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Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting

April 2010 Newsletter

What’s Happening | April Calendar | Activities of Friends | Outside the Meeting | Poem
Feedback | Contacts

What’s Happening

News from the Children

Our children's RE classes have been studying Friends’ testimonies this year. We just finished our session on Community, have begun exploring Equality and the last unit will be on Stewardship. If any Friends would like to help with one of the lessons from Earthcare for Children, please call Betsy Robertson or Dan Heider.

In March, the middle schoolers visited Fair Hill burial ground and saw the great Underground Railroad mural across the street at 2950 Germantown Avenue. Sam Davis told his friends the story of Henry Brown who escaped from slavery in Richmond Virginia by mailing himself in a wooden crate to Robert Purvis in Philadelphia. As we drove south on Germantown Avenue from Chestnut Hill the students saw the effects of unemployment and poverty in our city. Some of the students hope to come to Fair Hill on April 10 to help with the garden clean up, trash pick up, and Easter Egg Hunt for the youngest neighborhood children.

Ellen Deacon came and spoke with the children about the neighborhood community she and Ernie have been building across the street on Mermaid Lane. She took us on a tour of the properties, where we saw a lively and diverse community in action.

New committee assignments (and one new committee)

At the March 21 meeting for business, Nominating Committee clerk John Nordlof announced the slate of committee members for the coming year. In addition to approving the existing committee slates, the business meeting also approved the creation of a new Meeting Communications Committee, to oversee newsletters, bulletins, press relations, mailing lists and web sites. Click to see a document listing of all the committees. All officers are continuing for the balance of this year.

In a departure from its practice in years past, the Nominating Committee did not identify clerks for the committees, directing instead that each committee itself discern the appropriate clerk at its first meeting. That’s why the list in the document linked to above only identifies committee clerks for groups that have already made that choice.

Discerning 2011 Contributions

As instructed by Meeting for Business in February, 2010, Finance Committee proposes to add $10,000 to the 2011 budget to replace funds formerly provided by income from the Yarnall Fund. This will provide a total of $15,000 to be divided among the Peace & Social Concerns, Tuition Aid, and Finance Committees (Contributions to Quaker and Community organizations). We believe this is an opportunity for CHFM to re-examine the criteria for each fund to make sure they still fit our needs, and to make the grantmaking process more transparent so that Friends know how to access these three funds for projects of interest to them. We hope to discern whether our contributions should be allocated equally among the three committees or in some other proportion. Finance Committee proposes to arrange one or two threshing sessions between now and the end of the calendar year to discuss current practices and possible adjustments. If you have any questions or concerns regarding how these funds are allocated, please notify the clerk of finance within the next two months.

Dona Garrettson,
clerk of Finance Committee

Update on Pat Witte’s surgery

Warren wrote on March 30 that Pat Witte's 6+-hour surgery “went as planned. The surgical team removed the cancerous tumor, part of the pancreas and the gall bladder. They found no evidence of the cancer having spread — thank goodness!

“So, this is the outcome we have been hoping and praying for! Now Pat will need to recoup from today’s ordeal and regain her strength. We expect she will be here at Jeff for at least a week.

“Both Pat and I have felt wonderfully supported by F/friends and family. We are grateful and feel blessed.”

New Building News

AmeyPS1.jpgDiane Dunning is organizing another trip to New York City, to Flushing Meeting (founded in 1691) and the James Turrell Skyspace called “Meeting” (1986) in the MOMA annex, PS1. Those who have seen these two spaces, one very old and one very new, have been touched and have understood the power of the James Turrell Skyspace to bring Quakers and non-Quakers to silent meditation and reflection. If you would like to attend the trip in April, or if you would like to help organize this and other upcoming events, please call Diane.

Now that the meeting for business has approved the revenue sources for the building, the Client committee and Project Manager will enlist the architects to begin the Design Development. More borings and soil samples will be done on the lot at 20 E Mermaid Lane to better understand what fill was used on the site.

Members of our Campaign committee have visited most of the members of our meeting and now are talking to supporters in the wider community, still in the advance stage of the campaign.

Anne Tydemann Solomon has joined the team as grant writer, and the grants committee headed by Carolyn Schodt is working on applications to foundations interested in Quaker outreach, art and spirituality, environmental sustainability, and community outreach. People willing to help with the grant-writing should call Carolyn.

