London Grove Monthly Meeting March 2014! 1

London Grove Monthly Meeting Bulletin ~ Begun 1714 ~

~ Established 1792 ~March 2014

Query for March: Spiritual Nurture, Ministry, and Religious Education

Does our Meeting encourage the ministry of both word and deed? How does our Meeting recognize, develop, and nurture the gifts of our members and attenders of all ages?

Does our Meeting prepare all its members and children for worship and for a way of life consistent with the principles of the Religious Society of Friends? How do we teach about Quaker practices in business and worship and their importance to the functioning of our Meeting community?

In what ways do we support each other in order to seek God's will and act upon our understanding of truth? Is there opportunity in our Meeting to share the excitement of religious discovery and the possiblity of religious transformation?

Does our Meeting provide opportunities for all in the Meeting to learn about: the Inner Light, the living Christ within, the Bible, the writings of Friends, our Christian heritage, other religious traditions and their respective roles in the history and formation of Friends' principles? the common testimonies Friends declare? the variety of expression Quaker faith takes today?

Do I maintain as part of my personal and family life those daily practices that focus on continued spiritual growth, with disciplined worship, inward retirement, and communion with the divine spirit?

Do I frequently read the Bible and other religious literature, including the records of the lives and experiences of Friends? Do I take the time to explore these resources with others, and likewise encourage my children?

Do I share my own faith and spiritual journey, and encourage such sharing within my family?

March 21-22: Class Matters Workshop with George Lakey

Location: Kennett Meetinghouse. Date March 21, 5:00 – 8:00 and March 22, 9:00 – 4:00Description: A Personal Growth Workshop designed to help us notice the effects of class on our lives.Leadership: George’s background as a Friend, as a sociologist who has studied societies across the world, and as an activist on several continents in the world will all come together to bring personal insights for the participants. For cost and other details, please see page 4 .

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March 2014 Calendar

Sunday 3/2 9:30 am Meeting for Worship Children’s First Day School 10:30 am Meeting for Worship for Business

Thursday 3/6 7:30 pm Property Committee Saturday 3/8 10 am 300th Anniversary Committee Sunday 3/9 8:30 am Peace & Social Justice Committee 9:30 am Meeting for Worship Children’s First Day School 10:30 am Intergenerational Music for Spring Noon Worship & Ministry Committee

Monday 3/10 7 pm Religious Education Committee

Thursday 3/13 7 pm Care & Membership Committee Sunday 3/16 9:30 am Meeting for Worship Children’s First Day School 10:30 am Bible Study: The Bible and the Third Query Tuesday 3/18 7 pm Kindergarten Committee

Thursday 3/20 9:30 am Library Committee

Friday & Saturday 3/21-3/22 Class Matters (See pages 1 & 4.)

Sunday 3/23 9:30 am Meeting for Worship Children’s First Day School 10:30 am Quaker Studies Origin of the Testimonies: Peace Testimony

Saturday 3/29 7 pm Forum: 300th Anniversary Piano Concert with Thomas Pandolfi, internationally renowned pianist. This program is in cooperation with the Hadley Memorial Fund. Refreshments follow the concert.

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Susanna Davison leads February’s Coffeehouse Colloquium on “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Questing young heroes or wise elders? What are myths and fairy tales saying to us . . . . or about us?

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Clerk’s Report

Friends,

Meeting for Worship with Concern for Business was convened on 2nd of 2nd Month, 2014. After settling back into worship, the following business was conducted:

CLERK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS: A letter was received and read from the estate of Harold Miller bequeathing $5,000 to London Grove Monthly Meeting.

A Membership Transfer letter from Mina Fields Johnson’s current Meeting was received, read, and delivered to our Care & Membership Committee. The committee will give consideration to the request and report back to the Meeting.

CARE & MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL REPORT & RESPONSE TO THIS MONTH’S QUERY:Jill Benjamin, Clerk of Care & Membership, presented the committee’s response to the Query - Care For The Meeting Community. This was a weighty, thought-provoking response that warrants future discussion by the Meeting. Jill also offered an annual report on the composition and work of the Care & Membership Committee. This report on the state of the committee was ACCEPTED by the Meeting.

REPORT ON WESTERN QUARTER MEETING: Margaret Walton offered a report on the recent Western Quarter meeting, held at London Grove. The event drew a large turnout and was well received – particularly Mark Myers’ presentation and the quality of the lunch provided by our members. Denis Newbold made an audio recording of Mark’s program and will offer it to the Meeting, once edited.

Margaret also brought to our attention an item of pending business of the Quarter. A recommendation has been made for consideration by all Monthly Meetings to create a ‘Support Committee’ to determine a new structure for the Quarter’s operation. As envisioned, this new committee would have representatives from all of the Monthly Meetings. (Editors’ note: There is more information on pages 8-9.)

