Friends Meeting!
Every Sunday in August (10:30-11:30am) we worship at Green Street Friends Meetinghouse and via their Zoom (hybrid).
In person: 45 West Schoolhouse Lane (around the block from GMM)
10:20-10:30am Arrive and settle. For those on Zoom, please join the Zoom call a few minutes before the 10:30 scheduled start time so you can settle into worship.
10:30am Meeting for Worship begins at Green Street Friends Meetinghouse & on Zoom.
– Children start in the meetinghouse together with families.
– Same as at GMM, folks on Zoom and in-person in the meetinghouse can see and hear
each other.
10:45am Children: After sitting with their families for the first 15 minutes or so of worship in the meeting room, they go to another room with teachers for their program. For more information see: On Children at Green Street Meeting.
11:20am Worship sharing of Joys and Sorrows. The Friend Caring for Worship will invite everyone into a period of worship sharing their joys and sorrows. Like worship, during worship sharing we do not respond to or discuss messages. Those types of interactions can wait for fellowship.
11:30am Rise of meeting for worship. The Friend Caring for Worship will invite introductions. After introductions, the Friend Caring for Worship will ask for announcements. Sometimes, after introductions and announcements, the Zoom is kept open for fellowship.
Note: Masking is not required at Meeting for Worship. However, Green Street Meeting for Business has minuted concern about the recent increase in COVID cases. Masks and sanitizer will be available at the Meeting. If you are unmasked, we ask that you remain particularly respectful of those who decide to wear masks, and who socially distance inside the Meetinghouse.
MEETING NEWS
MEETINGS FOR SANDING AND STAINING – Starting this Saturday! (August 3)
Every couple of years, we need to touch up the finish of the Meetinghouse benches and woodwork.
We do this in August to give the oil stain a chance to dry before anyone sits on it.
The Property Committee invites all members and attenders to help us with this work.
We can do it in two 4-hour work days, if we get a good turnout of helping hands.
– Session 1: Saturday, August 3 – will begin with sandpaper & steel wool work, followed by some staining.
– Session 2: Saturday, August 10 – will be all staining.
– Hours 8:30am – 12:30pm.
– Dust masks, gloves, and refreshments will be provided.
Please come out and help us keep our Meetinghouse looking respectable — but only if you can tolerate some exposure to petroleum fumes. Questions? Contact Tom Sharpless
GMM’s ED STIVENDER PERFORMANCE – GOOD LIARS CLUB FESTIVAL: This Saturday!
Saturday, August 3, 3:00pm
– Log in to hear our own Ed Stivender and others for a marathon of tall tales told live on Zoom.
– 5 one-hour performance blocks. Ed is on in the first block at 3:00 (ET).
– Register for free – Click here!
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
PENDLE HILL FIRST MONDAY LECTURE – August 5, 7:30 – 9:00pm (Hybrid)
Living the Spirit of Ubuntu: Responding with Hope to God’s Call to Cherish Creation and One Another Green Street Meeting Clerk, Robin Mohr, will share stories of where she has seen ubuntu in action, as she concludes thirteen years as Executive Secretary of the Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas. More info & required registration – click here
INSIDE LOOK AT THE WAR IN GAZA – HOW DID WE GET HERE?
When: Friday, August 9, 2024, 6:00pm
Where: Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM) 20 E. Mermaid Lane, Philadelphia 19118
What: A talk with Liz Demarest of Anera, a nonprofit delivering humanitarian relief and development projects in Gaza, Palestine, Jordan & Lebanon. This will be a hybrid presentation. The talk will begin at 6pm. To register, click here.
EXPLORE THE QUAKER CITY
Arch Street Meeting House Educational Saturday Series – Click here!
FREE PRODUCE MOVEMENT – (Saturday, August 3, 10am-4pm) Started among Quakers in the 18th & 19th centuries as a way to avoid goods made by enslaved people – similar to cruelty-free products today! Stop by Arch Street Meeting House to learn more. Registration not required.
QUAKER IN TWO CENTURIES – WALKING TOUR
When? Saturdays, August 3, 17 & 24, 2024, 10:30am – 12:00pm [corrected time & date from prior Bee] Where? Starts at Arch Street Meeting House (4th & Arch Streets)
What? Perfect for Friends or visitors seeking a different side of Philly history, this walking tour highlights important Quaker sites in Old City. Free (donations welcome). More information: Click here.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
– Young Adult Friends Newsletter
– Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – click here.
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays – Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
Friends General Conference (FGC)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
GFS ALUM TO LEAD HOLISTIC STUDENT EXPERIENCE AT GIRARD COLLEGE
Cedric Hall ‘04, an experienced teacher, administrator, and new VP for Student Experience at Girard College, is committed to a holistic approach toward closing the educational equity gap for students from families with limited financial resources – an urgency he credits to his time at GFS. Pointing to the impact of GFS’ exceptional academics, close community, combined with a value for patience and stillness, Hall shares, “I have a lot of gratitude for GFS and want to share what has been given to me.” Read more – here.
TAKE ACTION!
RIDE NORTHWEST PHILLY –
NEW PROGRAM LAUNCH to SAVE THE CHESTNUT HILL WEST REGIONAL RAIL
When: Friday, August 2 from 3-5 pm
Where: High Point Cafe, Richard Allen Lane Regional Rail Station
Meet up with other transit activists to hear more about exciting developments and initiatives in this campaign.
For more information, click here!
IN GERMANTOWN
GRUMBLETHORPE YOUTH FARM STAND
Summer Saturdays, 9:30am-1:30pm – Queen Lane & Germantown Avenue
You’ve passed Grumblethorpe dozens of times (perhaps daily), just down Germantown Avenue from our meetinghouse. This historic neighborhood home actually has a two-acre garden that serves as a laboratory for neighborhood schools, offers a 3-month summer job to local teens, and provides a source of organic, affordable produce for its farm stand. Learn more information on the Grumblethorpe Youth Farm Stand here, and stop by this Saturday for some fresh produce.
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, July 26, 2024
Schedule for Sunday JULY 28
Summer schedule:
– July Sunday Worship – Green Street Meeting will join us at GMM
– August Sunday Worship – GMM will worship at Green Street Meetinghouse
10:20am Greeter Bill Cozzens
10:30am Child Care Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway
10:30am Meeting for Worship (Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom)
10:45am First Day School On recess for the summer.
Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their parent(s) until 10:45am, when
someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised
play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta.
Children of any age are always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
11:30am Introductions & Announcements – Jayson Massey
11:45am Refreshments PQM Lunch (Joanne Sharpless, Kelley White + volunteers)
MEETING NEWS
GMM at GREEN STREET MEETING IN AUGUST
Beginning next Sunday (August 4), and for all Sundays in August, we will worship with Green Street Meeting Friends in their meeting house on School House Lane. Watch the Friday email (The Bee) for details, and information on the Zoom link for those who want to join virtually.
THIS SUNDAY – PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING (PQM) – July 28
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM) will meet at our Meetinghouse this Sunday (July 28). The program will include tours (at 9:00am and 2:30pm) of The Betty Cary Arboretum, on our campus, including the Penn Treaty Elm, a scion of the elm from Haverford College. PQM Business meeting (hybrid) will follow lunch. Click here for the schedule and to register. Contact Joanne Sharpless or Kelley White if you are able to help with set-up, breakdown & clean up for a light lunch we are having after worship.
MEETINGS FOR SANDING AND STAINING
Every couple of years, we need to touch up the finish of the Meetinghouse benches and woodwork. We do this in August to give the oil stain a chance to dry before anyone sits on it. The Property Committee invites all members and attenders to help us with this work. We can do it in two 4-hour work days, if we get a good turnout of helping hands.
– Session 1: Saturday, August 3 – will begin with sandpaper & steel wool work, followed by some staining.
– Session 2: Saturday, August 10 – will be all staining.
– Hours 8:30am – 12:30pm.
– Dust masks, gloves, and refreshments will be provided.
Please come out and help us keep our Meetinghouse looking respectable — but only if you can tolerate some exposure to petroleum fumes. Questions? Contact Tom Sharpless
GMM OFFICE IN AUGUST
The Germantown Monthly Meeting Offie will be staffed in August during the week (sometimes remotely), even
though we will worship at Green Street Meeting on Sundays. The best way to communicate with the office is by
email: gmm@germantownfriends.org, or by phone: 215-951-2235.
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
QUAKER ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE & GUN VIOLENCE
Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR) is a non-profit organization (501c4) formed to advocate for public
policy of concern to f/Friends at the state and local levels in the mid-Atlantic region. Their two initial priorities:
Climate Action: Ecological and Economic Justice, through advocacy for policies to provide affordable clean
energy for all. Gun Violence: Focus on ending Gun Violence through common sense Gun Control legislation. All
are welcome! For more information: click here
QUAKER IN TWO CENTURIES – WALKING TOUR
– When? Saturday, July 27, 2024, 2:00 – 4:00pm
– Where? Starts at Arch Street Meeting House (4th & Arch Streets)
– What? Perfect for Friends or visitors seeking a different side of Philly history, this walking tour highlights
important Quaker sites in Old City. Free (donations welcome). More information: Click here.
PYM YOUNG ADULT FRIENDS SUMMER BEACH DAY – July 27
Young adult F/friends and seekers (ages 18-35) will be gathering to celebrate the summer at Brigantine Beach (14th St.) in New Jersey on July 27. Carpools will depart from Arch Street Meeting House at 10 am and the Beach Day will conclude at 5 pm. More information and Registration, click here.
FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION: LOBBYING THE WORLD WE SEEK
Sunday, July 28 at 7pm ET – The Friends Committee on National Legislation has a long history of social advocacy on Capitol Hill, but how are Friends called to inflence our government today? Join us to hear from Micah MacColl Nicholson, Program Associate for Quaker Engagement on the past and present of FCNL’s advocacy. All are welcome! No prior registration required. Please note that the Zoom link for the event will go live on https://archstreetfriends.org/calendar the day of the event (7/28/24).
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
– PYM Weekly News & Events
– PYM Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – Click here.
QUAKER FUN — CROSSWORD (yes, we can have fun!)
FOX 400 PUZZLE: Sharpen your pencil to solve this homage to the founder of Quakerism (July is George Fox’s
400th birthday!) created especially for Friends Council – Click here
OTHER (VIRTUAL) WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill – Daily Zoom meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am.
– FGC Virtual Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (bi-weekly): Thursdays and Fridays
– Friends Council for National Legislation (FCNL) Witness Wednesdays: Weekly worship at 5:15pm (ET)
– FGC Virtual BIPOC Womxns Worship: twice/month: First Mondays & First Thursdays – Register here
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
– Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
– Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
– Friends General Conference (FGC)
– Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
– Friends Council on Education (FCE)
– American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
IN GERMANTOWN
HISTORIC FAIR HILL – FAMILY PROGRAMMING
FAMILY FUN DAYS – Saturdays 12:00 – 3:00pm: Storytime, games, arts & crafts, gardening, scavenger hunts! WONDEROUS WEDNESDAYS – (thru Aug 7) – Story times (10am & 12noon) and fun nature-themed activities. What is Historic Fair Hill? A Quaker historic burial ground that has developed into a space that offers programming in early literacy, community building, advocacy based history, and urban greening in the Fairhill neighborhood of North Philadelphia. For more information: click here – Or follow Historic Fair Hill on Facebook!
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, July 19, 2024
Schedule for Sunday, July 21
– July Sunday Worship – Green Street Meeting will join us at GMM
– August Sunday Worship – GMM will worship at Green Street Meetinghouse
10:20am Greeter Dorothy Cary
10:30am Child Care Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway
10:30am Meeting for Worship (Hybrid: In-person & on Zoom)
10:45am First Day School On recess for the summer.
Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their parent(s) until 10:45am, when
someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised
play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta (lois.volta@gmail.com). Children of any age are
always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
11:30am Introductions & Announcements — Randal & Leanna Whitman
11:45am Refreshments — Dorothy Cary, Moira Duggan, Teresa Maebori, Joanne Sharpless, Lois Volta
MEETING NEWS
This Sunday – Volunteers needed! TCRC Community Healing Center Food Distribution
– Where? Germantown Friends Meeting
– When? Sunday, July 21 from 12 PM to 3 PM
– Questions? Contact Jondhi Harrell
REMINDER – PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING (PQM) – July 28
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM) will meet at our Meetinghouse on July 28.
The program will include tours (at 9:00am and 2:30pm) of The Betty Cary Arboretum, designated as a Level 1
arboretum in 2017 by ArbNet. There are 18 trees of significance on campus. Seven are located in our graveyards. The tour will include the Penn Treaty Elm, a scion of the elm from Haverford College. PQM Business meeting will follow lunch as a hybrid meeting. Please plan to join us! Click here for the schedule and to register. Helpers needed for set-up, breakdown & clean up for a light lunch after worship.
– Contact Joanne Sharpless or Kelley White
MEETINGS FOR SANDING AND STAINING
Every couple of years, we need to touch up the finish of the Meetinghouse benches and woodwork.
We do this in August to give the oil stain a chance to dry before anyone sits on it.
The Property Committee invites all members and attenders to help us with this work.
We can do it in two 4-hour work days, if we get a good turnout of helping hands.
– Session 1: Saturday, August 3 – will begin with sandpaper & steel wool work, followed by some staining.
– Session 2: Saturday, August 10 – will be all staining.
– Hours 8:30am – 12:30pm.
– Dust masks, gloves, and refreshments will be provided.
Please come out and help us keep our Meetinghouse looking respectable — but only if you can tolerate some
exposure to petroleum fumes. Questions? Contact Tom Sharpless
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
THE QUAKER CITY: A (free!) WALKING TOUR OF OLD CITY – This Saturday!
– When? Saturday, July 20, 2024, 10:30am – 12 noon
– Where? Starts at Arch Street Meeting House (4th & Arch Streets)
– What? Not your run-of-the-mill Founding Fathers’ tour! Perfect for Friends or visitors seeking a different
side of Philly history, this walking tour highlights important Quaker sites in Old City. Free (donations welcome). More information: Click here.
PENDLE HILL NATURE WALK (free!) – Sunday, July 21, 10:30am – 12 noon Neighbors and F/friends of all ages are invited to walk the grounds of Pendle Hill with John Gruber, a science teacher and researcher at Friends’ Central School, and Lloyd Guindon, the tender of Pendle Hill’s campus and trees for over 30 years. More information: Click here.
PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING (PQM)
July 28th – See above announcement for registration information.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
– PYM Weekly News & Events
– Young Adult Friends July Newsletter
– Events Calendar: Check out upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – CLICK HERE
REMINDER: UKRAINIAN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT – Sunday, July 21
Peace & Social Concerns Committee of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (CPMM) is hosting a presentation
by North America for Ukraine on Sunday, July 21 from 12:45 – 1:45. Learn about the different ways individuals and
organizations can help sponsor at-risk Ukrainians. In-person at CPMM (1501 Cherry Street); and via Zoom, click here. For more info contact Liz Robinson.
GAZA- HOW DID WE GET HERE: Inside Look at the War on Gaza – Friday, August 9, 6-8:00pm Peace & Social Concerns Committee of Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting together with the United Universalist Church of Mt. Airy is coordinating a talk by Liz Demarest of ANERA, a nonprofit working in Gaza, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon. This will be a hybrid presentation. The “rental period” is from 5-8pm. The talk will begin at 6pm. To register, click here.
OTHER WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Virtual Worship for Friends of Color – Monthly Worship (Sunday, July 21, 8:00pm).
Held the 3rd Sunday of every month, hosted by Friends General Conference (FGC). For more
information and registration, click here
– Pendle Hill – All are invited to daily meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am. Zoom information is
available here on Pendle Hill’s website.
– Friends Council for National Legislation – Witness Wednesdays: FCNL hosts a weekly gathering at
5:15pm (ET) for Friends around the country to come together in community. Click here for more.
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
– Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
– Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
– Friends General Conference (FGC)
– Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
– Friends Council on Education (FCE)
– American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
TAKE ACTION!
BLACK WOMEN’S LIVES COUNT Reclaiming Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) – Saturday, July 20, 3-5pm at the Crossroads Women’s Center: A tribute to the 200+ Black women victims or missing and presumed victims of serial murders in South Los Angeles. Meet the artist for the monument Michael Massenburg (just featured in the NYT as an artist for the Clippers stadium) and Margaret Prescod, the founder of the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders. More info here.
PROTEST IN WASHINGTON, DC – Weds July 24 Protest against Netanyahu coming to the US to speak to Congress and calling for his arrest for war crimes against humanity. Gather at 11:00 am Pennsylvania Ave and 3rd St. NW,
Washington D.C. Wear red. More info here.
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
Did you know that the Retail Director that helped to open the new Weavers Way Co-op in Germantown is a GFS Alum? Jess Beer (GFS ’05) planned the new location with community input on products, and mindfulness around offering a range of healthy options at varied price points that make it more accessible. Read more about Jess and Weaver’s Way here!
IN GERMANTOWN
AWBURY ARBORETUM
Awbury Arboretum in Germantown is a free public garden and farm serving Northwest Philadelphia, built on the
social justice values of its Quaker founders. Learn more about Awbury – click here!
– Habitat Walk & Color Butterfly Suncatchers (free family event) – Sat July 20, 11:00am – 1:00pm. Stroll urban forest, creek, pond, meadow, look for critters, create window cling suncatchers.
– Summer Grief Walk in Nature (free) – Sat July 20, 12:00 – 2:00pm
Loss and grief are part of life. All people, all ages and stages of grief are welcome; you are not alone.
Please join us at the farm for a Nature Walk with Grief Coach Naila Francis. Starts promptly at noon. You
do not need to share; you can just be there. Optional goat walking (in partnership with The Philly Goat
Project).
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, July 12, 2024
– July Sunday Worship – Green Street Meeting will join us at GMM
– August Sunday Worship – GMM will worship at Green Street Meetinghouse
Schedule for Sunday, JULY 14
Greeter – Jonathan Busser
Child Care – Starts in kindergarten building across the driveway
First Day School – On recess for the summer.
Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their parent(s) until 10:45am, when
someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised
play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta. Children of any age are
always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
Introductions & Announcements – Karen Lightner
Refreshments – Wendy Wells
MEETING NEWS
SAVE THE DATE FOR PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING (PQM) – July 28
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM) will meet at our Meetinghouse on July 28.
The program will include tours (at 9:00am and 2:30pm) of The Betty Cary Arboretum, designated as a Level 1 arboretum in 2017 by ArbNet. There are 18 trees of significance on campus. Seven are located in our graveyards. The tour will include the Penn Treaty Elm, a scion of the elm from Haverford College. PQM Business meeting will follow lunch as a hybrid meeting.
– Please plan to join us! Click here for the schedule and to register.
– Questions? Contact Joanne Sharpless.
HELPERS NEEDED on July 28 for PQM Lunch!
We need helping hands for set-up, breakdown & clean up for a light lunch we are having for PQM after worship. Please let Joanne Sharpless or Kelley White know if you are able to help.
TCRC Community Healing Center Food Distribution – Volunteers needed!
– Where? Germantown Friends Meeting
– When? Sunday, July 21 from 12 PM to 3 PM
– Questions? Contact Jondhi Harrell.
GET REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES
The Office & Records Committee invites everyone to submit receipts for items you have purchased on the
Meeting’s behalf, even if you are not asking for reimbursement.
– Why? We will add those “in kind” donations to your donor record in our database, and you will be credited
as though you had made a cash donation in the same amount.
– Need another reason? The Meeting benefits from knowing just how much money and goods it takes to
support and run this Meetinghouse and our operations.
– Questions? Email the Meeting office.
GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL (GFS) NEWS & EVENTS
ALL-SCHOOL COMMONS & CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Progress continues on the construction of the new spaces at GFS. Click here for photos from their recent Facebook post!
QUAKER NEWS, EVENTS, RESOURCES
PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING (PQM)
July 28th – See above announcement for registration information.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
> Events Calendar
– Silence & Light for Quaker Newcomers eRetreat: Friends General Conference (FGC) program for those curious about or new to Quakerism. 5 Thursdays (July 18 – August 15), 7:30-9:00 pm
– Altered Books: Making Tangible Our Personal and Prophetic Narratives (online arts program): Sundays, 12:30-2:30 pm.
Check out more upcoming and ongoing programs promoted by PYM – CLICK HERE.
> PYM 344th Annual Sessions Epistle
– The epistle – an outgoing letter about PYM sessions (July 6-7) to Friends everywhere – was approved as
the last order of business. CLICK HERE to read more.
ALTERNATIVES TO GUN VIOLENCE – Sunday, July 14
This Sunday, July 14, 12:30 to 2:00, Grays Ferry Summer Youth Program members are coming to Central
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (CPMM) to describe their efforts to move young men and women of color away
from the gun violence in the streets. The focus will be on who is doing the work, who is affected, and how it is supported. This will be a hybrid event – in-person at CPMM (1501 Cherry Street) in the Rufus Jones Room from 12:30-2:00 and will include a light lunch. To attend via Zoom that day, CLICK HERE.
UKRAINIAN REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT – Sunday, July 21
Peace & Social Concerns Committee of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (CPMM) is hosting a presentation by North America for Ukraine on Sunday, July 21st from 12:45 – 1:45. Their mission is to help at-risk Ukrainians reach safety in the US and Canada by helping them connect with approved Americans who can sponsor them according to the US government’s Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) Program. Learn about the different ways individuals and organizations can help serve as a sponsor. This presentation will be a hybrid event – in-person at CPMM (1501 Cherry Street) in the Rufus Jones Room. To attend via Zoom that day, CLICK HERE. For more info contact Liz Robinson
OTHER WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
– Pendle Hill: All are invited to daily meeting for worship online from 8:30-9:10 am. The Zoom information is available here on Pendle Hill’s website.
– Friends Council for National Legislation: Witness Wednesdays: FCNL hosts a weekly gathering at
5:15pm (ET) for Friends around the country to come together in community. Click here for more information.
QUAKER ORGANIZATIONS
Stay connected with news, work and resources of various Friends groups.
Click on the links below (only a partial list), and bookmark them for easy reference!
– Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM)
– Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)
– Friends General Conference (FGC)
– Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
– Friends Council on Education (FCE)
– American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
IN GERMANTOWN
SECOND SATURDAYS IN HISTORIC GERMANTOWN
Join in every Second Saturday through October from 12 – 4 PM for an afternoon of FREE, family-friendly activities and museum tours throughout Historic Germantown! Click here for more information.
WYCK HISTORIC HOUSE/GARDEN/FARM
Have you ever visited this National Historic Landmark, with Quaker roots, just up Germantown Avenue from GMM? Learn more about Wyck – click here!
– Carillon Recital Series at Wyck Historic House (free) on Monday evenings in July at 7:30pm
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, June 28, 2024
SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 30
10:20 Greeter – Jonathan Busser
10:30 Child Care starts in the Kindergarten building across the driveway
TWO MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP
In person: Weather permitting, in-person Meeting for Worship will be held
outside. Look for signs marking the way.
Zoom: There will be a separate Meeting for Worship on Zoom, with Faye Steacy
as closer.
10:45 First Day School is on recess for the Summer. Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their parent(s) until 10:45 a.m., when someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta. Children of any age are always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
11:30 Introductions & Announcements by Closer Peter Samuel
11:45 Breakfast by Jondhi Harrell and friends from The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC)
MEETING NEWS
FUNDRAISING DEADLINE APPROACHES!
Your fund raising committee wishes to thank the several dozen households who have recently contributed generously towards our annual fund raising campaign. We are much closer to our goal, but we are still several thousand dollars short. Our fiscal year ends this Sunday, June 30th. Additional contributions will be very helpful. They may be made by check to Germantown Monthly Meeting at 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144, or online through PYM.org.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
Starting next Sunday, July 7, our neighbors from Green Street Meeting will join us for worship and refreshments. We’re pleased to host them throughout the month of July! In August, we will worship and enjoy refreshments with our Green Street Friends at their Meetinghouse.
SAVE THE DATE FOR PQM
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting will meet at our Meetinghouse on July 28. Stay tuned for details.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED
Many thanks to all who have served refreshments in recent weeks (and to those who have signed up for July dates, when F/friends from Green Street Meeting will be joining us). You add so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer to serve refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshments providers for:
Please contact Joanne Sharpless
Also: September 8, September 15, September 29
To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the Social Room after worship. You are welcome to submit your receipts via email to the Meeting Office if you would like to be reimbursed for your purchases. Or you may count them as a tax- deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from the office. THANK YOU!
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29
Celebrate George Fox’s 400th birthday on June 29th with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, George Fox and Hannah Penn re-enactors, crafts, dunk tanks, a panel discussion, story times, and more. 10 am to 4 pm at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public. Arch Street Meeting House will be open for FREE as a part of Wawa Welcome America’s Free Museum Day.
Speaking of George Fox, Pendle Hill provides this list of Fox-related pamphlets. Visit GMM’s little library, which has an extensive collection of Pendle Hill pamphlets — perhaps you’ll find them there:
The Religion of George Fox, 1624-1691, as Revealed by his Epistles – PHP #161
The Atonement of George Fox – PHP #166
The Light Within: Then and Now – PHP #425
Mind the Oneness: The Mystic Way of the Quakers – PHP #463
Be Patterns: Reflections on Words of George Fox – PHP #473
2024 GATHERING OF FRIENDS GENERAL CONFERENCE (FGC), HAVERFORD COLLEGE,
JUNE 29 – JULY 6: ROOTED IN STORY
The Gathering starts tomorrow at Haverford! Join in this week of fellowship and study, worship and fun with programs for every age from small fry through adult, speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, over 100 workshops, and good food. Form new friendships and renew old ones. Select events are available online. To learn more, click here https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/2024-gathering-of-friends-rooted-in-story/
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6 – 7
Immediately following FGC’s Gathering, in the same location, is PYM’s 344th Annual Sessions. This is a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home. There will be plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about Annual Sessions by clicking here. Are you a PYM Friend who lives no more than a 40- minute drive to Haverford? Do you have a spare room to share for 1-2 nights, July 5 – 6? If so, PYM asks that you consider hosting a traveling Friend for Annual Sessions. Contact PYM if you are willing to provide hospitality for traveling Friends.
TAKE ACTION, FRIENDS!
RISE UP FOR REPARATIONS: A MULTI-FAITH REVIVAL
This Sunday, June 30 from 2 to 4 pm at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia. Hosted by Rev. Jackie Newsome, newly seated to the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force. Speakers will include Reverend Naomi Washington-Leapheart, Rise up for Reparations Campaign Steering Committee, Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari, Kol Tzedek Synagogue, Reverend Michael Nabors from Evanston Illinois Second Baptist Church and others. Song offerings by Pax Ressler, founder of the Rise Choir. Hosted by the Rise up for Reparations Campaign
Steering Committee, reparationWorks, Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, and PYM.
