Dear Friends,
Last week, my family and I adventured to Philadelphia, PA for a quick visit with my “kid brother”. We did all the things you’re supposed to do in Philly. We went to LOVE park and admired a very “un-Quakerly” statue of William Penn atop City Hall. We went to Reading Market and ate Amish pastries. We checked out the Liberty Bell, and the oldest street in the country. And most importantly, we visited Arch Street Meetinghouse where we toured the meetinghouse, learned more Quaker history, and I sat in the very spot that Lucretia Mott sat as recording clerk! We also got cheese steaks (Pat’s, “wit/Wiz for me) and a hoagie for the road in Little Italy. It was a wonderful visit. Please enjoy these pictures of Arch Street Meetinghouse and a very giddy me.
As many of you are likely aware, Emily Provance will join us this month to host a clerking workshop. All are invited to join, committee clerks and rising clerks are especially encouraged to attend.

I had the privilege of taking a long stroll with Emily last year when she was in Greensboro. She is energetic, thoughtful, relatable, and absolutely brilliant. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to learn from/with her interactive and engaging approach to clerking and committee work. You can learn more about Emily and her ministry, and find an abundance of incredible resources by following the link below. I encourage all of you to take some time to explore.
https://quakeremily.wordpress.com/about-emily/
We will record the workshop and use it as a resource in the future.

 

The workshop will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, March 21 from 3-5 p.m. Friends interested in attending can sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnxfaRMjGajwtNkBe4_2un9cCOCcoo2aauGaBK_VeEk0jI9g/viewform?usp=sf_link

Warmly, Karin

 

 

 

Children are Welcome at Meeting for Worship!

All children are invited and encouraged to join us during Meeting for Worship. There is a blanket in the back corner of the meeting room for children to sit on for Meeting for Wiggles. They are welcome to bring small, quiet toys to play with. Crayons and activity packets are available in the foyer outside the Worship room. Childcare is available beginning at 9:30 a.m. until the rise of Meeting for Worship. Please email Karin Heller if you plan to use childcare to ensure coverage. [email protected]

Adult Forum– 9:45-10:45 a.m. (hybrid-parlor and Zoom)

March 19: Friends are invited to bring scripture and/or other spiritual readings that they would like the group to reflect on in worship sharing. We will respond to readings using queries, discussion, and/or journaling. Friends are invited to bring a notebook and pencil or pen as they feel led.
March 26: Join us for Intergenerational First Day School in the parlor. Laura Hans will share “The Parable of the Good Samaritan” Godly Play story. Godly Play uses a particularly interesting approach to sharing parables that reminds us that the stories are open ended and, perhaps not what you always thought they were. Come, explore with us.
April 2: FCNL Session: What does reproductive health care look like in the world that you, and we at New Garden Friends seek? How are the Quaker values and testimonies relevant to the issue of abortion? Should the FCNL Policy Statement be revised on the issues of abortion and reproductive health and abortion? If so, what should the Policy Statement say?

Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) is seeking discernment from Friends across the country on reproductive health and abortion. We’ll discern these and other queries together on April 2 during the Adult forum session.

Abortion is presently considered a “challenge” area, acknowledging that Friends across the U.S. have not been in unity on abortion. Therefore, it is not currently a part of the FCNL Policy Statement nor the Legislative Priorities for the 118th Congress. The Policy Committee of the General Committee is asking Friends to revisit, if any, what advocacy FCNL should do on reproductive health and abortion. Find more information here including queries to consider and additional resources.