By Clarabel Marstaller
The Adult Sunday School class has just finished its consideration of a Pendle Hill pamphlet by Bill Taber on “Four Doors to Worship.”
On Sunday, June 26, we will begin a study of an article from each of three issues of “Quaker Life,” on Friends Peace Testimony, Friends Testimony on Integrity, and Friends and Authority.
The Adult Sunday School class meets from 9:30 to 10:20 on Sunday mornings, in the Christian Education room. Join us!
Jo-an Jacobus
This year’s annual Woman’s Society Yard Sale raised a record total of $1,789.75. Customers and sales volunteers alike were pleased with the new pricing system for Jumble items. Customers were invited to offer an amount they thought their choices were worth rather than all items being priced. Only the more obviously “priceable” items received a price tag.
Syretha Brooks’ energetic and warm sales style was missed in the kitchen this year. The food was still as delicious as ever but I, for one, missed Syretha bringing trays out to the parking lot to entice us inside.
There were books galore, clothing to dress countless families, the beginnings for many a craft project and plants to “seed” many gardens.
The money raised was placed in Woman’s Society reserves to fund local, regional, national and international programs that the Woman’s Society sees helping to make a difference in the world.
Please change your meeting contact list to reflect these changes:
Daphne Clement asks that she be contacted using the phone number: 207.353.6354.
Charlotte Anne Curtis asks that she be contacted using the phone number: 207.319.7326.
Jo-an Jacobus’ email address has changed to mjo.anjacobus@gmail.com
Wayne Hollingworth is now receiving email at wayne.hollingworth@maine.edu
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends convened on Sunday, May 12, 2011, at 12:20 P.M., with 14 people present. Clerk Edwin Hinshaw read a gentle prayer by Mary Stewart of Longmont, California (1904).
1. Susan Rice was approved as Recording Clerk for 2011, with thanks.
2. Jo-an Jacobus reported that Durham Monthly Meeting now has a two-year contract with FairPoint Communications for a landline telephone. It will cost approximately $45 a month. It should be hooked up on May 20th. The phone number is: 207.725.0411 and we will be listed as Durham Meeting of Friends. It was agreed that we should have voice mail along with call forwarding and conference calling. It was also agreed that we should have a block on 900 and international calls. It was agreed as well that Clarabel Marstaller and Jo-an Jacobus would be our contacts with FairPoint. Despite our wishes to have a copy of the contract held by the Trustees, there is no contract with FairPoint, only a verbal agreement. Jo-an Jacobus will write a report of all the items agreed to by both parties and provide it to the Trustees so it may be held by them.
3. The Meeting would like to recognize our graduates for this year:
From high school: Kristopher Reed, Amanda Curtis, and Sarah Freshley.
From college: Keegan Brown and Nicholas Gorgone.
From graduate school: Wesley Marstaller.
A gift certificate from Quakerbooks of Friends General Conference (FGC) for each graduate was approved to go with our hearty congratulations.
4. Katharine Hildebrandt, Treasurer, presented the Treasurer’s report for April. Income for April was $4,761.92; expenses were $4,862.55. The report was accepted with thanks. (Report attached.)
New England Yearly Meeting of Friends sent us a $100 donation to help with costs for the wonderful Godly Play Workshop supported by FGC. We agreed to send that $100 to FGC along with $160 from Christian Education Committee and the fees taken in for the workshop.
Katharine has been researching all the Meeting’s funds to determine which were given with restrictions. At this time the only fund that Katharine was able to determine has a restriction is the Goddard Fund, with a restriction on the principle. She requests that someone else do a similar check of all our trustees’ and finance files to confirm this and to help establish the base amount of the Goddard Fund which is being held and invested by the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends Pooled Funds.
5. David Reed reported for Trustees. Saturday May 21 will be clean-up day for the inside and outside of the Meetinghouse.
6. Finance Committee reported:
A. The organ that is in the Meeting Room was donated to us by Friends Camp. Finance Committee encourages anyone who would like to thank Friends Camp for this gift to do so by making a contribution to the Meeting and we will gratefully send it to Friends Camp.
