The Relegious Society Of
Friends
Volume 2 Issue 2
March/April 2003
Headlines from PM
A poster based on the Peace Testimony has been produced, Friends are
asked to display it.
Triennium Report submitted to MM-inc study/Light groups, recent Myers
Briggs course, how our lettings finance FMH repairs.
New art exhibition planned for April/May with Amnesty International..
Minibus organised to go to MM at Telford which helped more people
go than normal.
We plan to book a Woodbrooke-on-the-road event in 2004 for our Meeting,
probably "Deepening the Spiritual Life of the Meeting".
Light Groups to report to PM on their progress.
Successful visit to the Quaker Tapestry @ Tewkesbury-thanks to Hazel
for organising.
Recent lobby of our MP by several Friends as part of the Justice & Peace
group.
F/friends.
With sadness we report the sudden death of Betty Hudson’s husband, Martin.
Friends are holding Betty & Martin and their family in their thoughts and
prayers.
Welcome to Fran Martell and her 2 children-Jason & Elli- who are now
involved in the Children’s Mtg.
Belated welcome to John & Diana Phillips and their boys-Jake &Aaron-
who joined us last year from Ross Mtg (John is part of the Newsletter team
and Diana bakes biscuits for post MfW coffee-time).
Also welcome to David & Debbie from Storridge who have joined us
from Ledbury Mtg.
Outreach.
As well as road-signs to the FMH work is starting on a Meeting web-site
(or pages in the Internet encyclopaedia for non-computer people).BYM
reports that most enquiries are now made to them via the Internet, so it’s
time we were able to give Internet enquirers information about our meeting.
Do we also want to have information for Members & Attenders, such as the
Newsletter, on the website too ? Thoughts please to John Phillips, Richard
or Eoin please.
Children’s Meeting.
Children’s Room now has new carpet and is in use by the Children’s Meeting again, the curtains are on their way! Thanks to the children for choosing and to Jill for liaising with the suppliers. We also now have enough volunteers to be able to have 2 Children’s sessions a month .Also a suggestion that the children go straight into their meeting and then join the Adults at the end-please have a think about this for discussion at PM.
Library.
Pat & Stuart Slack are making great strides in sorting out the Library’s index, getting rid of old stock and buying new books. Please support them by reading something to comfort or challenge you.
Fairtrade Fortnight.
Friends will know of the strides that the Fairtrade movement has made in recent years in getting good quality supplies of tea, coffee, chocolate, bananas, wine etc into our shops that give a fair return to their 3rd World producers. Early March sees a promotion at several supermarkets to encourage shoppers to choose the Fairtrade brandmark and as a result the Co-op was sold out of F/T tea & coffee !
Please support Fairtrade suppliers by consuming for justice & peace.
Lent Lectures on Spirituality.
Mondays at 7.30 see Noticeboard for details.
Forthcoming Events.
a)Triads/3-of-a-Kind.Jill Etheridge is organising another series of 3 mid-week meetings, suggestions so far Poetry, Music, Prayer, Course in Miracles, Discernment. Details of dates and times in Notices after Meeting, Notice- board or from Jill.
b)A Thin Place-Celtic Spirituality,an Appleseed study day @ Stanbrook Abbey on 22/03 from 10am
c)Shared Lunch(5th Sunday)after MfW on Sunday 30/03.
d)Britain Yearly Meeting in London 1st weekend in May.
e)Light Fantastic-Quaker Summer Gathering 26/07-02/03 at Loughborough.
f)Charney Manor course "When Bad Things Happen to Good People"with Shelagh Robinson.
g)Claridge House "Easter Break-Renewal,Rebirth,Resurrection".
h)Woodbrooke "Writing as a Spiritual Practice"04/03-06/03 and "Behind the Silence: changes in Quaker Worship" 04/03-06/03.
Bursary Fund-for these and other courses there are PM & MM bursaries to ensure that no-one misses out due to financial pressure. Talk to your Elder and make a course happen !
Prayers & Peace.
Whilst there is a widespread feeling in wider society that prayer is a waste of time, as the non-existent God is also deaf, we have a different experience. We know that the Divine is craving us to engage with Its wish for the whole of Creation to achieve harmony and balance.All the principalities of Light are poised for our unselfish intercession-it’s there for the asking.
Try sending in your prayers the image of the Celtic Cross, i.e. a Cross in a Circle, with your Love to the White House & Downing St., then to Baghdad & to Tel Aviv and to all the people civilian & military in the Middle East. Unconditional, selfless Love can ONLY do good and everyone there will feel our presence for peace and love.
"We are called to live in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars."
