Quakerism is so comfortable for me. I found a warm and welcoming spiritual home among Friends as a young adult and have remained happily in the fold. But for people of color, joining our faith can be a different experience. From an African-American general secretary of Friends General Conference: “. . . I also feel isolated because as I have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles. . . I haven’t seen seventy-five black Quakers yet.…
Community – It is sacred. It is Holy. It is real. I was moved by those words that Karin Heller shared while describing her experience of this beloved community, New Garden Friends Meeting. As I begin my fourth week serving as your Interim, I too am giving thanks for the welcome and care you all have extended to me as I find my way among you. Please know that if you have pastoral concerns or…
Based on the increases in COVID cases, hospitalizations and Delta variant we cannot hold the flea market in 2021. And in the effort to maintain both safety and equity for all of us at New Garden, we are not accepting donations at this time. When we have a clear timeline for holding our next flea market we can begin to accept donations.
A called meeting for NGFM was held 8/21/21 to discuss policies and protocols for protecting friends/ Friends from COVID. A summary and review of protocols followed by a number of questions were discussed. Friends were generally supportive of our current course. If COVID cases stay the same, we plan to continue meeting for semi-programmed worship out of doors until the weather becomes less hospitable. All are also reminded that our COVID subgroup will continue to…
9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. / Those attending unprogrammed meetings for worship on Sundays from 9 – 9:45 a.m. are welcome to use Friendship Hall. Please follow the guidance below; Stay home if you have any symptoms of illness. Meet outdoors, if feasible, regardless of group size; please bring your own chairs. Reserve meeting room(s) in advance by calling the NGFM office at (336) 292-5487 or emailing [email protected] ; note the capacity of room(s) you will…
10:00 a.m. / In-Person outdoors (weather permitting) on the grounds of our meeting house. Karin Heller will be speaking. Reading: An excerpt from the book, “A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life”, by Parker Palmer. Title: Being in Community When We Can’t be with Community Meeting for Worship livestream: Facebook Live: http://www.facebook.com/NewGardenFriendsMeeting Meeting for Worship on Zoom: Check your email for a Zoom link, or contact [email protected] to receive a link. Prepared messages are posted at: www.ngfm.org/media
On Thursday, August 26 at 7 p.m. we will continue with Kendi’s “How to be an Antiracist” book discussion Chapter 13 called “Space.” Our Zoom host will be Mary Stolberg. Janet Inmon will be discussion leader. If you have been participating in this discussion, you will be receiving a Zoom invitation from Mary. If you would like to join us for the first time, you are welcome! It is not necessary for you to have…
You are invited on Wednesday, 25 August, 6 – 8 p.m. to join a ZOOM meeting to build an FCNL advocacy network in the triad. Register at https://tinyurl.com/26cs64fm This 2-hour interactive workshop will train participants how to be more effective grassroots advocates for peace and justice. We will go in-depth on FCNL’s relationship-based style of lobbying, teach skills on storytelling, and best practices on effective communication with Members of Congress. We will explore why the…
Summer Program Change / An important note about Summer Program: The final Summer Program session has been postponed until Saturday, September 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first week of school is physically and emotionally exhausting for children and families. We hope that Friends will enjoy a restful weekend this week, and join us in September. Adult Forum / Sunday, August 29, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Zoom only): Join us as we…
My apologies for abandoning this column for a few weeks. My time and emotional energy have been consumed with being present to and advocating for my severely disabled son as he heals from a broken hip – in a severely short-staffed and poorly resourced rehab center. This experience has given me an insight regarding racism that I want to share. For his entire life I have had to advocate for Jonathan, since he is non-verbal…