Forum: Quaker Organizations

This month's forum features a panel including our own Carla White; they'll familiarize us with the panoply of Quaker organizations that surround and support us. That's at around noon on Sunday, 11 April, after a light snack.

Looking ahead to June's forum, remember that we're modifying our traditional book forum slightly, to focus on Eileen Flanagan's book, The Wisdom to Know the Difference: When to Make a Change — and When to Let Go. While Eileen urges Friends to patronize independent book sellers (e.g., Big Blue Marble in Mt. Airy), she also has links on that page to buy the book from a selection of sources. You're encouraged to read the book before attending the June Forum, but there won't be a pop quiz.

Quaker Quest Workshop

QuakerQuest_sm.jpgOn a cold Saturday in March, 20 Chestnut Hill Friends gathered for a day-long workshop on Quaker Quest, the inreach and outreach program from Britain Yearly Meeting. Harry and Lois Forrest of PYM led the exercises and small group discussion. Dan Evans said his favorite part of the day was the chance to share personal experiences of Quaker faith and practice.

The March business meeting did not feel ready to go ahead with the full program, but several committees have begun to talk about “spiritual hospitality,” the Inreach part of the program. If you would like to attend Quaker Quest sessions at Haverford, Media or Central Philadelphia meetings in April and May, please contact Laura Melly. And listen for the public service announcements on WHYY/FM.


Calendar

Printable April Calendar, which shows other groups’ uses of the building as well as our own. (Note that if you click this link before April, you’ll see the current month’s calendar; from there, click the right arrow button at the top left to move to April.)
Links in the list below jump to more information about the event.

Note 1: Community Lunches occur on the first First Day (Sunday) of the month from 12:00 - 1:00pm and are provided by the Hospitality Committee. All are welcome.

Note 2: In the gathering room, there is a book where you may write your joys and concerns to hold in the Light. On the second Wednesday of the month from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, there will be a special meeting for worship to focus on what was written.

Note 3: Children are welcome in meeting for worship from 10:30 to 10:45, when they leave to attend First Day School.

Activities of Friends

Eileen Flanagan on Discernment

EileenF.jpgEileen Flanagan will be delivering the first in a series of talks on discernment sponsored by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Eileen's lecture will be Saturday, April 10 at 2:30pm, following Interim Meeting at Arch Street Meetinghouse. Her talk, which is open to everyone, will be followed by a workshop for Young Adult Friends from 4:30-6:30. Eileen will be introduced by Elizabeth Walmsley.

 

Marcelle Martin on Contemplative Prayer

Marcelle writes:

For several days now I’ve been taking a daily walk around the Pendle Hill perimeter path, delighting in the sight of snowdrops and crocuses coming up, in breathing the fresh air, and feeling the return of energy coming with spring.

As you may know, I am co-leading a weekend workshop at Pendle Hill this spring, entitled “Giving Over: Practices Supporting Contemplative Prayer,” April 23-25.

Please hold me in your prayers as we prepare for this weekend. The topic is dear to my heart, and I am excited to be co-facilitating with Bill Dietrich. Bill is a very experienced teacher of contemplative prayer practices and served for a time as director of Shalem Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

I would be so happy if you could join us at Pendle Hill for this weekend. Here’s a flyer describing the content of the weekend, and here is the registration form. Check the PH website for discounts, including bring a friend, and matching scholarships.

If you are not able to attend the workshop yourself, I would greatly appreciate your help in passing this link and the attached flyer on to friends and family who might be interested.

Love and blessings, Marcelle

Feedback on “Awakening the Dreamer”

pachamama.jpgJean Warrington received this letter from a member of New Brunswick (NJ) Monthly Meeting:

“I am writing to ask that you forward this email to Hollister Knowlton or see that she receive it in some other way. Because of a recommendation in her November 2009 article in Friends Journal, I attended an “Awakening the Dreamer” Symposium recently. It is no exaggeration to say that doing so profoundly changed my life. The Symposium freed me from years of despair and grief over the presumed fate of the earth. It lifted me into a state of hope, optimism and even joy: the future of the earth has NOT been decided and I can do my part to help find the earth-honoring outcome that we all need and yearn for. I have now taken the training necessary to help facilitate future Symposiums, and though it is hard to find words to describe what a life-transformation that has brought me, I feel a very strong need to express my gratitude to Friend Knowlton.”
If this inspires you to seek out a workshop, go to the Awakening the Dreamer web site. The next workshop near Philadelphia is on April 24 at West Chester University.