FRIDAYS @ FETTERMAN’S WEEKLY PEACE VIGIL
Office of Senator John Fetterman – 200 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia – Friday, June 28,
2024 – 12:15 – 1:15 pm
Featured Speakers: Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia. Expect the Grannies to bring music,
poetry, and spirited community-oriented creativity to Friday’s vigil.
Tonight, Friday, June 28
8:30 pm
The Dukes of Destiny + The Two Johns: Johnny Never and John Colgan-Davis
The Lounge at World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut St, Philadelphia
Tickets $20 adv. $25 door, 215-222-1400
A special concert with an overview of blues approaches from earliest acoustic days to modern electric and soul sounds, including several original blues-based songs. Johnny Never and John Colgan-Davis, contestants in this year’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis, open the show with acoustic songs in the Delta and Piedmont styles. Then the Dukes will do electric blues, including some new arrangements and originals. It will be a night of incredible blues at a fantastic club. Come on out and enjoy. Early reservations are strongly suggested.
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The Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, June 21, 2024
To all the small miracles you rushed through.
Become inclined to watch the way of rain
When it falls slow and free.
John O’Donohue, For One Who is Exhausted from “To Bless the Space Between Us”
SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 23
Friends, it’s HOT out there, and it’s going to get even HOTTER! The National Weather Service has issued an “excessive heat watch” for our area for this weekend. By the time we gather for worship at 10:30, the temperature outside may approach 90 degrees [although of course it’ll be cooler inside the meetinghouse]. You be the judge – if the heat’s not for you, stay in the cool and join us on Zoom!
10:20 Greeter – Becky Johnson
10:30 Child Care starts in the Kindergarten building across the driveway
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship
10:45 First Day School is on recess for the Summer. Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their parent(s) until 10:45 am, when someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta. Children of any age are always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
11:30 Introductions & Announcements by Closer, Lois Volta
11:45 Refreshments by Lauren Wright and Sarah Kaufman
A third Zoom operator is needed in addition to Rob Smith and Jeri Adams. Contact Rob or
the Meeting Office if you’re interested in learning how to do it.
MEETING NEWS
FUNDRAISING DEADLINE LOOMS!
The Meeting’s fiscal year ends in a week, but our fundraising goal is far away! Help the Meeting reach this year’s fundraising goal, support its good works, and ensure the longevity of our beautiful Meetinghouse and the operation of our office by making your donation today. Reach deep into your pocket and see what’s there for your beloved meeting. Budget tight this year? Contributions in ANY amount are welcomed. P.S. Checks and cash are great. You can save a stamp by putting your contribution in the locked donation box during social hour. Online giving is available through PYM.
WORSHIP WITH NATURE ON JUNE 30, 10:30 AM
Next Sunday June 30, weather and temperature permitting, in-person Meeting for Worship will be held outside. Look for signs marking the way. Those attending virtually will worship together on Zoom.
JULY AND AUGUST SCHEDULE
Our neighbors from Green Street Meeting will join us for worship and refreshments for the month of July. It’ll be great to have them back! In August, we will worship and enjoy refreshments with our Green Street Friends at their Meetinghouse.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED
Many thanks to all who have served refreshments in recent weeks (and to those who have signed up for July dates, when friends from Green Street Meeting will be joining us). You add so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer to serve refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshments providers for:
JULY 28th… TO HELP WITH LUNCH FOR QUARTERLY MEETING attendees at GMM…
please contact Joanne Sharpless 215-279-2668 or jsharpless@germantownfriends.org.
Also: September 1 • September 8 • September 15 • September 29
To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the Social Room after worship. You are welcome to submit your receipts via email to the Meeting Office if you would like to be reimbursed for your purchases. Or you may count them as a tax-deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from the office. THANK YOU!
2025 SPRING RETREAT
We’re thrilled to revive our annual weekend retreat for Spring 2025! Join us for a time of spiritual nourishment and community bonding. Activities include shared meals, worship, and fun events for all ages like cooking, scavenger hunts, nature walks, and fireside singing. Help us plan by filling out our survey here!
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29
Celebrate George Fox’s 400th birthday on June 29th with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, George Fox and Hannah Penn re-enactors, a panel discussion, story times, and more. 10 am to 4 pm at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
FGC GATHERING, HAVERFORD COLLEGE, JUNE 29 – JULY 6: ROOTED IN STORY
This year, “The Gathering” is right in our backyard! It’s a week of fellowship and study, worship and fun with programs for every age from small fry through adult, speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, over 100 workshops, and good food. https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/2024-gathering-of-friends-rooted-in-story
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6 – 7
Immediately following FGC’s Gathering, in the same location, is PYM’s 344th Annual Sessions. There will be intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about it, and the pre-Annual Sessions Opening Meeting for Business on June 25 (note this change of date) at 7 pm, by clicking here. Are you a PYM Friend who lives no more than a 40-minute drive to Haverford? Do you have a spare room to share for 1-2 nights, July 5 – 6? If so, PYM asks that you consider hosting a traveling Friend for Annual Sessions. Contact PYM if you are willing to provide hospitality for traveling Friends.
DID YOU KNOW? FGC’s Ministry on Racism offers ongoing virtual spaces for people of color
and white Friends confronting racism, as follows. Go to FGC’s website for more information.
Worship for People of Color (Wednesdays weekly, 1 pm Eastern; Wednesdays biweekly, 8 pm ET; third Sunday of each month, 8 pm ET)
Worship Sharing for People of Color (Wednesdays biweekly, 8 pm ET)
BIPOC Women’s Space first Monday, 3 pm ET and first Thursday, 8 pm ET of each month)
Worship for White Friends Confronting Racism (Thursdays, 8 pm ET)
TAKE ACTION, FRIENDS!
PATHWAY TO POWER: BUILDING PHILLY’S FUTURE TOGETHER
Sunday, June 25 at 1 pm via Zoom
Interested in POWER Interfaith and what it does? Jayson Massey and Seth Dunoff are hosting this “house meeting” to share what POWER is doing now and hear YOUR opinions on what POWER should work on next. POWER organizers will use this information to plan the organization’s future activities. If you have questions, contact Jayson Massey. Note: due to the heat wave, this is now a Zoom-only meeting and has been moved up to 1:00 pm.
PATHWAY TO POWER: Climate Justice & Jobs June Meeting
June 25 at 7:00-8:30 pm
Join the Climate Justice & Jobs Whole Team Meeting. Let’s ensure a clean, safe, and affordable energy for all! You are asked to register for this meeting via the sign up link.
RISE UP FOR REPARATIONS JUNETEENTH REVIVAL
June 30 at 2 – 4 pm
Join Friends and neighbors in proclaiming the urgent call for reparations in Philadelphia! This event takes place from 2 to 4 pm at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia. The event is hosted by Rev. Jackie Newsome, newly seated to the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, June 14, 2024
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
— Poet Mary Oliver
SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 16
10:20 Greeter – Karen Lightner
10:30 Child Care starts in the Kindergarten building across the driveway
10:30 This Sunday, because no one is available to run the equipment for a hybrid meeting, there will be separate Meetings for Worship:
On Zoom — Introductions & Announcements by Closer Faye Steacy
Are you tech-savvy? Are you willing to learn how to operate the Zoom hybrid Meeting? A third person is needed in this role, in addition to Rob Smith and Jeri Adams. Contact Rob or the Meeting Office.
In the Meetinghouse, technology-free
10:45 First Day School is on recess for the Summer. Older children attend Meeting for Worship with their parent(s) until 10:45 a.m., when someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta. Children of any age are always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
11:30 Introductions & Announcements by Closer Ed Stivender
11:45 Refreshments – Teresa Maebori and Katy Hineline
MEETING NEWS
FUNDRAISING DEADLINE APPROACHES!
The Meeting’s Fiscal year ends on June 30 but the Fundraising Committee reports that we are $24,000 short of the fundraising goal. Support the good works of the Meeting, ensure the longevity of our beautiful Meetinghouse and the operation of our odice by making your donation today. Reach deep into your pocket and see what’s there for your beloved meeting. Budget tight this year? Contributions in ANY amount are welcomed. P.S. Checks and cash are great. You can save a stamp by putting your contribution in the locked donation
box during social hour. Online giving is available through PYM.
WORSHIP WITH NATURE ON JUNE 30, 10:30 AM
On June 30, in-person Meeting for Worship will be held outside. Look for signs marking the way. Those attending virtually can worship together on Zoom.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
In a return to our traditional practice, our neighbors from Green Street Meeting will join us for worship and refreshments in July. Please give them a warm welcome!
In August, our Meetinghouse will be closed, and we will worship with our Green Street Friends at their Meetinghouse.
MEETING OFFICE
Following the retirement of our Secretary, Melissa Elliott, the office remains open and operational. The hours are varied for now, however, so the best way to communicate with the Meeting office is via email.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED
Many thanks to all who have served refreshments in recent months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer to serve refreshments a couple Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment providers for:
July 7
July 14
July 21
July 28
To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the Social Room after worship. You are welcome to submit your receipts via email to the Meeting Office if you would like to be reimbursed for your purchases. Or you may count them as a tax- deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from the office. THANK YOU!
BUZZ FROM THE BEE
Submissions to the Bee can be submitted via email to gmm@germantownfriends.org until noon on Thursday. Please include the word “Bee” in the Subject line.
— Late submissions will not published unless urgent or important.
— Make it short and sweet! A brief synopsis of the event or topic is all that’s needed, along with how to find further information. (If you write a book, we will cut it down to size; this takes time and risks hurting your feelings, which we do not intend!)
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
SILENCE & LIGHT FOR QUAKER NEWCOMERS eRETREAT
Friends General Conference invites you to explore and practice the experience of Quaker worship and silent waiting. For people who are curious about Quakers or new to Quakerism. This is a five-part series conducted over the Summer. For information, click this link: https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/silence-light-for-quaker-newcomers-eretreat-5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29
Celebrate George Fox’s 400th birthday on June 29th with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, George Fox and Hannah Penn re-enactors, a panel discussion, story times, and more. 10 am to 4 pm at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
2024 GATHERING OF FRIENDS GENERAL CONFERENCE (FGC), HAVERFORD COLLEGE, JUNE 29-JULY 6: ROOTED IN STORY
This year, “The Gathering” is right in our backyard! It’s a week of fellowship and study, worship and fun with programs for every age from small fry through adult, speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, over 100 workshops, and good food. Form new friendships and renew old ones. You can stay on campus, commute or pitch your tent in the designated camping area! Select events are available online. Work grants and financial assistance are available, but don’t delay your application. To learn more, click here
https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/2024-gathering-of-friends-rooted-in-story
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6 – 7
Immediately following FGC’s Gathering, in the same location, is PYM’s 344th Annual Sessions. This is a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home. There will be plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about Annual Sessions and Zoom events leading up to it (“Runway to Annual Sessions”) including a 4-part Bible study June 5, 12, 18 and 26 at 7 pm and Meeting for Business on June 25 (note this change of date) at 7 pm, by clicking here. Are you a PYM Friend who lives no more than a 40-minute drive to Haverford? Do you have a spare room to share for 1-2 nights, July 5 – 6? If so, PYM asks that you consider hosting a traveling Friend for Annual Sessions. Contact PYM if you are willing to provide hospitality for traveling Friends.
FGC’s new Generation X online discussion group will bring Gen Xers together to explore Quaker spirituality, share personal experiences and engage in meaningful conversations about faith, community, and social issues in a supportive and open environment. If you were born between 1965 and 1980 and want to connect in this way, join the first meeting on Monday, June 17th, 7-8:30 pm Eastern. Register at: https://www.fgcquaker.org/event/generation-x-discussion-group
TAKE ACTION, FRIENDS!
HELP SAVE GREEN SPACE IN AMBLER Our members Jon and Peggy Ambler are working to save a 10-acre lot next to their Ambler farm that was donated to the Horsham School District for permanent use as an educational site. It is now at risk of being sold to developers. The Amblers propose instead to start a sustainable farming school for young adults. You can read about it at: https://simmonsfoodandsustainabilityschool.org. Interested persons are encouraged to attend the next School District Board meeting on June 17 at 7:00 pm in the Hatboro-Horsham High School auditorium — help them fill the auditorium to support this important effort! See attached.
HAVE YOU READ…?
Some suggestions from Friends Council on Education
White Fragility: Why Understanding Racism Can Be So Hard for White People (Adapted for Young Adults) by T. Graves Williamson and A. Michael
Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution by E. Mystal
Born to Create: How Creativity Sparks Connection, Innovation, and Belonging in our New World of Work by A. Jacoby
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by C. Smith
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, June 7, 2024
SCHEDULE FOR JUNE 9
9:00 Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business Agenda:
Query — Faye Stacy
Opening Worship
Review of agenda — Karen Lightner
Corrections/Approval – Minutes from May 2024 Business Meeting
Office & Records Committee — Moira Duggan
Care & Visiting Committee — Peter Samuel
Standing Nominating Committee — David Mettler
Fundraising Committee — Jonathan Rhoads
Trustees (Report on Greene Street properties) — Bill Stassen
Worship and Ministry — Ruth Seeley
Racial and Social Justice Committee — Ed Nakawatase/Bruce Grant;
Minute of Support for Stenton grant application – Karen Lightner
Closing Worship
10:20 Greeter – Barbara Wybar
10:30 Child Care starts in the Kindergarten building across the driveway
10:30 Meeting for Worship (hybrid)
10:45 First Day School is on recess for the Summer. Older children attend Meeting for Worship in June and July with their parent(s) until 10:45 a.m., when someone will stand up and lead them to the kindergarten or playground for supervised play. Questions? Contact Lois Volta. Children of any age are always welcome to join their parent(s) in Meeting for Worship.
11:30 Introductions & Announcements by Wendy Wells and Bruce Grant
11:45 Refreshments by Lois Volta and Erin Davis
LOOKING AHEAD: One June 30, we will Worship outside, weather permitting.
In July, we will welcome our neighbors from Green Street Meeting!
MEETING NEWS
PORCH PICNIC. The annual Porch Picnic was a huge success! The weather cooperated, the food was abundant and delicious, and Friends enjoyed sitting on our wide porch and visiting with one another. Many thanks to the Fellowship Committee for their hard work, and to all who supplied delicious food and organized activities! Are you willing to help plan events like this to bring Friends together for fellowship, food and fun? Join the Fellowship Committee, open to both members and attenders. Express your interest to David Mettler, clerk of Standing Nominating Committee.
FUNDRAISING DEADLINE APPROACHES!
Our Fundraising Committee reminds us that the end of the fiscal year is looming. We are far from reaching our fundraising goal. Support the good works of the Meeting, ensure the longevity of our beautiful Meetinghouse and the operation of our office by making your donation today. Reach deep into your pocket and see what’s there for your beloved meeting. Budget tight this year? Contributions in ANY amount are welcomed. P.S. Checks and cash are great. You can save a stamp by putting your contribution in the locked donation box during social hour. Online giving is available through PYM.
MEETING SECRETARY RETIRES
The Meeting announces the retirement of long-time Secretary, Melissa K. Elliott. We wish for her a Light-filled, relaxing and fun retirement, without the demands of the office! Please note — the office is operational, but our hours are varied, so the best way to communicate with the Meeting office is via email to gmm@germantownfriends.org.
HUGE MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE TO BENEFIT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL IN BUDUDA, UGANDA
Tomorrow, Sat. June 8th — 9 am to 2 pm at 111 Rex Avenue in Chestnut Hill. Selling furniture – some wicker – costume jewelry, linens old and new, lots of baby clothes, maternity clothes, women’s clothes, china (full set), cutlery, new shoes, household items and much, much more. Contact: Barbara Wybar.
THE BUZZ FROM THE BEE
Submissions that are of interest to readers of The Friday Bee are always greatly appreciated! Our process for putting The Bee together has changed somewhat, so the Office & Records Committee advises:
— Please send all submissions via email to gmm@germantownfriends.org and include the word “Bee” in the Subject line.
— Noon on Thursday is the deadline. Only late submission of importance or urgency
will be published.
— Make it short and sweet! A brief synopsis of the event or topic is all that’s needed, along with how to find further information. (If you write a book, we will cut it down to size; this takes time and risks hurting your feelings, which we do not intend!)
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED
Many thanks to all who have served refreshments in recent months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer to serve refreshments a couple Sundays a year. To sign up, contact Becky Johnson or look for the sign-up sheet in the Social Room after worship. You are welcome to submit your receipts via email to the Meeting Office if you would like to be reimbursed for your purchases. Or you may count them as a tax-deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from the office. THANK YOU!
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
SILENCE & LIGHT FOR QUAKER NEWCOMERS eRETREAT
Friends General Conference invites you to explore and practice the experience of Quaker worship and silent waiting. For people who are curious about Quakers or new to Quakerism. This is a five-part series conducted over the Summer. For information, click this link.
‘CLIMATE & MONEY’ ONLINE PROGRAM, JUNE 6, 7-8:30 pm. Hear an online panel explore the role of finance in the climate crisis. Find out how money flows into fossil fuel projects, how a variety of campaigns by Friends across the country seek to stop it and how we can redirect those resources to support life on earth. Hosted by PYM’s Eco-Justice Collaborative. You may register online at https://www.pym.org/event/eco-justice-webinar-climate-and-money
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, JUNE 7-10
“Continuing Revolution” annual conference for young adults 18-35 at Pendle Hill. Join any of three concurrent locations in person or online: Pendle Hill near Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC. Focus on historical and contemporary restorative justice which seeks to repair harm and address root causes of oppression. For further information and to register: https://pendlehill.org/events/continuing-revolution-2024-restorative-justice-as-spiritual-practice
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX!
Celebrate George Fox’s 400th birthday on June 29th with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, George Fox and Hannah Penn re-enactors, a panel discussion, story times, and more. 10 am to 4 pm at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
2024 GATHERING OF FRIENDS GENERAL CONFERENCE (FGC), HAVERFORD COLLEGE, JUNE 29-JULY 6: ROOTED IN STORY This year, “The Gathering” is right in our backyard! It’s a week of fellowship and study, worship and fun with programs for every age from small fry through adult, speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, over 100 workshops, and good food. Form new friendships and renew old ones. You can stay on campus, commute or pitch your tent in the designated camping area! Select events are available online. Work grants and financial assistance are available, but don’t delay your application. To learn more, click here.
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6 – 7. Immediately following FGC’s Gathering, in the same location, is PYM’s 344th Annual Sessions. This is a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home. There will be plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about Annual Sessions and Zoom events leading up to it (“Runway to Annual Sessions”) including a 4-part Bible study June 5, 12, 18 and 26 at 7 pm and Meeting for Business on June 27 at 7 pm, by clicking here. Are you a PYM Friend who lives no more than a 40-minute drive to Haverford? Do you have a spare room to share for 1-2 nights, July 5 – 6? If so, PYM asks that you consider hosting a traveling Friend for Annual Sessions. Contact PYM if you are willing to provide hospitality for traveling Friends.
TAKE ACTION, FRIENDS!
THE N/NW ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORKING GROUP will meet this Sunday, June 9 from 2 to 4 pm here at our Meetinghouse. There will be a report on a rally at City Hall, meetings with the Director of Mayor Parker’s ‘Clean and Green’ Initiative, a report by the Awbury Tree Tenders and more. For information, contact Jayson Massey
HELP TO SAVE GREEN SPACE IN AMBLER Our members Jon and Peggy Ambler are working to save a 10-acre lot next to their Ambler farm that was donated to the Horsham School District for permanent use as an educational site. It is now at risk of being sold to developers. The Amblers propose instead to start a sustainable farming school for young adults. You can read about it at: https://simmonsfoodandsustainabilityschool.org. Interested persons are encouraged to attend the next School District Board meeting on June 17 at 7:00 pm in the Hatboro- Horsham High School auditorium — help them fill the auditorium to support this important effort!
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, May 31, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Talk less, do more.
Jondhi Harrell, 2015
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Sunday Schedule, June 2, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closers: Moira Duggan
Greeter: Deborah Cooper
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. MEETING PICNIC !
THE ANNUAL GMM PORCH POTLUCK PICNIC THIS SUNDAY!
Sunday, June 2nd at the rise of Meeting on the porch. Plan to bring your favorite dish to share with a crowd! Food, fellowship, fun & games, and a big, group photo! All are welcome. Available to help with set-up or break-down? Contact Ann Stassen.
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yu’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, June 2nd, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will go to the committee room. This Sunday we will learn about the story of Jonah and the whale and about the Peaceable Kingdom (Isaiah 11) and the Edward Hicks painting. Then we will get out our fabric markers and refresh the banner that hangs on the fence in front of the meetinghouse, brightening it up for the summer. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING AND MEMBER NEWS
GFS GRADUATION
Commencement will be live-streamed tomorrow, Saturday, June 1 starting at 11:00 a.m. All who would like to view are invited to join via this link. Or, you’re welcome to come in person and sit either in the tent or on the meetinghouse porch!
BIG TENT IN PARKING LOT
Through June 5 or 6, there will be a big white tent covering the parking lot (GFS Common) between our meetinghouse and Germantown Friends School (GFS). While the tent is up, you can park on Coulter Street or in the GFS visitors lot across the street. There are also three or four spaces along the porch on the graveyard side, which are reserved for folks with mobility challenges. Thank you for your cooperation!
FROM THE FUND-RAISING COMMITTEE
June 30th is the end of our fiscal year, and it is rapidly approaching. We are short of our fund raising goal by $30,000. Many thanks to those who have contributed and brought us this far. For those who have not yet contributed, now is the time! For those who have given, a supplemental gift would be very welcome. You may send a check to Germantown Monthly Meeting at 47 West Coulter Street, Phila, PA 19144, or donate on line through PYM.org, find the site to give to a monthly meeting, and proceed. Your support of our Meeting and its programs is deeply appreciated.
SAY THANKS TO GFS FACULTY AND STAFF WITH BREAKFAST!
Friday morning, June 7, 7 — 9 am
To show GFS teachers and staff how much our Meeting values their yearlong dedication to both children and the community, Germantown Meeting will treat them to a yummy “breakfast on the run” next Friday morning, June 7. Because we know they all are super-busy wrapping up the year’s work, it will be a “Grab and Go” buffet of treats to take away. Our Outreach Committee is planning the event, and asks us all to help, with a plate of pastry, a fruit bowl or a bunch of bagels … and/or be on hand to set up the service line & clear away afterwards. It’s an early start — we’ll need food & set-up helpers on hand by 6:30 am, so we can start serving at 7. Your help is needed and welcome! Signing up is easy — just use this link at SignUpGenius. Or if you are not completely tech-savvy, you can contact Jonathan Busser. If you can say what you’re bringing, and amounts, it will help greatly with Planning!
MASARU EDMUND NAKAWATASE TO BE HONORED
Bending the Arc: Celebrating the Justice Seekers
Thursday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Fairmount Water Works.
From its earliest days, Bread & Roses Community Fund has stood with and supported those fighting against imperialism, fascism, militarism, and war. To recognize the local leaders mobilizing against state violence, the theme for this year’s Tribute to Change is “Bending the Arc: Celebrating the Justice Seekers.” Among the inspiring honorees this year is our own Masaru Edmund Nakawatase, who will receive the Paul Robeson Lifetime Achievement Award. Buy tickets to the dinner and award here.
HOUSING REQUEST
I just sold my lovely little house and looking for another lovely to rent. A carriage house or garden apt. w/ 1 bedroom for me and a space for grandchildren or family to visit would be lovely. Presently subletting on Penn St. until I find a new long-term place. Marijane Miller
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED for JULY Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for: July 7, 14, 21, 28. To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to the meeting secretary if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from the Meeting.) THANK YOU!
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
‘CLIMATE & MONEY’ ONLINE PROGRAM, JUNE 6 Hear an online panel speak about “Climate and Money” and explore the role of finance in the climate crisis. Find out how money currently flows into fossil fuel projects, how a variety of campaigns by Friends across the country are trying to stop that flow, and how we can redirect those resources to support life on earth. Hosted by the Eco-Justice Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM). To find out more and register online, click here.
PENDLE HILL PODCASTS
All episodes of Season 4 of Pendle Hill’s podcast, The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, are now available wherever you get your podcasts! This season, they explored what spiritual alignment means in this moment of escalating social and political upheaval and violence with guests Parker Palmer, Adria Gulizia, Felix Rosado, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, and Valerie Brown. Tune in to listen as host, Dwight Dunston, guides guests through powerful conversations with queries like “How do we cultivate discernment to stay the course and stay connected to our leadings?” and “How are we being called to transform ourselves and our communities to break down systems of oppression and embody new ways of being?”
FGC GATHERING AT HAVERFORD COLLEGE JUNE 29-JULY 6 Over 900 Friends are already registered for Gathering, including 100 Young Adults (age 18-35). Plunge into this week of fellowship and study, worship and fun at the 2024 Gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC), which will be at Haverford College, within easy driving distance for most Philadelphia Friends. There will be programs for every age, from small fry through adulthood, with new friendships to be made at every turn and old ones to be renewed. All dorm rooms are air conditioned, and there is also an area for tent camping and an option for staying off campus or commuting. Some events are available online. Among the many events to choose from, there will be speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, more than 100 workshops, and good food. Today, May 31st is the last day to register for Junior Gathering and the High School Program. Adult registrations after today will incur a $60 late fee. Day passes will still be available without a late fee. There will be opportunities to earn a day pass by working a short shift at the Local Arrangements table. More information on that to come. To learn more — click here.
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6-7 Immediately after the FGC Gathering at Haverford College, the Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) will take place at the same location. On a smaller scale than the Gathering, annual sessions are a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home, with plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about what’s going on by clicking here.
AROUND TOWN
Rev. William J. Barber II will be appearing at the Parkway Central Library on Monday, June 10th at 7:30 pm. He will be in conversation with Matthew Desmond about his new book White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy. Cost is, Pay What You Wish. To register and find more information click here.
FILM SCREENING: FREEDOM TO RUN
Wednesday June 5, 6pm, Film Screening: Freedom to Run, a documentary film about life under occupation. Tickets are available from @freedomtorunfilm Instagram bio. Organized by Runners for Justice in Palestine. Benefit for Philly Muslim Freedom Fund. Making Worlds Bookstore, 210 South 45th St.
ACTIVIST OPPORTUNITIES
GREAT HOUSING INFO & ACTION-PLANNING MEETING
Wednesday, June 5th 6-8 pm Germantown Life Enrichment Center, 5722 Greene Street.
Anyone interested in helping with housing in Germantown, go to the Germantown Residents for Economic Alternatives Together Housing Info & Action-Planning Meeting coming up on Wednesday, June 5th at the GLEC. Dinner and childcare are provided, but pre-registration is necessary.
