radnor meeting newsletter 02/2013

Radnor Monthly Meeting Bulletin February, 2013

Monthly Bulletin February, 2013

Religious Society of Friends P.O. Box 8196, Radnor, PA 19087-8196 [email protected]

610 Conestoga Road (Conestoga & Sproul Road/Rt.320), Villanova, PA 19085

"The point I want to make is the importance of developing a dialogue with those who do not share our approach to peace.... If we take the "non-pacifist" seriously, then we must accept the validity of his premise that in international politics there are such things as threats, aggression, and problems of security. Once we accept such "realities", even if they are often realities based on perceptions rather than on facts, then we might make progress in the process of taming and eventually abolishing war....

Let us be realists and see things as they are. But let us be optimistic realists and not pessimistic realists. The pessimist has never gone beyond the vision of a never ceasing struggle among the world's powers, which periodically try to resolve their quarrels by a trial of armed strength. The optimist believes not only that the instinct of self-preservation is forcing men to look for less destructive means with which to settle their disputes, but that it will lead them to the discovery that cooperation is potentially more effective than competition in furthering human enterprise and that wars are not the inevitable destiny of the human race."

-- Wolf Mendl, The study of war as a contribution to peace, Pendle Hill Pamphlet #247, 1983

10:00 a.m. First Day School 10:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship (Childcare provided) 11:15 a.m. Forum Clerk: Patsy Dent Associate: Julia Hanson

Treasurer: Bart Harrison P.O. Box 1382 Bryn Mawr. PA 19010 Editor: Burt Dallas Associate: Janet Schroeder [email protected] Secretary: Andrea Nuneviller [email protected]

Radnor Monthly Meeting Bulletin February 2013

Query

Meeting for Business

Is our meeting for business held in the spirit of a meeting for worship in which we seek divine guidance?

Are we careful to keep in the spirit of worship each of the concerns that emerge, whether of nurture, of Spirit, of social concerns, of property, or of finance?

Are Meeting decisions directed by prayerful consideration of all aspects of an issue and are difficult problems considered carefully with patient search for truth, unhurried by the pressures of time?

How do we respond if we notice the meeting has lost an understanding of the presence of God?

Do we recognize that we speak through our inaction as well as our action?

Do I regularly attend meeting for business and in a spirit of love and unity? If unable to attend, how do I attend to my responsibility?

Do I consider prayerfully the many concerns that are lifted up on any issue, acknowledging that the search for truth in unity involves what God requires, being open to personal transformation as the community arrives at the sense of the meeting?


Calendar Sunday, February 3 10:00 a.m. First Day School 10:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship 11:45 a.m. Care and Counsel Committee Meeting Sunday, February 10 8:30 a.m. Peace & Social Concerns Committee Meeting 10:00 a.m. First Day School 10:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship 11:15 a.m. Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

Sunday, February 17 10:00 a.m. First Day School 10:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship Wednesday, February 20 10:00 p.m. Please send items for the March Newsletter to [email protected] Saturday, February 23 5:30 p.m. Potluck Dinner and Radnor Talent Night! Sunday, February 24 10:00 a.m. First Day School 10:00 a.m. Meeting for Worship 11:00 a.m. Light Fellowship Lunch 11:15 a.m. Forum: “Reducing Gun Violence” by Heeding God’s Call

Looking Ahead Sunday, March 17 11:15 a.m. Forum: “The Buddha in the Attic”


Dates of Interest to Friends Our February Fellowship Food Providers (with our appreciation):

Sun Feb 3 Judy Antzis

Sun Feb 10 Leslie Dallas, David Castro

Sun Feb 17 Ann King, Kerri Shuster

Sun Feb 24 Sam McKinlay, Pat Davis (Light lunch prior to Forum)

Friday-Monday February 15-18 Friends LGBT&Q Concerns MidWinter Gathering

At Bryn Mawr Mountain Retreat Center, Honesdale, PA Contact http://flgbtqc.quaker.org or phone 267-713-8694

Saturday, February 23 at 5:30 p.m. Radnor Friends Talent Night

Hey want to show off your TALENT? OK want to come watch someone else??? OK how about coming for yummy food?? Hey GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!! Come to Radnor Meeting on Saturday Feb 23rd at 5:30 to share in a Potluck Dinner and then sit back and enjoy OR get up and entertain!!!!! But whatever you do -- COME JOIN US!

