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WINTER
2000 Gloria Horvay
Clerk, Salem Quarterly MeetingMuch of our attention this year at our Salem Quarterly Meeting programs was given to broadening our understanding of Friends organizations outside of our Quarter.
In September, Greenwich Monthly Meeting hosted us in their lovely style with an afternoon business meeting, outdoor picnic supper, program, and candlelight meeting for worship. Elizabeth Marsh, clerk of PYM’s Peace and Concerns Standing Committee shared with us leadings and the Yearly Meeting process. In December we again had the afternoon business meeting schedule, followed by a simple soup supper and program by Carla Clark, co-clerk of Right Sharing of World Resources. We concluded with worship by candlelight.
Joe Volk, Executive Director of Friends Committee on National Legislation, joined us in March in Woodstown to enlighten us about happenings at the Washington, D.C. office. Out of the same meeting came a minute of support for the Million Mom March on Washington in May. Our final Quarterly Meeting of the year was held at Lower Alloway’s Creek Meetinghouse in June. James Turk shared with us the history and significance of this meetinghouse under the care of the Quarter, and a meaningful discussion was held seeking a future direction with this property.
Salem Quarter’s annual retreat, sponsored by the Worship and Ministry Committee, was held in August at Burlington Meetinghouse. Michael and Judy Van Hoy led us in a weekend of spirituality and fun.
Our Quarter committees are actively pursuing their functions: Coordinator Steering Committee, Worship and Ministry, Finance, Trustees, and Nominating Committee. Ad hoc care committees come together as needed. Two Quarter committees, Youth and Outreach, which had been resurrected with enthusiasm just a few years ago, were laid down due to lack of participation. Energy seems to be directed at the Monthly Meeting level for these areas. One accomplishment of the Outreach Committee before it was laid down was donating PYM outreach videos and Quaker children’s books to school and public libraries throughout the Quarter.
Our Quarterly publication, Salem Quarter News, continues to be a major source of communication to members of our seven monthly meetings. The two institutions in our Quarter, Friends School in Mullica Hill and Friends Home in Woodstown, keep us abreast of their activities through the newsletter. Quarterly Meeting minutes, budget reports, committee activities, announcement of events, outreach, individual leadings, poetry, and art all appear in our newsletter, which is skillfully edited by our coordinator, Phil Anthony.
Phil continues to work hard to facilitate communications throughout our quarter. He not only visits all seven meetings regularly, but usually is asked to facilitate a program while there.
Person-to-person contact is among our most successful modes of outreach. Many people in our monthly meetings are reaching out in cooperation to Friends around the Quarter. The number of Salem Quarter first-time attenders at PYM annual sessions this year is an example of how our spirit is growing. Friends throughout the Quarter were willing to host visiting FGC Friends in March, and visitors from Bury, England, in July, who came to commemorate Quaker Henry Wood’s historic journey from Bury to America, where he founded Woodbury, New Jersey.
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Last modified:
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM
