|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
SUMMER
2001 Phil Anthony
(856) 769-0066 (voice)
(856) 769-1416 (fax)
salemqtr@verizon.netOverseers have a particularly difficult job. Sometimes it’s a joyful one, such as welcoming an attender into membership or overseeing a marriage; sometimes it’s sadder. Often it involves finding the balance between the needs of individual members and the needs of the meeting as a whole — and the Overseer’s own concern gets caught in the middle.
Salem Quarter’s interest in Overseers’ issues became clear at our December Quarterly Meeting, where we broke up into small groups to look at the work of those dedicated Friends. Now a group is in the early planning stages for a one-day conference next fall that will lift up the Overseers’ work in PYM’s three New Jersey Quarters.
“Care in the Meeting Community: Balancing Compassion, Responsibility, and Resources” will have strong input from the Friends Counselling Service, Friends with concern for aging — and regional staff, with their awareness of the concerns of Burlington, Haddonfield, and Salem Quarters. We hope to bring together at least a couple of Friends from each monthly meeting to take part in workshops and share experiences, to get to know one another, and to learn about resources outside the monthly meeting. The tentative date is Saturday, 3 November, probably at one of the centrally located meetings in Haddonfield Quarter.
Back home, we’ve had a busy spring. The Mullica Hill Retreat, originally scheduled for one of those snowy days in January, gathered at the Burlington Meeting House. Woodbury held an interfaith Earth Day celebration. The second annual Greenwich Art Show was a huge success in April.
Salem’s Pot Pie Dinner came in early May, followed by Woodstown’s and Mickleton’s Strawberry Festivals. And Seaville’s monthly drumming circles, I’m told — for those of you who have asked — will continue through the summer.
And of course Mullica Hill will host our June Quarterly Meeting, with Mickleton providing beverages and desserts at lunch. Our speaker is Carol Brooks Thomas of Princeton MM, speaking on the topic “When I Go to Meeting My Life Goes Pretty Well, and When I Don’t, It Falls Apart.”
I first heard her say that at Tri-Quarterly Gathering two years ago. She spoke eloquently to the ways in which our worship sets a pattern for the rest of what we do. I hope many of you will come listen to her story of how meeting for worship can affect our daily lives.
Our own Salem Quarter Retreat will be held at Mickleton MM and the Little Red School House this year. The facilitator is Jonathan Snipes, who’s been active with Friends World Committee for Consultation, Quakerism 101 — and Tribe 1. Salem’s Dana Gayner and Woodstown’s Fran Pettit will provide children’s program and toddlercare. The dates are 3 and 4 August; full information and registration forms are on pp. 9–10. I’ll look forward to receiving your registration!
RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
Last modified:
Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 09:21 AM
