WINTER 2004September 10, 2004
alem Quarter Worship & Ministry Committee met on September 10, 2004, at the home of Peggy and Jack Warner, convening in worship a little after 7:30 p.m. Ten Friends were present from Mullica Hill, Woodbury, and Woodstown Monthly Meetings, including the Quarter Coordinator, Phil Anthony. Michael Gibson clerked the meeting.
2005 Salem Quarter Retreat
At a previous meeting, the committee had decided that if no one rose up to clerk a retreat planning subcommittee, we would not pursue trying to plan a Quarter Retreat for 2005. Since no one this year has indicated a willingness to so clerk, we will not be having a Retreat in August of next year.
The questions were asked: How do we feel led to serve the Quarter? What experiences, opportunities, or services do we as a committee feel led to offer friends in Salem Quarter? Secondarily, we were asked, What do we feel the Quarter will support?
The Spiritual Gifts Working Group is a large part of our work. A report of this working group, written by Sondra Ball, was read. This working group will create a gifts program, participate in the program themselves, and then, after making any necessary adjustments, be ready to offer that workshop to others in about a year. During our discussion, it was suggested that our Monthly Meetings identify, acknowledge and support the gifts within their membership, and forward this information to Quarterly Meeting. Phil Anthony would welcome articles for Salem Quarter News on the special interests and commitments of individuals within our Quarter. Marjorie Candau’s work on healing is one example. We would like to be kept informed of developments in this area, and together hold her in the Light. It was noted that Roshan Dinshah has indicated to the Quarter clerk that he would be willing to present orally at a future quarterly meeting on his work with prisoners.
Do we feel led to take on any other work in lieu of a Retreat? We could provide additional worship opportunities. There is already planned an all day meeting for worship at Seaville Meeting on April 16, 2005, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Spiritual Formation program was brought forward. Since this program is sponsored by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, we could only provide information and encourage participation. Perhaps those from our Quarter who have already been through the program could awaken interest in others. Pamphlets were distributed to representatives of monthly meetings present: Mullica Hill, Woodbury and Woodstown.
It was suggested that we remain open for what may yet develop.
Announcements
Saturday, September 18, 2004, there will be a welcome-back meeting for Tommy Trantino at Haddonfield Monthly Meeting at 6 pm, followed by a potluck dinner.
On Friday, September 24, 2004, Elizabeth Thomas will present her travels with Friends World Committee for Consultation at Mullica Hill Meeting. This meeting will begin with a potluck at 6 pm, followed by the program at 7 pm. Reference was made to the needs of Friends’ schools in Bolivia and Peru, especially in regard to books, money, and food. [See photo by Peggy Warner, Mullica Hill MM, below—Ed.]
On September 25, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., the next Gathering for Worship, Ministry and Eldering will be held at Harrisburg Monthly Meeting. The one after that will be held at Lansdowne Monthly Meeting on January 29, 2005.On April 16, 2005, there will be an all-day meeting for worship at Seaville Monthly Meeting from 9 am to approximately 3:30 pm.
A program presentation on our understanding of the Inner Light, and use of it, was led by Lois Dinshah. This included hymns, Bible verses, quotation from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting’s Faith & Practice, and questions about our experience of the Light. We closed with a group effort to hold one another in the Light, followed by a brief discussion of what we experienced when being held in the Light, and when holding others in the Light. At the end of this experiential program, we found trust had deepened among us, and had a good sharing on the different words we used to describe our experience. We were reluctant to end our discussion. (Lois Dinshah has given this workshop several times, and is open to offering it again. She invited Salem Quarter’s monthly meetings to ask her about this.)
We closed with brief worship about 11 pm.
For the Committee,
Dana HoughtonRETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Sunday, November 14, 2004 at 12:40 AM
