Joint Social Justice Ministry / September 27, 2021

Community, News, Social Concerns

New Garden Friends Meeting Peace & Social Concerns committee announces a new social-justice ministry partnership with St. James, Westminster, and First Presbyterian churches. The partnership is focusing on voting rights and voter suppression for the foreseeable future. The goal is to do social justice work together while developing fellowship within the partnership. NGFM was asked to join this partnership after a co-leader of the partnership noticed NGFM’s Black Lives Matter sign and listened to Pastor…

Friends Committee on National Legislation News & Events / September 14, 2021

Community, News, Social Concerns

Join with others and lobby for peace and justice in our community, in our state, in our country, and in our world. There are two upcoming opportunities to get involved with Quakers in North Carolina through Friends Committee on North Carolina Legislation. Join Friends Committee on North Carolina Legislation‘s Annual Meeting / Saturday, October 2, 2021 / 9:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m./ online. Join us to discuss: How does my faith lead me in advocacy…

Covid Advisory / September 14, 2021

Community, Covid-19, News

A COVID Medical Advisory Group meeting for NGFM was held 9/13/21 to discuss policies and protocols for protecting friends/ Friends from COVID. The group was in agreement that current cases of Covid and hospitalization levels suggest that we should continue our current protocols for semi-programmed Meeting for Worship outdoors and/or by Zoom, unprogrammed Meeting for Worship outdoors or indoors, and small group meetings indoors at the Meeting House. Plans for upcoming Holiday celebrations were also…

Afghan Families Update / September 14, 2021

Community, News, Social Concerns, Volunteer

Afghan Families are Coming to Greensboro and NGFM is helping in a number of ways. We will be co-sponsoring a family. We will need a group of New Gardeners to love and support them as they begin their new lives in the United States. They will need to have friends who could help them feel welcome in their new home. They will need guidance as they make their way through an unfamiliar land. They need…

Book Review / September 9, 2021

Community, News, Social Concerns

“How to Be An Antiracist” Book Review… On Thursday, September 9 we will continue to review Abram X Kendi’s book, covering chapters 14 and 15, “Gender” and “Sexuality”, respectively. Sara White will be leading us in the discussion. Patricia Gutzwiller will be facilitating the Zoom connection and sending out the invitations. If you have not already been a part of this discussion and wish to join in, contact Patricia at ([email protected]) to receive a Zoom…

Challenging Racism; Truthful Teaching of Our Racial History / September 14, 2021

Community, News, Social Concerns, Youth

I wish our country’s history wasn’t tainted with slavery, Jim Crow, lynching, white privilege, etc. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just make those things go away by leaving the ugly part of our history out of school curriculum and never talking about any of that again? There are those in our country who believe we should not teach about racism because it might make our youth unpatriotic or make some feel ashamed of…

Covid Advisory / September 7, 2021

Community, Covid-19, News

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 meet…

Volunteer Opportunity for Voter Registration / September 10-12, 2021

Community, News, Social Concerns, Volunteer

During the upcoming North Carolina Folk Festival in downtown Greensboro (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – September 10 – 12) “YouCanVote” will sponsor a voter registration table and opportunities for volunteers to register people to vote. Volunteers will each sign up for a 2-hour shift, and there is to be 3 – 4 volunteers per shift. Festival hours: Friday – 6:30 – 10:30 pm, Saturday – noon to 10:30 pm, and Sunday – noon – 6:00…

Covid Advisory / August 31, 2021

Community, Covid-19, News, Social Concerns

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 meet…

Challenging Racism / August 31, 2021

Community, Fellowship, News, Social Concerns

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.…