B. There was discussion about having people make their donations to the Meeting through automatic monthly transfers from their bank account to ours. For some people this might be a more regular, manageable way to make their contributions. This method of receiving donations was approved. The Finance Committee is being asked to announce this at Meeting and through the newsletter. They were also asked to create a form for automatic transfers that friends could give to their bank with our bank account and routing numbers included.
7. Susan Rice reported that the Peace & Social Concerns dinner to benefit the Lisbon Area Christian Outreach Food Pantry will occur on Saturday June 25th at 5:30. It will be a pig roast with a locally grown pig. The menu will include vegetarian baked beans, cornbread, a variety of salads, and our famous Strawberry Shortcake. There was a discussion concerning serving pork as it excludes Muslims and Jews. It was decided to proceed with the menu as planned with a request for deeper discussion for future dinner menus. There will be a strong effort to invite people who live in the local area.
8. Clarabel Marstaller reported for Christian Education Committee that June 12 will be Children’s Sunday. It was requested that there be a second offering on that day to go to the United Society of Friends Women International children’s projects. This was approved.
9. Clarabel Marstaller reported on the Quarterly Meeting that gathered on April 30 at Friends Camp. The July 24th Quarterly Meeting will be held at Portland Meeting and the program will be on the Friends World Committee on Consultation theme of “Salt and Light”.
10. Daphne Clement gave a pastor’s report which included special thanks for her support committee. A contemplative prayer group has started on Tuesday evenings at the Meetinghouse. She will begin to repaint our old sign. Hooray!
11. Wendy Schlotterbeck gave a very full Youth Minister report. (Report attached.) We accepted this report with appreciation and admiration.
12. A letter of greeting from Durham Monthly Meeting will be carried by Elizabeth Muench to the Intermountain Yearly Meeting.
13. The minutes of the Monthly Meeting were approved during the meeting.
14. The Meeting adjourned, continuing in the spirit of worship, at 2:10 P.M.
Susan Rice, Recording Clerk
The Woman’s Society will meet on Monday, June 20th at the home of Dorothy Hinshaw in Sumner. She has asked that people attending arrive at 5:30 so she can serve tea. Those who have had Dorothy’s tea before know it comes with tasty food, lots of her tasty food. For directions, please call Dorothy after June 15th.
Please join DYF (Durham Young Friends) on Children’s Day Sunday, June 12 for Meeting for Worship. That is Children’s Day Sunday and they have care of worship that morning. A picnic will follow with food, games and activities.
DYF and all of Durham Meeting are warmly invited to the Annual Campout taking place June 17 – 19, at the summer home of Betsy and Stuart Muench in Georgetown. Even if you can’t stay overnight, come for a few hours during the day for kayaking, swimming, beach activities, singing and wonderful conversation. Please contact Wendy Schlotterbeck for more details.
From Durham’s LACO Team
Durham Monthly Meeting is hosting a Pork Roast and Strawberry Shortcake Dinner to benefit the Food Pantry of Lisbon Area Christian Outreach (LACO). to be held on Saturday, June 25 at 5:30 pm at the meetinghouse. The menu is pork roast, vegetarian baked beans, cornbread, a variety of salads, and dinners at Durham are never complete without our luscious strawberry shortcake.
The LACO Food Pantry serves hundreds of people every month, people who otherwise cannot afford to put enough food on the table for their families. Donations of food and money are vital for the success of the Food Pantry. Many people in our community depend on it and the numbers of those in need have increased greatly over the last two years and continue to rise. Come join us for a delicious meal while helping LACO help so many others.
Tickets: In Advance At the Door
Adults $10 $12
Seniors & Teens $8 $10
Family of 5 $25 $30
Children $5
For more information and tickets, please call Daphne Clement, pastor, at 353.6354.
By Angie Reed
The Woman’s Society met on May 16, 2011 at Nancy Marstaller’s house. 15 women gathered for a devotional prayer by Dotty DeLoach, and a program by Sarah Sprogell. Sarah shared her experiences with Bobbie Jordan in the last months and moments of Bobbie’s life here on earth. We were all touched by the pure love and devotion these two wonderful women share for each other and join Sarah in prayers for her next steps in her journey.