(Please have your agents send their contracts three months prior to the event --oops, too late!)

Sunday, February 24 Forum: Ending Gun Violence

Guest speakers: Bryan Miller and Mark Feifer of Heeding God’s Call See Announcements for a description

Sunday, March 17 Library Forum

On Sunday, March 17 during Forum time the Library Committee will sponsor a discussion of the "One Philadelphia" book, "The Buddha in the Attic," by Julie Otsuka. There won't be a formal talk about the book; just read it (available at your local library) and come prepared to discuss. There won't be a formal speaker or presentation but there'll be plenty of time for sharing thoughts. The book is a collective "portrait" of the experiences of Japanese women who came to California in the early twentieth century to be the wives of Japanese men who had arrived earlier to work. The time span of the novel is from about 1910 through World War II. Email Caroline Cherry ([email protected]) if you want her to send you the NY Times review of the book.


Radnor News

2012 Membership Statistics

As of December 31, 2012, there were a total of 233 members of which 202 are adults and 31 are minors. During this year, we gained no new members. We lost 4 members; there were two deaths, one transfer out and one resignation. Four minor members reached age 21, decreasing our minor membership and increasing our adult membership. Our total membership is four less than last year.

INCREASES: 0

0 Births/Adoptions for infants under 1 year

0 Transfers In

0 Application accepted for new member

DECREASES: 4

2 Deaths

June Corey Smith June 2, 2012

Sarah Miller December 5, 2012

1 Transfer Out

George Schaefer February 12, 2012 to Abington MM

1 Resignation

Christopher Oswald April 15, 2012

0 Releases

INCREASE TO ADULT /DECREASE MINOR MEMBERS AT AGE 21: 4

Andrew Olshevski February 14, 1991

Elspeth Hay March 16, 1991

Maura Church October 10, 1991

Anne Fosnocht December 13, 1991

MARRIAGES UNDER THE CARE OF THE MEETING

Yvette Hope (M) and Steve Kaplan at Arch Street Meeting, October 13, 2012

Jessica Krick (M) and Tom Stanton at Central Philadelphia, October 20, 2012

Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Folwell Meeting Recorder


Do you or your child play an instrument?

The Radnor Meeting Orchestra will be making its premier performance at the Talent Show February 23rd .

To be eligible to join this austere group you must be able to play on your instrument of choice the following songs so that others can sign along:

A Place in the Choir pg. 306

We are climbing Jacob’s Ladder pg. 192

Swing low, Sweet Chariot pg. 249

(Because of the high level of proficiency, the group will not rehearse.)

To let us know of your talent and your willingness to join this group please contact Harriet Heath, 610 649 7037 or [email protected].

We are anxious to create a list of musicians at Radnor so even if you can’t be with us on the 23rd, if you’d like to be involved at some other time, send your information to Harriet

And be sure to mark the 23rd on your calendar!!!!

News of Friends Fay Lawton

Fay Lawton was enjoying a life-long activity, cross-country skiing, when, unfortunately, she fell near the bottom of a hill. Her daughter, Pamela Lawton, writes " ...luckily she did not break anything." Fay is recovering in Oak, the skilled nursing facility at the Quadrangle, since she has some wounds and frost-bite damage to her skin. Her phone number in Oak is (610) 658-7477. Pamela is unsure how long her mom will need nursing care.

Ad:

Active children doing summersaults in your living room?

Yours for the taking:

Two never used tumbling mats. 36” x 48” x 1 ¾

Call: Harriet Heath

610 49 7037 or [email protected]


Radnor Voices

Let me be a vehicle of thy peace….