PA-PHILLY-WEAR ORANGE GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS WORKSHOP:
Friday, June 7 at 2 pm. Northwest Victim Services, 6023 Germantown Ave
Join in honoring survivors and building community with those working to end gun violence.
Signup here.
SURROUND THE WHITE HOUSE IN DC FOR PALESTINE.
Heads up! Saturday June 8, 12pm, Surround the White House in DC for Palestine.
A national rally organized by ANSWER Coalition. Buses leaving 7:30am from
147 W. Susquehanna (Philadelphia Liberation Center), possibly other locations. More info here.
N/NW ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORKING GROUP
Sunday June 9, 2-4 pm at Germantown Friends Meeting. The N/NW Environmental Justice Working Group Updates and Next Meeting will be held on Sunday June 9, 2-4 pm At Germantown Meeting. There will be a report on a rally at City Hall and meetings with Carlton Williams, the Director of Mayor Parker’s Clean and Green Initiative.
POWER
VIRTUAL LOBBY DAY FOR CLIMATE ACTION
Thursday, June 6, 9 am – 5 pm
Online! So you can join from your kitchen table, living room, or office!
PennEnvironment will schedule thirty-minute zoom meetings with your state representative and/or state senator between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and host an optional virtual rally from 12:15 – 12:45 p.m.
RSVP & write in POWER for ‘How Did You Hear About This Event’
POWER INTERFAITH IS HIRING for multiple positions, including an entry-level organizer to work on racial, economic and climate justice in Philadelphia, as well as experienced lead organizers for Philadelphia and PA to work on racial, economic and climate justice. See the positions available.
Contact: Rabbi Julie Greenberg
PATHWAY TO POWER: BUILDING PHILLY’S FUTURE TOGETHER
Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 2:00 pm at Germantown Friends Meeting,
Interested in POWER Interfaith and what they do? Jayson Massey is hosting this “house meeting” whose goal is to inform on what POWER is doing now and hear your opinions on what you think POWER should be working on. POWER organizers will use this information to plan the future activities of POWER. Jayson needs someone to help host. Please contact him here.
In order to sign up to attend, click here. POWER Interfaith’s website.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, May 26, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
It has been my experience that if I come to meeting in a state of strong emotion and follow an easy impulse to talk about it, I–and the meeting?–are left with a sense of emptiness. But if I trust that there’s a reason why I’m here, now, in this state, but that it’s God’s reason, not mine, and my part is to wait in holy expectancy–strange things happen. Messages which speak to my condition are given by people who couldn’t possibly know of it. The meeting ministers to my need and uses my state to minister to others–quite without my willing it. I believe that there’s an explanation for this phenomenon. Strong emotion can make us what the early Friends called tender: vulnerable to the workings of the Spirit. I suspect that the presence of one such person in our midst can cause the meeting to gather. – Esther Murer, 1988
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Sunday Schedule, May 26, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closers: Ellie & Tom Elkington
Greeter: Jonathan Busser
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Caroline Rhoads & friend
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, May 26th, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will go to the committee room and then the kindergarten. This Sunday will be our final class learning about stories in the Old Testament. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
BIG TENT IN PARKING LOT! Through June 5 or 6, there will be a big white tent covering the parking lot (GFS Common) between our meetinghouse and Germantown Friends School (GFS). GFS is using the tent for graduation and a number of other events. While the tent is up, there will be no parking there. However, you can park on Coulter Street or in the GFS visitors lot across the street. There are also three or four spaces along the porch on the graveyard side, which are reserved for folks with mobility challenges. Thank you for your cooperation!
THE ANNUAL GMM PORCH POTLUCK PICNIC IS 1 WEEK AWAY!
Sunday, June 2nd at the rise of Meeting on the porch. Plan to bring your favorite dish to share with a crowd! Food, fellowship, fun & games, and a big, group photo! All are welcome. Available to help with set-up or break-down? Contact Ann Stassen.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED for JULY Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for: July 7, 14, 21, 28. To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to the meeting secretary if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from the Meeting.) THANK YOU!
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
THE QUAKER CITY: A WALKING TOUR OF OLD CITY, PHILADELPHIA
Sat., May 25th, 10:30 am; Additional dates include every Saturday in June. Begins at Arch Street Meeting House (4th and Arch). This isn’t your run-of-the-mill famous Founding Fathers’ tour! Perfect for visitors seeking a different side of Philadelphia history, this staff-led walking tour highlights important Quaker sites throughout the neighborhood.
Register here: (https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ASMHevents/event/quakercitywalkingtour)
INAARA SHIRAZ | INCLUSION & BELONGING IN QUAKERISM
May 26 @ 7:00 pm – 8 pm on ZOOM
What are the ways that Quaker meetings can think expansively about inclusivity? How might Friends welcome spiritual seekers and support members of their own communities with a broad spectrum of needs? During this program facilitated by Inaara Shiraz, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Inclusion and Belonging Coordinator, we will explore ways in which Friends can center ourselves in the practice of inclusivity and belonging. We will explore the topics of community building and engaging with each other through a framework of love.
“WILLIAM PENN: ENIGMATIC QUAKER, FOUNDING FATHER” BY J. WILLIAM FROST
May 29 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm on ZOOM
Within the Society of Friends, George Fox is a towering figure often cited as the founder of the faith. But to outsiders, in the 17th century and today, William Penn is the archetypal Quaker. For the 400th Anniversary of George Fox’s birth, J. William Frost will present a virtual talk on William Penn that excavates his life as a deeply religious man who experienced personal triumph and success as well as tragedy and failure, as well as his connections to George Fox. This lecture is free but registration is required by May 27.
‘CLIMATE & MONEY’ ONLINE PROGRAM, JUNE 6 Hear an online panel speak about “Climate and Money” and explore the role of finance in the climate crisis. Find out how money currently flows into fossil fuel projects, how a variety of campaigns by Friends across the country are trying to stop that flow, and how we can redirect those resources to support life on earth. Hosted by the Eco-Justice Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM). To find out more and register online, click here.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE,’ JUNE 7-10 This year’s Continuing Revolution, the annual conference for young adults (ages 18-35) at Pendle Hill Conference Center, will take place June 7-10. Concurrent sessions of this popular gathering will also happen at Beacon Hill Friends House in Boston and at Friends Place on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Participants may choose the location that is more convenient for them and join either online or in person. This conference will provide basic knowledge about historical and contemporary restorative justice practices, which seek to repair harm and address root causes of oppression. To learn more about the program, accommodations, and costs, and to register, click here.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29 This celebration recognizes George Fox’s 400th birthday, with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, re-enactors of George Fox and Hannah Penn, a panel discussion, story times, and much more. It will take place on June 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
FGC GATHERING AT HAVERFORD COLLEGE JUNE 29-JULY 6 Over 900 Friends are already registered for Gathering, including 100 Young Adults (age 18-35). Plunge into this week of fellowship and study, worship and fun at the 2024 Gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC), which will be at Haverford College, within easy driving distance for most Philadelphia Friends. There will be programs for every age, from small fry through adulthood, with new friendships to be made at every turn and old ones to be renewed. All dorm rooms are air conditioned, and there is also an area for tent camping and an option for staying off campus or commuting. Some events are available online. If cost is an obstacle, be sure to check into the variety of options available, such as work grants, through which you can pay off part of your conference costs while making friends by working together. Apply as soon as possible to get the best chance of getting a work grant or other financial assistance. Among the many events to choose from, there will be speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, more than 100 workshops, and good food. To learn more–and there is much, much more– click here.
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6-7 Immediately after the FGC Gathering at Haverford College, the Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) will take place at the same location. On a smaller scale than the Gathering, annual sessions are a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home, with plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about what’s going on by clicking here.
POWER INTERFAITH
A CONVERSATION WITH PROFESSOR ROSEANN LIU
Saturday, May 25, 2024, 1-2:30 p.m. in the Houston Room, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church (Chestnut Hill).
St. Martin’s POWER Local Organizing Committee is excited to host author and visiting Swarthmore professor Roseann Liu to discuss her new book, “Designed to Fail: Why Racial Equity in School Funding Is So Hard to Achieve.” Professor Liu’s book relies on policy analysis and field work that she performed as a funding reform advocate for POWER, a local grassroots and interfaith group fighting for racial and economic justice. Please join us for this informative conversation to learn how we can help to address inequality in our educational system. Please RSVP here.
PATHWAY TO POWER: BUILDING PHILLY’S FUTURE TOGETHER
Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 2:00 PM EDT at Germantown Friends Meeting. Interested in POWER Interfaith and what they do? Jayson Massey is hosting this “house meeting” whose goal is to inform on what POWER is doing now and hear your opinions on what you think POWER should be working on. POWER organizers will use this information to plan the future activities of POWER. Jayson needs someone to help host. Please contact him here. In order to sign up to attend, click here. POWER Interfaith’s website.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, May 17, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
We are not for names, nor men, nor titles of Government, nor are we for this party nor against the other, . . . but we are for justice and mercy and truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our nation, and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace, and unity with God, and with one another, that these things may abound. –Edward Burrough, “The memorable works of a son of thunder,” 1972
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Sunday Schedule, May 19, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Dorothy Cary
Greeter Kate O’Shea
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Becky Johnson
12 noon Food Giveaway in front of meetinghouse
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yu’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, May 19, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will go to the committee room and then the kindergarten. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
BIG TENT IN PARKING LOT! From this week through June 5 or 6, there is–and will be– a big, white tent covering the parking lot (GFS Common) between our meetinghouse and Germantown Friends School (GFS). This is GFS Alumni Weekend, with graduation coming up. While the tent is up, there will be no parking there. However, you can park on Coulter Street or in the GFS visitors lot across the street. There are also three or four spaces along the porch on the graveyard side, which are reserved for folks with mobility challenges. Thank you for your cooperation!
TCRC FOOD GIVE-AWAY THIS SUNDAY, MAY 19 Lend a hand, meet a neighbor, and do a good deed this Sunday at noon by helping give out food with The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), which provides the food. Your help is needed and appreciated, and you’re likely to make some new friends as part of the bargain. It takes place on the sidewalk in front of the meetinghouse.
HEAR THE STORY OF MERZBACHER’S ARTISAN BREAD, MAY 20 Pete Merzbacher, the founder, owner, and head baker of Merzbacher’s artisan bread bakery in Germantown, will tell about the challenges and triumphs of growing a successful business in his own kitchen. The presentation will take place in the GFS Friends Free Library on the GFS campus, and it is hosted by the GFS Science & Art Club. Merzbacher’s is a thriving business in the expanding commercial and residential hub at Wayne Junction. It provides bread to some of the region’s best restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores. Pete is committed to the idea of “bread to share” by creating nourishing foods and building a company culture that strengthens the communities it serves. His story begins in his own kitchen and moved outward as his business grew, and he will offer insights into the history and com[lexity of breadmaking. Everyone is welcome, and there is no need to register. For more information, contact Kate Gerrity, Director of Library Services at GFS, telephone 215-951-2355.
REMINDERS
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB, MAY 19 The May Get-Out-the-Vote letter writing party at Adrienne McDonnell’s and Mike Pechter’s home will be this Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. They plan to continue the letter writing parties from now until the November elections. They provide all the letter-writing supplies, accompanied by snacks. Get more information and sign up here. If you can’t make it on May 19 but want to stay updated, you can sign up for the mailing list. Contact person: Adrienne McDonnell.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED for JULY! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for: July 7, 14, 21, 28. To sign up, please contact Becky Johnsson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
‘CLIMATE & MONEY’ ONLINE PROGRAM, JUNE 6 Hear an online panel speak about “Climate and Money” and explore the role of finance in the climate crisis. Find out how money currently flows into fossil fuel projects, how a variety of campaigns by Friends across the country are trying to stop that flow, and how we can redirect those resources to support life on earth. Hosted by the Eco-Justice Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM). To find out more and register online, click here.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE,’ JUNE 7-10 This year’s Continuing Revolution, the annual conference for young adults (ages 18-35) at Pendle Hill Conference Center, will take place June 7-10. Concurrent sessions of this popular gathering will also happen at Beacon Hill Friends House in Boston and at Friends Place on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Participants may choose the location that is more convenient for them and join either online or in person. This conference will provide basic knowledge about historical and contemporary restorative justice practices, which seek to repair harm and address root causes of oppression. To learn more about the program, accommodations, and costs, and to register, click here.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29 This celebration recognizes George Fox’s 400th birthday, with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, re-enactors of George Fox and Hannah Penn, a panel discussion, story times, and much more. It will take place on June 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
FGC GATHERING AT HAVERFORD COLLEGE JUNE 29-JULY 6 Plunge into this week of fellowship and study, worship and fun at the 2024 Gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC), which will be at Haverford College, within easy driving distance for most Philadelphia Friends. There will be programs for every age, from small fry through adulthood, with new friendships to be made at every turn and old ones to be renewed. All dorm rooms are air conditioned, and there is also an area for tent camping and an option for staying off campus and commuting. Some events are available online. If cost is an obstacle, be sure to check into the variety of options available, such as work grants, through which you can pay off part of your conference costs while making friends by working together. Apply as soon as possible to get the best chance of getting a work grant or other financial assistance. Among the many events to choose from, there will be speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, more than 100 workshops,and good food. To learn more–and there is much, much more– click here.
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6-7 Immediately after the FGC Gathering at Haverford College, the Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) will take place at the same location. On a smaller scale than the Gathering, annual sessions are a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home, with plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about what’s going on by clicking here.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, May 10, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
As we love one another, we find unity and become peacemakers. The barriers that separate us are broken, as Jesus broke the barrier between the Samaritans and the Jews through the conversation between him and the Samaritan woman. We should support each other in the diversity of our witness. We are one world trying to live our lives as Christ did. –Mable Lugalya, South Africa Quaker, 1991
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Sunday Schedule, May 12, 2024
9 a.m. *Meeting for Business, in Committee Room, use same Zoom link as for worship
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closers Bob Smith & Melissa Elliott
Greeter Deborah Cooper
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Val Nehez
*AGENDA
Meeting for Worship with a Concern for Business
Hybrid: Use same Zoom login as meeting for worship.
Query – Faye Stacy
Opening worship
Review of agenda
Corrections to Minutes from April 2024 Business Meeting
Care & Visiting Committee
Standing Nominating Committee
Finance Committee
Racial & Social Justice Committee
Clerk question/announcement
Announcements
Closing worship
Attenders are welcome to attend business meeting. Please notify the clerk if you wish to attend.
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, May 12, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will go to the committee room and then the kindergarten. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
AFSC SUSPENDS DELIVERY OF AID IN GAZA The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has stopped distributing aid in Gaza because hostilities block passage of both trucks and people at the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings. Members of AFSC’s distribution team had to seek out places for themselves and their families to shelter, as did most of the population of Gaza. The AFSC asks us to hold them and their loved ones in the Light, as well as all those who are also displaced and seeking safety. Furthermore, the AFSC pleads for us to send messages to our senators and representatives, demanding they halt military funding to Israel and do everything in their power to bring about a permanent ceasefire and restore access for delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, adding that millions of lives depend on it. For more information, including updates as they are available, and to send email messages to Congress through the AFSC’s online connection, click here.
VOLUNTEER FOR WALKABOUT & CLEAN-UP IN WISTER WOODS, MAY 15 Our member Kathy Paulmier invites volunteers to join her on Wednesday, May 15, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., to help clean up Wister Woods as part of Love Your Park Day. The team will follow the half-mile loop trail and reclaim the family reunion field from vines and fallen limbs. Kathy reports that, if the debris is removed from the field, the City of Philadelphia will mow the area every two weeks this summer. Bring hand tools only. This is a project of Friends of Wister Woods, which is preserving the area as a public park, including coordinating stewardship, increasing awareness, providing information, and organizing resources. Questions? Contact Friends of Wister Woods. To register, click here.
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB, MAY 19 The May Get-Out-the-Vote letter writing party at Adrienne McDonnell’s and Jim Fiorile’s home will be on May 19, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. They plan to continue the letter writing parties from now until the November elections. They provide all the letter-writing supplies, accompanied by snacks. Get more information and sign up here. If you can’t make it on May 19 but want to stay updated, you can sign up for our mailing list. Contact person: Adrienne McDonnell.
REMINDERS
GREETERS NEEDED FOR JUNE & JULY Hello, Meeting greeters past and future: thank you so much for your wonderful service, out there on the meetinghouse porch, welcoming all who come to worship. Many thanks to Lisa Holgash and Dudley Burdge, Deborah Cooper, Peter Yeomans and Kate O’Shea, and Jonathan Busser for volunteering in May. I would like to get June dates filled. If you can think and schedule that far ahead, please take a look below and pick a date. June 2, 9, and 16 are in need of greeters. If those get filled, go for July. Your only commitment in this job is to be a F/friendly presence, welcoming people from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Many thanks, Becky Johnson
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
June 23
July 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of these dates May 19, 26. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
NEWS OF FRIENDS
MAS (ED) NAKAWATASE HONORED BY BREAD & ROSES For a lifetime of social justice work, our member Mas (Ed) Nakawatase is receiving the Paul Robson award from the Bread & Roses Community Fund. It will be presented at the organization’s Tribute to Change on Thursday, June 13, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Waterworks. The theme is “Bending the Arc: Celebrating the Justice Seekers,” and a number of awards will be presented. The Waterworks is handicapped accessible, and free valet parking will be provided. People in Meeting are invited to join this opportunity to honor Mas. The cost of tickets begins at $15. More details and online registration is available by clicking here.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
HELP DISCERN PYM LOBBYING POLICY, MAY 10 & 15 You are invited to take part in one or all three online worship-sharing sessions to set the lobbying policy for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. The sessions will be held today (Friday, May 10) at 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, May 15, at 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and Wednesday, May 15, at 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Find out more about this process, including preparatory resources, and register by clicking here.
MOTHER’S DAY CEREMONY FOR PEACE, MAY 12 Westtown Monthly Meeting invites everyone to an online ceremony focusing on children’s stories from Israel and Palestine. It is to be held on Mother’s Day, May 12. at 1:30 p.m., in person at Westtown Meeting and streaming online. Sponsored by Combatants for Peace and Parents Circle–Families Forum, it is a joint memorial to mourn people lost on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict. To get the link for attending online, click here. Westtown Meeting is on the campus of Westtown Friends School; to see a map, click here.
SERIES ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, MAY 15 & 22 Media Meeting’s online series, “Courageous Conversations” on restorative justice, will continue on May 15 and 22. (The first in this series of three was on May 8.) The goal is to bring 100 white majority congregations into discussion and action on reparations. Each Conversation begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. On May 15, the topic will be “Deep Listening,” and on May 22, it will be “Building a Culture of Reparations.” You are welcome to come to one or both. Free. They are led by Guinevere Janes, a member of Media Meeting, and Ken Park, a member of Providence Meeting. Both are part of the Rise up for Reparations Campaign Community of Practice. To register, click here.
‘CLIMATE & MONEY’ ONLINE PROGRAM, JUNE 6 Hear an online panel speak about “Climate and Money” and explore the role of finance in the climate crisis. Find out how money currently flows into fossil fuel projects, how a variety of campaigns by Friends across the country are trying to stop that flow, and how we can redirect those resources to support life on earth. Hosted by the Eco-Justice Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM). To find out more and register online, click here.
PLAN AHEAD
‘RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE,’ JUNE 7-10 This year’s Continuing Revolution, the annual conference for young adults (ages 18-35) at Pendle Hill Conference Center, will take place June 7-10. Concurrent sessions of this popular gathering will also happen at Beacon Hill Friends House in Boston and at Friends Place on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Participants may choose the location that is more convenient for them and join either online or in person. This conference will provide basic knowledge about historical and contemporary restorative justice practices, which seek to repair harm and address root causes of oppression. To learn more about the program, accommodations, and costs, and to register, click here.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29 This celebration recognizes George Fox’s 400th birthday, with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, re-enactors of George Fox and Hannah Penn, a panel discussion, story times, and much more. It will take place on June 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
FGC GATHERING AT HAVERFORD COLLEGE JUNE 29-JULY 6 Plunge into this week of fellowship and study, worship and fun at the 2024 Gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC), which will be at Haverford College, within easy driving distance for most Philadelphia Friends. There will be programs for every age, from small fry through adulthood, with new friendships to be made at every turn and old ones to be renewed. All dorm rooms are air conditioned, and there is also an area for tent camping and an option for staying off campus and commuting. Some events are available online. If cost is an obstacle, be sure to check into the variety of options available, such as work grants, through which you can pay off part of your conference costs while making friends by working together. Apply as soon as possible to get the best chance of getting a work grant or other financial assistance. Among the many events to choose from, there will be speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, more than 100 workshops,and good food. To learn more–and there is much, much more– click here.
PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS, JULY 6-7 Immediately after the FGC Gathering at Haverford College, the Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) will take place at the same location. On a smaller scale than the Gathering, annual sessions are a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home, with plenty to do, such as intergenerational fun, worship, business, and meals together. Read more about what’s going on by clicking here.
TAKE ACTION
MOTHER’S DAY MARCH FOR A FREE PALESTINE, MAY 12 Beginning at 10 a.m. in Fitler Square, this march is family friendly, and children are welcome. Fitler Square is a half-acre park at Pine Street, between 23rd and 24th Streets. The march is organized by Families for Ceasefire Philly.
REMINDER: ISRAELISM TO BE SHOWN BY ZOOM, MAY 11 The film Israelism will be shown online on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m., followed by a panel discussion at 8:30 p.m. The film traces the journey of two young American Jews as they become aware of the occupation and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. They begin to question whether support for Israel should define their Jewish identity. A range of American Jewish thinkers, community leaders, and activists are interviewed, asking how Israel became the cornerstone of American Judaism, what the consequences are, and what will happen as divisions continue to grow. The suggested donation is $20 per person. You don’t have to pay to register, but you must register to be sent the Zoom link, which will go out a day or two before the screening. Sponsored by IfNotNow Philly and hosted by congregation Mishkan Shalom. For information, contact Sharon Sigal.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, May 3, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Let the sense of kinship inspire us to unceasing efforts toward a social order free of violence and oppression, in which no one’s development is hindered by meager income, insufficient education, or too little freedom in directing his or her own affairs…. Let the Friendly testimony that there is that of God in everyone lead us to cherish every human being regardless of race or class, and encourage efforts to overcome prejudices and antagonisms. Friends are advised to cleanse themselves of all prejudice. — Faith & Practice, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 2017
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Sunday Schedule, May 5, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Anthony Stover
Greeters Lisa Holgash & Dudley Burdge
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Theodora Nediakova, with husband Jim Fiorile & children Antonia & Luchia Fiorile
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, May 5, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will go to the committee room and then the kindergarten. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
GFS FOOD & BOOK DRIVES, MAY 7 Non-perishable food items and gently used books for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade will be collected on the meetinghouse porch this Tuesday, May 7. Volunteers are also needed to help with the food drive (sign up here). The food and book drives are a project of Germantown Friends School (GFS). Food donations from this monthly drive go to distributions of St. Luke’s Food Pantry, the food pantry at Holsey Temple, and the Whosoever Gospel Mission. The children’s books are donated to GFS’s community partner, John B. Kelly Elementary School, and students are allowed to take them home and keep them. Most of the donations on Tuesday will come in when GFS parents bring their children to school early in the morning and pick them up at 3 p.m., so you may wish to bring your donation in between those hours to avoid the rush. Just look for the cardboard collection boxes on the meetinghouse porch.
REMINDERS
MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB, MAY 19 The April Get-Out-the-Vote letter writing party at Adrienne McDonnell’s home was a success, and she and her husband Mike plan to continue the letter writing parties from now until the November elections. They provide all the letter-writing supplies, accompanied by snacks. The next party will be on May 19, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Get more information and sign up here. If you can’t make it on May 19 but want to stay updated, you can sign up for our mailing list. Contact person: Adrienne McDonnell.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
June 23
July 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of these dates May 12, 19, 26. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
PENDLE HILL CHORUS GIVES CONCERT, MAY 8 The Pendle Hill Chorus, directed by Jacqueline Coren, will present a concert on Wednesday, May 8, at 8 p.m., in the Barn Meeting Room on the campus. The chorus and soloists will sing of the beauty and promise of the natural world, and open hearts to meet challenges of our current times, under the title “The Time Is Now: Music for the Current Era.” There will be audience participation during the concert, as well as an audience-choice sing-along to conclude the program. Child friendly. No registration needed. Click here for directions.
THREE CONVERSATIONS ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, MAY 8, 15 & 22 Media Meeting is sponsoring three “Courageous Conversations” on restorative justice, by Zoom. They will be led by Guinevere Janes and Ken Park, members of Rise up for Reparations Campaign Community of Practice, which aims to bring 100 white majority congregations into engagement on reparations. Guinevere Janes is a member of Media Meeting, and Ken Park is a member of Providence Friends Meeting. Each of the conversations will begin at 7 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. On May 8, the topic will be “Relationships: You & Your Community.” On May 15, it will be “Deep Listening,” and on May 22, it will be “Building a Culture of Reparations.” You are welcome to come to one or all of them. Free. To register, click here.
PROGRAM ON ANTHONY BENEZET, MAY 9 “The Radical Empathy of Anthony Benezet,” a presentation by Vance Lehmkuhi of the American Vegan Center, will take place on Thursday, May 9, at 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Benezet (1713-1784) an eccentric Quaker, abolitionist, vegetarian, and educator, lived in the Philadelphia area. He founded one of the world’s first anti-slavery societies, the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, which later became the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. He also founded the first public school for girls in North America and the Negro School in Philadelphia. Suggested donation: $5 per person. To register, click here.
PLAN AHEAD
‘RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE,’ JUNE 7-10 This year’s Continuing Revolution, the annual conference for young adults (ages 18-35) at Pendle Hill Conference Center, will take place June 7-10. Concurrent sessions of this popular gathering will also be happening at Beacon Hill Friends House in Boston, and at Friends Place on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Participants may choose the location that is more convenient for them and may join either online or in person. This conference will provide basic knowledge about historical and contemporary restorative justice practices, which seek to repair harm and address root causes of oppression. To learn more about the program, accommodations, and costs, and to register, click here.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE FOX! JUNE 29 This celebration recognizes George Fox’s 400th birthday, with cake & ice cream, food trucks, games, re-enactors of George Fox and Hannah Penn, a panel discussion, story times, and much more. It will take place on June 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. Free and open to the public.
FGC GATHERING AT HAVERFORD COLLEGE JUNE 29-JULY 6 Plunge into this week of fellowship and study, worship and fun at the 2024 Gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC), which will be at Haverford College, within easy driving distance for most Philadelphia Friends. There will be programs for every age, from small fry through adulthood, with new friendships to be made at every turn and old ones to be renewed. All dorm rooms are air conditioned, and there is also an area for tent camping and an option for staying off campus and commuting. Some events are available online. If cost is an obstacle, be sure to check into the variety of options available, such as work grants, through which you can pay off part of your conference costs while making friends by working together. Apply as soon as possible to get the best chance of getting a work grant or other financial assistance. Among the many events to choose from, there will be speakers, music, field trips, intergenerational activities, more than 100 workshops,and good food. To learn more–and there is much, much more– click here.