In business, Prayers were asked for the recipients of the Joy fund who are Christine Wood of Kickapoo Center; Brenda White of Mesquakie Center; and Ann Kendall of MOWA Choctaw Center. We would also suggest you include Joseph Makokha in your prayers. He is the clerk of the Friends Church Peace Team in Kenya and is much involved with the Peace Curriculum being developed for Kenyan schools. The Tedford Meal for May was hot dogs, and buns, green salad and 2 wonderful deserts.
Kitsie Hildebrandt has purchased four platters to be used for Woman Society sponsored events and was asked to purchase a few more in the event of breakage. The new Blueprints for 2011-2012 are available for purchase for $5.00 from Margaret Wentworth. Angie Reed asked that members review the book list for the coming year in the Advocate and let her know if there are any books on this list you would like to read during our next year’s reading program. Final plans were made for this year’s yard sale to be held May 28th at the Meeting House. Please look for new pricing on our Jumble items.
Lastly, Nancy Marstaller read an email from Tess who is in the Peace Corp in Tombel, a province of Cameroon. She has asked for a care package for her students to help her put on a summer camp for girls this coming summer. We will put together a care package similar to that sent to Japan to be mailed out after Father’s day. See newsletter article for more details.
The meeting was closed by Kitsie who read a poem by Mary Oliver which in part said… in life “it is not the weight you carry but how you carry it.” The next Meeting will be hosted by Dorothy Hinshaw on June 20th at her home at 5:30pm.
Saturday, June 4th
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Pastor will serve lunch at 12:30:
Menu
Salmon Soup Bread Apple Crisp
By Wendy Schlotterbeck
1. Durham Young Friends held a very successful “Rise Up singing” sing-a-long concert on March 19th. It seemed that all who came had a wonderful time and the youth made $1001. My highlight of the year was watching the young friends in the front row thoroughly engaged and enjoying both the concert and one another.
2. The April Young Friends Meeting was held at Aunt Bee’s house and the youth, as always, had a fabulous time. Special thanks to Brenda Masse for helping with the group as Wendy was at the Playing in the Light workshop along with Jeanne Baker-Stinson and five others.
3. At our May 20th meeting, we had a sleepover at the Meetinghouse. We held a wonderful, lengthy Quaker discussion about whether we wanted to sponsor a Kakamega child. The sense of the meeting was that we would indeed sponsor a child and accept the responsibility of continuing the sponsorship year by year. The youth were excited about writing letters and hope that in a few years, some of us may participate in the Summer Trip to Kakamega to meet the children.
4. As the school year comes to a close, I am amazed and humbled by our youth who in a short time (the Philadelphia trip was just last year!) have really bonded into a lovely group. Some remarked how Durham Young Friends (DYF) feels like family, they love coming to Meeting, and really enjoy being friends and Friends. We at Durham are so very blessed to have such incredible young people in our midst.
5. Passages has been focusing more on Conscientious Objection this spring, our final gathering on May 22nd featured excerpts from the documentary “Soldiers of Conscience,” and a special guest who is a member of Veterans for Peace. We hold Kris Reed in the Light as he ventures forward in his journey after graduation from high school in June. Next fall, we plan to continue the high school “Passages” group and look forward to more study of faith communities especially Islam and Judaism.
6. Please attend “Children’s Day” on Sunday, June 12th when the youth will have the care of worship. There will also be a picnic after meeting with food, games, and activities.
7. On June 17 – 19 our annual campout will be held at Betsy Muench’s summer home. All of Durham Meeting is warmly invited. If you can’t stay overnight, come for a few hours during the day for kayaking, swimming, beach activities, singing and wonderful conversation. Contact Wendy Schlotterbeck for more details.
By Clarabel Marstaller for the Christian Education Committee
Sunday, June 12, is Children’s Day with meeting for worship and special events to show appreciation for our children. A second offering will be taken during meeting for worship which will go to the Youth and Children’s Project of the United Society of Friends Women International. That project supports three ministries helping young people:
1. Children and Youth programs at three Friends Indian Centers–MOWA Choctaw in Alabama, Kickapoo in Oklahoma, and Mesquakie in Iowa.