I could write about many aspects of spiritual growth that have occurred for me over the decades, starting clearly for me when I was in eighth grade! And, for the past 20+ years, Radnor has been a very important support on my path. When asked to write this column, I decided to focus on only one aspect of my journey which relates to an aspect of the Quaker peace testimony. I care passionately about peace and indeed have devoted much of my professional work and personal life inquiry to supporting peace amongst groups, across groups and within individuals.

I have been humbled forever by seeing how difficult it is to overcome “non-peace” within myself. So that is the focus of this column. A Faith and Practice query asks us: “Do I live in the power of that Life and Spirit that takes away the occasion of all wars?” In interpreting the word “wars” very broadly, I want to speak about our “internal” wars. These look like beating ourselves up with self-criticism or having judgments about others. For example, I have been saddened and humbled over the years to see my own judgments that can arise during Meeting related to people’s messages –even related to my own messages!! Over time, however, I have seen a slow shift and softening. Now, much of the time, I find that a soft compassion arises: “That person is doing her best to share a message that she sees as coming from God or having a genuine spiritual nature.”

I think about the following metaphor. In the past, when things happen about which I had judgments, I was wearing glasses with dark gray lenses. More so now, I put on a different pair of glasses—with soft rosy lenses that relate to my inner state of compassion and love. I know I am in the right ballpark when I sense a softening in myself—kind of like golden honey spreading out. I know I am in the wrong ballpark when my belly contracts and I feel cranky. This shift has been dramatic but has taken a long time and much steadfast practice.

I had been thinking about writing this article for awhile, puzzling about how to say something helpful about what can support such a shift from gray glasses to rosy glasses because this shift doesn’t happen through willing it to or via affirmations suggesting “I should be more loving”. Then, via what I see as divine guidance, I was at Meeting a few weeks ago when a Friend spoke about Woolman’s tenet that “love is the first movement”. Indeed! I believe that underneath all the judgment and “making people wrong”, love abides: when we can get our egos out of the way, all that is left is essential love.

I realized that my “rosy glasses” were about the practice of choosing first to view life through a lens of love rather than judgment. It is a choice—perhaps a choice that takes practice, but it is a choice. I can look at an angry person and say (through the lenses of my gray glasses), “What is wrong with that person?” Or I can look again, through the


lens of love, and compassion can arise: “That person is very disappointed about something.” I also put the same practice into place regarding my own negative self-judgments. It has been a challenging journey, but the occasion of writing this article has helped me to stop long enough to see my progress.

Finally, I add a thought related to another portion of our Faith and Practice Peace Query: “What are we doing to recognize and correct the cause of violence within our communities and to work toward overcoming separations…?” This article is my answer: I am actively choosing the glasses/lenses of compassion instead of negative judgment. We are the root: If we judge ourselves harshly, we have less compassion and love available for Bin Laden, our neighbors or our fellow Quakers. So, this article is my answer to the query about “What am I doing to correct the cause of violence within my personal community?” And my prayer is, “Let me be a vehicle of thy peace”.

~ Bonalyn Mosteller

Bonalyn has been a member of Radnor since about 1990 where she has served on most all Meeting committees, including clerking Care and Counsel. Currently she is serving on Worship and Ministry. She has also been active at the PYM level and, several years ago, clerked a multi-year PYM initiative entitled “Making New Friends” which was designed to help meetings grow. She has operated her own Organizational Development consulting firm for fifteen years. More recently she has been working with nonprofits (especially boards) and Quaker organizations such as Friends Services for the Aging and The Hickman. She spends a lot of time in nature which is where she most intimately contacts her sense of a higher power. Currently a lot of her energy is devoted to learning to live with a new rescue dog named Pearl who adamantly remains a puppy…and a joy (mostly).