Outside the Meeting

Good Friday Prayer Service and Vigil

Good Friday Witness to End Gun Violence graphicJoin the Good Friday Witness to End Gun Violence on Friday, 2 April. We will gather at The Salvation Army, 1920 E. Allegheny Ave, 19134, at 4:00pm and walk together in a prayerful procession to the Shooter Shop. Participants are invited to bring banners that identify your congregation or organization. Participants are encouraged to wear black clothing. Participants are asked to abide by the Heeding God’s Call “Pledge for Public Witness”:

As a participant in Heeding God’s Call public actions:
  1. I will embrace God’s call to me to confront violence in powerful yet peaceful ways together with sisters and brothers in public witness.
  2. I will refrain from physical and verbal violence towards friend or foe.
  3. I will follow the instructions of the event organizers.
  4. I will remain focused on our tactic, inviting all gun shops to sign the Code of Conduct.
  5. I will refrain from conversation with counter-demonstrators; they are not our focus.
  6. I will keep in mind that my actions publicly reflect upon our message; if the media approaches me and I do not have the information they are requesting, I will direct them to an event organizer on site.
  7. I will strive to root all my actions in love, for God is love.

Chestnut Hill Film Group on 6 April

Some Friends have started a monthly pilgrimage to the Ambler Theater to see a movie and indulge in gelato. Other Friends note a lower cost (can you say “free”?), lower fat (can you say “no gelato for me, thanks”?) and lower carbon-footprint (can you say “Chestnut Hill Library”?) alternative. Here’s news about the Chestnut Hill Film Group’s offering for April.

On Tuesday, April 6, the Chestnut Hill Film Group will present the classic and sensuous Josef von Sternberg/Marlene Dietrich teaming, Shanghai Express. Once again, 16mm projection services for this special event will be provided by the Secret Cinema.

This screening will be a special event not only because it will present a great movie using a beautiful old film print -- but because this is the date set aside to honor David Mallery, a long-time leader of the Chestnut Hill Film Group, who died on January 16.
David Mallery was a teacher at Germantown Friends School for many years, before moving on to Friends Council on Education, where he ran many workshops for teachers, including the annual Westtown Conference.

A Latino setting of the Latin Mass

Sierra.jpgOn Saturday, 24 April, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia presents composer Roberto Sierra's Missa Latina: Pro Pace at the newly refurbished Baptist Temple at Temple University. Roberto Sierra blends his Puerto Rican heritage with grand religious tradition in a vibrant mass filled with exuberance and Latin American rhythms. Contact Phil Jones for ticket information, or buy online through the Temple ticketing web site.

Friends of the Feline Persuasion

Sarah Whitman makes the following request:

“I’m interested in exchanging cat care with someone in Chestnut Hill or the nearby area. This is for times when we’re away for a weekend or a week’s vacation. We’re looking for a cat lover, and we’ll provide lots of love for your cat(s) when you’re away. Other exchanges for cat care considered. Contact Sarah Whitman.”

Poem: Spring Azures

SpringAzure.jpg
In spring the blue azures bow down
at the edges of shallow puddles
to drink the black rain water.
Then they rise and float away into the fields.

Sometimes the great bones of my life feel so heavy,
and all the tricks my body knows—
the opposable thumbs, the kneecaps,
and the mind clicking and clicking—

don’t seem enough to carry me through this world
and I think: how I would like

to have wings—
blue ones—
ribbons of flame.

How I would like to open them, and rise
from the black rain water.

And then I think of Blake, in the dirt and sweat of London—a boy
staring through the window, when God came
fluttering up.

Of course, he screamed,
seeing the bobbin of God's blue body
leaning on the sill,
and the thousand-faceted eyes.

Well, who knows.
Who knows what hung, fluttering, at the window
between him and the darkness.

Anyway, Blake the hosier’s son stood up
and turned away from the sooty sill and the dark city—
turned away forever
from the factories, the personal strivings,

to a life of the imagination.

Mary Oliver

Previous Newsletters

Feedback: Send comments, questions and suggestions about the newsletter to newsletter editor Phil Jones: newsletter@chestnuthillquakers.org. If you have a reaction (positive or negative), be sure to let me know.

Contact: Use the following links to see the Meeting's web site, and to contact various people in the Meeting.