2. Eli and Sibyl Jones scholarships for the Friends Schools in Ramallah.
3. Support for girls’ education in Turkana, Kenya.
Please help us make these programs come alive in all three areas. Thank you!
By Jo-an Jacobus
Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends (DMM) has received two donations of computers. Thank you to both donors.
Kitsie Hildebrandt as Treasurer will use the first computer donated by John Curtis A laptop it can be used at Kitsie’s home to prepare reports and also brought to Monthly Meeting so she is able to answer questions about the meeting’s finances.
The second donated computer came from Sarah Sprogell. Bobbie Jordan bought it not long before she passed away. Sarah felt the meeting would be a good home for this computer. It is also a laptop which allows Jo-an Jacobus to do the newsletter and website work on a computer dedicated to DMM of Friends.
By Angie Reed
Tess Marstaller is currently serving in Tombel, Cameroon as a Peace Corp Volunteer. She has asked the Woman’s Society and Durham Meeting of Friends to put together a care package for the children she works with. Woman’s Society will collect items from now until Father’s Day in the box next to the piano in the Gathering Space at Meeting. The box will be small so keep that in mind when planning donations.
Items Requested:
Jump ropes (large ones held by 2 people are best), a tie-dye kit (colors, no shirts), shiny prize items to be used in a summer camp setting and as educational prizes, such as stickers or pens. Also books of stories, games, theater sequences (especially of a Christian nature), other camp type games, and fixin’s for s’mores. Items with a Christian theme are especially well received. For more information, check out Tess’s Blog at tessincameroon.blogspot.com Thank you.
By Jo-an Jacobus
Durham Monthly Meeting has had local landline phone service installed in the meetinghouse. Because of the difficulty with cell phone reception on the property, the number of evening events and to deal with possible medical emergencies, the meeting decided it needs to have local phone service in the building.
The phone number is 207.725.0411.
Currently, there is a phone on loan to the meeting. However we need a permanent replacement. A corded phone would be best in case the power goes out. If you have a corded phone, not wireless, that you would like to donate to the meeting, please contact Jo-an Jacobus at 666.3213 or jacobusj@gwi.net .
Having phone service means we will now be listed in both the white and yellow pages of the Brunswick phone book. The listing will read Durham Meeting of Friends.
April 17, 2011
for every family in every part of the earth, and also for people who are poor and their governments. Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends convened on Sunday April 17, 2011 at 12:30 with 12 present. Co-Clerk, Edwin Hinshaw, read from Daily Readings from Quaker Writings Ancient and Modern, an article by James Newby, p. 84, ed. Linda H. Renfer: “We live in a world of mystery;… deeper faith will produce deeper questions…”
Dorothy Hinshaw was approved as recording Clerk for the day.
1. Margaret Wentworth circulated the Statistical report, prepared by Dorothy DeLoach. The report was accepted with appreciation, to be forwarded to New England Yearly Meeting of Friends [NEYMF]. It was noted that parents need to request junior membership for their children so that they may be counted in the meeting’s annual statistics.
2. A letter from NEYM Young Adult Friends concerning climate change was received and referred to Peace and Social Concerns Committee.
3. Carried over from March Monthly Meeting, the need for a land telephone line was discussed. The Meeting approved a three year contract with FairPoint Communications for $420 per year which enables unlimited calls to numerous towns in this area, provides 911 emergency service and facilitates in-coming calls. The towns included in this calling area are Durham, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Brunswick, Freeport, Topsham, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Woolwich and Georgetown. No long distance calls will be able to be made. Jo-an Jacobus will follow through on this matter.
4. It was reported that a letter of introduction for Markus Schlotterbeck to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting was prepared and given to him by the Co-Clerks.
5. Joseph Godleski for Katharine Hildebrandt, Treasurer, distributed the monthly financial and year-to date reports. They were received with appreciation and are attached.
6. Daphne Clement, Pastor, suggested that we facilitate automatic transfers from a donor’s bank account to the Meeting bank account. It was approved that the Treasurer be asked to arrange for this procedure.
7. A request was received for Ariana Andrews for a campership to Friends Camp. It was approved to provide $250.
8. In response to a letter and photos of Durham Meeting, a letter was received from our sister meeting, Velasco Monthly Meeting, Cuba. This letter was read in Meeting for Worship and Monthly Meeting.