Radnor Voices features the spiritual voices of Friends at Radnor Meeting. We hope this will provide a forum for sharing the years of accumulated wisdom present in our community. Each month an individual contributor will reflect on their spiritual life as a Friend, giving voice to the experiences and insights they have gathered in their own personal journey. Friends who wish to share in this way are invited to contact Caroline Cherry of Worship and Ministry at [email protected] or by phone at 610 687-7547. Deadline each month for contributions is the second Sunday of that month. Recommended length is from two paragraphs to one and one-half pages, but exceptions can be made.


Announcements

Report on Our Winter Retreat

1/26/2013

About 25 members, attenders and some guests attended our Saturday winter Retreat. Some left early and others arrived later but all participated fully in our thoughtful discussion and meditations on the statements “What Quakers Believe” under the facilitation of Arthur Larrabee the author.

We broke into small groups two different times to discuss and consider two different statements at each meeting. After each small group we met as a whole and discussed our thoughts and considerations with the whole group.

We were even able to add another statement of belief that might be added to the current statements. The issue of Quaker Process and how it mediates between our openness to new ideas and information and our own ongoing revelation and the connection to our spiritual community was the heart of this proposed addition.

We find ourselves looking forward to the next iteration of these statements of Quaker Belief as Friend Larrabee incorporates some of our thoughts as well as that of other Quaker groups/communities into statements that will speak some of our truths.

Thanks to all who helped to make this Retreat work smoothly, and gave us great food, as well as thanks to all who participated.

Julia Hanson

Clerk, Worship & Ministry


Final Draft for text of Radnor Meeting sign.

Outreach/Fellowship Committee presented two drafts of the proposed sign for comments and suggestions during January Meeting For Worship with Attention to Business. This final draft of the sign takes into consideration all that was discussed at that meeting as well as other suggestions the committee has received.

It was decided that the sign without the symbols should be used. Thank you to everyone who participated in the discussion there were many well considered thoughts presented. There were no alternative suggestions for line 1 and line 2 so they remain the same. We have moved Established 1684 to line 3 for clarity.

“You Are Welcome Here” is the same in location and text. It is agreed the idea it represents should be the center of the sign. The specific wording of the text itself is found to resonate with people more than other phrases such as “All are Welcome Here.”

In line 5 we have removed the ending time since we want people to stay past 11:00 and join us for fellowship if they would like. Finally, we have decided to keep the website because it identifies us as Quakers. Also, its presence says that we are online if someone wants to find out more information even if they can’t read the exact address.

Outreach/Fellowship Committee will be presenting this final version of the sign at March Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business for final consensus. From there we will create a sample of the sign with attention to color and size.

Please send any questions or comments to [email protected] or put them in the Outreach/Fellowship Pocket on the door to the basement. Thank you. Outreach/Fellowship Committee


Report from the Library Committee:

The Library Committee solicits suggestions for acquisitions from committees. If you know of a book that would support the work of your committee or the life of the Meeting, please let us know. Also, we welcome donations of Quaker books, and reviews of books you’ve found useful. Please send your contributions to Caroline Cherry ([email protected])

Among our recent acquisitions is “A Quaker Marriage of Philosophy and Art,” a collection of writings and drawings by Howard and Anna Brinton, who were directors of Pendle Hill from 1936-1952. The book is edited by their granddaughter Catharine Forbes, who presents brief glimpses into the lives of these two influential Quakers with selections from their self-designed Christmas cards and other (mostly) light verse. One of my favorites is this snippet from their 1930 card, describing their youngest child, still an infant (accompanied by appropriate illustrations and some characters in Japanese, in which Anna Brinton was fluent):

Joan Mary spent the year in growing Increasing both in weight and knowing Before this reaches you no doubt She will be walking all about. Her lectures in an ancient tongue Rejoice all those she moves among.

* ** * ** * * These memoranda we indict In lieu of letters we should write, To friends afar in divers places, Whom our most loving thought embraces.

Another illustrated poem from Christmas 1939 is a “Complete Guide to ‘isms’” including Tribalism, Authoritarianism, and Super-humanism. And, as the U.S. entered World War II, Howard Brinton wrote this serious poem:

Though armies battle in the skies, The bird upon the bough will sing Though human fortunes fall or rise, The flowers still blossom in the spring.