ON HEELS OF FGC GATHERING, PYM ANNUAL SESSIONS WILL BE JULY 6-7 Immediately after the FGC Gathering at Haverford College, the Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) will take place at the same location. On a smaller scale than the Gathering, annual sessions are a chance to connect with Friends from closer to home, and there will also be plenty to do. Read more about what’s going on by clicking here.
TAKE ACTION
ISRAELISM TO BE SHOWN BY ZOOM, MAY 11 The film Israelism will be shown online on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m., followed by a panel discussion at 8:30 p.m. The film traces the journey of two young American Jews as they become aware of the occupation and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. They begin to question whether support for Israel should define their Jewish identity. A range of American Jewish thinkers, community leaders, and activists are interviewed, asking how Israel became the cornerstone of American Judaism, what the consequences are, and what will happen as divisions continue to grow. The suggested donation is $20 per person. You don’t have to pay to register, but you must register to be sent the Zoom link, which will go out a day or two before the screening. Sponsored by IfNotNow Philadelphia and hosted by congregation Mishkan Shalom. For information, contact Sharon Sigal.
NEW COLLABORATIVE ON ENDING GUN VIOLENCE A collaborative is rapidly forming in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for Friends Ending Gun Violence. It will build a network of Friends who are mobilizing to end gun violence in the Philadelphia region. In the United States, gun violence is the leading cause of death in children 18 and under. Also, suicide is the leading cause of death by guns. The new collaborative will work with meetings and other faith groups to educate, convene, and mobilize people about the impact of gun violence and ways to take action. This will be done by providing speakers, helping with organizational plans, and furnishing educational materials. Actions will include protesting illegal gun sales, writing letters to the editor, holding memorials, Gun Violence Prevention Days, marches, prayer vigils, and working with legislators. The collaborative will work with other groups that have similar purposes, such as Heeding God’s Call, With One Voice, Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR), and CeasefirePA. To find out more about the new collaborative and ways to get involved, click here for the web page. To contact the co-clerks of the collaborative, contact Martha Bryans or Pamela Yaller.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, April 26, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Quaker service springs from the roots of our faith. It grows out of the inner experience of that deep compassion and sense of oneness with all humankind, which Jesus Christ revealed as the eternal love of God for people. We must seek to live our whole lives in the awareness of this presence of the love of God, giving time gladly to meditation and worship, to the outreach of preaching from the heart, and to the compassionate sharing of the burdens of our neighbours. –Friends World Conference, 1952
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Sunday Schedule, April 28, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer John Hickey
Greeter Tom & Ellie Elkinton
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Tom & Ellie Elkinton
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, April 28, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will go to the committee room and then the kindergarten. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING, APRIL 28 “Advancing and Sustaining Quaker Outreach” is the topic to be explored by Gabe Ehris, executive director of Friends Journal, on Sunday, April 28, at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting (PQM). It will take place at Green Street Meeting, 45 W School House Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144. Everyone is welcome to join Green Street Friends in meeting for worship at 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with lunch provided afterward. Gabe, who is a member of Green Street Meeting, will speak at 1 p.m., , followed by PQM’s meeting for business, which will end at 3:30 p.m. This is a hybrid event; to register, click here.
REMINDERS
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR JUNE & JULY Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
June 23
July 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of these dates May 5, 12, 19, 26. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
NEWS OF FRIENDS
AYESHA IMANI TO SPEAK AT FGC GATHERING, JULY 1 Our member Ayesha Imani will be one of the featured speakers at the Gathering of Friends General Conference (FGC). She will speak on Monday, July 1, at 7 p.m., at Haverford College in Haverford, PA. Her topic is “‘I live by faith.’ (Galatians 2:20): The Search of a Black Christian Quaker Toward Freedom.” Ayesha is one of the organizers and founders of the Fellowship of Friends of African Descent, the Ujima Friends Peace Center, and Ujima Friends Meeting. She has dedicated her life to creating educational settings that affirm the history, cultural and spirituality of people of African Descent and empower young people to work for social justice and human rights. She is the founder and head of Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School. The FGC Gathering 2024 will be held at Haverford College on June 30-July 6. This extraordinary annual event is part conference, with speakers and dozens of workshops, and part family camp, with field trips, music, and intergenerational activities. To find out more and register, click here.
REMINDER: MEMORIAL FOR KARIN LOEWY, APRIL 27 The memorial service for Karin Loewy, former attendee of our Meeting and former member of our Peace & Social Concerns Committee, will be held in our meetinghouse at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. She is survived by her children: Michael, Andy, and Daniel Loewy, and Eva Loewy Best; six grandchildren, and two great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her former husband Ariel Loewy. She died on Sept. 7, 2020, at the age of 95, and her family waited to hold a memorial meeting for her until the pandemic calmed down and people could safely gather. Karin was born in Nazi Germany and came to Philadelphia after World War II. She was a lifelong pacifist and anti-war activist. To read an obituary of her fascinating life, click here. The memorial service is open to all.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
ONLINE TALK ABOUT FAITH & PRACTICE, APRIL 28 Andrew Anderson, a member of the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia (Arch Street Friends), will give an online presentation on Sunday, April 28, at 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., about the uses and purposes of the book Faith & Practice of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Some of the questions addressed: How do Quakers use this book for spiritual and corporate guidance? In what ways are the faith and customs of individual meetings more expansive than what is written in this book? What is its history and current use? Andrew Anderson is a member of his meeting’s Worship & Ministry Committee and director of the Friends Rehabilitation Program, which provides housing and social services for low and moderate income households. Everyone is welcome to this presentation, which is free, with no registration required. The Zoom link for the talk will be posted on the day of the presentation on Arch Street Meeting’s calendar, which you can open by clicking here.
REMINDER: QUAKER INSTITUTE: LIVING OUR TESTIMONIES, MAY 2-5 This conference at Pendle Hill is a gathering of Friends and representatives of Friends organizations to explore how to meet the current political moment, individually and collectively. The underlying question will be, “How do we live our testimonies with integrity today?” Participants will choose between workshops each day and join together for plenary sessions. Cost is $250 for commuters, or $450 for a shared room and meals, or up to $750 for a private room with meals. Learn more and register by clicking here. (If cost is a barrier, look into financial assistance here before registering.)
TAKE ACTION
BRANDYWINE ‘REACH-OUT’ FOR PEACE, APRIL 27 The monthly Brandywine Vigil for Peace in Chestnut Hill will take place tomorrow, Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., across from the Saturday Farmers Market, at Germantown Ave. and Mermaid Lane. Peace flags, large banners, and signs provided. Sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community. For information, call organizer Bob Smith, 215-843-4827 or see details by clicking here.
RALLY IN HARRISBURG FOR PHILLY TRANSIT, APRIL 30 There is still time to sign up for a rally in Harrisburg on Tuesday, April 30, calling for state support of SEPTA mass transit. The rally will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Fountain Plaza, 501 Commonwealth Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17120. It is sponsored by Transit Forward Philadelphia. If you RSVP, you will have your food costs covered for lunch at the Capitol Building Cafeteria. To find out more and see a map of the rally’s location and sign up for it, click here.
POWER HOSTS TRAINING FOR HOUSE MEETINGS, MAY 2 This training session is a chance to learn how to host and run a house meeting for POWER’s Listening Campaign. It will take place onThursday, May 2, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Mishkan Shalom, 4101 Freeland Ave., Phila., PA 19128 in Roxborough. The Listening Campaign is gathering leaders from Philadelphia congregations and neighborhoods to learn about people’s experience with safety and housing in this city. This will be done by building relationships, learning how to conduct house meetings and congregational meetings, and practicing these skills together. Parking is available at Mishkan Shalom. To register, click here.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting
April 19, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Simplicity is closely akin to sincerity — a genuineness of life and speech in which there is no place for sham or artificiality. The care given by early Friends to avoid flattering titles and phrases and to aim for rectitude of speech undoubtedly has done much to turn attention to honesty in the spoken and written word. Care is needed to avoid and discourage the insincerities and extravagance that are prevalent in the social world. We need also to speak the simple truth, in love, when occasion requires. Such an attitude does not exclude sincere cordiality and kindness. A life of simplicity and sincerity may be full of activity, but it must be a life centered in God. –Faith & Practice, 1961, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
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Sunday Schedule, April 21, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Karen Lightner
Greeters Margie & Ted Spaeth
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Anna Burke & T.J. Rafferty, with Toby & Harper
12 noon Food Giveaway in front of meetinghouse
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PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, April 21, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to the committee room and then the kindergarten. The lesson this week will be an introduction to the Greek alphabet, led by Jim Fiorile, father of Lucia and Antonio. We will learn about how the New Testament was written in Greek, and we will all learn how to write our names in Greek. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
PLAN AHEAD: MT. AIRY LETTER WRITING CLUB, MAY 19 The April Get-Out-the-Vote letter writing party at Adrienne McDonnell’s home was a success, and she and her husband Mike plan to continue the letter writing parties from now until the November elections. They provide all the letter-writing supplies, accompanied by snacks. The next party will be on May 19, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Get more information and sign up here. If you can’t make it on May 19 but want to stay updated, you can sign up for our mailing list. Contact person: Adrienne McDonnell.
HANDS NEEDED FOR FOOD GIVEAWAY THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 21 Many hands and helpers are needed to give out food to neighborhood folks this Sunday, beginning at 12:15 p.m. Please come a few minutes early to help move the food supplies from the delivery truck to the tables on the sidewalk in front of the meetinghouse. We have developed a clientele of regulars, as well as getting a number of newcomers every time. This event takes place every third Sunday of the month and is coordinated by our member Jondhi Harrell, with help from his friends at The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC). Pitching in is a good way to meet new people–both behind the tables and in front of them! In addition, by joining in, you help people and will probably lift your own spirits, too.
HELP MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT MEETING RETREAT 2025! A few folks are needed to explore the idea and plan the return of our beloved Germantown Monthly Meeting Retreat in spring 2025.These are some of the questions to be discussed: Is Camp Swatara (Bethel, PA), where the Meeting previously held its retreat, the right location, or should we look at other possible places? Also on the list of topics: Take the temperature of interest in the meeting, figure out costs, adult and children programming, meals and activities. These topics were all discussed in planning previous retreats, so there is a template. If you are interested in helping, please contact either David Mettler or Sam Angell.
PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING, APRIL 28 It is time for the spring session of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, which will take place Sunday, April 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Green Street Meeting, 45 W School House Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144. The speaker will be Gabriel Ehri, executive director of Friends Journal and member of Green Street Meeting. His talk will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on “Advancing and Sustaining Quaker Outreach.” Meeting for business will immediately follow the speaker. Also, everyone is welcome to join Green Street Friends at their hybrid meeting for worship at 10:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided at 12 p.m. To register, click here.
REMINDERS
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MAY and JUNE Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
May 26
June 23, 30
July 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
April 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
NEWS OF FRIENDS
ADRIENNE’S BANANA OAT MUFFINS This is what happens when you serve something everyone loves at fellowship hour. Everybody wants the recipe! Adrienne McDonnell, who had that experience several weeks ago, has kindly provided us with her recipe for Banana Oat Muffins. It makes approximately 36 mini muffins or ten regular-size muffins. This recipe originally came from the website Food In Jars, which Adrienne highly recommends, saying, “These muffins are the best way to use up overripe bananas.” They keep in the fridge for about a week before beginning to dry out, and they freeze well. To see the recipe and save it, open the attachment Banana Oat Muffins.
RUTH SEELEY’S ART IN EXHIBIT Several of Ruth Seeley’s paintings are on display at Center on the Hill, in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave, Phila., PA 19118. They are part of an exhibit by the Thursday Painters from Howard Watson’s last class at Woodmere and feature vibrant and colorful watercolors. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through April 26.
REMINDER: MEMORIAL FOR KARIN LOEWY, APRIL 27 The memorial service for Karin Loewy, former attendee of our Meeting and former member of our Peace & Social Concerns Committee, will be held in our meetinghouse at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. To read an obituary of her fascinating life, click here. The memorial service is open to all.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
GERMANTOWN AS ‘FREEDOM’S BACKYARD,’ APRIL 22 This presentation at Friends Free Library of Germantown Friends School will focus on three centuries of Germantown history, highlighting extraordinary stories and events, such as being home to America’s first paper mill and oldest Mennonite congregation, as well as the site of the first written protest against slavery. Hear about what’s being done to preserve and share these stories today. Dennis Pickeral will give the presentation. He is the director of the Stenton historic house and grounds in the Logan neighborhood of Philadelphia. It will take place Monday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. This program is organized by Germantown Science & Art Club. For information, contact Kate Garrity, GFS Director of Library Services, 267-323-3469
REGISTER NOW FOR FGC GATHERING, JUNE 30-JULY 6 The Gathering, sponsored by Friends General Conference (FGC), will be at Haverford College this year from June 30 to July 6. It’s an easy commute for Friends in the Philadelphia area, which makes it much cheaper than going to the Gathering when it’s out of state. Friends will find it a worthwhile conference to attend. This year the Gathering offers 75 workshops, plus afternoon activities, field trips, and evening programs that include speakers and a concert. Our own Ayesha Imani is the featured speaker on the evening of July 1. More information and a registration link are available by clicking here. Registering early offers the best chance to get into popular workshops. If you have questions, talk to Karen Lightner or Sam Angell, who are members of the Local Arrangements Committee for the conference.
TAKE ACTION
FCNL: TRUTH & HEALING ON INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, APRIL 24 This online event, hosted by Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), will feature a conversation about the trauma inflicted by Indian boarding schools and its effect on Native American communities for generations. Quaker activists Buffy Curtis and Liseli Hanes will speak about the Truth & Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S. 1723/H.R. 7227). Discussion will focus on how faith has led Quakers to act on this issue, what we have learned along the way, and how we can avoid the mistakes of the past, when Quakers operated 30 Indian boarding schools. The call will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24. You may register by clicking here.
SUPPORT INVESTMENT IN TRANSIT SYSTEM, APRIL 25 The group Transit Forward Philadelphia calls for increased subsidy of our local public transit system, as well as a low-income, zero-fare program, expansion of student passes, and funding for an intercity bus terminal. On Thursday, April 25, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a roundtable discussion in the Caucus Room at Philadelphia City Hall. Transit Forward is sponsoring a sign-up for participants who would like to speak in support of these goals. You may sign up for a speaking slot on this or other days and receive suggested talking points by clicking here.
REMINDER: EQAT TRAINING TO COACH ACTION PLANNERS Are you an experienced organizer or activist who would like to learn how to coach others to plan on-the-ground events? EQAT (Earth Quaker Action Team) is building toward doing larger actions in new places to stop Vanguard from investing in things that harm the earth and destroy the climate. The training program will last from May to October, with in-person meetings and actions in the Philadelphia region. The program is free. Applications are due by May 7, and you are encouraged to apply early. To find out more and apply, click here.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting
April 12, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one. –George Fox, 1656
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Sunday Schedule, April 14, 2024
9 a.m. Meeting for Business Agenda* below. (Zoom link same as for hybrid worship)
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Lois Volta
Greeter David Mettler
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Jondhi Harrell & friends from The Center for Returning Citizens
12 noon Continuation of Meeting for Business
12:15 p.m. Food Giveaway in front of meetinghouse
AGENDA, Meeting for Business
All members are encouraged to attend. Regular attenders are invited to observe but must alert the Clerk beforehand of their interest in attending by sending the clerk an email inquiry. This meeting is not open to the public.
9 a.m. – Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business
In person in the Committee Room and on Zoom, using the meeting for worship log-in below.
Query
Opening Worship
Germantown Friends School Report, by Dana Weeks and David Feldman
Closing Worship
Because we want to have adequate time for the report from GFS, unless we finish early, we plan to continue meeting for business after worship. Members will be sent the following two reports in advance.
12 noon – Continuation
Consideration of Spiritual State of the Meeting report and FCNL priorities
Closing Worship
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PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.d
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, April 14, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to the committee room and learn about the story of David. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
________________________________________
MEETING NEWS
HANDS NEEDED FOR FOOD GIVEAWAY THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 14 Many hands and helpers are needed to give out food to neighborhood folks this Sunday, beginning at 12:15 p.m. Please come a few minutes early to help move the food supplies from the delivery truck to the tables on the sidewalk in front of the meetinghouse. The high-quality food comes in a wide variety. We have developed a clientele of regulars, as well as getting a number of newcomers every time. This event takes place every third Sunday of the month and is coordinated by our member Jondhi Harrell, with help from his friends at The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC). Pitching in is a good way to meet new people–both behind the tables and in front of them! In addition, by joining in, you help people and will probably lift your own spirits, too!
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP TO MEET APRIL 16 The topic for this month’s Anti-racism Discussion Group on Tuesday, April 16, at 7 p.m., will be a continued discussion of the Black Quaker Project’s presentation in February at Pendle Hill. The discussion group meets via Zoom. If interested in joining or attending the group, please contact John Colgan-Davis.
HELP MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT MEETING RETREAT 2025! A few folks are needed to explore the idea and plan the return of our beloved Germantown Monthly Meeting Retreat in spring 2025.These are some of the questions to be discussed: Is Camp Swatara (Bethel, PA), where the Meeting previously held its retreat, the right location, or should we look at other possible places? Also on the list of topics: Take the temperature of interest in the meeting, figure out costs, adult and children programming, meals and activities. These topics were all discussed in planning previous retreats, so there is a template. If you are interested in helping, please contact either David Mettler or Sam Angell.
PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING, APRIL 28 It is time for the spring session of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, which will take place Sunday, April 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Green Street Meeting, 45 W School House Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144. The speaker will be Gabriel Ehri, executive director of Friends Journal and member of Green Street Meeting. His talk will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on “Advancing and Sustaining Quaker Outreach.” Meeting for business will immediately follow the speaker. Also, everyone is welcome to join Green Street Friends at their hybrid meeting for worship at 10:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided at 12 p.m. To register, click here.
REMINDERS
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MAY and JUNE Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
May 26
June 23, 30
July 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
April 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
NEWS OF FRIENDS
RUTH SEELEY’S ART IN EXHIBIT Several of Ruth Seeley’s paintings are on display at the Woodmere Art Museum at the Center on the Hill, in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave, Phila., PA 19118. They are part of an exhibit by the Thursday Painters from Howard Watson’s last class at Woodmere and feature vibrant and colorful watercolors. The exhibit is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through April 26.
REMINDERS
We will not be putting corrections for the Meeting Directory in the BEE, for privacy reasons. Moira Duggan will prepare a page of corrections and additions, which she will hand out at social hour from time to time.
MEMORIAL FOR KARIN LOEWY, APRIL 27 The memorial service for Karin Loewy, former attendee of our Meeting and former member of our Peace & Social Concerns Committee, will be held in our meetinghouse at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. To read an obituary of her fascinating life, click here. The memorial service is open to all.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
WORKSHOP: LIVING THE PEACE TESTIMONY, APRIL 13 In this afternoon workshop tomorrow at Pendle Hill, participants will explore ways Quakerism has influenced parts of society to champion peace and how Quakers to continue to bring this approach to current situations, large and small. The workshop will explore Martin Luther King, Jr.’s witness of nonviolence and ways it can deepen understanding and commitment to the peace testimony of Friends. It will take place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Standard cost is $100, and, if you cannot afford that, the subsidized cost is $75. To find out more about the workshop, financial assistance, and online registration, click here.
WEEKLY WORSHIP FOR PEACE IN PALESTINE/ISRAEL, APRIL 18 Join others every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for meeting for worship with attention to peace in Palestine and Israel. Sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee, fellow worshipers come from across the United States. To register and get the Zoom link, click here.
PLAN AHEAD
QUAKER INSTITUTE: LIVING OUR TESTIMONIES, MAY 2-5 This conference at Pendle Hill is a gathering of Friends and representatives of Friends organizations to explore how to meet the current political moment, individually and collectively. The underlying question will be, “How do we live our testimonies with integrity today?” Participants will choose between workshops each day and join together for plenary sessions. Cost is $250 for commuters, or $450 for a shared room and meals, or up to $750 for a private room with meals. Learn more and register by clicking here. (If cost is a barrier, look into financial assistance here before registering.)
TAKE ACTION
EQAT TRAINING TO COACH ACTION PLANNERS Are you an experienced organizer or activist who would like to learn how to coach others to plan on-the-ground events? EQAT (Earth Quaker Action Team) is building toward doing larger actions in new places to stop Vanguard from investing in things that harm the earth and destroy the climate. The training program will last from May to October, with in-person meetings and actions in the Philadelphia region. The program is free. Applications are due by May 7, and you are encouraged to apply early. To find out more and apply, click here.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, April 5, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Our life is love, and peace, and tenderness, and bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, and not laying accusations one against another but praying one for another, and helping one another up with a tender hand. –Isaac Penington, 1667
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Sunday Schedule, April 7, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Peter Samuel
Greeter Deborah Cooper
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Teresa Maebori & Barbara Wybar
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements. Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, April 7, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to the committee room. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
NONVIOLENCE & BUDDHISM, APRIL 9
Anam Thubten will speak on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism at an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad. This event is sponsored by our Adult Religious Education Committee in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Refreshments will be served. Area-wide audience is expected to attend, so be sure to come on time or earlier to get a seat.
RETREAT. ADVANCE. RETREAT. (Meeting Retreat Planning) We are looking for a few folks willing to explore the idea and plan the return of our beloved Germantown Monthly Meeting Retreat in spring 2025. These are some of the questions we will discuss: Is Camp Swatara, Bethel, PA, where we held the retreat before, the right location, or should we look at other possible places? Also on the list of topics: Take the temperature of interest in the meeting, figure out costs, adult and children programming, meals and activities. We have done this many times before, so there is a template. If you are interested in helping, please contact either David Mettler or Sam Angell.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP TO MEET APRIL 16 The topic for this month’s Anti-racism Discussion Group on Tuesday, April 16, at 7 p.m., will be a continued discussion of the Black Quaker Project’s presentation in February at Pendle Hill. The Discussion Group will meet via Zoom. If interested in joining or attending the group, please contact John Colgan-Davis.
PLAN AHEAD: PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING, APRIL 28 It is time for the spring session of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, which will take place on Sunday, April 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Green Street Meeting, 45 W School House Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144. The speaker will be Gabriel Ehri, executive director of Friends Journal and member of Green Street Meeting. His talk will be from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on “Advancing and Sustaining Quaker Outreach.” Meeting for business will immediately follow the speaker. Also, everyone is welcome to join Green Street Friends at their hybrid meeting for worship at 10:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided at 12 p.m. To register, click here.
REMINDERS
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MAY and JUNE Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
May 26
June 16, 23, 30
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
April 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
NEWS OF FRIENDS
NEW GRANDSON FOR BARBARA WYBAR The new life of Michael Jonathan Wybar began on April 2. He is the grandson of our member Barbara Wybar, and the son of Barbara’s son Jonathan Wybar and his wife Joanna Munhos Wybar. He weighed 7lbs 7 ozs. at birth and is the sister to Joy Wybar, aged 2 1/2. All are doing well. From happy, proud Granny, Barbara Wybar, who reports that life since Michael’s arrival “has been all consuming.” Congratulations to everyone and a big welcome to wee Michael!
REMINDERS
We will not be putting corrections for the Meeting Directory in the BEE, for privacy reasons. Moira Duggan will prepare a page of corrections and additions, which she will hand out at social hour from time to time.
MEMORIAL FOR KARIN LOEWY, APRIL 27 The memorial service for Karin Loewy, former attendee of our Meeting and former member of our Peace & Social Concerns Committee, will be held in our meetinghouse at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. She is survived by her children: Michael, Andy, and Daniel Loewy, and Eva Loewy Best, six grandchildren, and two great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her former husband Ariel Loewy. She died on Sept. 7, 2020, at the age of 95, and her family waited to hold a memorial meeting for her until the pandemic calmed down and people could safely gather. Karin was born in Nazi Germany and came to Philadelphia after World War II. She was a lifelong pacifist and anti-war activist. To read an obituary of her fascinating life, click here. The memorial service is open to all.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
NONVIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TRAINING, APRIL 6 at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry St., Phila., PA 19103. Michael Gagné will conduct the session. For more information, contact Terry Rumsey. Terry and his wife Robin Lasersohn organize the Fridays at Fetterman’s, which are weekly noon vigils demanding Senator Fetterman call for a ceasefire in Israel/Gaza. The vigils take place in front of Fetterman’s office, 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (U.S. Customs building).
SPRING FAMILY MEET-UP, APRIL 6 Calling all families in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting! You are invited to get together with other Quaker families on Saturday, April 6, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Old Haverford Friends Meeting. There will be an intergenerational activity, time for parent/guardian worship sharing, children’s activities, play time outside, and dinner as a community. Pizza and beverages will be provided. Families are invited to bring a snack, side dish, or dessert to share. All ages are welcome. Please register by clicking here.
WORSHIP FOR NEWCOMERS & SEEKERS, APRIL 8 This monthly online meeting for worship is especially for newcomers and those who are curious about Quakerism. Monday, April 8, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. is the next date. This repeating event takes place the second Monday of every month. It is a place to worship and learn together and find spiritual companions. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and reflect on their experiences. It is part of the Spiritual Deepening program of Friends General Conference. Free. To register, click here.
ONLINE RETREAT ‘ENCOUNTERING SPIRIT,’ APRIL 12-14 Delve into the heart of Quaker spirituality in a three-day online retreat that will engage with profound questions of Quaker faith, such as: What does encountering Spirit feel like? How do we open ourselves to its guidance in our daily lives? How can these encounters transform us and our communities? A series of workshops and inspiring talks will highlight this journey of listening and sharing about God’s presence in people’s lives. This workshop will introduce you to new ways to deepen your spiritual life and will connect you with a community of seekers. Sponsored by Friends General Conference, the suggested contribution is $75 to $125, with assistance available if needed. To find out more and register, click here.
YAF SPRING RETREAT AT CAMP ONAS, APRIL 12-14 All Young Adult Friends (YAFs) are invited to take part in a spring retreat on April 12-14 at Camp Onas in Ottsville, PA. Registration closes on Friday, April 5. The theme is “Welcoming Your Inner Child.” There will be meals together, activities for fun and fellowship, a meeting for business, and worship sharing. Cost is on a sliding scale of $0-$60. To find out more and register, click here. (Young Adult Friends are 18-35 years of age.)