“A thousand thanks for this wonderful Bridge of Love which you share with us Cubans – and more importantly, Quakers – in Velasco. This session of the yearly meeting has been full of love and that is why I’m writing, to extend that love to you all. We never forget you and we pray We hope a group of you will be with us this year, if God permits.”
9. Leslie Manning reported for Ministry and Counsel:
a. In response to NEYM’s request that we consider Friends United Meeting’s personnel policy, Durham Ministry Counsel reports: “Prior to 1988, Friends United Meeting did not have a Sexual Ethics portion of their personnel process. After prayer, discussion and discernment, we recommend that it be replaced with the following:
Recruitment.
Application with references.
Applicant asks for a Clearness Committee from Monthly Meeting where membership is held, which provides a letter of recommendation to Yearly meeting, if approved.
Yearly Meeting (or its interim body) provides a letter of recommendation, if approved.
Friends United Meeting makes final decision in conjunction with applicant.”
The above was approved in principle to be forwarded to NEYMF for further consideration and to QM for their information. Monthly Meeting recommended that the above policy change be set in context of the FUM policy.
b. Friends General Conference Gathering of Friends will be held at Grinnell College, Iowa, July 3-9, 2011. “Yes to the Joy of Love,” Friends General Conference’s 2010 annual report, was circulated.
c. Special mugs will be used to identify members of Ministry and Counsel at “coffee” hour to facilitate inquiries about Friends and Durham Meeting.
10. Peace and Social Concerns Committee reported on the concern from Friends Committee on National Legislation about the fact that 39 cents of every tax dollar goes to war and militarization. The Committee’s major effort will be devoted to supporting Lisbon Area Christian Outreach. Monthly Meeting approved selling tickets to LACO events held at Durham Friends meetinghouse and other local churches.
11. The All Maine Gathering and Falmouth Quarterly Meeting will be held at Friends Camp on April 30, 2011. Representatives approved are Clarabel Marstaller, Daphne Clement, Alexandrine and Joseph Godleski.
12. Daphne Clement, Pastor, reported attending the spring gathering of New England United Society of Friends Women, NEYMF and New York Yearly Meeting of Friends Ministers and Clerks conference, on local pastoral visits, and meeting with Young Friends at “Aunt Bee” Bernice Douglas’ home. She also volunteers at LACO and attends LACO Board Meetings.
13. Clarabel Marstaller reported for the Adult Sunday School Class on a discussion of the Yearly Meeting “Minute of Sending Forth.” The class concluded that the minute was too abstract, that the four priorities were something we can take hold of and work on: the call to forgiveness; the call to strengthen our ability to love and to build our community; the call to name, cultivate, and exercise gifts of ministry, eldership, and leadership; and the call to undertake clear leadings for witness. The following was also suggested by the Class for NEYM consideration:
The call to work together as a Society to become better able to serve the world and to be faithful to the Gospel of love and peace.
Since we are non-creedal and we come from so many different faith backgrounds, we might try to learn more about our Quaker faith, suggesting that for the year ahead each Meeting have a study of George Fox’s Journal and of one of the Gospels.
The Adult Sunday School class will be considering Bill Taber’s pamphlet, Four Doors to Worship in May. Meeting members are encouraged to attend.
The meeting closed with prayer, keeping in mind controversial issues and concerns facing our Meeting and the Society of Friends.
Dorothy Hinshaw, Recording Clerk, pro tem
By Angie Reed
The Annual Woman’s Society Yard Sale will be Saturday, May 28, 8-1. This is Memorial Day weekend, and please plan to share some time with us that weekend. Remember, please save your “yard sale” items to donate. They can be dropped off at the meetinghouse no earlier than Sunday, May15. Plants can be dropped off up to the morning of the sale. Plant pots are available in the vestry and horse shed. Unsold donated items larger than a small microwave are the responsibility of the donor and must be removed if unsold. Volunteer sign-up sheets are up. Sorting and pricing will take place during the week before (see sign up sheet for times). Sign up now for your favorite volunteer spots.