Though over all the troubled world Destruction blasts the works of man, In every seed a germ is furled And life continues where it can.

I urge you to check this book out. Perhaps you’ll want to order a copy for your personal library.


Upcoming Forum Feb. 24, 2013 Ending Gun Violence

Epic episodes of gun violence have again caught national attention and made this violence a major topic of social concern. How does a faith-based movement (Heeding God's Call) work both peacefully and effectively to prevent, and thus diminish gun violence?

The Peace and Social Concerns Committee has invited Bryan Miller and Mark Feifer to present a forum on how Heeding's persistent vigils, marches, and social action have been effective in closing down a major gun center that was distributing illegal guns. "Illegal guns" are those which the possessor did not purchase at a licensed gun retailer and thus circumvented a mandated background check. The targeted gun shops are in both Philadelphia and the suburbs.

Heeding God’s Call is a faith-based movement in Pennsylvania (and recently the Washington D.C. area) organized specifically to combat gun violence. Just a few of this organization’s faith-based partners include Friends Meeting of Philadelphia, Central Baptist Church of Wayne, and Wayne Presbyterian Church. Through its faith-based partners, Heeding God’s Call stages various events to effect changes in the gun laws. For example, they have held protests outside of gun shows and also met with gun shop owners to find ways to eliminate straw sales and handgun trafficking. We are sponsoring this as an open forum and hope that all Radnor members and attendees attend and invite your friends from the local community who feel this will be a very important forum.

www.HeedingGod'sCall.org also: Philly.com/Church Lawn Dressed in Heartache


Radnor Monthly Meeting Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business

01/13/2013

The meeting opened with silent worship and was clerked by Clerk Patsy Dent. Approval of Minutes The minutes from the business meeting of 12th month 2012 were approved. Announcements of Upcoming Events Patsy pointed out the list of upcoming events that will be posted in the forum room. Treasurer The meeting treasurer, Bart Harrison, reported that PYM has asked Radnor MM to consider increasing the covenant for next fiscal year. Currently it is $20,400 and PYM asking for a 3% increase. A decision will be requested at the next business meeting. Bart noted that the rate of inflation is 2.2 % and that a 3% increase to the covenant would add $600. Radnor MM ended last year in the black and Bart expects that we will also this year. He suggested that we probably can afford it, but we need to consider it for decision. He expects the Finance Committee to meet and may have a recommendation by the next business meeting. Update and Request from Outreach and Fellowship Andrea Nuneviller gave an update on the meeting sign. The committee would like to get the final feedback on wording and design so they can make a mock-up. Leslie Dallas gave an explanation of process that had occurred to date. The proposed content of the sign was published in the newsletter and they would like the meeting to further consider the question of symbols on the sign. If not on the sign, symbols could be on the web site that is being designed. The sign needs to be able to be easily read. The committee suggests light letters on a dark background (possibly yellow gold on dark green) for visibility and also that the dark color would be less susceptible to discoloration due to the location under a tree. There was a discussion of the use of symbols during which the following opinions were voiced. Symbols can be used to specify more specifically who is welcome. Some noted that it makes it too limited in designating who is welcome, adding symbols could cause the design to be more complex and expensive. A desire for simplicity was expressed. Symbols may be better on the web site and flags with symbols could be could be used for flexibility. Additional discussion centered on the readability of a website address on the sign and whether it is necessary to have the date of the meeting’s establishment on the sign. At the conclusion of the discussion, the sense of the meeting was that we want simplicity and are generally not in favor of symbols on the sign. The committee would like us to continue to provide feedback and will put a reworked sign proposal in the meeting newsletter. It is expected that a decision will be requested at the next business meeting.


