Update from the COVID Medical Advisory Group / March 8, 2022

Covid-19, News, Social Concerns

Daily case positivity (the number of positive tests of all the test results reported not including in-home tests) has decreased slightly in the last week to 6.9 %, still higher than the previously used statewide goal though much less than the omicron peak. The 14 day average case positivity for Guilford County is about the same, 7.7 %.  The number of COVID hospitalizations remains high but falling.   Guilford County has lifted it’s mask requirement for public buildings and businesses and Guilford…

Is New Garden Friends Meeting Welcoming to All? / March 13, 2022

Community, News, Social Concerns

The Anti-racism Committee encourages all New Gardeners to take a tour of our meetinghouse with this primary query in mind: Is our Meeting House a welcoming place to all people? Guided tours are available: Sunday, March 13 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 a virtual tour during Adult Forum. Self-guided tours times are available: Wednesday, March 9 — 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and 2 – 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 — 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and…

Help to End the Devastating War on Yemen / March 13, 2022

First Day, News, Religious Education, Social Concerns

Upcoming Adult Forum & Lobby Opportunity March 26, 2022 marks seven years since the bombing and war started on Yemen. Unfortunately, this past month marks one of the deadliest periods in the war. While it has fallen off the national discourse, media, and frankly awareness of Americans, Quakers and like-minded individuals across the U.S., led by Friends Committee on National Legislation, are lobbying Congress to end U.S. involvement in the war. Dr. Joe Groves, for…

Challenging Racism / March 9, 2022

News, Social Concerns

Today’s column highlights another little known Black innovator, with a nod to Women’s History Month. It comes from Black Enterprise magazine’s March 3, 2022 article by Atiya Jordan: “The proud daughter of a Ford plastic model specialist, Emeline King, fell in love with the Ford Mustang and relentlessly chased her childhood dream of designing cars like her dad. “I loved to play with toy cars when I was a child. It was like an insult…

Journey to Justice / March 13, 2022

Community, News, Social Concerns

WVAR (White Voices Against Racism) is proud to announce the 2022 Journey to Justice . WVAR will lead an exploration of the book, “We Cry Justice,” with church groups and individuals who want to read the Bible along with the Poor Peoples’ Campaign and learn what the Bible says about social justice. There will be weekly/monthly self-guided reading, reflection and learning with your church group or individually, through Zoom, Facebook or in person…you decide!  A…

From the Tech Team: Next Step / March 16, 2022

Fellowship, News, Worship

The Next Step in virtual worship at New Garden Friends Meeting / The technical team invites you to a community event to launch – and debug – a new setup for our hybrid worship (hybrid being “online plus in-person”). Join us in person or through Zoom or Facebook on Wednesday, March 16 at 7 p.m. for a test run using a new setup. We will do a short worship service, complete with music, reading(s), and a…

From the Meeting on Ministry and Counsel / March 9, 2022

Community, News

Meeting on Ministry and Counsel would like to recognize and remember the Reverend Donald McCoy, former pastor of Raleigh’s Crossroads UMC, a sister church in our Friendship Community Partnership. Reverend McCoy passed away February 28, 2022, and his ministry to our Friendship community and beyond was a testament of love and beauty. His funeral was held March 7, at Guilford College UMC. A memory of the Reverend McCoy prepared by CH Holcombe was presented at…

News from the Religious Education Department / March 9, 2022

News, Religious Education, Youth

A Community Project / The Religious Education Committee has begun work on an exciting project and we want your input! We are creating a reusable calendar for New Garden families. Each month will have a different theme, spotlight on a notable Friend (past and/or present), and weekly queries and activities. Some themes we’ve considered are: committee work, business practices, ideas/images of God, peace, equality, worship, care for the Earth, integrity, simplicity, and Quaker youth. What…

Plans for Sunday, March 13, 2022

News, Worship

This Sunday, Meeting for Worship will continue to be projected in the Meeting Room and hosted on Zoom. Friends are reminded that this is a short-term option until we have our technology ready for the planned hybrid worship in the Meeting Room up and running. We are anticipating we will have the technology in place to begin streaming live hybrid semi-programmed meeting from the meeting room on March 20! At that time (March 20 or…

Stand Up for our Public Schools / March – June, 2022

Community, News, Social Concerns, Volunteer, Youth

School districts across the country are under attack and Guilford County is no different. Members of New Garden have joined other groups, the Guilford Anti-Racism Alliance and the Social Justice Consortium to make a commitment to show up at the monthly Guilford County School Board of Education meeting. We stand in support of telling the truth in our curriculum, in support of science, in support of the Black leadership of the Board and Superintendent, and in…