QUAKER INSTITUTE: LIVING OUR TESTIMONIES, MAY 2-5 This conference at Pendle Hill is a gathering of Friends and representatives of Friends organizations to explore how to meet the current political moment, individually and collectively. The underlying question will be, “How do we live our testimonies with integrity today?” Participants will choose between workshops each day and join together for plenary sessions. Cost is $250 for commuters, or $450 for a shared room and meals, or up to $750 for a private room with meals. Learn more and register by clicking here. (If cost is a barrier, look into financial assistance here before registering.)
TAKE ACTION
ROADMAP FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE The new booklet Creating a Playbook for Climate Action is now available to help Friends develop plans to work together for change. It covers five action areas essential to have an impact on climate change: activism, education, carbon footprint reduction, finances, and mourning loss and instilling hope, which were approved in July 2021 by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. The booklet not only covers action areas but encourages meetings, households, and individuals to get started, be persistent, and keep moving. It includes an outline for creating an accountability plan and queries to guide check-ins. To download your own copy, click here.
LOBBYING DAYS FOR CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, APRIL 9-19 To be held in Washington, DC. Organized by Peace Action. In person and by Zoom. Sign up for organizations and for individuals.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 29, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 2:3-5, New Revised Standard Version
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Sunday Schedule, March 31, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship
Closer – Jayson Massey
Greeter – Karen Lightner
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Adrienne McDonnell & Mike Pechter
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE This Sunday, March 3, is Easter Sunday, and our First Day School Children and younger children will gather together at 10:30 a.m.in the meetinghouse kitchen to dye Easter eggs. Then the older children will hide the eggs while the younger children listen to a story.
Parents: Can you please bring a dozen hard-boiled eggs? We want to have a lot! Please contact Carla Childs and tell her whether your family will be there and whether you can bring eggs.
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MEETING NEWS
RETREAT. ADVANCE. RETREAT. (Meeting Retreat Planning)
We are looking for a few folks willing to explore the idea and plan the return of our beloved Germantown Monthly Meeting Retreat in spring 2025. These are some of the questions we will discuss: Is Camp Swatara, Bethel, PA, where we held the retreat before, the right location, or should we look at other possible places? Also on the list of topics: Take the temperature of interest in the meeting, figure out costs, adult and children programming, meals and activities. We have done this many times before, so there is a template. If you are interested in helping, please contact either David Mettler or Sam Angell.
NONVIOLENCE & BUDDHISM, APRIL 9 Anam Thubten will speak on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism at an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad. This event is sponsored by our Adult Religious Education Committee in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Refreshments will be served. Area-wide audience is expected to attend, so be sure to come on time or earlier to get a seat.
REMINDERS
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MAY and JUNE Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
May 26
June 16, 23, 30
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
NEWS OF FRIENDS
We will not be putting corrections for the Meeting Directory in the Bee, for privacy reasons. Moira Duggan will prepare a page of corrections and additions that she will hand out at social hour from time to time.
MEMORIAL FOR KARIN LOEWY, APRIL 27 The memorial service for Karin Loewy, former attendee of our Meeting and former member of our Peace & Social Concerns Committee, will be held in our meetinghouse at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. She is survived by her children: Michael, Andy, and Daniel Loewy, and Eva Loewy Best, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson. She was preceded in death by her former husband Ariel Loewy. She died on Sept. 7, 2020, at the age of 95, and her family waited to hold a memorial meeting for her until the pandemic had calmed down and people could safely gather. Karin was born in Nazi Germany and came to Philadelphia after World War II. She was a lifelong pacifist and anti-war activist. To read an obituary of her fascinating life, click here. The memorial service is open to all.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
ISRAEL/PALESTINE: WHAT CAN QUAKERS BRING? APRIL 1 Steve Chase, a longtime Quaker activist, educator, and writer, will give the First Monday Lecture at Pendle Hill at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 1. He brings this challenge to Friends in his talk, entitled “Pursuing a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine: What Can Quakers Bring to the Table?” He will share his reflections on how we can more effectively engage in self-education and dialogue about root causes of the current crisis and how to mobilize more Friends to speak truth to power in these difficult times. A member of the Quaker Palestine/Israel Network, Steve Chase is author of the Pendle Hill Pamphlet #445, Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions? A Quaker Zionist Rethinks Palestinian Rights. This lecture is free and open to the public. Registration is required (click here). More information, including how this lecture may be streamed live, is available by using the same link as for registering.
SPRING FAMILY MEET-UP, APRIL 6 Calling all families in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting! You are invited to get together with other Quaker families on Saturday, April 6, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Old Haverford Friends Meeting. There will be an intergenerational activity, time for parent/guardian worship sharing, children’s activities, play time outside, and dinner as a community. Pizza and beverages will be provided. Families are invited to bring a snack, side dish, or dessert to share. All ages are welcome. Please register by clicking here.
YAF SPRING RETREAT AT CAMP ONAS, APRIL 12-14 All Young Adult Friends (YAFs) are invited to take part in a spring retreat on April 12-14 at Camp Onas in Ottsville, PA. Registration closes on Friday, April 5. The theme is “Welcoming Your Inner Child.” There will be meals together, activities for fun and fellowship, a meeting for business, and worship sharing. Cost is on a sliding scale of $0-$60. To find out more and register, click here. (Young Adult Friends are 18-35 years of age.)
QUAKER INSTITUTE:LIVING OUR TESTIMONIES, MAY 2-5 This conference at Pendle Hill is a gathering of Friends and representatives of Friends organizations to explore how to meet the current political moment, individually and collectively. The underlying question will be, “How do we live our testimonies with integrity today?” Participants will choose between workshops each day and join together for plenary sessions. Cost is $250 for commuters, or $450 for a shared room and meals, or up to $750 for a private room with meals. Learn more and register by clicking here. (If cost is a barrier, look into financial assistance here before registering.)
TAKE ACTION
&
WRAP-UP OF GAZA PEACE PILGRIMAGE
On Good Friday, March 29, at 12 p.m., the Brandywine Peace Community will join the Gaza Cease-fire Pilgrimage at Lockheed Martin, the world’s no. 1 war profiteer. Speakers, banners, signs, flags. To be held at the entrance to Lockheed Martin headquarters, 230 Mall Blvd., King of Prussia, PA 19406.
LOBBYING DAYS FOR CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, APRIL 9-19 To be held in Washington, DC. Organized by Peace Action. In person and by Zoom. Sign up for organizations and for individuals.
EQAT APRIL GENERAL MEETING, APRIL 2, at 6:30 p.m., Friends Center, MLK Room, 1501 Cherry St, Philadelphia, PA 19102. The in-person monthly gathering is for sharing about activities and learning about EQAT’s campaign calling for Vanguard to invest for the good of our climate and our communities. Everyone is welcome. For more information, go to eqat.org.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin, Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 22, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Early Friends made the discovery that silence is one of the best preparations for communion with God and for reception of inspiration and guidance. Silence itself, of course, has no magic. It may be just sheer emptiness, absence of words or noise or music. It may be an occasion for slumber, or it may be a dead form. But, it may be an intensified pause, a vitalized hush, a creative quiet, an actual moment of mutual and reciprocal correspondence with God. The actual meeting of us with God and God with us is the very crown and culmination of what we can do with our human life here on earth. –Rufus M. Jones, 1937
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Sunday Schedule, March 24, 2024
9 a.m. Threshing Session, members only, in committee room and by Zoom (use link for worship, below.)
Topic: The Meeting, the School, and the School Committee
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Becky Johnson
Greeter Bobbie Horowitz
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Dorothy Cary
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child care starts at 10:25 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, March 24, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to their First Day School class, where we will look at the stories of Ruth and Samuel. Please contact Carla Childs if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.
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MEETING NEWS
CALLED MEETING, MARCH 24 There will be a threshing session for all Meeting members on Sunday, March 24, at 9 a.m., in the Committee Room and by Zoom (link is the same as for meeting for worship). Topic is The Meeting, the School, and the School Committee. The subject will be our Meeting’s relationship with Germantown Friends School.
SPEAKER ON NONVIOLENCE & BUDDHISM, APRIL 9 Anam Thubten will speak on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism at an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad. This event is sponsored by our Adult Religious Education Committee in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Refreshments will be served. Area-wide audience is expected to attend, so be sure to come on time or earlier to get a seat.
REMINDERS
LAST CALL: BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP FORMING A book discussion group is forming to talk about Apeirogon, a novel by National Book Award-winning author Colum McCann. The story explores the feelings, histories, and experiences of two fathers–one Palestinian, one Israeli–who each lost a daughter in the conflict of Israel/Palestine. The New York Times says, “Apeirogon is an empathy engine, utterly collapsing the gulf between teller and listener…. It achieves its aim by merging acts of imagination and extrapolation with historical fact.” And, from The Guardian, “…the solution to the conflict: something as simple and easy as friendship, as the acknowledgement of a shared experience, as love. …It could have been maudlin, tawdry, exploitative, trite. Instead, it’s a masterpiece, a novel that will change the world.” To read more reviews, click here. If you are interested in participating, contact Joanne Sharpless.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
March 31 (Easter)
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR EASTER!! (ALSO MAY and JUNE) Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
March 31 (Easter)
May 26
June 9, 16, 23, 30
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
NEWS OF FRIENDS
COMING SOON: WATCH THIS SPACE FOR DIRECTORY CORRECTIONS. (Please submit any needed corrections to gmm@germantownfriends.org.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
WEBINAR ON SHAPIRO’S ENERGY PLAN, MARCH 26 Liz Robinson, executive director of Philadelphia Solar Energy Association and former Chestnut Hill Friend, will talk about Governor Shapiro’s Clean Energy Plan. Presented by Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR), this event is free and will take place via Zoom this Thursday, March 26, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. (QAMAR is a relatively new Friends lobbying and advocacy organization set up by some members of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.) Pennsylvania currently lags behind many states in its commitment to using renewable energy sources for generating electricity. The new Clean Energy Plan, announced this month, has two major policies, now in the formative stage. Passage by the state legislature is by no means certain. These are the policies:
PA Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) would raise the current standard for clean energy to 35 percent by 2035. Pennsylvania currently uses less than 3 percent alternative energy, with less than 1 percent solar.
PA Climate Emissions Reduction Initiative (PACER) would set a limit on carbon emissions and require companies that generate electricity and purchase allowances for the carbon dioxide they emit.
The webinar will go into detail about both policies and allow time for robust discussion on how they might be improved. To register for this webinar, click here.
QUAKER INSTITUTE:LIVING OUR TESTIMONIES, MAY 2-5 This conference at Pendle Hill is a gathering of Friends and representatives of Friends organizations to explore how to meet the current political moment, individually and collectively. The underlying question will be, “How do we live our testimonies with integrity today?” Participants will choose between workshops each day and join together for plenary sessions. Cost is $250 for commuters, or $450 for a shared room and meals, or up to $750 for a private room with meals. Learn more and register by clicking here. (If cost is a barrier, look into financial assistance here before registering.)
COMMUNITY
TAX HELP AT CROSSROADS WOMEN’S CENTER On Wednesday, March 27, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., free help with your taxes will be available at Crossroads Women’s Center, 5011 Wayne Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144. The help will be provided by the Campaign for Working Families and Philadelphia Legal Assistance. At the same time, there will be food, rummage for sal, raffle, vendors, and kids activities. Free. Wheelchair accessible. Volunteers welcome. (Contact Phoebe Schellenberg.) For more information, see the Facebook page by clicking here.
TAKE ACTION
THIS WEEK’S ACTIONS TO SUPPORT CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA, in part provided by GMM Racism & Social Justice Committee
Saturday, March 23, at 2 p.m. Families for Ceasefire Philly, JVP Philly, and Christian-Jewish Allies, rally and walk to demand City Council pass a ceasefire resolution here in Philadelphia! Meet outside Lovett Library, 6945 Germantown Ave., for a short rally, and then march down Germantown Avenue to the Johnson House. Bring pots and pans and be ready to MAKE NOISE for Gaza! After the march, snacks will be provided at Germantown Mennonite Church.
Saturday, March 23, at 7-9 p.m., Families for Ceasefire Philly for Potluck Iftar & Fundraiser for Gaza, at Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Drive, Philadelphia, PA. Guest speaker. Kids craft table. RSVP Required at this link.
Sunday, March 24 through Friday, March 29 Five-day Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage starts at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and goes to Lockheed Martin in King of Prussia, PA. Participants will walk 20 miles–approximately four miles per day–observing the Stations of the Cross each day. Walkers are encouraged while on the march to reflect on Jesus’ passion and death. This pilgrimage is part of the global Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage movement. For more information, click here.
Friday, March 29 You are invited to join Fridays at Fetterman’s weekly vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. This vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. Endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, among other groups. Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (U.S. Customs building).
PLAN AHEAD: LOBBYING DAYS FOR CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, APRIL 9-19 To be held in Washington, DC. Organized by Peace Action. In person and by Zoom. Sign up for organizations and for individuals.
REMINDER: WEBINAR: STOPPING MILITARIZATION OF U.S./MEXICO BORDER, MARCH 26, Hear about the American Friends Service Committee’s (AFSC) long-standing work to stop militarization of U.S. borders in this webinar with speakers from the AFSC’s New Hampshire and U.S. Mexico border program staff on March 26, at 7 p.m. Staff will explore conditions facing migrants and border communities, the dramatic differences between the Mexico and Canadian borderlands, and the AFSC’s vision to ensure migrants and immigrants are treated with dignity and respect. Register by clicking here.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, March 15, 2024
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A Prayer for the World
the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.
Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.
Then let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.
Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.
Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly,
So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender or skin color.
Let the warmth and brightness of the sun melt our selfishness,
So that we can share the joys and feel the sorrow of our neighbors.
And let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all
people as our neighbors.
Let the earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to
surround us with beauty.
And let the mountains teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.
– Rabbi Harold S. Kushner
photo: Joanne Sharpless
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Sunday Schedule, March 17, 2024
9:30 a.m. Worship-Sharing about Spiritual State of Society report (See queries* below.)
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer — Wendy Wells & Bruce Grant
Greeter — David Mettler
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Anthony Stover
*QUERIES FOR STATE OF SOCIETY REPORT
All members and attenders are invited to a worship-sharing on Sunday beginning at 9:30 am to consider the Spiritual State of the Meeting, As part of this year’s report, the Ministry & Care Committee of Quaker Life Council of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting would like to facilitate sharing resources and best practices across all meetings within Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Please consider the list of topic areas below. They are looking for success stories, advice for other meetings, or particular concerns for which the Yearly Meeting could offer us support.
Care of Worship (quality and frequency of messages)
Outreach and Inclusion (welcoming newcomers and encouraging diversity)
Adult Education Resources (opportunities to learn and share about our faith outside of worship)
Families and Children (religious education resources )
Youth and Young Adults (creating a welcoming space for youth and young adults in the meeting)
Witness (walking our talk as Friends)
Committees (most helpful committees & structure)
Quarters (the impact of a positive Quarterly Meeting)
General Questions or concerns
PROTOCOL FOR MEETING FOR WORSHIP (Zoom, hybrid, or in person) Please maintain silence as you enter the Zoom meeting or the meetinghouse so Friends can center and settle into worship. At the rise of worship we will have introductions and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child care starts at 10:25 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, March 10, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:45 a.m., when they will leave and go to their First Day School class. This Sunday, they will learn about Samson, whose incredible strength depended on his long hair. Please contact Carla Childs if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
UPCOMING CALLED MEETINGS MARCH 17 & 24 Two special, or called, meetings are coming up this month. The first one will be this Sunday, March 18, at 9:30 a.m., to discuss ideas for our Meeting’s Spiritual State of Society report, which is being coordinated by our associate clerk, Dorothy Cary. (See above queries.) The second called meeting will be on Sunday, March 24, also before meeting for worship, with exact time to be announced next week. The subject for the second one will be our Meeting’s relationship with Germantown Friends School. Details on format will be in next week’s BEE.
REMINDERS
GET-OUT-THE-VOTE LETTER WRITING BEGINS MARCH 17 With the purpose of getting out the vote for upcoming elections, the first meeting of the Mt. Airy Letter Writing Club will take place on Sunday, March 17, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The group will use Vote Forward, a data-driven tactic to reach potential voters. Participants are welcome to create a Vote Forward account beforehand, or they will be guided through the process at the letter-writing party by hosts Adrienne and Mike McDonell, attenders of our Meeting. They will provide paper, pens, and envelopes, plus beverages and snacks. You will receive their address when you register online by clicking here. Contact person: Adrienne McDonnell.
LAST CALL: BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP FORMING A book discussion group is forming to talk about Apeirogon, a novel by National Book Award-winning author Colum McCann. The story explores the feelings, histories, and experiences of two fathers–one Palestinian, one Israeli–who each lost a daughter in the conflict of Israel/Palestine. The New York Times says, “Apeirogon is an empathy engine, utterly collapsing the gulf between teller and listener…. It achieves its aim by merging acts of imagination and extrapolation with historical fact.” And, from The Guardian, “…the solution to the conflict: something as simple and easy as friendship, as the acknowledgement of a shared experience, as love. …It could have been maudlin, tawdry, exploitative, trite. Instead, it’s a masterpiece, a novel that will change the world.” To read more reviews, click here. If you are interested in participating, contact Joanne Sharpless.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Mar. 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MARCH 24 and 31!! (ALSO MAY) Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
MARCH 24, 31
MAY 5, 19, 26
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 9 Anam Thubten will speak on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. This event is sponsored by our Adult Religious Education Committee in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism at an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad.
NEWS OF FRIENDS
LOIS VOLTA FEATURED IN PYM’S ONLINE NEWSLETTER Lois Volta, a member of Germantown Meeting, is featured in this week’s online newsletter from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Confessions of a Cleaning Lady, is equal parts self-help guide, feminist manifesto, and handbook for creating cleaner domestic spaces. In this article, in question-and-answer format, she is asked to break down the principles of her method — her approach to domestic care that expands beyond just tidying up and goes well into dismantling consumerism and gender norms. Click here to read this fascinating article online or open the attachment Lois Volta-PYM Profile 3-2024.
DEATHS
Robert Archbald Busser, father of our member Jonathan Busser, died on Feb. 18 in Ambler, PA, at the age of 85. Robert graduated from Germantown Friends School in 1956 and was in the class with our member Jonathan Rhoads. He is survived by his partner Karen Richter and his three sons, Andrew, Jonathan, and Duncan. A memorial service has not been scheduled.
Timothy Daily, father of our member Adam Daily, former husband of our member Deborah Cooper, and grandfather to Roman and Mira Daily, died at the age of 80 on March 10 in Saratoga Springs, NY. He was born in Columbus, OH.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
UPDATE FROM AFSC STAFF IN GAZA & WHAT YOU CAN DO Israeli troops are bombing Rafah and are preparing for a ground invasion. Rafah is the last place in Gaza that has not yet been invaded and is also the key entry and distribution point for humanitarian aid. In a statement from the U.N. Palestinian Rights Committee, the more than1.5 million displaced people in Rafah are now “staring death in the face without access to food, medical care, and safe shelter.” A military incursion “will endanger the lives of countless civilians, many of whom are women and children who have already been displaced multiple times.” Despite being displaced several times themselves, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) staff in Gaza have distributed aid to more than 250,605 people in Rafah, Deir El-Balah, and Khan Younis. The invasion of Israeli forces will disrupt the lifesaving work of humanitarian organizations, as many in Gaza face death due to starvation and disease. To read what AFSC program staff member Serena Awad said on Feb. 12 about her experience in Rafah and what Palestinians are facing on the ground, click here. To learn more about AFSC’s work in Gaza and find out how to donate, click here.
REMINDERS
ONLINE RETREAT FOR INTERRACIAL FAMILIES, MARCH 16-17 This retreat aims to create a space for meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and insights on navigating the dynamics of interracial families within our Quaker community. It will take place online on March 16 and 17. Sessions are sixty to ninety minutes long, with breaks in between. Cost is $60 per person, and checks must be received by March 14. This retreat is for parents from all combinations of interracial families. If you have a question about whether this is right for you, send an inquiry to hanaet@fgcquaker.org. Sponsored by the Ministry on Racism of Friends General Conference. Deadline for registering is March 11. To find out more and register online, click here.
STEPS TO CREATE INCLUSIVITY IN MEETINGS, MARCH 20 What does it mean for a Quaker meeting to be inclusive, and how can it be achieved? This is the focus of an online workshop at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Ministry consultant Bird Treacy will suggest strategies to make newcomers feel welcome, such as clear communication about community norms and acceptable behavior, information about worship, and ways to support people who may need to move during worship. Also part of this will be a discussion about who is included, who may be inadvertently left out, and what can be done about it. Bird Treacy is a ministry professional who has multiple disabilities and is children’s program coordinator of an Episcopal church in Massachusetts and specializes in supporting youth, children, families, and disabled people. This workshop is hosted by the Program & Religious Life staff of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. To find out more and register, click here.
TAKE ACTION
THIS WEEKS ACTIONS TO SUPPORT CEASE-FIRE, by GMM Racial & Social Justice Committee
Saturday, March 16, 10:30 a.m., Lovett Memorial Library, 6945 Germantown Ave. Families for Ceasefire Palestinian Storytime and Art-Making. All ages. Info: familiesforceasefirephilly on Instagram
Saturday, March 16, 5:30 p.m., City Hall Queers for Palestine Rally, March and Noise Demo. Info: queers4palphl on Instagram
Sun March 17, 10:15 a.m., Plains Mennonite Church, 50 Orvilla Rd, Hatfield PA 19440 and live-streamed, Prayers of Grief and Hope for People of Palestine and Israel. Share prayers, listen to Palestinian and Jewish friends, write to elected officials. Organized by If Not Now Philly and the Prayers for Peace Alliance.
Monday, March 18, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., at Irish Famine Memorial, Front & Spruce St., Ireland Solidarity for Gaza Rally, called by Philly Irish Against Oppression and Philly Palestine Coalition.
Friday, March 22, 6:30 p.m., at Brooklyn Bowl, 1099 Canal St., Philly says no to Matisyahu (racist, zionist musician). Call Brooklyn Bowl to tell them to cancel his show: 2156064950. Email bookings: bit.ly/cancelmatis
Every Friday, 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., Fridays at Fetterman’s vigil outside of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, 200 Chestnut Street, demanding he call for immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Info: Terry Rumsey: Terry Rumsey.
WEBINAR: STOPPING MILITARIZATION OF U.S./MEXICO BORDER , MARCH 26, 7 P.M. Hear about AFSC’s long-standing work to stop militarization of U.S. borders by tuning in to a webinar with speakers from the AFSC’s New Hampshire and U.S. Mexico border program staff on March 26, at 7 p.m. Staff will explore conditions facing migrants and border communities, the dramatic differences between the Mexico and Canadian borderlands, and the AFSC’s vision to ensure migrants and immigrants are treated with dignity and respect. Register by clicking here.
REMINDERS
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, MARCH 22 You are invited to join this weekly Friday vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. Endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, among other groups. Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (U.S. Customs building).
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, March 8, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Peace IS the Way”
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Sunday Schedule, March 10, 2024
9 a.m. Meeting for Business* in Committee Room (Agenda below)
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Kathy Paulmier
Greeter Peter Samuel
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments by Jonathan Busser
*AGENDA, MEETING for BUSINESS
March 10, 202
Hybrid and in-person. Please use the Meeting for Worship zoom link.
Query – Faye Steacy, followed by worship
Review of agenda – Karen Lightner
Corrections to Minutes from February 2024 Business Meeting- Becky Johnson
Care & Visiting Committee – Peter Samuel
Standing Nominating Committee – Moira Duggan
Property Committee Report – Tom Sharpless
Racial & Social Justice Committee – Mas (Ed) Nakawatase
Spiritual State of the Meeting Report worship sharing– decision on when to hold this
Announcements
Closing Worship
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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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE Child care starts at 10:25 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, March 10, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:45 a.m., when they will leave and go to the Meeting kitchen. Please contact Carla Childs if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
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MEETING NEWS
GOODS FROM UGANDA FOR SALE! MARCH 10 Barbara Wybar is freshly back from Bududa, Uganda, and she will bring some goods made at Bududa Vocational Academy to sell this coming Sunday after meeting for worship. There will be placemats, napkins, aprons, folk art birds, elephant salad servers, and lots of paper beads.
SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 9 Our adult class will present Anam Thubten, speaking on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. This event is in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism at an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad.
REMINDERS
GET-OUT-THE-VOTE LETTER WRITING BEGIN MARCH 17 With the purpose of getting out the vote for upcoming elections, the first meeting of the Mt. Airy Letter Writing Club will take place on Sunday, March 17, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The group will use Vote Forward, a data-driven tactic to reach potential voters. Participants are welcome to create a Vote Forward account beforehand, or they will be guided through the process at the letter-writing party by hosts Adrienne and Mike McDonell, attenders of our Meeting. They will provide paper, pens, and envelopes, plus beverages and snacks. You will receive their address when you register online by clicking here. Contact person: Adrienne McDonnell.
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP FORMING ON APEIROGON A book discussion group is forming to talk about Apeirogon, a novel by National Book Award-winning author Colum McCann. The story explores the feelings, histories, and experiences of two fathers–one Palestinian, one Israeli–who each lost a daughter in the conflict of Israel/Palestine. The New York Times says, “Apeirogon is an empathy engine, utterly collapsing the gulf between teller and listener…. It achieves its aim by merging acts of imagination and extrapolation with historical fact.” And, from The Guardian, “…the solution to the conflict: something as simple and easy as friendship, as the acknowledgement of a shared experience, as love. …It could have been maudlin, tawdry, exploitative, trite. Instead, it’s a masterpiece, a novel that will change the world.” To read more reviews, click here. If you are interested in participating, contact Joanne Sharpless.
NEW MEETING DIRECTORY IS AVAILABLE The new 2024 Germantown Meeting Directory has been printed, and you can pick one up this Sunday after meeting for worship! If you live at a distance and cannot pick up your copy, please contact Melissa Elliott and ask to have one mailed to you.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Mar. 17, 24, 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MARCH 24 and 31!! (also April and May) Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
MARCH 24, 31
APRIL 21
MAY 5, 12, 19, 26
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
HAPPENING NOW! PYM CONTINUING SESSIONS, MARCH 8-10 There’s something for everyone at this weekend’s Continuing Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM), which starts today (Friday, March 8). The theme is “Called to Healing:” healing ourselves, our local communities, and our world. This session begins a year-long exploration of what healing means to us as Friends. Tonight and tomorrow will have hybrid, onsite, and online options. Tonight a panel of Friends will share about their ministries of healing in personal, community, global, and environmental pathways. Tomorrow (Saturday), the day begins with meeting for worship, followed by meeting for business, a break for lunch, and an afternoon program that will be a choice of online, or in person at any of six regional locations. Sunday’s program begins at 10 a.m. with an online meeting for worship, followed by chants about healing, led by Paulette Meier, from Community Friends Meeting in Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting. Sunday afternoon, which is online only, will be a final meeting for business. You still have time to register by clicking here.