By Jo-an Jacobus
This is a reminder that the worship room is now open for waiting worship beginning at 9:30. The meeting requests that those arriving at their usual time for the hymn sing or for worship at the regular hour enter the worship room in prayerful silence as they join the ongoing worship.
By Margaret Wentworth
The Durham Friends Woman’s Society met on April 18 at Clarabel Marstaller’s home. Ten women attended. Bee Douglas led devotions, emphasizing the many ways she has felt cared for by her family and f/Friends. Theresa Oleksiw gave the program on care of the elderly. Her presentation of the Blueprints information led to much sharing among the group.
In business, we were asked to pray for Ann Riggs, Principal of Friends Theological College, and her excellent work in Kenya. We had no report on the April Tedford meal. Team F has the May meal. Five Easter pies were ordered. Their baking and delivery to meeting was coordinated. The Yard Sale is set for Saturday, May 28. The plans for advertising were discussed. We noted that the box of toiletries for Japan is filling nicely. Jo-an Jacobus presented information about the Durham Friends Meeting website and we clarified contact information to be used on the site for our group. We appreciate the good work Markus Schlotterbeck and the website committee have done in setting it up, and are grateful for Jo-an’s willingness to keep it up to date.
Six women from our Meeting attended and enjoyed the USFW NE Spring Gathering in Portland. USFWI has asked if New England could host the 2016 Triennial. After discussing the information laid out in the Handbook on hosting those events, as the only organized Woman’s Society in New England, we decided we are not ready to attempt the task. The 2011-2012 Blueprints have arrived and are available from Margaret for $5 each. Our next meeting will be May 16 at the home of Nancy Marstaller. Theresa will lead devotions and Sarah Sprogell will lead the program.
Dorothy closed the meeting with some wildly hilarious quotes from church bulletins, and we adjourned to feast on Clarabel’s delicious goodies.
Sunday School classes for ages 3-13,
During Meeting for Worship
May 1 Jesus and the 12
May 15 Paul’s Discovery
June 5 Plan for Children’s Day
June 12 Children’s Day – an All Meeting picnic at the Meetinghouse following worship, everyone is invited.
Passages for teens in high school,
Second and fourth Sundays, 10:15am
May 8 CO Movie and discussion
May 22 Special Guest and last Passages Meeting until September
May 2011 THROUGH July 2011
1 Sue Wood, Dorothy Curtis
8 Nancy Marstaller, Clarabel Marstaller
15 Betsy Stivers & family
22 David & Kathy Brown
29 Sarah Sprogell, Leslie Manning
June
4 Linda Muller & Jim McCarthy
12 Bee Douglas, Nancy Marstaller, Jo-an Jacobus
19 Helen Clarkson, Julie Krejsa
26 Margaret Wentworth,
Phyllis Wetherell
July
3 Kitsie Hildebrandt, Clarabel Marstaller
10 Glenice Hutchins & Al Anderson
17 Brenda Masse, Wayne llingworth
24 Dotty DeLoach, Don Goodrich
31 Sukie Rice, Susan Wood
Pastor would like to borrow a garden cart or wheelbarrow for a few weeks for parsonage yard spring-cleaning.
Please call Daphne Clement at 353-6354.
Beginning May 1st – 9:30AM
During the month of May we will read Bill Tabor’s Pendle Hill Pamphlet Four Doors for Worship at Sunday School, please join us.
Synopsis This essay describes four doors as thresholds into the heart of worship.
About the Author William Taber (1927-2005) grew up in Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative). He taught at Olney Friends School for twenty years, and at the Pennington Boys and Moses Brown Schools. He later taught Quaker history, practice and spirituality at Pendle Hill. Ohio Yearly Meeting recognized Bill Taber’s gifts in the ministry in 1966. These gifts centered on his ability to translate spiritual experience into everyday
On Sunday, May 22 all are invited to join in a potluck shortly after the rise of meeting. Following the meal there will be a discussion including all Durham Friends Meeting members and attenders of all ages. Please join us for this unique event.
Come share your talent by getting on the stage and/or listening, supporting, and applauding with delight!
It has been said that real prayer is not so much a request as it is listening to God.
Contemplative Prayer is an ancient Christian practice.