300th ANNIVERSARY UPDATE: Sandy Reber reported on our first Anniversary event – a dinner and presentation on “The Future of The Religious Society of Friends” by Arthur Larrabee, General Secretary of PYM. The event was extremely well received, despite the inclement weather. Sandy also offered updates on future events. Stay tuned…

REPORT BY THE KEEPER OF THE CALENDAR: Anna Myers brought forward one request for use of the meetinghouse – a Moore family reunion on August 2. The request was APPROVED.

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TREASURER’S REPORT: Doug Myers reported on the December 2013 Year-end & January 2014 finances of London Grove. His report was ACCEPTED by Meeting membership.

2014 BUDGET PROPOSAL: Richard Wortmann, Clerk of the Finance Committee, reported on the committee’s recent revisions to the proposed 2014 Budget, and presented this revised document to the Meeting. After a few questions, and agreement to restore the Helen Corson budget to its original amount, unity was apparent. The Meeting APPROVED the revised budget, pending full funding for the Helen Corson award. The membership of London Grove thanks the Finance Committee members for their hard work.

Having concluded the business of London Grove Monthly Meeting for 2nd Month, we settled back into worship.

Preliminary Agenda for 3rd Month Meeting for Business

• Minutes of 2nd Month Meeting with Concern For Business• Response to the Query: Spiritual Nurture, Ministry and Religious Education• Care & Membership Committee: Items for consideration• 300th Anniversary Events Update• Western Quarter: Report on the proposed SUPPORT COMMITTEE• Update on the SIMPLE MEAL• Treasurer’s Report• Concerns of the Meeting

Submitted By: Robert Frye, Assistant Clerk

From the Inreach Committee:

Try to remember to wear a name tag. You may become a new person in the future ----- somewhere. You will feel less strange if you see the people there wearing name tags. It is as if they are extending a welcome to you. Let’s make newcomers to London Grove Meeting feel welcome too.

My name is:

William Penn

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AnnouncingWisdom Sharing Sunday, 9 March

12:00 PM to 3:30 PM for Pastoral Care and Worship & Ministry

Click here to RSVP!

London Grove Meeting500 West Street Rd, Kennett

Square, PADetails on Western Quarter website:http://westernquarterquakers.org/events/pastoral-and-worship-care-wisdom-sharing/

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The Minutes of the Business Meeting Session of Western Quarterly Meeting held on the Nineteenth Day of the First Month of 2014 at London Grove Monthly Meeting

Business Meeting was held at London Grove Monthly Meeting after Friends from Hockessin, Newark, London Grove, Kennett, New Garden, West Grove, Kendal, and Centre Meetings met to constitute the first session of Western Quarterly Meeting in 2014.After meeting for worship in the morning, we listened to a wonderfully interesting and illustrated talk by Mark Myers entitled “A Look at the History of Western Quarterly Meeting.” While that program was going on, Zac Dutton, our WQM coordinator, Leona Provinsky and Pat Horrocks were running the program for the 22 young people who came to quarterly meeting. At the end of the morning events, we consumed the delicious luncheon prepared by - - and served under the very capable direction of -- the indomitable Barb Pusey and her WQM lunch crew. Barb had planned for 50-70 people. We had over 80 stay for lunch.

Here are a few highlights from the meeting:

*After lunch, business meeting began with Dick Logan, Hockessin Meeting, reporting from the Finance & Budget Committee. Some monthly meetings have reduced their covenant contributions. We face a deficit in the Fiscal Year 2014 budget and a potential increase in this deficit in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget. We briefly discussed the possibility of raising contributions from individuals in addition to asking for increased covenant contributions from monthly meetings.

*The Convener of the Committee and Leadership Reevaluation (CLR) Advisory Group, Richard Bernard of Hockessin Meeting, presented on the extreme difficulty Western Quarterly Meeting has faced in populating committees and filling leadership positions (like assistant clerk and recording clerk). This reflects a wider need to consolidate our committee structure and leadership positions in a way that is sustainable for volunteers. The CLR proposed restructuring the administrative functions of Western Quarterly Meeting to bring members of our defunct committees together into one oversight committee called the Support Committee, to which representatives of each monthly meeting would be invited. The Support Committee meetings would be open to all, and they would overlap with Quarterly Meetings. The Support Committee would function as a board of trustees. This restructuring would help to redirect our work to the support of our constituent monthly meetings and streamline the work load of our officers. We hope this restructuring, combined with the efforts of our staff, will also bring new life and purpose to our association of monthly meetings called Western Quarterly Meeting.