MUSICIANS TO PLAY AT GWYNEDD COFFEE HOUSE, MARCH 9 Jazz, spiritual/inspiring music, and standards will be performed live tomorrow at 8 p.m. (Saturday, March 9) at Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse. Performers will be Jim Holton (pianist), Warren Cooper (vocalist), Cindy LeBlanc (flutist), and Khary Abdul Shaheed (drums), each an accomplished musician. The meetinghouse is located at 1101 DeKalb Pike, Gwynedd, PA 19454. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. An $8 cash donation is requested at the door. After costs are covered, proceeds will be donated to the charity of the evening. Light food and refreshments are available. Wheelchair accessible. Masking is optional.
STEPS TO CREATE INCLUSIVITY IN MEETINGS, MARCH 20 What does it mean for a Quaker meeting to be inclusive, and how can it be achieved? This is the focus of an online workshop at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Ministry consultant Bird Treacy will suggest strategies to make newcomers feel welcome, such as clear communication about community norms and acceptable behavior, information about worship, and ways to support people who may need to move during worship. Also part of this will be a discussion about who is included, who may be inadvertently left out, and what can be done about it. Bird Treacy is a ministry professional who has multiple disabilities and is children’s program coordinator of an Episcopal church in Massachusetts and specializes in supporting youth, children, families, and disabled people. This workshop is hosted by the Program & Religious Life staff of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. To find out more and register, click here.
REMINDERS
AFSC EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN GAZA The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is distributing to people in Gaza, as well as drinking water and hygiene Kits. The staff has worked with on-the-ground partners to create recreational activities for children in schools, shelters, and tents. AFSC has provided humanitarian relief to nearly 200,000 people since October, with more trucks waiting on the border, poised to bring in medicine, food, and other supplies. Supplies continue to be needed, as well as advocacy for a cease-fire and peaceful negotiations. The AFSC is renewing its plea for help as the crisis deepens. To learn more and find out how to donate, click here.
ONLINE RETREAT FOR INTERRACIAL FAMILIES, MARCH 16-17 This retreat aims to create a space for meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and insights on navigating the dynamics of interracial families within our Quaker community. It will take place online on March 16 and 17. Sessions are sixty to ninety minutes long, with breaks in between. Cost is $60 per person, and checks must be received by March 14. This retreat is for parents from all combinations of interracial families. If you have a question about whether this is right for you, send an inquiry to
hanaet@fgcquaker.org. Sponsored by the Ministry on Racism of Friends General Conference. Deadline for registering is March 11. To find out more and register online, click here.
TAKE ACTION
LENAPE CEREMONY TO BLESS TREES TO BE DEMOLISHED, MARCH 10 The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania will hold a ceremony on Sunday, March 10, to bless the 441 trees–64 of them heritage trees–scheduled to be demolished at FDR Park. Their removal will pave the way for nine synthetic turf fields, 14 courts, and 170 parking spaces as part of the master plan for the Park, with support of Fairmount Park Conservancy. Chief Chuck Gentlemoon and Clan Mother Shelley DePaul will lead the ceremony. “We acknowledge all creatures as relations. These trees are our elders and deserve respect,” says DePaul. The ceremony, which is open to everyone, will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Meadows, FDR Community Clubhouse, 1954 Pattison Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19145. There will be a drumming circle, and participants will be invited to make prayer ties to wrap around the trucks of the trees. This is a chance to show your support for protection of this land, the Delaware River, our elder relations, and the habitats they support.
EQAT WEBINAR ON VANGUARD’S INVESTMENTS IN PIPELINE, MARCH 11 Hear about the impact on people’s lives of Vanguard’s investments in the Mountain Valley pipeline at a webinar on Monday, March 11, at 7 p.m. People on the frontlines of the pipeline will tell about their experiences during more than a decade of resistance, and to give an update about the status of the pipeline. This is the second part of a two-part series by Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT). You do not need to have heard the first part attend this webinar. To register and get the link click here.
AFSC WEBINAR ON APARTHEID IN GAZA, MARCH 14 Guest speakers Ahmed Abofoul and Diana Buttu will talk on March 14 at 1 p.m. about the role played by violent social structures behind Israel’s war on Gaza. Based on extensive research, several international human rights organizations have identified the situation as “Israeli apartheid.” Speakers will also suggest things that could be done. Sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). To register and receive the link, click here.
AFSC ACTION HOUR FOR CEASE-FIRE NOW Every Friday at 12 noon, hear updates in this webinar by AFSC staff members in Gaza. In addition to their reports, they encourage everyone to contact their elected officials in calling for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access to Gaza. To register for the webinar and get the link, click here.
REMINDERS
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, MARCH 15 You are invited to this weekly Friday vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. Endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, among other groups. Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (U.S. Customs building).
POWER There will be a POWER meeting featuring Keir Bradford-Grey, Kendra Brooks, Nic O’Rourke, and Chris Rabb, on Saturday, March 9, at 2 p.m., at Holy Apostles Episcopal Church, 260 S 51st St., Philadelphia, PA 19139. Find more information and RSVP 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’re interested in a specific campaign, reach out to Jeff Powers.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 23, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Prayer, then, is communion, whether it take the form of petition, intercession, thanksgiving, or whether it be just the quiet unveiling of the heart to a trusted friend, the outpouring of the soul to the one who is nearest of all.
–William Littleboy
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Sunday Schedule, Feb. 25, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Greeter Karen Lightner
Closer Ed Nakawatase
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Mara & Gregg Lemos-Stein & family
______________________________________
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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, Feb. 18, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to the committee room. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
SILENT PROCESSION FOR PEACE, FEB. 25 Join this interfaith gathering of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others in a solemn, quiet procession to mourn the loss of life in Israel/Palestine. A number of people from our Meeting plan to join this walk, which will begin promptly at 2 p.m. this Sunday, Feb. 25, at Chestnut hill Peace Park on the corner of Germantown Ave. and Mermaid Lane in Chestnut Hill. Round-trip length of the walk is one mile. Participants are asked to wear dark colors, enter the Peace Park in silence, and refrain from bringing their own signs, banners, flags, or tee shirts with messages. Organizers will provide images of Palestinian and Israeli children killed in the conflict, as well as signs in keeping with the message of commitment to nonviolent solutions. There is plenty of free parking in the lot at Chestnut Hill Meeting on Mermaid Lane. Sponsored by American Friends of Combatants for Peace, a grassroots movement of Palestinians and Israelis, including fighters on both sides of the conflict. The group uses civil resistance, education, and other creative activism to change systems of oppression and build a peaceful future. For more information, contact Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer or Wendy Weingarten. [See attachment: Procession for Peace 2-25-2024.]
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP FORMING ON APEIROGON A book discussion group is forming to talk about Apeirogon, a novel by National Book Award-winning author Colum McCann. The story explores the feelings, histories, and experiences of two fathers–one Palestinian, one Israeli–who each lost a daughter in the conflict of Israel/Palestine. The New York Times says, “Apeirogon is an empathy engine, utterly collapsing the gulf between teller and listener…. It achieves its aim by merging acts of imagination and extrapolation with historical fact.” And, from The Guardian, “…the solution to the conflict: something as simple and easy as friendship, as the acknowledgement of a shared experience, as love. …It could have been maudlin, tawdry, exploitative, trite. Instead, it’s a masterpiece, a novel that will change the world.” To read more reviews, click here. If you are interested in participating, contact Joanne Sharpless.
SECOND ONLINE MEETING TO DISCERN FCNL PRIORITIES, FEB. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Help us formulate our Meeting’s priorities for legislative action to be taken by Friends Committee on Legislation (FCNL) in the next session of Congress. This is the second meeting in a series, and you are welcome to join, even if you weren’t able to attend the first meeting, for which notes will be made available. Additional times to meet will be determined for future meetings, so those who cannot participate on Monday evenings will get a chance to take part. Friends are encouraged to read FCNL’s Statement of Legislative Policy, The World We Seek. Questions? Contact Bill Cozzens, our Meeting’s representative to FCNL.
CHILI LUNCH! CHILI LUNCH! LET’S EAT TOGETHER SUNDAY, MARCH 3! Come one, come all for delicious food and warm fellowship at our Chili Lunch on Sunday, March 3, at the rise of Meeting! An exciting return of this much-loved event (after a four-year COVID hiatus), brought to you by the Fellowship Committee & First Day School (FDS). There will be several kinds of chili, including vegetarian, as well as salad and other “fixin’s.” And FDS children will provide a yummy, homemade snack to accompany our lunch as well! Questions? Contact Anne Stassen. See you there!
SCREENING & DISCUSSION OF RUSTIN, MARCH 3 Our Anti-Racism Book Discussion Group will host a showing and discussion of the Netflix film, Rustin, on Sunday, March 3, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the Committee Room. The film is 1 hour 48 minutes in length, followed by discussion. This is open to Meeting members, attenders, and their friends. For questions, contact John Colgan-Davis.
SAVE THE DATE Our adult class will present Anam Thubten, speaking on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. This event is in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhismat an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad.
REMINDERS
NEW MEETING DIRECTORY IS AVAILABLE The new 2024 Germantown Meeting Directory has been printed, and you can pick one up this Sunday after meeting for worship! If you live at a distance and cannot pick up your copy, please contact Melissa Elliott and ask to have one mailed to you. (A donation of $5 would help with the postage but is not required.) A caveat: We know it’s not perfect and that some changes requested by Friends may have been missed. We ask for everyone’s understanding. It’s been quite a process to get the Directory together, and involved a lot of work by many people. Our primary goal was to get it printed as soon as possible, since the last Directory was 2019-2020. The Office & Records Committee is working to streamline the process for future editions, and possibly to add an online version that’s updated in between print editions.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MARCH, APRIL & MAY! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
MARCH 24, 31
APRIL 14, 21
MAY 5, 12, 19, 26
To sign up, please see or contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
AFSC EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN GAZA The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is serving fresh food to people in Gaza, as well as distributing meals, drinking water, and hygiene Kits. The staff has worked with on-the-ground partners to create recreational activities for children in schools, shelters, and tents. AFSC has provided humanitarian relief to more than 191,752 people since October, with more trucks waiting on the border, poised to bring in medicine, food, and other supplies. More supplies continue to be needed, as well as advocacy for a cease-fire and peaceful negotiations. The AFSC is renewing its plea for help as the crisis deepens. To learn more and find out how to donate, click here.
PYM SPRING SESSIONS TO BE MARCH 8-10 Friends throughout Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) will gather for worship, fellowship, and business on March 8-10, in a combination of hybrid and in-person activities. The theme is “Called to Healing.” On Friday, March 8, an intergenerational gathering will hear a panel of Friends talk about their ministries of healing in personal, community, global and environmental ways. Saturday’s sessions will feature meetings for business and worship, with afternoon programs offered in person at regional sites, and online opportunities. Sunday will offer intergenerational worship, online from home or at local meetings. From 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, there will be a final meeting for business. To view the schedule in detail and register online, click here.
ONLINE RETREAT FOR INTERRACIAL FAMILIES, MARCH 16-17 This retreat aims to create a space for meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and insights on navigating the dynamics of interracial families within our Quaker community. It will take place online on March 16 and 17. Sessions are sixty to ninety minutes long, with breaks in between. Cost is $60 per person, and checks must be received by March 14. This retreat is for parents from all combinations of interracial families. If you have a question about whether this is right for you, send an inquiry to hanaet@fgcquaker.org. This event is sponsored by the Ministry on Racism of Friends General Conference. Deadline for registering is March 11. To find out more and register online, click here.
REMINDERS
BAYARD RUSTIN LEGACY FORUM, FEB. 24 This event will explore the remarkable life and contributions of Bayard Rustin in a series of presentations by a panel of distinguished scholars and activists. There will also be a roundtable discussion led by Sa’ed Atshan, and a question-and-answer period. Hal Weaver will host. It will take place tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. Click here to register.
BOOK TALK ON TASTING FREEDOM, FEB. 25 The authors of the book Tasting Freedom: Octavius Catto & the Battle for Equality in Civil War America will give a presentation at Greene Street Meeting after worship on Sunday, Feb. 25. The authors are Daniel R. Biddle and Murray Dubin. Octavius Valentine Catto was an orator who periodically shared the stage with Frederick Douglass. He was also second baseman on Philadelphia’s best Black baseball team, a teacher at the city’s finest Black school, and an activist. Born in the South as a “free” Black, he moved to the North, where he fought for equal rights. Come to the presentation whether you’ve read the book or not, and you will hear interesting information and enjoy a good discussion with a group of our Friendly neighbors. The talk will begin at 12:30 p.m., and the address is 45 W. School House Lane, Phila., PA 19144.
TAKE ACTION
SILENT PROCESSION FOR PEACE, FEB. 25 (See above announcement.)
REMINDERS
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 our meeting representative, Jeff Powers.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, MARCH 8 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community, The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which makes posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 16, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
As I grow older, I seem to need more time for inner stillness. … This can happen in the midst of daily chores or when walking in a crowd or riding in a train. It means being still, open, reflective, holding within myself the crucible of joy and pain of all the world, and lifting it up to God. Praise comes into it, and thankfulness for all the love I have known and shared, the realization of how much of the time I am carried, supported, upheld by others, and the love of God. [During this process] comes the deep sense of the unity of all being, the intermeshing of the animate and inanimate, the secular and the sacred, the tangible and the intangible. It means just waiting, or just lifting the heart. –Dorothy Steere, 1995
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Sunday Schedule, Feb. 18, 2024
9:15 a.m. FOLLOW-UP Meeting for Business (Agenda* and Zoom link below)
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Greeter Anthony Stover
Closer Melissa Elliott & Friend
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Dorothy Cary
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*AGENDA
Follow-up Meeting for Business
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m., Feb. 18, 2024
Meeting will be hybrid (in committee room and via Zoom. Use same link as for worship).
Opening Worship
Update from Jim Pifer regarding Treasurer’s report
Prayers for Peace Alliance – request to sign petition calling for ceasefire in Israel/Gaza
Spiritual State of the Meeting Report for PYM – Dorothy Cary
Follow-up on Trustees concern from January – Karen Lightner
Attendance at Triads Conference – Karen Lightner
Announcements
Closing Worship
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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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, Feb. 18, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to the committee room. They will learn more about Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
PLEASE HELP US WITH FOOD GIVEAWAY, THIS SUNDAY, FEB. 18 After meeting for worship this Sunday, at approximately 12 noon, join others in helping distribute free food to people in the Germantown community. This is a joint project of our Meeting and The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), directed by member Jondhi Harrell. The food is provided by TCRC, and we distribute it from tables set up on the sidewalk in front of the meetinghouse. Many people find this is a wonderful chance to meet members of our community while working alongside other Meeting members, attenders, and people from TCRC. You would be most welcome to join them and your help is needed. Dress warmly.
FIRST MEETING: FCNL DISCERNMENT OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, FEB. 19 As previously announced, Germantown Meeting will provide input to Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) on priorities for Quaker lobbying in the next session of Congress. Interested Friends will meet several times between now and early April to discern our policy priorities. The first meeting will be this Monday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Please join us! If you have any questions contact Bill Cozzens, our FCNL representative.
SCREENING OF KENYATTA AT GFS, FEB. 25 You are invited to join people at Germantown Friends School (GFS) for screening of the film Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn” on Sunday, Feb. 25, at 2 p.m., in Yarnell Auditorium, Sharpless Building of the Main Campus. A panel of three speakers will make a presentation before showing of the film: Tim Harris, director of the film; Malcolm Kenyata, Pennsylvania State Representative; and Matt Kenyatta, director of Justice & Belonging at the University of Pennsylvania. This documentary, produced by Al Roker of NBC, is not yet available to the public. It depicts the inspiring story of a self-described “poor, gay, Black man from North Philly” and his historic run for the U.S. Senate. Sponsored by the GFS Alumni of Color Host Committee and the Multicultural Parents Alliance. Free and open to the public
SAVE THE DATE Our adult class will present Anam Thubten, speaking on “The Practice of Nonviolence in the Buddhist Tradition,” on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m., in our meetinghouse. This event is in partnership with the Dharmata Foundation to explore the teachings of nonviolence. Anam Thubten grew up in Tibet and began to practice the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhismat an early age. He is the founder and spiritual advisor of the Foundation and teaches widely in the United States and abroad.
REMINDERS
STARTS TONIGHT! ONLINE RETREAT ON SPIRITUAL DEEPENING, FEB. 16-19 Especially for new attenders: Learn how spiritual encounters bring energy and purpose into our lives and how to find meaning in a secular world. This online weekend retreat, presented by Friends General Conference (FGC), will draw from experiences of early Friends and the ways they came alive to the Spirit, using prayer, deep listening, learning, and growth. You’ll learn new spiritual practices and hear from others about theirs. Register right away by clicking here, because the deadline is this Thursday, Feb. 15, and the retreat begins the next day. Organizers request that all who are able, pay $125, and those whose income is more limited are asked to pay $75. If you want to participate and can’t afford to pay, contact FGC staff by clicking here to see if there is a way they can help.
HELP DISCERN FCNL’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Every two years Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) asks Friends meetings, churches, and other Quaker organizations throughout the country to help decide its lobbying priorities for the next session of Congress. Germantown Meeting has participated in the past and will do so again this year. In the next several weeks, members and attenders of our Meeting are invited to participate in several sessions, on Zoom and in person, to winnow out our top five priorities by discernment. The dates for these sessions will be published in the BEE. Our results will be submitted to FCNL in early April. In preparation for this process, you are encouraged to read FCNL’s Statement on Legislative Policy, “The World We Seek,” (click here). If you want to be sure you are included in our Meeting’s discernment sessions, contact Bill Cozzens. To learn more about FCNL’s priorities process, click here.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP, FEB. 20 Please bring your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas for readings, films, activities, and so forth to the Anti-Racism Discussion Group’s Zoom meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. The group will consider their next endeavors, and your input is needed. For questions and the Zoom link, please contact John Colgan-Davis.
NEW MEETING DIRECTORY IS AVAILABLE The new 2024 Germantown Meeting Directory has been printed, and you can pick one up this Sunday after meeting for worship! If you live at a distance and cannot pick up your copy, please contact Melissa Elliott and ask to have one mailed to you. (A donation of $5 would help with the postage but is not required.) A caveat: We know it’s not perfect and that some changes requested by Friends may have been missed. We ask for everyone’s understanding. It’s been quite a process to get the Directory together, and involved a lot of work by many people. Our primary goal was to get it printed as soon as possible, since the last Directory was 2019-2020. The Office & Records Committee is working to streamline the process for future editions, and possibly to add an online version that’s updated in between print editions.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Feb. 25
Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MARCH, APRIL & MAY! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
MARCH 24, 31
APRIL 14, 21
MAY 5, 12, 19, 26
To sign up, please contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.) THANK YOU! –Becky Johnson
NEWS OF FRIENDS
RUTH SEELEY ON PLANET PHILADELPHIA TODAY Our member Ruth Seeley is one of three community leaders being interviewed today (Feb. 16) at 4 p.m. on Planet Philadelphia, 92.9 FM. The three speakers represent three groups in Philadelphia who organize in their communities to help residents live better and healthier lives. Ruth represents Friends of Vernon Park, an intergenerational group of volunteers who tend Vernon Park, located in the center of Germantown. Besides taking care of the park, the group uses hands-on education, stewardship, restoration, and advocacy to connect local people to nature. [Due to the late notice of this broadcast, many who receive the BEE may not be able to hear it in real time. If a tape is made of it, Ruth will let us know, and it will be announced in a subsequent BEE.]
ART EXHIBIT FEATURES PIECE BY REBECCA HOENIG An art exhibit celebrating Black History Month includes a painting by our member Rebecca Hoenig, depicting Makai Lewis, a young, Black Philadelphian, with a brief story about him. The exhibit will open on Tuesday, Feb. 20, in City Hall and is entitled “Philadelphia Black: The People’s Stories.” To see Rebecca’s painting online and read his story, click here.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
BOOK TALK ON TASTING FREEDOM, FEB. 25 The authors of the book Tasting Freedom: Octavius Catto & the Battle for Equality in Civil War America will give a presentation at Greene Street Meeting after worship on Sunday, Feb. 25. The authors are Daniel R. Biddle and Murray Dubin. Octavius Valentine Catto was an orator who periodically shared the stage with Frederick Douglass. He was also second baseman on Philadelphia’s best Black baseball team, a teacher at the city’s finest Black school, and an activist. Born in the South as a “free” Black, he moved to the North, where he fought for equal rights. Come to the presentation whether you’ve read the book or not, and you will hear interesting information and enjoy a good discussion with a group of our Friendly neighbors. The talk will begin at 12:30 p.m., and the address is 45 W. School House Lane, Phila., PA 19144.
WEEKLY MEETING FOR WORSHIP FOCUSES ON PEACE IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE You are invited to join an online meeting for worship with Friends across the United States, which takes place every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. (EST). It focuses its attention on establishing peace in Israel and Palestine, and on ending the current violent conflict. To register and get the link, click here.
TAKE ACTION
POWER INTERFAITH CONVENTION, FEB. 19 Join clergy and people of faith from throughout Pennsylvania for POWER’s first-ever Interfaith Convention on Monday, Feb. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be held at Presidential Caterers, 2910 Dekalb Pike, East Norriton, PA 19401. Activities will focus on setting an agenda for priorities in the 2024-2025 state legislative session. Participants will hear from key state lawmakers on how they will champion POWER’s agenda, and participants will create a roadmap for justice for the year ahead. Suggested registration fee is $10, with help for people who can’t afford it. To register, click here.
REMINDERS
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 our meeting representative, Jeff Powers.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, FEB. 23 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which makes posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 9, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
When Friends take care of our meeting’s business, we are holding the whole meeting in the Light. We enter into worship and we listen. We listen for God, we listen in our own hearts, and we listen to one another to know what to do…. Friends go out into the world to continue God’s work. They take with them hearts that know love, peace, and unity. Faith & Play Working Group, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 2008
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Sunday Schedule, Feb. 11, 2024
9 a.m. Meeting for Business (Agenda* and Zoom link below)
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Greeter – Wendy Wells
Closer – Anthony Stover
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Jondhi Harrell & family
*AGENDA
Meeting for Business
Feb. 11, 2024
Meeting will be hybrid; use same link as for worship.
Query –Faye Steacy, followed by Worship
Review of agenda –Karen Lightner
(Report from Germantown Friends School [GFS] to be presented in April)
Corrections & Approval of Minutes –Becky Johnson
Care & Visiting Committee –Peter Samuel
Treasurer’s report — Jim Pifer
Softball team proposal –Kathy Paulmier
Reading to GFS Lower School classes –Teresa Maebori
FCNL Legislative Priorities –Bill Cozzens
Clerk Items –Karen Lightner
Prayers for Peace Alliance petition calling for Ceasefire in Israel/Gaza
Spiritual State of the Meeting Report for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Follow-up on Trustees concern from January
Attendance at Triad Conference
Announcements
Closing Worship
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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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, Feb. 11, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they will leave and go to the committee room. They will learn about the ten plagues of Egypt, when the Pharaoh kept refusing to let the people of Israel go. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
ONLINE RETREAT ABOUT SPIRITUAL DEEPENING, FEB. 16-19 Especially for new attenders: Learn how spiritual encounters bring energy and purpose into our lives and how to find meaning in a secular world. This online weekend retreat, presented by Friends General Conference (FGC), will draw from experiences of early Friends and the ways they came alive to the Spirit, using prayer, deep listening, learning, and growth. You’ll learn new spiritual practices and hear from others about theirs. Register right away by clicking here, because the deadline is this Thursday, Feb. 15, and the retreat begins the next day. Organizers request that all who are able, pay $125, and those whose income is more limited are asked to pay $75. If you want to participate and can’t afford to pay, contact FGC staff by clicking here to see if there is a way they can help.
HELP DISCERN FCNL’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES Every two years Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) asks Friends meetings, churches, and other Quaker organizations throughout the country to help decide its lobbying priorities for the next session of Congress. Germantown Meeting has participated in the past and will do so again this year. In the next several weeks, members and attenders of our Meeting are invited to participate in several sessions, on Zoom and in person, to winnow out our top five priorities by discernment. The dates for these sessions will be published in the BEE. Our results will be submitted to FCNL in early April. In preparation for this process, you are encouraged to read FCNL’s Statement on Legislative Policy, “The World We Seek,” (click here). If you want to be sure you are included in our Meeting’s discernment sessions, contact Bill Cozzens. To learn more about FCNL’s priorities process, click here.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP, FEB. 20 Please bring your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas for readings, films, activities, and so forth to the Anti-Racism Discussion Group’s Zoom meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. The group will consider their next endeavors at this meeting, and your input is needed. For questions and the Zoom link, please contact John Colgan-Davis.
REMINDERS
NEW MEETING DIRECTORY IS AVAILABLE The new 2024 Germantown Meeting Directory has been printed, and you can pick one up this Sunday after meeting for worship! If you live at a distance and cannot pick up your copy, please contact Melissa Elliott and ask to have one mailed to you. (A donation of $5 would help with the postage but is not required.) A caveat: We know it’s not perfect and that some changes requested by Friends may have been missed. We ask for everyone’s understanding. It’s been quite a process to get the Directory together, and involved a lot of work by many people. Our primary goal was to get it printed as soon as possible, since the last Directory was 2019-2020. The Office & Records Committee is working to streamline the process for future editions, and possibly to add an online version that’s updated in between print editions.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Feb.18, 25
Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MARCH, APRIL & MAY! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
MARCH 24, 31
APRIL 14, 21, 28
MAY 5, 12, 19, 26
To sign up, please see or contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.)
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
TALK ON SEEKING JUSTICE IN HOLY LAND This Sunday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m., Steve Chase will give an online talk about his recent journey to Israel/Palestine and his insights about the area and its prospects of achieving peace. He is a Quaker from Friends Meeting of Washington, D.C., with a lifelong interest in the Holy Land, and author of a Pendle Hill pamphlet “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions? A Quaker Zionist Rethinks Palestinian Rights.” He visited the area in June 2023 as part of a Quaker service-learning delegation sponsored by Friends United Meeting. To register for the talk, click here.
WEEKLY MEETING FOR WORSHIP FOCUSES ON PEACE IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE You are invited to join an online meeting for worship with Friends across the United States, which takes place every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. (EST). It focuses its attention on establishing peace in Israel and Palestine, and on ending the current violent conflict. To register and get the link, click here.
FCNL OFFERS ONLINE BRIEFING ON “HOPE IN THE MIDDLE EAST,” FEB. 15 Bridget Moix, general secretary of Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), and Hassan El-Tayyab, FCNL legislative director for Middle East policy, will give an online briefing, “Glimmers of Hope in the Middle East,” this Thursday, Feb. 15, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Both speakers recently visited Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lebanon, and Jordan, with other faith leaders. In this online briefing, they will discuss their major takeaways from their trip and next steps toward a sustainable peace. To register, click here.