Peace and Social Concerns Becky Evans reported that the cookie walk raised over $3000 for Philabundance. Thanks were expressed for the work of Gene Grace and others in making the cookie walk a success. A minute of thanks to Gene Grace who has been instrumental in leading the cookie walks was approved. Gene is stepping away from the leadership role in the cookie walks. The committee also announced that members of Heeding God’s Call will be our forum speakers on 2/24/2013. The subject is gun control. Fellowship Committee Patsy Dent had requested an overview of the work of the fellowship committee, and Sam McKinley spoke. She asked that people who bring food for fellowship please take any leftover food and plates. On 2/24, since it is a forum and fellowship lunch day, the plan is to get sandwiches that can be taken into the forum. The meeting talent show is scheduled for the evening of 2/23. Bring a friend to meeting day is scheduled for 4/7/2013. Sam asked that others pitch in to help in general for both fellowship and the fellowship lunch clean up. Thanks were expressed to Sam and committee for their work. Update from Property Committee Sally Bishop, the new clerk of property committee, provided an update on the committee’s work this year. She expressed that the group is hard-working and activities have included electrical work (electricians made some upgrades, fixed some aging wiring and working on fixing light out front), carpentry (looking into fixing the shingles of the old sign), masonry work, door jambs rotting being fixed, removing items from the floor in the basement (some items are being discarded), and addressing kitchen skylight leaks in the space used by New Gulph (damage includes need for roofing repair and proposed change to a to a fixed skylight). Additionally they would like to put in a proper venting system for the kitchen and are mindful that more work needs to be done on the rest of the kitchen. The meeting room’s audio system was worked on and that removed the buzz. The committee would like someone to demo how to use the system to those who need to use it and are looking for volunteers. The system needs to be turned on and off for the meeting. Report from Interim Meeting Steve Olshevski reported that at interim meeting, it was approved that the fiscal year of PYM will be changed to 10/1 to 9/30, primarily for staffing and the timing of financial decisions being made at annual meeting. A decision was made to allow serving wine at the Arch Street Meeting House, only by caterers and only for special events. No other alcohol is allowed to be served on the premises. Steve noted the number of things that the PYM covenant funds, including events such as a care giving webinar, Young Friends activities, junior Interim meetings, and programs such as the retreat Art Larrabee is scheduled to lead at Radnor.


Report from Care and Counsel Kathleen Folwell noted that today is the deadline for scholarship assistance from Radnor for children. She asked the meeting for approval for 3 scholarships and approval was given. Kathleen also gave the meeting recorder's report of membership statistics for calendar year 2012, which was distributed and approved. There was a net membership decrease of 4. Additionally, the committee has been looking at the membership list and considering the number of active members of the meeting. She noted that there are about 39 in the 21 – 30 age group and that the committee would like to reach out to them specifically. There are about 135 members in the immediate area and 10 members for whom the committee has no contact information. Those present provided leads on getting contact information for 2 of those. Efforts to locate the other members are being made via various means including the internet. The committee is concerned that if there are those that cannot be found, they may request that it be minuted that those names be removed from the meeting rolls. Some number of others have not been seen or interacted with the meeting in some time. The question of what it means to be an active member of Radnor MM was presented. If those who are not active are not going to be dropped, the time of the committee may be better spent concentrating on those who have been active. The committee was not asking for decision that day, but would like some input in order to act in the best interest of Radnor MM. One Friend present suggested that we joyfully let the inactive folks go, as they continue their journeys. Another suggested that there could be another category of members listed in the directory for several years, noting the unclear status of their whereabouts and membership. One Friend suggested that Radnor MM could attract more members if the air was known to be clean (mold-free) here, as that has been an issue for one of the current members. Concerns of Friends Sea Kaplan noted that those working on the issue of the sign have done a really good job and it seemed as though the feedback did not reflect appreciation of that. He expressed thanks to them for their work. The meeting closed with silent worship.

Respectfully submitted, Isobel Thompson Recording Clerk


Radnor Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends P.O. Box 8196 Radnor, PA 19087

radnor meeting newsletter 02/2013

Documents

query meeting

counsel committee meeting

monthly bulletin

spirit of worship

spirit of love

worship childcare

day school

optimistic realists