Friends gave substantive feedback, and through it we agreed to a specific change to the minimum number of meeting times for the proposed Support Committee from six to four times per year. Friends had questions, such as whether all Friends would be invited to any Support Committee meeting (they would), whether Support Committee meetings would occur at Quarterly Meeting (they would), and whether all other committees would be laid down. The Support Committee would have the authority to lay down defunct committees that no longer function. Committees that still operate

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would not be laid down. Friends expressed concern about the need for broader input and awareness among all our constituent monthly meetings. We agreed to spread awareness and gather input on the change from each of our monthly meetings.

The proposed change will be brought to April Quarterly Meeting for approval.

*Friends agreed to reintegrate business meeting with Quarterly Meeting sessions permanently.

*Our Clerk, Pam Leland, reviewed the discernment conducted at our last business meeting regarding accounting practices (minute 13-26 on 11.13.13) and reported that she has begun to solicit proposals from different firms or independent contractors to support the financial management of Western Quarterly Meeting. One Friend reported on his own experience, from a different organization, of hiring a part time accounting firm. It was not satisfactory, and Friends were properly cautioned to go about revising our accounting practices with mindfulness and care.

We adjourned after a moment of unprogrammed worship.

Respectfully submitted (with grateful acknowledgment to Zac Dutton’s superior note-taking skills),

Margaret Walton

Harken!

Barb Pusey has requested that we all save our SWEET PICKLE JUICE (NOT DILL), for the London Grove Mushroom Salad, which we'll be making for our 300th Anniversary Supper in October. Closer to the time, she will have a gallon jar in our refrigerator that we can use to save and store it. If questions, give Barb a call at (610) 388 7337. Many thanks.

Child Care First Hour Second Hour

March 2 Georgia Delaney Karen Conlan, Heidi Benson

March 9 Elizabeth Powell Pat Mooberry, Doug Mooberry

March16 Pat Horrocks Tammy Brosius, Brenda Macaluso

March 23 Anna Myers Betsy Walker, Heidi Benson

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PROPOSAL TO RE-ORGANIZE WESTERN QUARTER’S STRUCTURE

------We are Western Quarter------

Centre MM Fallowfield MM Kendal MM

Kennett MM Hockessin MM London Grove MM

Marlborough MM Mill Creek MM Newark MM

New Garden MM West Grove MM

WQ Support Committee

Composed of two representatives from each of

the eleven Monthly Meetings as well as any

WQ staff member(s).

Role and Function of the Support Committee

Serves as trustee of physical and financial assets. Serves as communication nexus/interface between and among monthly meetings. Coordinates Quarterly Meeting, including the planning of youth programming during QM. Supports ministries and leadings of individual monthly meetings as resources allow (this includes Quarter-wide youth activities). Appoints its own officers and committee clerks. Coordinates the work of any committees. Hires and oversees the work of any paid staff. Meets no less than 4 times a year with meetings of the Support Committee publicized in advance.

o These meetings would be held in the afternoon following Quarterly Meeting. o Additional meetings would be scheduled at a time convenient for the body and with

sufficient notice to the Quarter.

Any member of WQ would be welcome, even encouraged, to attend Support Committee Meetings.

Continued on next page

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Additional Comments and Clarifications

1. Western Quarter is a legal entity with fiduciary responsibility for tangible assets (money, property, etc.). The work of the Support Committee would be consistent with the role of a Board of Directors in other organizations.

2. WQ can also serve as a support structure to the work and life of our community of Meetings as there is interest and investment by members of the Quarter.

3. Monthly meetings will be responsible for appointing representatives to the Support Committee. a. The Support Committee will articulate the desired qualities and characteristics of these

Meeting Representatives so that those interested in participating as Meeting Representatives can make an informed decision.

4. The Support Committee will establish committees and/or working groups as needed and

appropriate. Such committees might include Finance, Nominating, Youth Programs, etc. a. These groups would include members of the Support Committee and, ideally, other

individuals from meetings in the Quarter.

5. Information related to the work of the Support Committee will be disseminated throughout the Quarter via Quarter communications, members of the Support Committee and also through the Monthly Meeting Clerks.

6. What would happen to existing committees and committee members?

a. One of the early tasks of the Support Committee would be to review the list of current committees and determine what functions would best be served by a separate committee and/or what functions could be assumed/handled by the larger Support Committee.

b. Members of committees whose functions are assumed by the Support Committee will be invited to stay involved through participation on the Support Committee or another committee.

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Worship is a Door to LoveAnnual Sessions- July 23-27, 2014

"Worship is a Door to Love" is the theme for PYM Annual Sessions 2014, to be held July 23-27 at Muhlenberg College in Allentown PA.

Everyone is invited and if you have never been to Annual Sessions, we hope you will give it a try this year!

Annual Sessions is a great opportunity to meet and join many other Friends in gathered worship, to listen and learn from one another, to conduct our business and enjoy fellowship together.

For more information, contact Tricia Coscia, Sessions Coordinator, at sessions@pym.org, 215 241-7238 or visit www.pym.org/annual-sessions-2014

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