TAKE ACTION
PILGRIMAGE FOR PEACE: PHILLY TO D.C., FEB. 14-21 Faith leaders, activists, and artists will march from Independence Hall in Philadelphia to the White House in Washington, D.C., to urge President Biden to call for an end to violence in Palestine. The American Friends Service Committee is among a wide variety of religious organizations that support this Pilgrimage. You may join for the entire route or any part of it. To find out more and RSVP, click here.
POWER INTERFAITH CONVENTION, FEB. 19 Join clergy and people of faith from throughout Pennsylvania for POWER’s first-ever Interfaith Convention on Monday, Feb. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be held at Presidential Caterers, 2910 Dekalb Pike, East Norriton, PA 19401. Activities will focus on setting an agenda for priorities in the 2024-2025 state legislative session. Participants will hear from key state lawmakers on how they will champion POWER’s agenda, and participants will create a roadmap for justice for the year ahead. Suggested registration fee is $10, with help for people who can’t afford it. To register, click here.
REMINDERS
POWER UPDATE The monthly Live Free meeting will be Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Zoom attendance is 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 our meeting representative, Jeff Powers.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, FEB. 16 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Feb. 2, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
To live under siege, with the equilibrium and tranquility of peace, to prevent the spring of my being from being polluted by the bitter fruit of the climate of violence, to hold and re-hold the moral initiative of my own action, and to see the experience of community, all of this, to whatever extent it has been possible to achieve it, is to walk through a door that no one can shut. –Howard Thurman
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Sunday Schedule, Feb. 4, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship
Greeter Anna Burke & TJ Rafferty
Closer Ed Stivender
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Becky Johnson & Anna Weisberg
____________________________________
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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. This Sunday, Feb. 4, older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:45 a.m., when they will join the other children in the kindergarten to make Valentines. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
RESOURCE LIST ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE ISSUES Jonathan and Melissa Graf Evans, our speakers in last Saturday’s forum on the situation in Israel/Palestine, have provided us with a beautiful, annotated, digital list of resources to further one’s knowledge and understanding. It is attached to this newsletter as: Resource List on Israel/Palestine.pdf.
A CAPPELLA FEST AT GFS, FEB. 2-3 This weekend is the renowned A Cappella Fest at Germantown Friends School, with the first concert tonight from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 5421 Germantown Ave., Phila., PA 19144. The second concert, which is sold out, will be on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., also at St. Luke’s. The concerts feature a variety of guest choirs and vocal ensembles, including groups from GFS. To get tickets for tonight’s concert, click here. Cost is $19.90.
REMINDERS
NEW MEETING DIRECTORY IS AVAILABLE The new 2024 Germantown Meeting Directory has been printed, and you can pick one up this Sunday after meeting for worship! A caveat: We know it’s not perfect and that some changes requested by Friends may have been missed. We ask for everyone’s understanding. It’s been quite a process to get the Directory together, and involved a lot of work by many people. (Special thanks to Melissa Elliott, Becky Johnson, Caroline Davidson, Joanne Sharpless and Carla Childs). Our primary goal was to get it printed as soon as possible, since the last Directory was 2019-2020. The Office & Records Committee will be working to streamline the process considerably for future editions, and possibly to add an online version that’s updated in between print editions. Stay tuned. –Moira Duggan, clerk, Office & Records Committee
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Feb. 11, 18, 25
Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR MARCH &, APRIL! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
MARCH 3, 17, 24, 31
APRIL 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please see or contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.)
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR AFSC YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM “Emerging Leaders for Libration” is a hands-on learning program for young adults (ages 13-22) with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Applicants must have a relationship with an AFSC program, a Quaker meeting or church, or a Quaker college or organization. The cohort will begin meeting in April,, and applications will close on March 1. Cohort members will be required to complete an action learning project in their communities, such as gentrification, migrant rights, human rights violations in prisons, unequal access to education, institutional racism, and many more. To find out more details and to apply online, click here.
WINTER FAMILY OVERNIGHT AT CAMP ONAS, FEB. 10-11 Friends, food, fun, and a fire! Hot chocolate, stories, and games! All families with children in eighth grade and younger are invited to go to a family weekend overnight stay at Camp Onas in Ottsville, PA, on Feb. 10-11. The focus is on sharing meals, intergenerational worship and fun, and getting to know each other. Sleeping space is limited, so register soon. For more details and to register, click here.
SPEND A YEAR WITH QUAKER VOLUNTARY SERVICE! Applications are now open to become a Fellow in Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS) for the 2024-2025 cohort. You are eligible if you are a young adult, aged 21-30, who is interested in living in an intentional community, engaging in social justice work with local agencies, and exploring Quaker spirituality. QVS programs are located in four different cities: Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; or Minneapolis, MN. To find out more about the program and to apply online, click here.
PENDLE HILL EVENTS IN FEBRUARY
LECTURE ON RACIAL CHALLENGES TO TODAY’S QUAKERS, FEB. 5 “If Quakers were so active in the Abolitionist movement, then why are there so few African American Quakers today?” is the question to be addressed by Harold (Hal) Weaver this Monday, Feb. 5, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m, .at Pendle Hill. This First Monday Lecture will open Black History Month at the Quaker study and retreat center in Wallingford, PA. Hal Weaver is founding director of the Black Quaker Project and will draw from his experiences in this ministry to suggest a path forward for Quakers in the 21st century. This would emphasize healing historical injustices and responding with anti-violence to an understanding of systemic violence. He will also expand upon knowledge shared by Friends and non-Friends from various ethnic backgrounds, such as African, Asian, European, Latinx, and Middle Eastern. This lecture is free and open to the public. To learn more and register, click here.
PENDLE HILL ART STUDIO REOPENING, FEB. 15 To celebrate the reopening of Pendle Hill’s Art Studio after a long hiatus, there will be an evening of poetry and fellowship on Feb. 15, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with Pendle Hill Artist in Residence, Rhetta Morgan. Free, with no registration required. To see a map of the way to get to Pendle Hill, open pendlehill.org and go to the bottom of the page.
DISCUSSION ON MARRIAGE FOR GAY & STRAIGHT COUPLES, FEB. 21 Friends and others are invited to join a reading discussion group of the Pendle Hill Pamphlet #308, “Marriage: A Spiritual Leading for Lesbian, Gay, and Straight Couples.” It will take place by Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and is free. Open to everybody, this discussion will also be used as a lead-up to the intergenerational weekend retreat “LGBTQ+ Dreaming Sanctuary., on Feb. 23-25, also at Pendle Hill. See next announcement for details.
LGBTQ+ INTERGENERATIONAL GATHERING, FEB. 23-25 An intergenerational retreat for all ages of LGBTQ+ people will take place on the weekend of Feb. 23-25 at Pendle Hill (address above). People of all spiritual backgrounds are welcomed. High schoolers will have a designated housing area and will meet as a peer group, with additional support throughout the weekend. This retreat is an opportunity to break bread together, recenter and open to the Spirit, create new connections, and celebrate what nourishes us across generations. Costs are subsidized by a grant from the Carpenter Foundation, with funds from Friends General Conference to help people of color with expenses. Capacity is limited and filling fast. For information, click here.
PENDLE HILL CHORUS BEGINS SPRING REHEARSALS, FEB. 28 New members are invited to join the Pendle Hill Chorus for the spring season. The first rehearsal will be Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The spring concert will be May 8, at 8 p.m. The repertoire includes sacred and secular music from all over the world, made accessible to everyone, whether you can read music or not, through audio/visual learning. Everyone is welcome, from beginners to more experienced singers. The director is Jackie Coren, and the manager is Joan Broadfield. For more details, click here.
REMINDERS
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, FEB. 9 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
POWER UPDATE
The monthly Live Free meeting will be Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.
On Monday, Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a POWER Interfaith Convention, entitled “Roadmap for Justice.” RSVP and additional information can 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’re interested in a specific campaign, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 26, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Sometimes … the prayer following meditation leads to an inner silence, a stillness in the depths, which is the peace of God, passing all understanding. It cannot be commanded at will for it is the gift of God, a blessing given only to those who can cease from anxious striving and desiring. Some of us, alas, have known it only on a few occasions, but these are our richest memories, the real grounds for our faith in the reality of the realm of Spirit…. We should always go to meeting expecting this tremendous thing to happen, but never be discouraged if it does not. — Thomas F. Green, 1952.
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Sunday Schedule, Jan. 28, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Greeter Deborah Cooper
Closer Becky Johnson
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Sam Thacker & Sarah Kaufman
____________________________________
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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. Older children stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they take part in First Day School. This Sunday, Jan. 28, they will learn about Moses, his birth, and being found floating in a basket by the Pharaoh’s daughter. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
ISRAEL/PALESTINE: DEEPENING OUR UNDERSTANDING, SPEAKERS ON JAN. 27
Jonathan Evans and Melissa Graf-Evans, who have deep experience working in the Middle East, will speak at a Germantown Meeting Forum on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m., in our social room. The talk will also be available on Zoom. To attend by Zoom or in person, please email Joanne Sharpless to register. Include in your message your name, email address,and Meeting affiliation. Jonathan and Melissa request that, before attending this forum, you watch the YouTube video of Jim and Deb Fine’s interview at Fallsington Meeting to review the history of Friends in the Middle East (click here). Speakers’ backgrounds: Jonathan served as country representative for Catholic Relief Services in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, and on the Ramallah Friends School (RFS) Board. He has also been advisor to the American Friends Service Committee and Friends Committee on National Legislation. Melissa taught English to fifth graders at RFS. In 2010-2019, they organized and led 10 Westtown School education trips to Israel/Palestine. In their talk, they will share their insights from working for human rights, justice, and peace in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
NEW MEETING DIRECTORY IS AVAILABLE The new 2024 Germantown Meeting Directory has been printed, and you can pick one up this Sunday after meeting for worship! A caveat: We know it’s not perfect and that some changes requested by Friends may have been missed. We ask for everyone’s understanding. It’s been quite a process to get the Directory together, and involved a lot of work by many people. (Special thanks to Melissa Elliott, Becky Johnson, Caroline Davidson, Joanne Sharpless and Carla Childs). Our primary goal was to get it printed as soon as possible, since the last Directory was 2019-2020. The Office & Records Committee will be working to streamline the process considerably for future editions, and possibly to add an online version that’s updated in between print editions. Stay tuned. –Moira Duggan, clerk, Office & Records Committee
WEBINAR ON SETTING OUR LOBBYING PRIORITIES FOR FCNL, JAN. 31 It is once again time for Friends meetings and churches to provide input on legislative priorities to Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), a process that takes place every two years. Germantown Meeting will be participating in this discernment process this spring. At this stage, FCNL is offering a webinar this Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m., for Friends all over the country to learn more, get inspired about working with their Meeting, and find out how their discernment will shape FCNL’s work in coming years. There will be a moderator and three speakers, including Amerlia Kegan, FCNL Associate General Secretary for Policy & Advocacy, and there will be time for questions. Our member Bill Cozzens is a representative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting on the FCNL General Committee and can help find answers to any questions you might have. For more information on setting FCNL priorities and to register for the webinar, click here.
HELP GIVE AWAY FOOD THIS SUNDAY After meeting for worship this Sunday, Jan. 28, at approximately 12 noon, join others in helping distribute free food to people in the Germantown community. This is a joint project of our Meeting and The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), directed by our member Jondhi Harrell. The food is provided by TCRC, and we distribute it from tables that are set up on the sidewalk in front of the meetinghouse. Many people find this is a wonderful chance to meet members of our community while working in fellowship with other Meeting members, attenders and people from TCRC. You would be most welcome to join them and your help is needed.
CLOSERS FOR WORSHIP NEEDED Thanks to everyone who has served as a closer in the past. I hope you experienced comfort and peace during our weekly meeting for worship. I am scheduling as many closers as I can in advance. Please take a look and let me know if you are able to close on any of the dates listed below. Thank you for your past and future service. It is much appreciated. Sincerely, Rebecca Hoenig.
Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25
Mar. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
April 7, 14, 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
REMINDERS
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE JAN. 29 Germantown Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting for the 2024-2025 school year. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of our Scholarship Committee, by Monday, Jan. 29. Please deliver these to Faye in person, since the deadline is so close. Get her contact information from the Meeting office at 215-951-2235 or by sending an email message. To obtain the 2024-2025 application & guidelines packet, click here.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
FEBRUARY 18, 25
MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
APRIL 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please see or contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.)
NEWS OF FRIENDS
NEW BABY BORN TO SPAETH-VACAS Juan Carlos Vaca-Spaeth was born to our member Elizabeth Spaeth-Vaca and her husband Juan Vaca Baribay on Oct. 31, 2023, in Chicago, IL. He joins his 2-1/2-year-old brother Edmund (Teddy) and is the fourth grandchild of our members Ted and Margie Spaeth.
KAREN LIGHTNER’S BOOK IN ART EXHIBIT An exhibition at University of the Arts, opening tomorrow, Jan. 27, includes a fine art book by our member Karen Lightner, who will be at the opening reception Saturday, taking place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Entitled “Books as Life,” the exhibit features books representing the impact of art and creativity as people move through their daily lives. Light refreshments will be served at the reception. Free and open to the public. Guests are required to show identification and sign in with campus security. The exhibit will be held in Gallery 224, University of the Arts, 333 S. Broad St. (between Spruce and Pine Sts.), Philadelphia, PA 19106.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
SERIES BEGINS ON ‘WHY PALESTINE MATTERS,’ FEB. 1 Hosted by the Middle East Collaborative, “Why Palestine Matters” is a six-week online series that begins this Thursday, Feb. 1, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and continues on Thursdays through March. It will present perspectives and histories to put news headlines in a broader context and point out ways to learn more and to be an advocate. To register, click here. The Collaborative is part of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
GATHERING ON FRIENDS MEETINGS & SCHOOLS, FEB. 3 This gathering is for Friends involved in the meeting-school care relationship and will have a panel and plenty of time for sharing joys and concerns, ideas and inspiration. It is co-hosted by Friends Council on Education and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and will be held at Arch Street Meeting House, 4th & Arch Streets, in Philadelphia. It begins at 9:30 a.m. with registration and light refreshments; followed by welcome and opening worship; a panel of school leaders, students, and clerks; small-group discussion of queries; lunch, and an afternoon of small-group work on directions to take. Cost is $30, which covers breakfast and lunch. If you don’t have the money, contact Deborra. To see the day’s schedule and find out more, click here.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is accepting applications for a hands-on learning program, Emerging Leaders for Liberation. Applicants must be 18 to 22 years old as of April 1, 2024, and have a relationship to an AFSC program, a Quaker college or organization, or a Quaker meeting. The cohort will begin meeting in April 2024. Applications close on March 1. Apply by clicking here.
FAMILY OVERNIGHT AT CAMP ONAS, FEB. 10-11 All families with children in the eighth grade and younger are invited to join others at Camp Onas for an overnight event. It will focus on building community, sharing meals, worshiping together intergenerationally, and having fun. Space is limited, so register soon. Cost is $15 per adult and $10 per child. For more information and to register, click here.
REMINDERS
PHILADELPHIA QUARTERLY MEETING ON JAN. 28 Come hear a Quaker planner speak about the Quaker tradition and its current possibilities at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting on Sunday, Jan. 28, at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry St., in downtown Philadelphia. Karen Lautzenheiser, who has 30 of years experience in corporate communications, will draw from a wide range of Quaker thinkers for her presentation, which will begin at 1 p.m. in the Rufus Jones Room. Everyone is invited to begin the day by joining Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for worship at 11 a.m., followed by a potluck lunch at 12 noon. After Karen gives her talk, there will be a meeting for business at 2:15 p.m., ending with farewells at 4 p.m. Please register by clicking here, where you can also sign-up to bring a potluck dish to share and indicate if you need childcare. Limited onsite parking is available; get a placard at the front desk and place it in your windshield. Paid parking is available in the lot at 15th and Cherry Streets, and a sticker for a partial discount is available at the front desk. Wearing masks is welcome, and social distancing is encouraged.
TAKE ACTION
VIGIL FOR PEACE, JAN. 27 The monthly Vigil for Peace in Chestnut Hill will take place tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Location is across from the Saturday Farmers Market, at Germantown Ave. and Mermaid Lane. Peace flags, large banners, and signs provided. The focus is “The Only Side Is Peace,” calling for a cease-fire in Israel/Palestine and ending the threat of nuclear war there and in the rest of the world. Sponsored by the Brandywine Peace Community. For information, call organizer Bob Smith, 215-843-4827 or see details by clicking here.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, JAN. 19 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
REMINDER: POWER UPDATE
Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m., Climate Justice and Jobs Whole Team Meeting
Additional upcoming events can be found on the POWER Interfaith calendar
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, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 19, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
At one point in my life I became acutely aware of the internal effects of a significant resentment toward another person, generated by a deeply hurtful experience…. One of my spiritual mentors advised me to pray for that person…. She said that I did not even have to mean it but should ask this person be given everything I would hope to have myself for a happy, full life…. I did as instructed. Within two short weeks I found myself softening…. Eventually I was able to feel true compassion for him. It was, for me, a miraculous transformation. This prayer became an indispensable tool in my life and the basis for reconciliation as a spiritual practice. –Connie McPeak Green, 2008
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Sunday Schedule, Jan. 21, 2024
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship
Greeter Bill Cozzens
Closer Lois Volta
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Kate O’Shea & Peter Yeomans
____________________________________
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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if you’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. Older children stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m., when they take part in First Day School. This Sunday, Jan. 21, the children will continue with the story of Joseph, learning what happened to him after he was sold as a slave in Egypt. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
ISRAEL/PALESTINE: DEEPENING OUR UNDERSTANDING, SPEAKERS ON JAN. 27
Jonathan Evans and Melissa Graf-Evans, who have deep experience working in the Middle East, will speak at a Germantown Meeting Forum on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m., in our social room. The talk will also be available on Zoom. To attend by Zoom or in person, please email Joanne Sharpless to register. Include in your message your name, email address,and Meeting affiliation. Jonathan and Melissa request that, before attending this forum, you watch the YouTube video of Jim and Deb Fine’s interview at Fallsington Meeting to review the history of Friends in the Middle East (click here).
Speakers’ background: Jonathan served as country representative for Catholic Relief Services in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, and on the Ramallah Friends School (RFS) Board. He has also been advisor to the American Friends Service Committee and Friends Committee on National Lelgislation. Melissa taught English to fifth graders at RFS. In 2010-2019, they organized and led 10 Westtown School education trips to Israel/Palestine. In their talk, they will share their insights from working for human rights, justice, and peace in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
QVS FELLOWS TO VISIT US SUNDAY, JAN. 21 Let’s give a big welcome to the QVS fellows who will join us for worship this Sunday. These will be our visitors: Kat Kastrong, working at Pendle Hill; Emma Fee, working with ACHIEVability in Philadelphia; and Shay Pilot, working with Fair Hill Burial Ground. Sarah Bluet, a previous fellow who is again living in the QVS house, may join them, as may Rachael Carter, the Philadelphia co-ordinator.
HELP GIVE AWAY FOOD THIS SUNDAY After meeting for worship this Sunday, at approximately 12 noon, join others in helping distribute free food to people in the Germantown community. This is a joint project of our Meeting and The Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), directed by our member Jondhi Harrell. The food is provided by TCRC, and we distribute it from tables that are set up on the sidewalk in front of the meetinghouse. Many people find this is a wonderful chance to meet members of our community while working in fellowship with other Meeting members, attenders and people from TCRC. You would be most welcome to join them and your help is needed. Dress warmly.
REFRESHMENT PROVIDERS NEEDED FOR FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL! Many thanks to all who have served us during the past months. You have added so much to the fellowship of our community and visitors! We hope everyone will volunteer for refreshments a couple of Sundays a year. We are in need of refreshment volunteers for:
FEBRUARY 18, 25
MARCH 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
APRIL 7, 14, 21, 28
To sign up, please see or contact Becky Johnson, or look for the sign-up sheet in the social room after worship. (Please note: You are welcome to submit your receipts to Melissa Elliott if you would like to be reimbursed for your refreshments purchases. Or, you may count them as a tax deductible contribution to the Meeting by turning in your receipts and getting an acknowledgement letter from Melissa.)
UPDATE: HEARING ON MURDER OF ZACHARIAH JULYE In a hearing this past Wednesday, Judge Charles Ehrlich of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, decided that Nathaniel Dorsey, the defendant accused of murdering Zachariah Julye, will remain in jail pending his trial, scheduled to begin June 3, 2024. His potential release had been of clear concern to Zachariah’s parents, Kent Julye and Tracy Mills. Jury selection for the trial will commence on June 3, with the trial to begin on June 4. The case is expected to go to the jury on or before June 7. The presence of Friends and friends during this first week in June is most important. Twenty-six supporters of the family went to the preliminary hearing on Nov. 21, 2022, and it would be helpful if this level of support could be repeated for the trial phase. Please consider putting these dates on your calendar. Closer to the time, a schedule will be created so someone from Meeting is always present. Kent and Tracy are extremely appreciative of our continued support. —Karen Lightner
REMINDERS
MOTTO CALENDARS ARE STILL AVAILABLE! There are a few Quaker Motto calendars left for sale at $1 apiece. The calendar is small, 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, with a hole for hanging it on the wall. Each month has a number of short, insightful quotations. Although there’s not room for making notes, many people find it a nice daily reminder of what’s important in life. The calendars were developed by the Scattergoods, a local Quaker family, and the calendars have been used and loved by Quakers all over the country for generations. If you would like to pick up one or more calendars, see Moira Duggan during the social hour this morning.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE JAN. 29 Germantown Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting for the 2024-2025 school year. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of our Scholarship Committee, by Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Get her contact information from the Meeting Office (215-951-2235). To obtain the 2024-2025 application & guidelines packet, click here.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP TO MEET JAN. 23 The monthly meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group in January will be moved back a week because the leader John Colgan-Davis will be out of town earlier in the month. Participants are asked to finish reading the book 1619, as well as the two articles distributed in December, and to see the film Rustin on Netflix, if you have access to it. The meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. For details about location, contact John Colgan-Davis.
NEWS OF FRIENDS
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR JAYSON MASSEY’S MOTHER, JAN. 20 The memorial service for my Jayson Massey’s mother will be held at Germantown Friends Meetinghouse, 47 W Coulter St., on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m. To reach him, send an email message.
DEBORAH COOPER TO OFFER MINDFULNESS CLASS Starting Monday, our member Deborah Cooper will lead a five-week Zoom class on Mindfulness, a Buddhist practice to quiet our own minds and bring compassion and peacefulness to our lives and to others. In using mindfulness, one learns to manage the mind, watch one’s thoughts and emotions, and acknowledge one’s own suffering with compassion, while holding the suffering of others with kindness. Deborah Cooper is a licensed counselor in private practice. She has practiced mindfulness and Buddhism for the last 15 years and studied Mindfulness-based stress reduction at Thomas Jefferson Hospital. This series is sponsored by Friends Counseling Service of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. It will run every Monday from Jan. 22 through Feb. 26, with no program on Feb. 19. Friends are invited to make a donation, as led and able, to the Arlene Kelly Fund of PYM, which provides operating expenses for the Friends Counseling Service. To find out more and to register, click here.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
REGISTER NOW FOR QUARTERLY MEETING ON JAN. 28 Come hear a Quaker planner speak about the Quaker tradition and its current possibilities at Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting on Sunday, Jan. 28, at Friends Center, 1501 Cherry St., in downtown Philadelphia. Karen Lautzenheiser, who has 30 of years experience in corporate communications, will draw from a wide range of Quaker thinkers for her presentation, which will begin at 1 p.m. in the Rufus Jones Room. Everyone is invited to begin the day by joining Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for worship at 11 a.m., followed by a potluck lunch at 12 noon. After Karen gives her talk, there will be a meeting for business at 2:15 p.m., ending with farewells at 4 p.m. Please register by clicking here, where you can also sign-up to bring a potluck dish to share and indicate if you need childcare. Limited onsite parking is available; get a placard at the front desk and place it in your windshield. Paid parking is available in the lot at 15th and Cherry Streets, and a sticker for a partial discount is available at the front desk. Wearing masks is welcome, and social distancing is encouraged.
REMINDERS
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR HAVERFORD FELLOWSHIPS Haverford College is accepting applications for its 2024-2025 short-term fellowship programs. The Gest Fellowship in particular provides money for scholars at any stage of their careers to use Haverford Library’s Quaker & Special Collections, which documents history, faith, and practice of the Religious Society of Friends from its founding to the present, including materials on the history of abolition, health and environment, relief work, and much more. Haverford Libraries encourages members of traditionally underrepresented groups to apply for these fellowships, as well as members of the dominant culture. Deadline for applications is Feb. 12. To learn more about this and other fellowships, click here.
THREAD GATHERING ON GOVERNANCE & STEWARDSHIP, JAN. 27 This gathering will focus on property and burial ground issues of Quaker Meetings. Workshops will cover: greening our meetings, safety & security, burial grounds maintenance, risk management, planning for future, and steps you can take, from small to large. It will take place at Arch Street Meeting House, 4th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free. To learn more and see the schedule for the day, click here.
TAKE ACTION
POWER UPDATE
Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m., Climate Justice and Jobs Whole Team Meeting
Additional upcoming events can be found on the POWER Interfaith calendar
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, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, JAN. 19 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 12, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
I believe there is something in the mind, or in the heart, that shows its approbation when we do right. I give myself this advice:
Do not fear truth, let it be so contrary to inclination and feeling. Never give up the search after it: and let me take courage,
and try from the bottom of my heart to do that which I believe truth dictates, if it leads me to be a Quaker or not.
~ Elizabeth Fry, 1780-1845
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Sunday Schedule, Jan. 14, 2024
9 a.m. Hybrid Meeting for Business* (In meetinghouse and via Zoom. Use same link as for worship.)
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer David Mettler
Greeter Jonathan Busser
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Usha & Norris Childs
*AGENDA
Meeting for Business
Query – Faye Steacy, followed by worship
Corrections to Minutes of Dec. 2023 Meeting for Business- Becky Johnson, recording clerk
(Members are respectfully requested to review the minutes and identify any needed corrections BEFORE meeting.)
Worship & Ministry Committee – David Mettler
Care & Visiting Committee – Peter Samuel
Report from Trustees – Bill Stassen
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting – Joanne Sharpless & Karen Lightner
Worship sharing on a set of queries from PQM’s clerk, Steve Elkington
– What would draw you to participate in PQM?
– How can we involve children and families?
– Can we support each other through coordinated intervisitation, especially to
nurture the smaller meetings in the Quarter?
– How can we become a “fellowship forum” to support each other better?
– Should we organize fellowship events such as a poetry evening, a singing fest.
field trips, potluck gatherings, or historic tours?