We will gather at the Meeting House on Tuesdays in May: 10th – 31st at 7:00PM to practice Contemplative Prayer. Please join us for any or all of those evenings. If you have any questions call Daphne Clement at 353-6354.
May 20: 7 – 9PM
Young Friends at the Meetinghouse
Special Notice – Young Friends who would like can join us for a Sleep Over at the Meetinghouse following our meeting on May 20 Bring sleeping bag, pillow and toothbrush for this experience!!
Parents may pick up their youth at 11AM
Tess Marstaller is in Cameroon, Africa, in the Peace Corps. She has a fascinating blog. I recommend it for its pictures and descriptions of life there. www.tessincameroon.blogspot.com
Recommended by her proud grandmother!
By Jo-an Jacobus
A few newsletter readers have swapped their delivery method from paper to email. Thank you for your willingness to make the changeover. We are hoping that even more people will want change in the near future. Would you switch today? You could have a part in shrinking the deficit in Durham Friends Meeting’s budget for this year. If you decide you’d like to help the meeting in this way, please drop us a note at the return address on the newsletter, call 207.666.3213 or email jacobusj@gwi.net to let us know you’d like to switch. The meeting would appreciate your help.
On Saturday, May 21st Lisbon Area Christian Outreach (LACO) is holding a fund raising dinner at Holy Trinity Parish, 67 Frost Hill Avenue, Lisbon Falls. From 5 – 7 they will be serving an “All You Can Eat” spaghetti and lasagna dinner. The price of admission for one is $5.00 for those age 12 and up, $2.50 for children and children under 6 years of age eat for free. The proceeds will support LACO’s Food Bank and Clothing Pantry. Hope to see you there.
“The Meeting for Worship is, however, not all silence. The silence is preparation. One listens before one speaks. There is a quickening power in the living silence… Where the temperature and atmosphere of the group are right, the one who prays or speaks is not just a solitary individual saying words. One becomes in some real sense a voice for the cooperating group. There is more in the words than we consciously know or explicitly think out.” Rufus Jones
There has been some wonderful vocal ministry rising out of the waiting silence in the past six weeks or so. And though, from time to time, there are those amongst us who are especially gifted and offer messages full of Spirit… we are ALL ministers… and each of us, no matter how shy we may feel… are, from time to time, called to rise and say a few words.
During Worship on the last Sunday of February, your pastor sensed that there was a message trying to rise, and yet there must have been some hesitation for there was no vocal ministry… and that hesitation did seem to change the quality of the silence in which we were waiting.
I remember well the fear that I felt the first time I rose to offer ministry in Meeting for Worship… because we do have such a strong sense of God’s presence there with us, it is an awesome thing to rise and say a few words. And, it so easy to forget that even the ordinary events of life, when held up into the Light are sacred; and that the most meaning full ministry is neither fancy nor polished, it is heart felt.
In the Atlanta Meeting there was a large Burundi refugee population, and from time to time someone would rise and offer vocal ministry in Burundi; words which most Friends could not understand yet often someone would comment later that those Burundi words had indeed “spoken to their condition.” This reminds me of the quote from John Woolman’s Journal about his ministry while traveling amongst the Delaware Indians:
“On the evening of the 18th I was at their meeting, where pure gospel love was felt, to the tendering of some of our hearts. The interpreters endeavored to acquaint the people with what I said, in short sentences, but found some difficulty, as none of them were quite perfect in English and Delaware tongues, so they helped one another, and we labored along, Divine love attending. Afterwards, feeling my mind covered with the spirit of prayer, I told the interpreters that I found it in my heart to pray to God, and believed, if I prayed aright, he would hear me; and I expressed my willingness for them to omit interpreting; so our meeting ended with a degree of Divine love. Before the people went out, I observed Papunehang (the man who had been zealous in laboring for a reformation in that town, being then very tender) speaking to one of the interpreters, and I was afterwards told that he said in substance as follows: “I love to feel where words come from.”
So, let us when we feel called to offer a few words of vocal ministry take courage and rise… let us, also, make it our practice to listen to the vocal ministry in our meeting in the same deep way that Papunehang listened to John Woolman… and then, let us, trust in the Divine love that attends us in our waiting Worship.