– Are there projects we could take up together as a band of meetings?
– Can we serve as a “voice for Quakers” regarding Philadelphia’s key social issues?
– Is PQM even needed in today’s fast-paced world?
– If not, should PQM be laid down?
Announcements
– Clerk to attend Friends Schools-Friends Meetings Triad Gathering on 2/3
– Support for Julye/Mills family for court hearing Wed, 1/17, at 10 a.m.
– Steve Chase speaking at CPMM Sunday 1/21 at 1 p.m. on “Seeking Justice on the Holy Land”
– Jonathan Evans & Melissa Graf-Evans speaking at GMM Saturday, 1/27, at 3 p.m.,
on “Israel/Palestine: Deepening our Understanding”
Closing Worship
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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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
· Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish. We have a supply if yo’ve forgotten yours.
· If you have a fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN This Sunday, Jan. 14, young children will start out with Maalik in the kindergarten at 10:30 a.m. Older children will stay in Meeting until 10:45 a.m., when they will go over to the Sharpless building to work on their Martin Luther King Day project: making hats, scarves, and neck-warmers for people who need warm winter clothes. If any parents want their younger children to be part of this project, you are most welcome to join us. You can come out of Meeting at 10:45 a.m., pick up your children at the kindergarten, and bring them over to the Sharpless building. (You will be needed to stay and help supervise!) We plan to finish and clean up around 11:40 a.m., and will bring the children back to the meetinghouse then. Parents who want to pick up their children before that time should go to the Sharpless Building and call or text one of us to let you in.
Young Friends are strongly encouraged to join in on this project. We could really use your skills!
MEETING NEWS
MLK DAY OF SERVICE AT GERMANTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL, JAN. 15 Everyone is invited to join students, staff, families, and friends at Germantown Friends School (GFS), Monday, Jan. 15, at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year, the Day of Service honors Martin Luther King, Jr., and celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A variety of workshops are led by GFS faculty and students. Please see the choices and sign up online by clicking here, where you can also view the schedule for the day.
SUPPORT KENT JULYE & TRACY MILLS ON JAN. 17 There will be another pre-trial hearing on Jan. 17 for Nathaniel Dorsey, the young man who is accused of killing Zachariah Julye in July 2022. His lawyer is trying to get him released on home arrest. Several members of Germantown Meeting have attended the hearings to support Zachariah’s parents, Kent Julye and Tracy Mills, and it really makes a difference to them. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in a courtroom on the third floor of the Criminal Justice Center, Filbert St., downtown Philadelphia. If you are interested in attending, please contact Karen Lightner, and she’ll email the details when she gets them. The last hearing was changed three times and then postponed to Jan. 17. This hearing is reliant on the ballistics report being completed.
Germantown Meeting Forum: Israel/Palestine: Deepening Our Understanding, with Jonathan Evans & Melissa Graf-Evans, Saturday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m., in GMM social room. Jonathan Evans and Melissa Graf-Evans moved to Jerusalem in summer 1992 with one child and left five years later with three children. While there, Jonathan served as the Catholic Relief Services Country Representative for Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza. Melissa taught English to fifth graders at Ramallah Friends School. The family attended Ramallah Friends Meeting, where Jonathan served on the Board. Jonathan has since returned to the Middle East on short-term assignments with the American Friends Service Committee and Friends Committee on National Legislation. The two of them organized and led ten annual Westtown School educational trips to Israel/Palestine between 2010 and 2019. They volunteered for two months in early 2022 with the Siraj Center, a Palestinian alternative travel non-profit in Beit Sahour, participated in a 2022 Combatants for Peace trip organized by a rabbi from Mt. Airy and co-led, with Jim and Deb Fine, a March 2023 trip for educators from Quaker schools sponsored by Friends Council on Education. They have also lived and worked in West Africa and Southeast Asia. On Jan. 27, they will share with us some of their insights, gleaned from working for human rights, justice, and peace in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
REMINDERS
A FEW MOTTO CALENDARS ARE STILL AVAILABLE! There are a few Quaker Motto calendars left for sale at $1 apiece. The calendar is small, 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, with a hole for hanging it on the wall. Each month has a number of short, insightful quotations. Although there’s not room for making notes, many people find it a nice daily reminder of what’s important in life. The calendars were developed by the Scattergoods, a local Quaker family, and the calendars have been used and loved by Quakers all over the country for generations. If you would like to pick up one or more calendars, see Moira Duggan during the social hour this morning.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE JAN. 29 Germantown Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting for the 2024-2025 school year. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of our Scholarship Committee, by Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Get her contact information from the Meeting office. To obtain the 2024-2025 application & guidelines packet, click here.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP TO MEET JAN. 23 The monthly meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group in January will be moved back a week because the leader John Colgan-Davis will be out of town earlier in the month. Participants are asked to finish reading the book 1619, as well as the two articles distributed in December, and to see the film Rustin on Netflix, if you have access to it. The meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. For details about location, contact John Colgan-Davis.
HOW OUR CHILDREN HEAR MESSAGES Before our children proceed to First Day School, they are present in meeting for worship for the first 20 minutes. The first question students are asked after leaving meeting for worship is, “Who spoke in meeting and what did they say?” This always prompts a discussion: first about who the speaker was, and then about the message. What was it? What was important to the person who spoke? How does it relate to you and the world around you? Our children endeavor to understand the messages, their meaning and their relevance, just as the adults do, and they benefit greatly when there are messages that are appropriate for them and to which they can relate. –from the Worship and Ministry Committee
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
WOOLMAN CENTER TRANSFERS LAND TO LOCAL TRIBE In a move to address the need for reparations, Woolman Center (College Park Friends Educational Association) joyously announces it has entered into escrow with California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) to transition the Woolman property to CHIRP. This is designated for the benefit of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, on whose ancestral homeland the Woolman property sits. It is expected to take several months to resolve legal contingencies. Members of the Woolman Board are excited about CHIRP’s vision for the Nisenan’s ancestral land, which includes youth programming. More information about this project, including links to background about the Nisenan Tribe, can be found at
https://www.woolman.org.
APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR HAVERFORD FELLOWSHIPS Haverford College is accepting applications for its 2024-2025 short-term fellowship programs. The Gest Fellowship in particular provides money for scholars at any stage of their careers to use Haverford Library’s Quaker & Special Collections, which documents history, faith, and practice of the Religious Society of Friends from its founding to the present, including materials on the history of abolition, health and environment, relief work, and much more. Haverford Libraries encourages members of traditionally underrepresented groups to apply for these fellowships, as well as members of the dominant culture. Deadline for applications is Feb. 12. To learn more about this and other fellowships, click here.
THREAD GATHERING ON GOVERNANCE & STEWARDSHIP, JAN. 27 This gathering will focus on property and burial grounds issues of Quaker Meetings. Workshops will cover: greening our meetings, safety & security, burial grounds maintenance, risk management, planning for future, and steps you can take, from small to large. It will take place at Arch Street Meeting House, 4th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free. To learn more and see the schedule for the day, click here.
TAKE ACTION
UPDATE ON AFSC RESPONSE IN GAZA The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is providing emergency relief to displaced people in the Khan Yunis and Rafah regions of Gaza and has distributed food to more than 13,000 people since October. It has also delivered more than 2,000 hygiene kits and 3,000 liters of drinking water, working with partners on activities for displaced children. In the weeks ahead, these efforts will continue, reaching tens of thousands more people with hot meals, food parcels, water, blankets, and clothing. Kerri Kennedy, associate general secretary for International Programs at the AFSC, urges us all to contact Congress and demand a cease-fire and humanitarian access in Gaza to those who need help. The AFSC gladly accepts donations for its relief efforts in the region by using this link: click here.
DEMONSTRATION AT LOCKHEED MARTIN ON MLK DAY Beginning at noon this Monday, Jan. 15, there will be a Time of Nonviolent Action at Lockheed Martin, 230 Mall Blvd., King of Prussia, PA. Participants will adhere to the discipline of nonviolence “of fist, tongue, and heart” (Martin Luther King, Jr.). The demonstration will include vigiling with banners and posters, bell-tolling and readings from King at the well-traveled corner of Marne and Goddard Boulevards, in front of Lockheed Martin’s offices, which are behind the King of Prussia Mall. At the end of the service, some participants will take part in nonviolent civil disobedience by crossing onto corporate premises. Lockheed Martin’s war profits are soaring, not coincidentally at the same time the United States is heavily supporting wars in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine. In fact, Lockheed Martin maintains a separate weapons manufacturing division in the state of Israel, the only nuclear armed power in the Middle East and is now starting construction on a large addition to its King of Prussia complex. Since January 1977, the Brandywine Peace Community has honored the birth, life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., by protesting and nonviolently resisting war, racism, and injustice. For more information on the Monday demonstration, click here or call our member, Bob Smith, 215-843-4827.
POWER UPDATE
Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m., PGW Just Transition Campaign Meeting
Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m., Climate Justice and Jobs Whole Team Meeting
Additional upcoming events can be found on the POWER Interfaith calendar
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, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
REMINDERS
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, JAN. 19 Everyone is welcome at the weekly Friday vigil from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Jan. 5, 2024
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
My command to you is: love your enemies, pray for your persecutors…. For [God’s] sun rises on the bad and the good, he rains on the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what merit is there in that? … And if you greet your brothers [and sisters] only, what is so praiseworthy about that? Do not pagans do as much? In a word, you must be made perfect as your Father is perfect. –Matt. 5:44-48
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Sunday Schedule, Jan. 7, 2024
9 a.m. Adult Class (see below)*
10:30 Hybrid Meeting for Worship (Zoom link below)
Closer Kathy Paulmier
Greeter Anthony Stover
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
11:45 a.m. Refreshments, by Valerie Nehez & Anthony Tyler
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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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish.
If you have a fever or are feeling unwell with a cold, flu, or Covid 19, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
You are no longer required to sign in when you arrive at meeting for worship.
Vaccinations against Covid are no longer required to attend meeting for worship.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. Older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
SEND YOUR CORRECTIONS FOR THE DIRECTORY RIGHT AWAY The Meeting’s long-awaited new Directory will soon go to press. Please review your listing in the draft that was distributed by email from the Office on Dec. 27. Send any last-minute corrections to Moira Duggan rather than to Melissa. This will help streamline our process. Thank you. –Moira Duggan
*THIS SUNDAY: VIDEO OF JIM & DEB FINE ON MIDDLE EAST Adult class this Sunday, Jan. 7, at 9 a.m., will feature a video of Friends Jim and Deb Fine discussing the situation in Israel/Palestine. They worked in the Middle East, Israel, and Palestine for many years as staff members of the American Friends Service Committee. This video was taped on Oct. 11, 2023, at Fallsington Monthly Meeting. It will provide background information for an in-person talk by Jonathan Evans at our adult class, planned for Sunday, Jan. 27. (See next announcement.)
Germantown Meeting Forum
Israel/Palestine: Deepening Our Understanding
Jonathan Evans & Melissa Graf-Evans
Saturday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m., in GMM social room
Jonathan Evans and Melissa Graf-Evans moved to Jerusalem in summer 1992 with one child and left five years later with three children. While there, Jonathan served as the Catholic Relief Services Country Representative for Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza, and Melissa taught English to fifth graders at Ramallah Friends School. The family attended Ramallah Friends Meeting, and Jonathan served on the Board of Ramallah Friends School. Jonathan has since returned to the Middle East on short-term assignments with the American Friends Service Committee and Friends Committee on National Legislation. The two of them organized and led ten annual Westtown School educational trips to Israel/Palestine between 2010 and 2019. They volunteered for two months in early 2022 with the Siraj Center, which is a Palestinian alternative travel non-profit in Beit Sahour, participated in a Combatants for Peace trip in October 2022, organized by a rabbi from Mt. Airy and co-led with Jim and Deb Fine, a March 2023 trip for educators from Quaker schools, sponsored by Friends Council on Education. They have also lived and worked in West Africa and Southeast Asia. On Jan. 27, they will share with us some of their insights, gleaned from working for human rights, justice, and peace in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
REMINDERS
MOTTO CALENDARS AVAILABLE NOW! If you would like to send Quaker Motto Calendars to friends or family members, there is a supply available in our Meeting Office for $1 per copy. The calendar is small, 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, with a small hole for hanging it on the wall. Each month has a number of short, insightful quotations. Although there is not room for making notes, many people find it a nice daily reminder of what’s important in life. The calendars were developed by the Scattergoods, a local Quaker family, and the calendars have been used and loved by Quakers all over the country for generations. If you would like to pick up one or more calendars, speak to Melissa Elliott, Meeting secretary, on Sundays, or call her at 215-951-2235 to make sure she is in the office before you drop by.
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP TO MEET JAN. 23 The monthly meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group in January will be moved back a week because the leader John Colgan-Davis will be out of town earlier in the month. Participants are asked to finish reading the book 1619, as well as the two articles distributed in December, and to see the film Rustin on Netflix if you have access to it. The meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. For details about location, contact John Colgan-Davis.
HOW OUR CHILDREN HEAR MESSAGES Before our children proceed to First Day School, they are present in meeting for worship for the first 20 minutes. The first question students are asked after leaving meeting for worship is, “Who spoke in meeting and what did they say?” This always prompts a discussion: first about who the speaker was, and then about the message. What was it? What was important to the person who spoke? How does it relate to you and the world around you? Our children endeavor to understand the messages, their meaning and their relevance, just as the adults do, and they benefit greatly when there are messages that are appropriate for them and to which they can relate. –from the Worship and Ministry Committee
TIME TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS Germantown Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting for the 2024-2025 school year. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of our Scholarship Committee, by Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Get her contact information from the Meeting Office at 215-951-2235 or gmm@germantownfriends.org. To open the 2024-2025 application & guidelines packet, click here.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
QUAKER DISCUSSION GROUP BEGINS, JAN. 8 How do we Friends minister, steward, and witness? These are our three jobs when we follow the Quaker path, says Nadine Hoover, leader of “Walking in the World as a Friend: Essential Quaker Practices.” This free discussion group meets monthly, opening with worship and a message from Nadine’s book by the same name as the group. This is followed by worship sharing, discussion, questions, reflections, and implications for each person. Practice to be used in between discussions are journaling, working with a spiritual companion, and scripture study. The book may be purchased or an online version used for free. To register, click here.
TAKE ACTION
REMINDERS
POWER CITY-WIDE MEETING, JAN. 7, at 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at First Unitarian Church, 21st and Chestnut Streets. 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, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, JAN. 12 You are invited to a weekly Friday vigil from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. This will continue every Friday at the same time until the senator publicly supports an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Gaza in accordance with U.S. House Resolution 786. The vigil is rooted in traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Dec. 29, 2023
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Perhaps it is this integrity — the concept of the wholeness of creation — that will jolt humanity onto a course of sustainability, often uncomfortable, but change is a must. We need to nurture ourselves and each other, but ultimately we need to nurture the earth — our mother. –Josephine Vallentine, 1991
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Sunday Schedule, Dec. 31, 2023
10:30 a.m. Two separate meetings: In person at the meetinghouse in front of the fireplace, and online. (Zoom link below)
Closer Faye Steacy online and Melissa Elliott in-person
Greeter Karen Lightner
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
12 noon Refreshments, by Joanne & Tom Sharpless
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This Sunday, Dec. 31, we will have separate meetings for worship: One in person, in front of the fireplace in the social room of the meetinghouse, and one online by Zoom (use the below link).
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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish.
If you have a fever or are feeling unwell with a cold, flu, or Covid 19, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
You are no longer required to sign in when you arrive at meeting for worship.
Vaccinations against Covid are no longer required to attend meeting for worship.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. Older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
VIDEO OF JIM & DEB FINE ON MIDDLE EAST, JAN. 7 Adult class on Sunday, Jan. 7, at 9 a.m., will feature a video on Friends Jim and Deb Fine in our committee room, discussing the current situation in Israel/Palestine. They worked in the Middle East, Israel, and Palestine for many years as staff members of the American Friends Service Committee. This video was taped on Oct. 11 this year at Fallsington Monthly Meeting. It will provide background information for an in-person talk by Jonathan Evans, planned for later in January .
LAST THREE DAYS TO DONATE BEFORE END OF CALENDAR YEAR! Friends, we are at the end of the calendar year. For those who itemize deductions, now is the time to contribute to Germantown Meeting. Checks dated this year and online contributions made before midnight Sunday will count. To get your donation in the Meeting quickly, drop it in the locked donation box in the social room of the meetinghouse, donate online at pym.org (click on “Donate,” and scroll down to designate it for Germantown Meeting), or date your check before Dec. 31 and pop it in the mail. We do not pass a contribution plate in meeting for worship, and we send out only two mailings a year. Funds are needed to heat and maintain the meetinghouse, run the Meeting office, pay our covenants to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, support Friends’ children in Friends Schools, and all our other programs. Financial support is an integral part of membership in the Meeting, and raising the necessary funds is the collective and individual responsibility of the membership. Please donate as generously as you can at this time. –Jonathan Rhoads, clerk, Fundraising Committee
ANTI-RACISM DISCUSSION GROUP TO MEET JAN. 23 The monthly meeting of the Anti-Racism Discussion Group in January will be moved back a week because the leader John Colgan-Davis will be out of town earlier in the month. Participants are asked to finish reading the book 1619, as well as the two articles distributed in December, and to see the film Rustin on Netflix if you have access to it. The meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. For details about location, contact John Colgan-Davis.
REMINDERS
MOTTO CALENDARS AVAILABLE NOW! If you would like to send Quaker Motto Calendars to friends or family members, there is a supply available in our Meeting Office for $1 per copy. The calendar is small, 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, with a small hole for hanging it on the wall. Each month has a number of short, insightful quotations. Although there is not room for making notes, many people find it a nice daily reminder of what’s important in life. The calendars were developed by the Scattergoods, a local Quaker family, and the calendars have been used and loved by Quakers all over the country for generations. Here’s a sample quote for January: “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending,” by Carl Bard. If you would like to pick up one or more calendars, speak to Melissa Elliott, Meeting secretary, on Sundays, or call her at 215-951-2235 to make sure she is in the office before you drop by.
HOW OUR CHILDREN HEAR MESSAGES Before our children proceed to First Day School, they are present in meeting for worship for the first 20 minutes. The first question students are asked after leaving meeting for worship is, “Who spoke in meeting and what did they say?” This always prompts a discussion: first about who the speaker was, and then about the message. What was it? What was important to the person who spoke? How does it relate to you and the world around you? Our children endeavor to understand the messages, their meaning and their relevance, just as the adults do, and they benefit greatly when there are messages that are appropriate for them and to which they can relate. –from the Worship and Ministry Committee
TIME TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS Germantown Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting for the 2024-2025 school year. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of our Scholarship Committee, by Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Get her contact information by email from the Meeting Office or at 215-951-2235. To open the 2024-2025 application & guidelines packet, click here.
QUAKER NEWS & EVENTS
QUAKER DISCUSSION GROUP BEGINS, JAN. 8 How do we Friends minister, steward, and witness? These are our three jobs when we follow the Quaker path, says Nadine Hoover, leader of “Walking in the World as a Friend: Essential Quaker Practices.” This free discussion group meets monthly, opening with worship and a message from Nadine’s book by the same name as the group. This is followed by worship sharing, discussion, questions, reflections, and implications for each person. Practice to be used in between discussions are journaling, working with a spiritual companion, and scripture study. The book may be purchased or an online version used for free. To register, click here.
TAKE ACTION
REACH-OUT FOR PEACE & DEFUSE NUCLEAR WAR, DEC. 30 In this time of war, as the threat of nuclear war looms like no other time in decades, it is more important than ever to convey the message to the public that peace is truly a choice. How do we reach such a lofty ideal? With negotiation and a cease-fire, and by worldwide defusing of nuclear arsenals. And by believing it is possible and acting like it is. On Saturday, Dec. 30, at 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., you are invited to lend your voice and presence to a “Reach-Out for Peace” at the corner of Germantown Ave. and Mermaid Lane in Chestnut Hill, across from the Peace Park. Flags, large banners, and signs will be provided. Come, join like-minded people to reach out to others in care and concern and say these things that need to be said. Bring a folding chair if you wish to sit. For questions or more information, call Bob Smith, director of the Brandywine Peace Community, at 215-843-4827.
POWER UPDATE
The quarterly Philly Friends in POWER meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7pm. Zoom information.
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, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, JAN. 5 You are invited to a weekly Friday vigil from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. This will continue every Friday at the same time until the senator publicly supports an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Gaza in accordance with U.S. House Resolution 786. The vigil is rooted in the traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (click here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 (the U.S. Customs building).
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Friday Bee (Bulletin), Germantown Monthly Meeting, Dec. 22, 2023
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Message from Ramallah Friends School & Meeting
A touching musical message was the response from Ramallah Friends School to a letter from Plymouth Monthly Meeting conveying love and concern for all the people of Palestine and Israel. Set to the tune of “The Little Drummer Boy,” the students pictured above sing their own words. To listen to the choir, click here (and ignore the YouTube ads). Their written message says, “May our shared prayers echo for peace and justice, weaving a tapestry of hope that goes beyond borders, embracing the shared humanity we all hold dear.” (from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’sWeekly News & Events)
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and, in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
–Luke 1:78-79, Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version
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Sunday Schedule, Dec. 24, 2023
10:30 a.m. Hybrid meeting for worship. Zoom link below.
Closer TBA
Greeter Joanne Sharpless
11:30 a.m. Introductions & Announcements
12 noon Refreshments, by Jillian Galle & Aaron Wunsch
____________________________________
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 and announcements.
Our current covid-19 safety measures for the meetinghouse are as follows:
Masks are optional. Feel free to wear one if you wish.
If you have a fever or are feeling unwell with a cold, flu, or Covid 19, please stay home and join our worship on Zoom.
You are no longer required to sign in when you arrive at meeting for worship.
Vaccinations against Covid are no longer required to attend meeting for worship.
FIRST DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS & CHILD CARE CHILDREN Child Care starts at 10:30 a.m. in the kindergarten building, across the driveway from the meetinghouse, on the side of the burial ground. Older children will stay in meeting for worship with their parents until 10:50 a.m. This Sunday, Dec. 24, Joanne Sharpless will stand up at 10:50 to take the older children out of meeting. Please contact Carla Childs, if you have any questions. (Children of any age are always welcome to join their parents in meeting for worship.)
MEETING NEWS
FROM THE FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE As we approach the end of the calendar year, your Fundraising Committee wants to remind members and attenders of the need to support Germantown Meeting financially. We do not pass a contribution plate in meeting for worship, and we send out only two mailings a year. Funds are required to heat and maintain the meetinghouse, run the Meeting office, pay our covenants to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, support Friends children in Friends Schools, and all of our other programs. Financial support is an integral part of membership in the Meeting, and raising the necessary funds is the collective and individual responsibility of the membership. Please donate as generously as you can at this time. –Jonathan Rhoads, clerk, Fundraising Committee
THANK YOU FROM KELLY SCHOOL LIBRARY In these days of troubling news, the Meeting received a heartening message this week from Corinne Brady, program coordinator of library volunteers at Kelly Elementary School. Germantown Meeting sent a donation to Kelly School Library, as we have done for many years. Here is an excerpt from her thank-you note, which lets us know how our donation will be used: “… your $500 donation check has arrived…. I’m so grateful for this donation and for your persistence in getting it to us. We most likely will be putting the funds toward a second table and four chairs set in a section of the library designated for students’ research, quiet study, and make-up test-taking. We so appreciate your continuing to think of us.”
MOTTO CALENDARS AVAILABLE NOW! If you would like to send Quaker Motto Calendars to friends or family members, there is a supply available in our Meeting Office for $1 per copy. The calendar is small, 4-3/4″ x 6-3/4″, with a small hole for hanging it on the wall. Envelopes are available for mailing. Each month has a number of short, insightful quotations at the top to hearten the soul. Although there is not room for making notes on the calendar, many people find it a nice daily reminder of what’s important in life. The calendars were developed by the Scattergoods, a local Quaker family, and the calendars have been used and loved by Quakers all over the country for generations. Here’s a sample quote for January: “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step,” by Martin Luther King, Jr. If you would like to pick up one or more calendars, speak to Melissa Elliott, Meeting secretary, on Sundays, or call her at 215-951-2235 to make sure she is in the office before you drop by. (She is working part-time this coming week.)
REMINDERS
HOW OUR CHILDREN HEAR MESSAGES Before our children proceed to First Day School, they are present in meeting for worship for the first 20 minutes. The first question students are asked after leaving meeting for worship is, “Who spoke in meeting and what did they say?” This always prompts a discussion: first about who the speaker was, and then about the message. What was it? What was important to the person who spoke? How does it relate to you and the world around you? Our children endeavor to understand the messages, their meaning and their relevance, just as the adults do, and they benefit greatly when there are messages that are appropriate for them and to which they can relate. –from the Worship and Ministry Committee
TIME TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS Germantown Meeting members who have children in Friends Schools may apply for tuition assistance from the Meeting for the 2024-2025 school year. Applications should be completed and returned to Faye Steacy, clerk of our Scholarship Committee, by Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. Please send these to Faye through the U.S. Mail. Get her contact information from the Meeting Office at 215-951-2235. To open the 2024-2025 application & guidelines packet, click here.
TAKE ACTION
FRIDAYS AT FETTERMAN’S VIGIL FOR PEACE, DEC. 29 You are invited to a weekly Friday vigil from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in front of Sen. John Fetterman’s office, calling on him to support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. This will continue every Friday at the same time until the senator publicly supports an immediate, permanent cease-fire in Gaza in accordance with U.S. House Resolution 786. The vigil is rooted in the traditions of radical nonviolence, and vigil participants are expected to refrain from violent actions, words, or messages, either verbally or on signs and banners. These vigils are endorsed by the Brandywine Peace Community The Simple Way, and the American Friends Service Committee, which is making posters available for downloading from its website (clicREk here). Senator Fetterman’s office is at 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106, which is the U.S. Customs building.
REMINDERS
FIVE WAYS TO HELP THE HOMELESS Thousands of people in Philadelphia are homeless, and hundreds are without shelter. In Philadelphia, people die every year from exposure to cold. Although this is a relentless, hard-to-get-rid-of problem, there are concrete things you can do to help, from giving money to giving clothing and everyday necessities, to working in soup kitchens. One especially effective approach is to get to know homeless people personally and find out what kind of help they want. Maybe it’s a hot meal or a pair of warm gloves or socks. Maybe it’s access to community services. To find out more ways to really help people–and things you can do that fit your beliefs and capacities, click here to read an article from a WHYY podcast and Temple University’s Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting.
POWER UPDATE
The quarterly Philly Friends in POWER meeting will be Thursday, Jan. 4, at 7pm. Zoom information.
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, you can reach out to Jeff Powers.
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